Friday the 13th brings good luck. Around here, your only real danger is running out of Friday night before you run out of things to do. You’ve got hometown rock ’n’ roll at The Barnacle, a boat going up in flames at UM, a band concert and an art-filled happy hour. As the flames climb, the Miami Book Fair takes over downtown, Santa Paws comes to town, and there’s free ice cream, jazz, yoga and a garden party at a 1920s Grove estate. But whatever you do, sign up for the golf cart parade and King Mango Strut. Read on for a list of things to do…
Friday, November 13
The Grove’s Own 18 Wheelers Celebrate 30 Years. The 18 Wheelers mark their 30th anniversary with a hometown concert on The Barnacle lawn. The longtime local crowd favorite returns for an easygoing Friday night of live music under the trees, with picnics and BYOB welcome. The Barnacle Historic State Park, 3485 Main Highway. Friday 11/13, 7–9 p.m. Doors open at 6 p.m. No pets. Tickets. Add to Calendar.
Where Cane Fever Catches Fire. Thousands of Hurricanes gather around Lake Osceola for one of the University of Miami’s signature Homecoming traditions: the boat-burning ceremony followed by a fireworks show over the lake. It’s part ritual, part spectacle and a very Miami way to see school spirit at full volume — even if you never attended UM. University of Miami, Coral Gables campus. Friday 11/13 8:30 p.m. Metrorail to University Station. More information. Add to Calendar.
Stars, Stripes and Horns. The Miami Sousa Band salutes veterans with Marches of Honor, mixing patriotic favorites, classical selections and solo features. The selections arrive with barely a pause between them, so save the lengthy commentary for the ride home. Free and open to the public. First United Methodist Church Coral Gables, 536 Coral Way. Friday 11/13, 7:30 p.m. Info. Add to Calendar.
Young, Gifted, and Black. The Lowe Art Museum invites you to a happy hour celebrating the Lumpkin-Boccuzzi Family Collection of Contemporary Art, an exhibition showcasing contemporary Black artists and their perspectives on identity, culture and the world around them. Enjoy an early evening of art and conversation. Lowe Art Museum, 1301 Stanford Drive, Coral Gables. Friday 11/13, 5–7 p.m. Pro tip: take the Metro to University Station. Plan your visit. Free.
A Miracle With a Marketing Department. A bankrupt town’s mayor manufactures a miracle, and two unlikely allies try to expose the fraud in Anyone Can Whistle. Arthur Laurents and Stephen Sondheim’s rarely staged musical takes aim at corruption and conformity—subjects that have apparently refused to go out of style. Jerry Herman Ring Theatre, University of Miami, 1312 Miller Drive, Coral Gables. 11/12–11/19/2026 times vary.. Tickets.
Saturday, November 14
A Tree Tour with a Sweet Ending. What’s growing on your street? Are those trees getting the care they deserve? Join Commissioner Ralph Rosado and certified arborists for a 45-minute neighborhood walk, plus Q&A. Start at SW 27th Avenue and SW 13th Street, stroll west to SW 32nd Avenue, then head to Coral Gate Park for continuing chats with free ice cream. Saturday 11/14, 9:30–11 a.m. Ice cream social at 11 a.m., Coral Gate Park, 1415 SW 32nd Ave. Free. Add to Calendar.
Santa Paws Is Coming to Town. The Barnacle goes to the dogs with Holiday Barkzaar, where your four-legged companion can chase a lure, splash in the doggie pools, pose with Santa Paws, compete in a holiday costume contest or demonstrate questionable table manners in the Pup Cup Showdown. Bring proof of your pup’s vaccinations and complete the required waiver; dogs must be leashed except in designated play areas. The Barnacle Historic State Park, 3485 Main Highway. Saturday 11/14, 11 a.m.–4 p.m. Admission $7; dogs and children 5 and under free. Tickets and doggie waiver.
Fitness, Health and Unity. Get moving with a beginner-friendly, no-equipment workout at St. James Baptist Church. Expect a full-body class, a judgment-free room and no pressure to arrive already in Olympic shape. St. James Baptist Church, 3500 Charles Avenue. Saturday 11/14, 1–2 p.m. Add to Calendar.
Sunday , November 15
A Good Book Is Worth the Ride. Miami Book Fair takes over downtown for eight glorious days of authors, ideas, arguments, readings and enough books to overwhelm even the most determined AI. Hundreds of writers, from literary heavyweights to emerging voices, gather for conversations about everything from politics to pop culture. The three-day Street Fair adds booksellers, food, music and family activities. Leave the car behind: take Metrorail to Government Center, hop on the free Metromover and get off at College Bayside or College North. Miami Dade College, Wolfson Campus, 300 NE 2nd Ave. Through Sunday 11/22, times vary. Street Fair Friday 11/20–Sunday 11/22; free to enter, with tickets required for some programs. Schedule and tickets. Full program.
School Lunches Deserve a Second Chance. Join fellow parents, teachers and community advocates for a Green PTSA gathering. You’ll learn how schools can recover unused food for families who need it, turn scraps into compost and cut back on single-use plastics. Vizcaya Historic Garage, 3250 S. Miami Ave. Sunday 11/15, 4:30–6:30 p.m. Free; Register.
Yoga in the Park. The fall series of free yoga classes continues with a session at Glass & Vine, 2820 McFarlane Road from 5:30 to 6:45 p.m. Sunday, 11/15. Free with registration. Details and registration.
Monday, November 16
Two Grovites Who Helped Shape Miami Have a Few More Ideas. Former Miami Mayor Manny Diaz and renowned urban planner Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk both call Coconut Grove home, and both have spent decades trying to make Miami a better place to live. Now they’re taking the stage at the Miami Book Fair to discuss what worked, what didn’t and what it will take to make Miami more walkable, transit-friendly and less dependent on cars. Fellow urban planner and author Victor Dover moderates. Miami Dade College, Wolfson Campus, Building 2, Room 2106, 300 NE 2nd Ave. Monday 11/16, 6:30 p.m. Free; tickets required. Reserve.
Friday, November 20
Seraphic Fire Gets the Blues. Seraphic Fire is finally getting jazzy. Blue Notes brings the ensemble’s extraordinary voices together with a live jazz combo for a celebration of the Great American Songbook. You’ll hear classics including At Last, When I Fall in Love and Straighten Up and Fly Right. First United Methodist Church of Coral Gables, 536 Coral Way. Friday 11/20, 7:30 p.m. Tickets.
Saturday, November 21
The Early Birds. Fairchild’s Early Morning Bird Walks start before the garden opens, when hummingbirds and other winged residents are at their most active. Bring binoculars and meet at the South Gate Entrance for a guided walk along the Kushlan Bird Trail, with birding tips and species insights from trained guides. Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, 10901 Old Cutler Road. 7:30–9:30 a.m. Capacity 20. Free for members with registration; nonmembers must purchase admission. Schedule and Tickets.
The Kampong Reaches Beyond Serenity. Vespers–a restorative gathering blending quiet meditation, poetry, and collective sound-making–makes stress impossible within the garden’s tranquil surroundings.The Kampong, 4013 S. Douglas Road. Saturday 11/21, 3–4:15 p.m. Free; registration required. Limited to 30 participants. Register.
Sunday, November 22
Art in the Garden Party. A ticketed event on Sunday 11/22 from 5 to 8 p.m. with Miami plein aire artists painting in the garden of a 1920s Coconut Grove estate, with finished artwork available at silent auction. Ticket proceeds support the 2027 Secret Garden Tour. Proceeds from the sale of all art benefit the artists. Details and Tickets. Add to calendar.
Save Me a Seat
The Grinch did it. You can too. The Grove’s holiday golf cart parade is gearing up for an invasion, and your decorated cart could be part of the fun. Sign up now, then get busy with the lights, tinsel and whatever other holiday excess your golf cart can safely carry. The parade is part of Grinch Stole Christmas in the Grove, with tree lighting and block-party festivities. Main Highway. Sunday 11/29, 6–9 p.m. Free registration; parade lineup and arrival details will be sent to participants. Golf Cart sign up.
Still Playing
First Draft. A new monthly First-Thursday open-mic night is starting at Emissary Café, giving Grove writers, storytellers and other brave souls three minutes to get something new, rough or vulnerable out into the world. Read in English or Spanish, or just grab a coffee or glass of wine and listen while somebody else takes the risk. Sign-ups start at 6:30 p.m.; the mic opens at 7. Emissary Café, 3308 Mary St. 6:30 p.m.
The Doctor Is In. More than a century after Miami-Dade’s first female physician, Dr. Eleanor Galt Simmons, treated patients from a tiny limestone office, Meg Wallace becomes the first artist invited to exhibit inside it. Out of Darkness: The Ecology of Care places antique medicine bottles and archives in conversation with painting, sculpture, poetry, sound and a new film about South Florida’s mangroves, exploring how care sustains both people and ecosystems. Advance reservations recommended. The Kampong, 4013 South Douglas Road. Exhibition continues through 9/11/27.
The King Returns. The King Mango Strut Parade reclaims the streets of Coconut Grove for its annual dose of satire, costumes and wonderfully unserious civic spirit. The streets of Coconut Grove. Sunday 01/03, 2–6 p.m. Add to Calendar.
