Thursday
In case the terrible traffic and rudeness have distracted you, here's a reminder: The city you live in is a tropical vacation destination. And though it might be tempting to jet off to a place like New York to see some new faces, you don't have to, because the Miami Takeover is bringing them to you. For five days, urban professionals from across the nation are descending upon Miami to party and give back. If you want in on the fun, you can purchase a hotel-and-party package that includes a comedy night, pool party, all-white party, and live performances. 10 a.m. Thursday through Monday at various locations; themiamitakeover.com. Packages start at $429.
Millennials never got to witness Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, and the Beatles in their heyday. They've inherited their music as if it were their family's personal heirlooms but lack the satisfaction of experiencing the bands in their full glory. But don't see this Roger Waters concert as a compromise, the next best thing to being born before 1980. Instead, know you won't be credited with ruining the planet and that you're seeing a rock legend with decades of experience performing the tunes that changed music for the rest of time. 8 p.m. Thursday at American Airlines Arena, 601 Biscayne Blvd., Miami; 786-777-1000; aaarena.com. Tickets cost $51 to $195.
If you've noticed an influx of kids wandering around your local mall and on your neighborhood streets, it's because school is out and they're reveling in being financially dependent and irresponsible. Perhaps to mitigate the restless energy of summertime late adolescence, one of the largest institutions of higher learning in Miami-Dade is organizing an Ultra-esque event with foam canons and lasers. FIU SummerFest is an all-day EDM concert featuring Bonnie X Clyde, Ookay, Party Favor, and Valentino Khan. If you're an FIU student this spring, summer, or fall, you get in free. 7 p.m. Thursday at Florida International University Modesto A. Maidique Campus, 11200 SW Eighth St., Miami; 305-348-2138; summerfest.fiu.edu. Admission for nonstudents costs $30.
Friday
The Magic City is bewitching outside its sandy ocean rim. That's why the folks at the event company Beyond South Beach are luring you to Doral with a gathering of local vendors, food, music, and art. Twisted Fork Kitchen will bring the grub, Atomik will provide the live art, and Emkay and Magic City Hippies will perform live. So if you've been living like a tourist lately, head to Meet Miami at a brewery based right here at home. 9 p.m. Friday at the Tank Brewing Company, 5100 NW 72nd Ave., Bay A-1, Miami; 786-801-1554; facebook.com/beyondsouthbeach. Admission is free.
If you're a nostalgia-driven music collector or just a frequent patron of local bands, you've probably heard of Cheap Miami, a label that releases cassette tapes of bands both regional and international. After five years in the game, the label is celebrating its anniversary with nothing less than a showcase of local gems hosted by the incomparable Shelley Novak. Rick Fantasies, Denudes, the Grumps, and Anastasia Max are all slated to perform in the intimate backroom of Miami's favorite Wynwood rock venue. 11 p.m. Friday at Shirley's at Gramps, 176 NW 24th St., Miami; 305-699-2669; gramps.com. Admission costs $5.
Saturday
Despite what Western medicine insists, the doctor doesn't always have a cure for what ails you. Delray holistic healers Banyan House and Inhale Miami are stepping in to assist you in your quest for good health. The two are merging and launching the Urban Apothecary in Miami. The opening night is themed Midsummer Night's Dream and will include live harp music and drumming, a DJ, an herb-heavy booze bar, trance light therapy, massage, free acupuncture, and information about treatments the apothecary will offer. It's pretty much a dream come true for those in need of a little self-care in the middle of a steamy, likely stale Miami summer. 7 p.m. Saturday at Inhale Miami, 6310 NE Second Ave., Miami; inhalemiami.com. Admission is free.
Those who dress their dogs in fancy duds or put their pups in strollers, rejoice! This weekend is the Canine Film Festival at Coconut Grove's Cinépolis movie theater. Pinch yourself now! It kicks off with A Day at the Movies With Your Dog, where entries into this very real film fest are screened. Other doggie day events include a fashion show, the Barker Awards, yoga with your dog, and an afterparty at Miami Lakes' Hotel Indigo. Fifty percent of the proceeds of these doggone entertaining events will benefit local animal rescues and shelters, so put your money where your mouth is and spend some cash on a fun day out instead of new doggie sunglasses. 11 a.m. Saturday, July 15, at Cinépolis, 3015 Grand Ave., Coconut Grove, caninefilmfestival.com. Admission costs $10 to $1,000.
