The Best Things to Do in Miami This Weekend

Just like that, the final weekend of January 2019 has arrived. You've likely been enjoying the cool weather (savor it before July comes around!), and a handful of festivals this weekend will provide even more opportunities to revel in the breeze. For Miami hippies, there's Love Burn at the Historic Virginia Key Beach Park. Club kids may prefer to hit the Wynwood Life Festival over the next few days, and cowboys and cowgirls should head up to Pembroke Pines for this year's KISS Country 99.9 Chili Cookoff.

Good luck to those running this Sunday's Miami Marathon! Here are the best events happening in Miami this weekend.
Friday

Burning Man won't happen till late August in Nevada's Black Rock Desert. In the meantime, local Burners can enjoy the only official Burning Man event in Florida. This year's Love Burn carries the theme "The Lost Island of Taboo." There will be groovy happenings upon groovy happenings, including a meat-loaf brunch, a skinny-dip soiree, and an origami workshop. Prepare for sensual overload. Friday, January 25, through Sunday, January 27, at Historic Virginia Key Beach Park, 4020 Virginia Beach Dr., Miami. Tickets start at $249 via theloveburn.com.

Art. Food. Fashion. Drinks. Music. All are part of Wynwood living these days. That's exactly what the annual Wynwood Life Festival celebrates. Back for a seventh year, this festival will include tunes from several Wynwood DJs — including DJ EXF, DJ Erwin, Tillery James, and DJ Ivan — as well as art activations, yummy grub, and goods from seemingly every business in Wynwood. 4 p.m. to 3 a.m. Friday, January 25; noon to 3 a.m. Saturday, January 26; and noon to 10 p.m. Sunday, January 27; near 2250 NW Second Ave., Miami; wynwoodlife.com. Admission is free.

Who released an EP with Scarlett Johansson last year? That would be Pete Yorn. The five-song record dropped in June, and since then, Yorn has been doing what he does best: jammin' across the country. For his gig at Culture Room, he'll dial it down a notch for an acoustic show. (Johansson probably won't be with him.) 8 p.m. Friday, January 25, at Culture Room, 3045 N. Federal Hwy., Fort Lauderdale. Tickets cost $32.50 to $282.50 via ticketmaster.com.
Saturday

Dust off those cowboy hats, y'all. The 34th-annual KISS Country 99.9 Chili Cookoff will gallop into town Saturday. Headlining the twang-filled day are country icons Brooks & Dunn, "Hurricane" artist Luke Combs, LoCash, Rodney Atkins, and many other acts. And, yes, it's also a chili competition, with more than 20 food vendors dishing up the beany goodness. You won't want to miss the Line Dancing Tent either, especially after a couple of beverages. 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, January 26, at C.B. Smith Park, 900 N. Flamingo Rd., Pembroke Pines. Tickets cost $65 and VIP tickets cost $339 via wkis.radio.com.

Transgender artists have long been ignored, and that's a tragedy, because some stellar art is stemming from this community. Look for it during the fifth TransArt event at Villain Theater. In addition to works by various artists, there will be workshops such as "The Art of Inclusive Language," a history of trans identities, and clay bead jewelry-making. 2 to 11 p.m. Saturday, January 26, and Sunday, January 27, at Villain Theater, 5865 Second Ave., Miami; villaintheater.com. Admission is free.

Two Mexican music powerhouses are joining forces for a Miami show. Camila and Sin Bandera will pack a collectively poppy-rock punch on the JLKC stage Saturday evening. With catchy hits such as "Colleccionista de Canciones" and "Mientes," Camila has three Latin Grammys under its belt. The group plans to release its fourth studio album later this year. After re-forming in 2016, Sin Bandera released an EP to complement a handful of classic albums, including its 2002 self-titled smash. 8 p.m. Saturday, January 26, at James L. Knight Center, 400 SE Second Ave., Miami; 305-416-5970; jlkc.com. Tickets cost $85 to $228.60 via ticketmaster.com or 800-745-3000.
Get ready to see a whole bunch of wiener dogs. After attracting more than 4,000 people to the inaugural Winter Wienerfest last year, Dachshund Rescue South Florida is bringing the popular event back this Saturday. Besides being a great opportunity for your wieners to mingle, there will be a fashion show and "Wiener 500" races. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, January 26, at TY Park, 3300 N. Park Rd., Hollywood; dachsundrescuesouthflorida.com. Park admission costs $1.50 per person; event admission is free.

