The Best Things to Do in Broward and Palm Beach This Week

Thursday, March 10

There is a reason the last lottery ticket you purchased was also paired with a fake mustache, a baseball cap, and a giant set of shades. That’s because as many people who would be there to cheer you on in your win, there would still be those nefarious types crawling out of the woodwork to free up those funds into the wrong hands. The bad luck of the lottery winner is a common story (mostly one we tell ourselves to cope with a consistent no-win ticket), and it is also the theme to this year’s Clueless on Las Olas, with “Lotto Demise.” In its 21st year, this mystery evening patterned on the board game Clue returns Thursday with Tim Curtin in his tenth year as writer of the series. Starting with a 5:30 p.m. check-in at the Historic Stranahan House (335 SE Sixth Ave., Fort Lauderdale), revelers will head to a street party where they will be briefed on the lotto murder mystery while enjoying cocktails and refreshments. At 7 p.m. participating supersleuths are introduced to the six suspects of the night before setting out to various shops and restaurants around Las Olas to help solve the mystery. While the six suspects are known for giving out bad tips and stale leads to guests, roving “snitches” offer real clues for a dollar apiece. By 8:30 p.m., everyone returns to hear the final clue and nab the lead suspect of the Lotto Demise. Prizes for the first-, second-, and third-place winners will go out at the end of the evening. The night’s festivities (including a silent auction, appetizers, music, and drinks) help raise funds for Partners in Education, a nonprofit that works to forge partnerships between area public-school students and community organizations and businesses.

Register online at browardpartners.com or by calling 954-288-7201. Tickets cost $35 in advance and $40 at the event. Registration is limited to the first 500 participants. 

Friday, March 11

Literature might not have produced Carrie, the movies might not have given us Kill Bill, and the theater might never have unleashed Venus in Fur had Medea not set first the gold standard for the scorned-woman masterpiece way back in 431 BCE. In Euripides’ Greek tragedy, the title character is a barbarian who reacts to her husband’s philandering by butchering him, along with their children. Initially dismissed by audiences too shocked to handle its bleakness, more nuanced feminist productions of Medea have emerged over the past century, and Outre Theatre Company’s The Violet Hour: A Modern Medea promises to be another imaginative reading, one squelched of its original Greekness. “It is most certainly Euripides’ play about a woman left by her husband for a younger woman and the lengths to which her desperation drives her,” says director Skye Whitcomb. “But there are no togas, no masks, no chanting in unison, not even a flying chariot drawn by dragons.” Instead, the atmosphere is more akin to House of Cards: a milieu of politicians, powerbrokers, and social climbers, where the “Greek” chorus relates information from the sanctum of a gated community. If Outre does its job, Medea will come across as a sympathetic victim, not a hysterical madwoman.

The show runs Friday through March 27 at 8 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays at the Broward Center’s Abdo New River Room, located at 201 SW Fifth Ave. in Fort Lauderdale. Tickets cost $30. Call 954-462-0222, or visit browardcenter.org. 

Saturday, March 12

Every holiday has its designated attire. Paramours and hopeful singles don red on Valentine’s Day. Patriots and little kids wear red, white, and blue on the Fourth of July. For Halloween, it’s whatever costume – sexy or scary – one wishes. And ugly Christmas (and Hanukkah) sweaters still haven’t managed to fade away. Each one of these events will see plenty of folks dressing up to celebrate; however, not everyone is into spreading the holiday cheer – unless, of course, it’s St. Paddy’s Day. On Saturday, the whole world is going green for the merriest day of the year. For Broward residents, that means heading to the annual Fort Lauderdale St. Patrick’s Parade and Festival. Thousands of spectators descend on the downtown area to celebrate all things Irish – yes, you’ll certainly find some green beer floating around somewhere. The festival includes live music by the Joe Dougherty Band, a drum-line competition, the mayor’s welcome and Irish blessing, performances by Drake School of Irish Dance, Celtic Bridge, and plenty of people showing off their verdant garb.

