How to Celebrate the Return of Stranger Things in South Florida

Listen up, mouth breathers. Many of you will be tempted to skip the hot dogs and fireworks this Fourth of July weekend and instead spend the holiday stuffing your face with Eggo waffles and binge-watching season three of Stranger Things, which premieres Thursday on Netflix. And there's nothing wrong with that. Hell, that's what holiday weekends are for.

But should you need a break from sitting on your ass or maybe just a good reason to shower, there are a handful of Stranger Things-related events and activities in Miami this weekend that would complement the binge-watching experience nicely. Trust us. Friends don't lie.

Stranger Things Laser Show. The Frost Science museum is once again giving Stranger Things the laser treatment inside its 67-foot dome, only this year it's one night only. The show will combine '80s tunes straight out of the first two seasons of Stranger Things and laser visuals that transport you to the fictional town of Hawkins, Indiana, and the Upside Down. Bitchin', right? 8 p.m. Friday, July 5, at the Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science, 1101 Biscayne Blvd., Miami; 305-434-9600; frostscience.org. Tickets cost $8 per child and $10 per adult.

Chris Sullivan at Florida Supercon. Before Jim Hopper became Eleven’s father figure, there was another burly Hawkins resident who briefly looked after the laboratory escapee. Benny Hammond provided Eleven with food and clothes and was rewarded for his kindness with a bullet to the head, courtesy of a Department of Energy agent. Meet the actor who played Hammond, Chris Sullivan, also known as Toby from the weepy This Is Us, at Florida Supercon, where he's scheduled to pose for photos, sign autographs, and participate in a Q&A. Friday, July 5, through Sunday, July 7, at the Miami Beach Convention Center, 1901 Convention Center Dr., Miami Beach; 800-598-1055; floridasupercon.com. Tickets cost $30 to $285 via floridasupercon.com/tickets. Sullivan autographs and table photos cost $30 each, and autograph/table photo combo and photo op are each $50.
Stranger Things street art. This mural featuring the Mind Flayer hovering above Hawkins is located in — where else? — Wynwood. Dae Crew members Skape, Skie, Skript, and Dias are the artists behind the Stranger Things homage, which also includes their names in large letters and, in between them, the menacing Demogorgon. “We love the retro look and feel of the show and the whole concept of both worlds,” Dias says. “We wanted to bring those two worlds onto ours on a wall.” Take a break from binging the show and make a pilgrimage here for a perfectly timed selfie. Located near the intersection of North Miami Avenue and NW 25th Street across from Veza Sur Brewing Co.

Halloween in July: Stranger Things party. Tenth Level Tavern is turning back the clock and turning up the spooky to celebrate the return of Stranger Things. The Oakland Park place is throwing a Halloween party in July that will include a costume contest, a DJ spinning '80s and Halloween music, and, as usual, retro gaming systems such as Nintendo and Atari. Try your hand at Dig Dug or Centipede and see if you can become the MADMAX of Tenth Level Tavern. 6 p.m. Saturday, July 6, at Tenth Level Tavern, 1242 NE 38th St., Oakland Park; 954-559-1414; facebook.com/tenthleveltavern. Admission is free.

Nerd Trivia: Stranger Things edition. Do you know who originally founded the Hawkins Middle AV club? Can you name the arcade where the gang hangs out? Then you might want to test your Stranger Things knowledge at this interactive Florida Supercon trivia event, hosted by the Treasure Coast Cosplayers. The questions will revolve around the first two seasons of the sci-fi series and include visuals and hosts in costume. 9 p.m. Saturday, July 6, at the Miami Beach Convention Center, 1901 Convention Center Dr., Miami Beach; 800-598-1055; floridasupercon.com. Tickets cost $30 to $285 via floridasupercon.com/tickets.
The Upside Down Whopper. As a nod to the Upside Down dimension, Burger King has taken the sandwich you know and love and turned it upside down. Bottom bun on top, top bun on bottom — and that’s it. OK, so that probably isn’t enough to get you to fire up the Postmates app. But the cross-promotion makes up for it with vintage Burger King packaging, Dustin-inspired crowns, and Eleven ketchup packets that “bleed” when opened. Speaking of Eleven, that’s the number of locations in the U.S. participating in the promotion. And since BK headquarters are in Miami, you know damn well South Florida has one of them. 6 a.m. to midnight now through Saturday, July 6, and 7 a.m. to midnight Sunday, July 7, at 10494 W. Sample Rd., Coral Springs; 954-752-3460; bk.com.