Friday
It’s a bird, it’s a plane — it’s actually a lot of planes! The Fort Lauderdale Air Show is back for another year. Those loud, roaring noises you hear all weekend long could be the U.S. Navy Blue Angels, an A-10 Warthog, the F-22 Raptor Demo Team, or a number of other impressive aircraft. Sure, you can plop it on the beach all day for free. But, odds are, you’ll want to snag a VIP viewing ticket to catch the best view of the enthralling action. Saturday and Sunday along Fort Lauderdale Beach Blvd.; fortlauderdaleairshow.com. Tickets in drop zone start at $29.75 for adults and $15 for children ages six to 12.
Saturday
Who will be crowned the winner of this year’s Kentucky Derby? Your guess is as good as ours. Regardless of which horse wins, you can be the real winner by hitting up American Social’s Kentucky Derby Watch Party. AmSo’s Fort Lauderdale location will serve up $6 Kentucky Bourbon Ales and $8 Maker’s Mark Mint Juleps. If you like free things (and who doesn't?), the first 50 folks to RSVP online get a free mint julep. We’ll cheers to that. 3 to 7 p.m. Saturday at American Social Las Olas, 721 E. Las Olas Blvd., Fort Lauderdale; eventbrite.com. Admission is free.
Sunday
You can support two stellar South Florida nonprofits in one place. The Bow Wow Brunch and VIP Film Screening are going down Sunday morning, benefitting the Museum of Discovery and Science and The Humane Society of Broward County. Your paid ticket includes a catered brunch, VIP screening of Superpower Dogs 3D at the Autonation IMAX, and free museum exploration. 9:30 a.m. Sunday at Museum of Discovery and Science, 401 SW Second St., Fort Lauderdale; blacktie-southflorida.com. Tickets cost $55 for adults. Various discounts are available.
It’s Sunday and you need brunch. And, with it being Cinco de Mayo, you also need margaritas. B Ocean Resort has you covered on both fronts with its Cinco de Mayo Celebration. The oceanfront spot will put a festive spin on its already-yummy brunch, with huevos rancheros, an ultimate lobster quesadilla, and churros. For $25, you can also enjoy bottomless Don Julio margs. 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday at B Ocean Resort, 1140 Seabreeze Blvd., Fort Lauderdale; bhotelsandresorts.com. Bottomless mimosa options cost $35 to $45.
Carlos & Pepe’s recently celebrated its 40th anniversary. On Sunday it will celebrate Cinco de Mayo. The place just doesn’t stop partying! For its Cinco extravaganza, the beloved Lauderdale institution will have free Hornitos margarita shots, $1 off margaritas, a live Mariachi band, and awesome giveaways. Oh yeah, and its food is always on-point. Pro-tip: For a memorable bite, give those King Crab-loaded nachos a whirl. You’ll never look at nachos the same way. Noon Sunday at Carlos & Pepe’s, 1302 SE 17th St., Fort Lauderdale; carlosandpepesfl.com. Admission is free.
A happy Haitian Heritage Month to our neighbors in and around South Florida! To celebrate, the Haitian American Chamber of Commerce is throwing quite the party – known as Ayiti Celebrates – loaded with rad tunes. Joel and Mushy Widmaier will headline, with singer Beatrice Kebreau opening up the event. 6:30 p.m. Sunday at Miramar Center for the Performing Arts, 2400 Civic Center Pl., Miramar; miramarculturalcenter.org. Tickets cost $60.
Chicano Batman has rocked Coachella, Bonnaroo, and Conan. The band has also toured with Jack White and Alabama Shakes. And now, your lucky self can see the L.A. psychedelic outfit for free in Hollywood. During its ten years in the biz, the foursome has produced three full-length albums, including the 2017 release, Freedom is Free. As for the Chicano classics, you can’t ever go wrong with “Black Lipstick,” “Cycles of Existential Rhyme,” and “Magma” for a pre-concert playlist. 7 p.m. Sunday at Hollywood ArtsPark, 1 Young Cir., Hollywood; rhythmfoundation.com. Admission is free with RSVP.
Monday
You can do a lot of fun things at breweries these days. 5Ks. Yoga. Games. