Night + Day: Nine Things to Do in Broward and Palm Beach This Week

Thursday, October 22

We all have fond memories of trick-or-treating, whether it was in our neighborhood or around the local mall. From picking out your costume to getting dressed up and seeing what your friends decided to be (maybe judging them a little), it was a night of fun just for us. As we grew up, we kept trying to keep the Halloween thing going, but let's be honest — it got kinda lame. So now, you've got kids of your own, and you're taking them out and maybe wishing to indulge in some actually grown-up Halloween festivities of your own. Call a babysitter and head over to Blue Martini Boca for its second-annual Fright Night. This is a truly adult party, with celebrity hosts, costume contests, spirited cocktails, and Lulz – one of the area's best DJs – emceeing the evening. Last year's host was Carmen Electra, and this year it's Kaitlyn Bristowe and Shawn Booth from ABC's The Bachelorette. In addition to plenty of music and celebrity hosts, singer — and "professional twerker" — Lexy Panterra will be putting in a live performance. It's a grown-up good time for all.

Admission is free, but donations will be taken at the door for the zMotion Foundation. Fright Night 2015 takes place from 7 p.m. to midnight Thursday at Blue Martini Boca, 6000 Glades Road in Boca Raton. RSVP to [email protected]. 

Friday, October 23

If the idea of mouthwatering barbecue and live music doesn't sound good to you, then you should just leave America. In fact, just stop eating and stick to a liquid diet. But if grilling and chilling does appeal to you, then you should hop on over to the fourth-annual Isle Smokin' BBQ Contest happening at Isle Casino Racing Pompano Park on Friday and Saturday. During the two-day festival, 25 teams will dish out pork, ribs, chicken, and brisket prepared to barbecue perfection. In this contest, they're competing to qualify for grander contests, like the Jack Daniel's World BBQ Invitational, Sonny's Smokin' Showdown, and the prestigious American Royal World Series of BBQ in Kansas City. There will be an additional contest. Firefighters will compete in the Firefighters Backyard BBQ Contest in which $1,000 will be donated to the Fallen Firefighters Charity. Whether it's North Carolina-, Memphis-, or St. Louis-style, the best part is that you'll get to taste the potentially award-winning barbecue available for purchase. Don't know the difference? Freshen up your barbecue knowledge to pro-level status and you might impress your friends and family. Even if barbecue is not your thing, then maybe a good ol' time with free, live music will entice you. Come see Florida bands Uproot Hootenanny and the Andrew Morris Band perform live.

The fourth-annual Isle Smokin' BBQ Contest runs from 3 to 9 p.m. Friday and from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Saturday. The Isle Casino Racing Pompano is located at 777 Isle of Capri Circle in Pompano Beach. There is no cost to attend, and parking is free. Visit pompano-park.isleofcapricasinos.com, or call 877-999-1728. 

Ever wondered how to go with the flow? It's not quite as simple as changing your attitude, but the flow artists of Monkey Dust Productions can teach you a trick or two in Bryant Park this Friday to Sunday. A kind of meditation through movement, flow arts is defined as a combination of movement and dance that uses props to enter a Zen-like state of "flow." If you've ever seen a freestyle dancer using props such as a poi (a tethered weight on a string swung rhythmically around the body), a staff (yes, think Donatello of the Ninja Turtles, sans the fighting), and Hula-Hoops for a performance, then you've seen flow arts. To increase understanding of the art, Florida Flow Fest 2015 is offering three major workshop tracks for dance participants that conclude with a live music party each night. If you need some help activating your flow, then don't hesitate to take advantage of the free public workshops and arts and craft vendors selling handcrafted flow props.

FlowFest takes place at Bryant Park, 10 S. Golfview Road, Lake Worth, from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $125 for a three-day pass, $50 for single-day passes. Discounted advance purchase tickets are available online until October 22. Visit floridaflowfest.com. 