If you've ever pictured what Miami will be like in 30 years, you've probably already ventured into Stephanie Wakefield's topic for her upcoming lecture at the ICA. In a world teetering on the edge of the destruction of our climate, society, and even life as we know it, where do we find the potential for adaptation, the possibility of experimentation and transformation, and even the ability to thrive? Wakefield's scholarship will guide you through this territory and more, with a concentration on art-making and theory. 2 p.m. Saturday at the Institute of Contemporary Art, 4040 NE Second Ave., Miami; 305-901-5272; icamiami.org. Admission is free with RSVP.
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Those who worship at the cannabis altar have a strong sort of brotherhood. Dab Day Productions is at the helm of this crew and is bringing ganja-heads committed to the sticky-icky lifestyle together again for the annual 710 Dab Day Music & Arts Festival. In its fourth year, the fest will offer live art, glassblowing, vendors, and educational speakers, all in support of legalizing it. Musical performers include Yung Simmie, Gorilla Zoe, Meyhem Lauren, and Itawe of Locos por Juana. So do like the environmentalists say and go green. 4 p.m. Saturday at Toejam Backlot, 150 NW 21st St., Miami; 710dabday.com. Admission costs $30 to $55.
Headliner Marketing Group has spent the past three years gradually revamping a festival that has graced one of Miami's most historic neighborhoods for more than half a decade. This year, it doesn't seem necessary to mess with a good thing. The musical lineup at the Overtown Music & Arts Festival includes CeeLo Green, Keyshia Cole, R&B duo Ruff Endz, and RL, with Monica serving as a guest host. No more than a block and a half away from the main stage, you'll find food, local art, and activities for the kids. 11 a.m. Saturday between NW Second and Third Avenues and NW Eighth and Tenth Streets, Miami; overtownmusicartsfestival.com. Admission is free.
There are at least some of you out there who miss dance music before trap and dubstep made it all so hard to listen to. That was back when you could rollerblade on the boardwalk with a boombox blaring house and people wouldn't grimace as you passed. Bondax is the salve for your loss. These two British lads make the kind of electronic music that's virtually impossible to be offended by, which will guarantee a head-bopping, fist-pumping good time at their show. 10 p.m. Saturday at Floyd, 34 NE 11th St., Miami; 786-618-9447; floydmiami.com. Tickets cost $10 to $15.
Countries are important and everything, but what's more important than you, right? July 20 usually marks the celebration of Colombia's declaration of independence, and MegaRumba has celebrated that occasion in the past, but why let Colombians have all the fun? This year, the party asks you to celebrate your independence with a mishmash of Latin cultures at a big ol' party. Never mind that you still live with your parents; register on Eventbrite for a free shot of aguardiente, cheer to Los 5 and Locos por Juana, and do you, Ms. Independent. 3 p.m. Saturday at Mana Wynwood, 318 NW 23rd St., Miami; megarumbacolombia.com. Admission is free.
Sunday
ArtCenter/South Florida has provided workspace for scores of artists over the years, allowing them the place and allotting them the time and resources to craft their visions into reality. Many notable alumni, including Rosa Naday Garmendia and Jose Pacheco Silva, still support the organization and will be featured at the upcoming Alumni Studio Tour and Brunch at 749 Independent Artist Studios and Gallery. And for those not in the know, there's the 7th Ave Sunday Art Walk in that area to hit up after your brunch. 1 p.m. Sunday at 749 Art Studios and Gallery, 4901 NW Seventh Ave., Miami; artcentersf.org. Admission is free.
Before going to prison for eight and a half years, Luis Felipe Garcia was an artist, musician, and all-around big personality. His stories were legendary in the Miami art scene. While he was locked up, he used his almost unbelievable tales as writing fodder, creating surreal, fictional short stories and novels. Now he's clean and back in society, and releasing Missing, a series of short stories on Jitney Books. The launch and reading will include a live performance by experimental musician Dino Felipe and DJ sets by Oly and Otto Von Schirach. 7 p.m. Sunday at Gramps, 176 NW 24th St., Miami; gramps.com. Admission is free.
