These are the best things to do in Miami this weekend
A guide to the best events, performances, culinary happenings and more spectacular things to do in Miami this weekend
Parking yourself on the sand of one of the Miami beaches for the weekend sounds like a glorious way to pass the time—until it’s not. At some point you’ll want to wear more than a swimsuit, experience brunch in Miami and see what the Miami nightlife scene has to offer. Lucky for you, each week we compile a list of what promise to be the most fun events, performances, festivals and more happening Friday through Sunday. Ready to turbocharge your social life? Make plans to keep busy with our guide to the best things to do in Miami this weekend.
Things to do in Miami this weekend
Backyard BBQ at Planta
In honor of one of the grilling-est holidays on the calendar (Memorial Day, obv), Planta South Beach is serving up a 100% plant-based Backyard BBQ menu that will satisfy the veg set and meat-eaters alike. South of Fifth’s go-to spot for approachable-yet-chic vegan fare has curated a special menu running Wednesday through Saturday for dinner service, featuring inventive takes on summertime classics like the Black & Bleu Burger (shiitake bacon, lettuce, tomato and cashew nut bleu “cheese”), the Southwest Burger (pepper jack “cheese,” lettuce, avocado smash, shaved onion rings and BBQ sauce), and Buffalo Cauliflower (cashew nut bleu “cheese” and scallions).
Summer Fridays at Boulud Sud
Summer Fridays aren’t just for concrete jungle-dwelling New Yorkers anymore. Beginning this Friday, Miamians can stop wishing we had a reason to get excited about the prospect of hotter days and stickier nights with the launch of Boulud Sud’s Summer Fridays wine program. Coasting from the artisanal fine wines of Sicily to terroir selections from Southern France (to name a few), head sommelier Daniel Chavian's thoughtfully themed wine flights will change each week. Best of all? Each hand-selected flight comes complimentary with the purchase of one of Boulud Sud’s Mediterranean-inspired appetizers—perfect for pairing with good company and that summertime sunshine.
The Art of the Cocktail
In partnership with Russian Standard Vodka, with all proceeds benefiting homeless relief organization the Chapman Partnership, Lightkeepers at the Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne will host a one-night event during which participants will learn to shake up the perfect Russian vodka cocktail from in-house mixologist Alexa Delgado and Jean-Pierre Belonni of Burlock Coast. Guests will also have the chance to capture action shots with fine art photographer Kiko Ricote as part of the hotel’s rotating visiting artists series. Tickets include bar bites, two cocktails and an interactive mixology demonstration.
Hyundai Air & Sea Show and Music Explosion
Most Miamians are smart enough to avoid South Beach on Memorial Day weekend, but if you don’t mind the crowds, you’re in for a genuine spectacle: fighter jets zooming overhead, fireworks filling the sky, a performance by Flo Rida and to top it all off, aerial pyrotechnics.
The Secret World Inside You
Take a psychedelic trip into the human body at Frost Science Museum’s latest exhibition, “The Secret World Inside You.” Featuring an immersive light and mirror display representing the trillions of microbes that make their homes in each and every one of us, plus gigantic models, infographics, vibrant images and hands-on interactive exhibits that bring the invisible world to life, this illuminating (and slightly disturbing) show is organized by the American Museum of Natural History in New York and presented locally by Nicklaus Children’s Hospital.
Zhao Gang: History Painting
A key figure in the development of Chinese contemporary art, Zhao Gang illustrates the radically multicultural aspects of his work and identity in his new exhibition for the PAMM. The youngest member of the Stars Group—China’s first modern art movement—Gang left home in 1983 to study, live and work in Europe and the United States. Hung salon style in a 130-square-foot “apartment” built within the exhibition gallery, “Zhao Gang: History Painting” provides a critical re-reading of the history of contemporary art while exploring the 1980s phenomenon of “apartment art.”
Best of the Best Music Fest
The christened “Emperor of Dancehall” Shabba Ranks descends on Downtown Miami this Memorial Day Weekend for the 13th-annual Best of the Best Music Fest. Expect a coming together of Caribbean cultures on the water at Bayfront Park Amphitheatre during peak Miami summer, with additional hard hitters like DJ Supa Cat and Jahmiel bringing those sexy dancehall riddims that have become so ubiquitous on hip-hop and pop radio today.
Junior Sanchez
Shutting down Memorial Day Weekend on the 1-800-Lucky patio, American record producer, DJ, re-mixer and record executive Junior Sanchez—who’s collaborated with the likes of Azealia Banks, Katy Perry, Stuart Price and Armand Van Helden—jumps on deck until close. To further sweeten the no-cover party, bar manager Milan Vega has devised a special cocktail, the Passion Fruit Salute ($11), made with vodka, lemon, passion fruit puree, hellfire bitters and elderflower liqueur.
Amparo
Rum, immersive theater and music collide at Amparo, a Havana Club-inspired show that aims to educate and, well, intoxicate. The theatrical performance put on by the Cuban rum brand, written by Vanessa Garcia, tells the story of one family’s fight through revolution in Cuba. There are multiple storylines that viewers can walk right through, plus plenty of drinks, dancing and several surprises. “Amparo has always been more than a show. It's root-reaching, it's digging up the truth, it's unveiling the history that some have tried to erase,” says Garcia. “It's about making bridges.” 221 NE 17th St.
Things to do in Miami this month
Things to do in Miami this month
Plan ahead and make the most of your time in Miami