The late, great Whitney Houston once sang that the children are our future. You'll believe it after witnessing the budding talent at the Wynwood Yard's Young Entrepreneurs Day. Visit the Yard for workshops, demos, info booths, and activities hosted by these young creators. Musicians from Live! Modern Music, Young Musicians Unite, and Guitars Over Guns will provide additional entertainment. But take the time to listen to the presenters, including 14-year-old Nazhi Thee Baker, whose specialty is crafting sweets that she and her sisters with sickle cell anemia can safely eat. You'll also meet 12-year-old Zoe Terry, whose nonprofit organization, Zoe's Dolls, provides toys for kids in need and empowers African-American girls. 2 to 6 p.m. Saturday, January 26, at the Wynwood Yard, 56 NW 29th St., Miami. Admission is free with RSVP via eventbrite.com.

It's time to drink up, because Concrete Beach Brewery is about to release its Pisco Sour beer in cans. Obviously, that's cause for celebration. This Saturday, dance to cumbia rhythms, eat Peruvian food, and sip the lime-infused Berliner at the brewery's Save the Drama for Your Llama: Pisco Sour Release Party. Plus, play pin the tail on the llama and embark on a scavenger hunt for mini-llamas to claim prizes throughout the night. 5 p.m. Saturday, January 26, at Concrete Beach Brewery, 325 NW 24th St., Miami; 305-796-2727; concretebeachbrewery.com. Admission is free.

Grab your wand and transport yourself to Blackbird Ordinary for the second-annual Potter Crawl. Wizards and muggles will drink their way through Brickell to sip Potter-inspired cocktails. Stops include American Social, Batch Gastropub, Barú, and RedBar, and themed drinks range from the Dragon's Fire to the Unicorn Blood, made with tequila and lemon juice. Besides enjoying a free drink at each stop, keep an eye out for additional specials and promotions. Don't forget to dress up too. 7 p.m. Saturday, January 26, at Blackbird Ordinary, 729 SW First Ave., Miami. Tickets cost $20 via eventbrite.com.
Sunday

You don't need to wait for Super Bowl Sunday to fire up the grill. Even better, the folks at the Anderson want to do the grilling for you at their Proper BBQ Sunday event. Chef Jimmy Lebron of Miami Beach's 27 Restaurant & Bar will prepare roasted pig, wings with Alabama white BBQ sauce, and a grilled wedge salad for your Sunday meal. And the party continues after that with karaoke hosted by Tillery James from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. 5 p.m. Sunday, January 27, at the Anderson, 709 NE 79th St., Miami. Admission is free.

Some 20,000 runners are lacing up for the Miami Marathon and Half Marathon. Are you joining them? Starting at American Airlines Arena, the course crosses the MacArthur Causeway, loops through Miami Beach, across the Venetian Causeway, down to Coconut Grove, hits the Rickenbacker Causeway, and wraps up at Bayfront Park. Phew. There's also a Fitbit Tropical 5K and Kids Run for those not into all 26.2 miles. 6 a.m. Sunday, January 27, at American Airlines Arena, 601 Biscayne Blvd., Miami. Registration starts at $135 via themiamimarathon.com.

Listening to the Miami Symphony Orchestra is a treat, and when the group performs in Collins Park for free, it'll sound that much more beautiful. The performance comes as part of the Bass' monthly family day. Guests are encouraged to pack a picnic and enjoy the show. If your spread is picturesque enough, you might even take home a prize for "best picnic" from the museum. Get cooking! 4 to 6 p.m. Sunday, January 27, at Collins Park, 2100 Collins Ave., Miami Beach; thebass.org. Admission is free.

After about two years in the making, the Citadel will open in February. The project, by Nick Hamann and UrbanAtlanticGroup, is turning the 60,000-square-foot former Federal Reserve Bank, built in 1951, into a combination food hall, market, and workspace that includes a rooftop bar, daily event activations, and a retail component. To celebrate its upcoming debut, the Citadel will host the Citadel Preview Block Party, a kid- and dog-friendly event complete with music, tastings, and a sneak peek inside. Food will be available for purchase, and the Indie Flea, bringing 30 vintage and maker vendors, will take over the retail space for the event. Noon to 4 p.m. Sunday, January 27, at 8300 NE Second Ave., Miami; 305-989-8601; thecitadelmiami.com. Admission is free with RSVP via eventbrite.com.