Arabian Nights Festival

After 78 years, no damned hurricane -- or even four of them -- is gonna put the kibosh on Opa-locka's Arabian Nights Festival. Originally scheduled for mid-September, the long-running shindig was postponed due to the unrelenting storm season but has emerged invigorated and expanded. It'll be studded with celebrities from TV and film as well as a variety of local food vendors. Friday night's lineup features R&B operators Avant and Carl Thomas, and on Saturday, things get going with a fantasy parade and fireworks display. The party really heats up with the night's super-sized musical roster: local funkateers Spam Allstars, classic soul rockers War, and old-school rap superstars Big Daddy Kane, Doug E. Fresh, Slick Rick, and the Sugar Hill Gang all take the stage. Arabian Nights comes around only once a year, and this time, they're really letting the genie out of the bottle.

The festival takes place Friday and Saturday, December 10 and 11, at the Opa-locka Airport at NW 146th Street and 37th Avenue in Miami-Dade County. Tickets cost $20 per day, or buy a two-day pass for $35. Call 305-688-4611.