Though he originally gained notoriety singing in English, Tiago Iorc has been writing music in his native tongue since 2013. Whether you love him for his telenovela associations or for his mellow acoustic pop, this Brazilian singer-songwriter is as enjoyable to listen to as he is pleasing to look at. His show in Miami Beach is one of only a handful in the States, so catch him before he heads back to the Southern Hemisphere. 8 p.m. Saturday at the North Beach Bandshell, 7275 Collins Ave., Miami Beach; 305-672-5202; northbeachbandshell.com. Tickets cost $25 to $45.
Bermuda-born, Hawaiian-based reggae pop musician Mishka seems like he's just hopping from one beautiful beach to the next. The singer, sailor, and grooving fellow is headed to this Atlantic-front city for a show with a full band at the Wynwood Yard. He grabs Caribbean music by its roots and twists it around his finger into his own style of song. With a sixth full-length coming this September, he'll deliver songs that are the perfect summer breeze on a sweaty Miami night. 8 p.m. Sunday at the Wynwood Yard, 56 NW 29th St., Miami; thewynwoodyard.com. Admission costs $25.
Monday
The women at Sacred Space Miami are taking mythologist Joseph Campbell's inspired words, "Follow your bliss," to action. Their three-part series, A Sacred Circle of Women: Accessing the Neutral Mind, helps women gain a deeper sense of self by exploring their positive, negative, and neutral minds. Want to know what that means? Find out while gaining access to your light, wisdom, and power through yoga, pranayama, writing, and sound exploration in the company of other evolving souls. 6:30 p.m. Monday at the Sacred Space Miami, 105 NE 24th St., Miami; facebook.com/TheSacredSpaceMiami. Admission costs $40.
Tuesday
YouTube can be a hugely thrifty and safe way to uncover new comedic acts. It cuts out the two-drink minimum and the awkward fake laughter you feel is necessary to break the silence while watching crappy standup. You can always keep on clicking until you come upon someone like Ray William Johnson. The guy does everything from producing to rapping. The fact that his YouTube channel has had more than 3 billion views is proof of his capabilities. He's currently working on both web- and television-based programming and appearing in films himself. He'll head to Miami from Los Angeles for some time onstage to appear with fellow comedians Kaja Martin and Francis Cronin thanks to Have-Nots Comedy. 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at Open Stage Club, 2325 Galiano St., Coral Gables; havenotscomedy.com. Admission costs $19.
Betsy Hotel South Beach owner Jonathan Plutzik was recently named best arts philanthropist by this publication. That's because even though he owns a hotel on a strip of land known for its vacuousness, he is committed to fostering quality fine arts in Miami. The Betsy is doing it again with the Miami Summer Music Festival, offering opera, Broadway, and chamber music performances by Miami Music Festival alumni and visiting musicians. Get acquainted with up-and-coming talents for free at these concerts that are, thankfully, a rarity no more but still a treat in SoBe. 8 p.m. Tuesday at the Betsy, 1440 Ocean Dr., Miami Beach; thebetsyhotel.com. Admission is free.
Wednesday
The self-proclaimed "culture crusaders" at Prism Creative Group are curating another gathering of Miami talent for their Support Local Mixer. This time around, the vendors cohabiting in Made at the Citadel will provide drinks, bites, and conversation about implementing creativity and art in growing local businesses. Aside from enjoying the noshes and live music, you can also network and learn more about the organizations and businesses that make Miami great. 6 p.m. Wednesday at Made at the Citadel, 8325 NE Second Ave., Miami; supportlocalfl.com. Admission is free with RSVP at eventbrite.com.
The neighborhood south of Fifth Street in Miami Beach seems like such a limited amount of space, only about five square blocks. But SoFi, as it is known, is packed with a wide variety of culinary choices. The food fest Experience SoFi: South of Fifth Culinary Tour will show off the quality sustenance and dining experiences of this area with an all-access, chauffeured culinary tour visiting 15 hot spots. Stops include Joe's Stone Crab, Nikki Beach, and Cibo Wine Bar. Some proceeds will benefit CI Foundation's Eat Smart Program to end childhood hunger and obesity. 6 p.m. Wednesday at various locations in Miami Beach; 305-255-3500; experiencesofi.com. Tickets cost $55.