Saturday, October 24

Take a walk with your pet to help keep others in their fur-ever homes. The second-annual Twilight Pet Walkathon will benefit Pet Project for Pets, a nonprofit that helps keep pets in the homes of those who are ill, disabled, or financially struggling. As of now, the organization serves 1,100 clients in both Broward and Miami-Dade counties. The theme of this walk is Superheroes & Friends, so be sure to bust out the pint-sized caps and superhero masks. Consider this fitting, since everyone thinks his or her pet is a superhero. The pre-Halloween pet walkathon starts on Saturday at 7 p.m., with registration at 6. The event ends at 10. This will take place at Hagen Park, located at 2020 Wilton Drive in Wilton Manors. The last stop of the walk is at Rumors Bar at 2426 Wilton Drive. Here, there will be a doggie couture fashion show, a costume contest, prizes, raffles, food, and drinks. Prizes for the costume contest include Best Theme Costume, Best Pet/Owner Look-alike, Most Original/Best Dressed, and Best in Show. There are even participation certificates for attendees — how can anyone say no to that?

No need to stretch before this one: The walk is less than a mile and is filled with water stations and treats. Cost of registration is $25. Sign up early to receive a template with your feline or canine's photo to promote and raise funds for participation. Note: Only nonretractable leashes are allowed, not retractable ones. Visit petprojectforpets.org.

Comedian Julie Goldman has been making people laugh since she was a teenager. When she was 15 years old, Goldman watched a standup routine at her local temple in Boston and asked the comedian how to do comedy. She was invited to the Comedy Connection to do a five-minute routine onstage, and the rest is history. For Goldman, comedy and being a Jewish lesbian have a special connection. She cites the fact that tons of comedians in history were Jewish. More important, comedy for her was a way to deal with some of the bullshit of being a minority. Of course, she soon learned that bullshit is everywhere. Like all comedians, Goldman will occasionally get a heckler. But she likes to look on the bright side and says that, sometimes, hecklers can be positive. "It's just someone who's having an awesome time, and they never shut up," Goldman tells New Times. She is an old pro, however, and never lets the heckler get away with stealing the show. Now living in Los Angeles, Goldman writes, acts, and still does comedy too. Along with Brandy Howard, Goldman appears on The People's Couch on Bravo. 

But she still does standup, and you can catch her routine during the Wicked Wonderland show along with the Wilton Drive Band at 8 p.m. Saturday at the Crafti Bar, 21 W. Las Olas Blvd. in Fort Lauderdale. The show is followed by an afterparty with DJ Citizen Jane. Preordered tickets online cost $20; admission at the door is $25. The Halloween afterparty alone is only $12. For VIP, email [email protected] or purchase tickets at eventbrite.com. Visit crafibar.com.

Lately, everything seems to have a Back to the Future reference. As the 30th anniversary of the film and the dates referenced in the second installment creep up on us, there are Back to the Future celebrations around the globe, including a concert at Radio City Music Hall. And with the Cubs beating the St. Louis Cardinals to advance to the National League Championship Series, furthering hopes of a World Series win as predicted in Back to the Future II, the beloved franchise has gone from classic cinema to possible prophecy. Eighties kids love all things BttF, and now that they're well into their 30s, they've got money to burn on that love. Which is probably why the highly anticipated annual pre-Halloween sale Tate's Comics has got a Back to the Future theme this year. Tate's is getting in on the futuristic fun with two days of Halloween sales and festivities with a Marty McFly and Doc Brown bent. This Saturday and Sunday, show up to Tate's Lauderhill location during its Back to the Future-themed annual Halloween sale for a future fashion contest, a jump in Biff's Pleasure Paradise Bounce House, free lucky BIFFCO pencils, snacks from Café 80s, souvenir buttons, select comics at three for $1, half-off graphic novels, discounted action figures, T-shirts, DVDs, and much more.

The fun runs from 11 a.m. until 8 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. Sunday at 4566 N. University Drive in Lauderhill. Call 954-748-0181, or visit tatescomics.com. 