The party starts at 9 a.m. There is no cost to attend. It kicks off at Huizenga Plaza, located at 1 E. Las Olas Blvd. in Fort Lauderdale. Call 954-463-3372, or visit stpatsftl.com. 

FAT Village is now the established HQ of Fort Lauderdale’s art scene. There’s no doubt about it. Last year, C&I Studios and Exposed PR took a gamble organizing a large and ambitious festival to give the district that missing piece of the puzzle, and while the inaugural For the Love Music Festival last February was perhaps too ambitious as an opening salvo, it actually turned out quite well. So naturally, the obvious thing to do is to do it again with a little more oomph for the sophomore effort. FTL Music Festival is a celebration for and of locality. With 30 mostly local acts, local vendors, local food trucks, and industry seminars, FTL is part of the benefits package ensuring FAT Village’s continued viability and the long-term investment to the community. Bands like MeWithoutYou, Hoyle, Native Culture, Carly Jo Jackson, Rivers, Phil Barnes, Civilian, and Kids – who delivered a great set at last year’s event – and many more will set the stage for headliner and local heroes Further Seems Forever. This lineup of the band, recently mourning the loss of third singer Jon Bunch, will feature the vocals of Jason Gleason from the How to Start a Fire era.

Tickets for the festival cost $35 general admission with a $30 early-bird special. A VIP packet including parking and open bar retails for $125. FTL Music Festival will take place Saturday from noon to 11 p.m. at C&I Studios, Next Door, and the Garden, all located at 541 NW First Ave. in Fort Lauderdale. Visit forthelovefestival.com. See more in Music. 

If you want to do something free this weekend that doesn’t involve wistfully crying while window shopping, take a turn around the 18th-annual Pembroke Pines Arts & Crafts Festival taking place all weekend long. Presented by the City of Pembroke Pines’ Recreation and Cultural Arts Department as well as the Pembroke Pines Arts and Culture Advisory Board, there will be something to see, hear, or eat for all ages. There will be live music from Love 94 Demonstrations, a craft area for children, live demonstrations of art, and a variety of crafts and jewelry to buy. Foodwise, a mini-food truck invasion will cater to all starving artists’ needs. Luckily, the event spans two days, Saturday and Sunday, creating plenty of options for participants.

On both days, the event is from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sponsors include Memorial Healthcare Systems, Baptist Health, Vera Cadillac Buick GMC, and Waste Pro. The arts festival will take place at the Pembroke Pines Academic Village (Charter High School). The school is located at 17189 Sheridan St. in Pembroke Pines. There is no cover. Visit ppines.com. 

Sunday, March 13

As the story goes, St. Patrick was born into a Roman British family in the Fifth Century and was kidnapped at age 16 and brought to Ireland as a slave to work as a shepherd for the next six years. During that time, he found God and eventually escaped back to Britain only to return and convert people to Christianity, using the shamrock clover to teach the trinity. Apparently, he also chased out some snakes, but that part of the tale is a but more spurious. In honor of the Catholic savior of Ireland, St. Patrick’s Day is observed on March 17 in the United States and is usually celebrated with partying, heavy drinking, and various shades of green. Oh, holy day. And there will be lots of green Sunday at the Shamrock “4-Miler” through Fort Lauderdale. Starting at the Himmarshee Public House, reveler/runners will weave their way on a path through the city, eventually ending where they started. Partying and heavy drinking will probably come after. The run began as a collaboration between WildSide Online Inc. and Exclusive Sports Marketing Inc. as a way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day and all things green. Remember, even if you’re not from Ireland, everyone is Irish on St. Patrick’s Day.

The run begins at 3 p.m. at Himmarshee Public House, located at 201 SW Second St. in Fort Lauderdale. Other than the run, there will beer, music, and food. Registration costs $35 for adults and $15 for kids participating in the Lucky Leprechaun Dash on the same day. This year’s event will be capped at 5,000 people. To register, visit shamrock-run.com. Call 954- 616-5275.

Jacques Cousteau once said, “The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever.” Anyone with diving experience knows there is no end to the wonder that lies beneath the surface of the water. For the diver looking for a new experience and a great time, the Pompano Dive Center hosts a “Whatever Floats Your Boat” diving experience on Sunday. Not your typical dive, it’s a three-tank dive going to 70 feet and below. Departure is a little later than usual, and there’s no hard schedule. Also, there’s no predetermined dive site. They’ll bring a surprise to the boat each time they host this event. It could be anything. Possibilities include dive-propulsion vehicles, underwater music and games, underwater challenges and contests, and professional underwater photographers. Swimming and diving leaves you famished, so a postdive cookout with hot dogs, burgers, and more will ensue.

There’s no additional cost for the three tank dives, just the normal rate of $90. Food is also included. For $219, you get a three-tank charger plus nitrox certification; nitrox is recommended on three-tank trips. The dive starts around 9 a.m. at the Pompano Dive Center, located at 101 N. Riverside Drive in Pompano Beach. A reservation is a must. To make one, call 954-788-0208. Visit pompanodive.com. 

Monday, March 14

So, how many pies can you eat in 3.14 minutes? You’ll have the chance to find out on Pi Day, when Funky Buddha Brewery in Oakland Park celebrates this annual ode to mathematics with its Pie Eating Contest. The contest will take place at 8 p.m. Monday during the brewery’s annual Pi Day celebration. For those who love beer, putting back a few pints is never a difficult task. But putting down a few pies might be little harder. There’s only room for eight people to stuff their pie holes, so those interested should stay tuned on social media for instructions on how to enter. The usual rules will apply: You can’t use your hands, and you must finish all of the pie (down to every last crumb of crust). First place will receive a $100 Funky Buddha Brewery gift card and one 22-ounce bottle of each specialty release, including Maple Bacon Coffee Porter, Last Snow, Nikolai Vorlauf, and Iron & Barleywine. Second place will receive a $50 gift card and third place a $20 gift card. As for the rest of you, expect a number of special-release brews taking place throughout the day with a timed release tapping starting at 3:14 p.m., including a number of pie-inspired brews like Blueberry Cobbler, Carrot Cake, Muy Bonita, Strawberry Shortcake, Key Lime Berliner, and German Chocolate Cake. 

Pi Day will take place Monday at Funky Buddha Brewery, located at 1201 NE 38th St., Oakland Park. Timed releases and beers are subject to change. 

Tuesday, March 15

Last year’s box-office grosses for Sean Baker’s extraordinary Tangerine were a mere $794,000, the kind of pittance that could bankrupt a larger studio. It’s a good thing Baker shot the movie for $100,000 – on an iPhone 5, no less. Filmed on the sun-bleached streets of Santa Monica, Tangerine is a loud, caterwauling, unflinchingly honest triumph of outsider art, a roiling masterpiece populated entirely by characters living on life’s margins – most prominently a pair of transgender sex workers whose friendship is tested when one of them realizes her boyfriend/pimp has been unfaithful. Baker’s cinematography has the rough-and-tumble rawness of a ’90s rap video, often aided by a spastic soundtrack of crunching EDM. Against this bedraggled backdrop, laws and hearts are broken, insecurities are exposed, unconventional alliances are struck, and families are possibly torn asunder. Yet, as Baker found out in the process of telling his story, trans prostitutes use humor as a coping mechanism to transcend hardship, so this is the prevailing emotion of this scorching docucomedy. Costar Mya Taylor made history in February by becoming the first transgender woman to win a major film award when she took home an Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Female. But Tangerine tops the list of 2015’s most egregious Oscar snubs, further proof that the academy is composed predominantly of old white fuddy-duddies.

See it for free at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Pride Center, located at 2040 N. Dixie Highway in Wilton Manors. Call 954-463-9005, or visit pridecenterflorida.org. 

For more events, visit our online calendar or pick up the print edition of the New Times Broward-Palm Beach every Thursday. To submit an event, use our online form.