At the end of October, Americans celebrate Halloween, while Mexicans celebrate Day of the Dead. You know what else comes from Mexico? Tequila, of which many types will be available for tasting at the second-annual South Florida Tequila Festival on Saturday. But this festival isn't just about indulgence; it's an education in Mexico's most iconic distilled spirit. Just how special is tequila? It's protected through NAFTA and is recognized by the European Union as a protected designation-of-origin product. Yes, we're all probably familiar with Jose Cuervo and Patrón in ways we'd rather not remember, but do not let your judgment be clouded by two of these fine, albeit mass-produced, tequilas. Whether they're plata, reposado, or anejo, the festival features some of finest small-batch and lesser-known tequilas from Mexico. El Tesoro, Herradurra, Lunazul, Espolon, Altos, and Avion are some of the many brands represented at the festival. As the only event of its kind in the eastern United States, the festival aims to spread the word about the history and importance of the spirit.

This year's South Florida Tequila Festival starts at 6 p.m. Saturday at Bar Stache 1920's Drinking Den in Fort Lauderdale, located at 109 SW Second Ave. General-admission tickets cost $30 and give you access to the festival from 7 to 9 p.m.; VIP tickets cost $60 and get you access to the festival an hour before everyone else. All tickets include food samples from festival vendors. Visit southfloridatequilafestival.com, or call 954-449-1044.

Sunday, October 25

With the recent approval of gay marriage and the passing of National Coming Out Day on October 11, the LGBT community is having a long-awaited moment in the sun. The LGBT rights movement has long referred to itself in terms of pride, because LGBT people deserve to come out of the shadows and live with dignity. Whether you are a member of the queer community or a proud supporter of equal rights, America's Backyard invites you to the American Pride Fest, kicking off at noon Sunday. An all-day festival of acceptance, the American Pride Fest will feature live entertainment, drink specials, food, vendors, interactive games, and more. For $25, attendees can enjoy an open bar from noon until 2 p.m. This is a family-friendly event for all ages. The American Pride Fest was planned by Broward Events, Become City, and America's Backyard. Broward Events is an event company that works with businesses, individuals, and organizations to bring fundraisers, festivals, and celebrations to life, while Become City strives to benefit social-conscience businesses. Sunserve, a charity that benefits LGBTQ youth services, also had a hand in planning the event. Sunserve offers informal case management, gay/straight alliance support, family therapy, youth groups, and social events such as a Halloween dance, an LGBTQIA prom, and many others. Half of the proceeds from the open bar go to charity.

Food vendors include Truck Dawgs and Wiches, Zeppelin Rock'n Lobster Rolls, the Empanada Lady, Truck Voo la Voo Inc., and Jerk Machine. Vendors include jewelry, art, henna tattoos, vitamin supplements, and sunglasses. There is no admission for this event. America's Backyard is located at 100 SW Third Ave. in Fort Lauderdale. 

Fall is upon us once more. How do we know? Because everything tastes like pumpkins. Along the way, someone decided to make pumpkin beer, and all of a sudden the world is inundated with hundreds, if not thousands, of varieties. Some of these you can find in any given specialty store, but the selection is always limited. If that doesn't quite quench your thirst for pumpkin beers, then look no further than to the fine folks at Tap 42. As a craft-beer bar, they embrace the spirit of tasty small-batch brews and will have dozens of pumpkin beers on tap and in bottles for their fourth-annual Pumpkins and Pints event on Sunday. A preliminary list for the event has at least 20 pumpkin beers, including classics like Hoppin' Frog Hallow Double Pumpkin Ale, Southern Tier Warlock, Weyerbacher Imperial Pumpkin Ale (always a popular one), and the first release of Unita Brewing's Jacked B Nimble Imperial Pumpkin Ale. Swig on a few Florida pumpkin brews such as Saltwater Brewing's Pumpkin Puffer and others from Cigar City, Funky Buddha, J. Wakefield, and Due South brewing companies.

Pints and bottles cost $7 to $10. Pouring starts at 5 p.m. and ends around 9. In between that time, there will be a pumpkin-carving contest, so get your gourds in the game. Tap 42 is located at 1141 S. Andrews Ave. in Fort Lauderdale. Call 954-463-4900, or visit tap42.com.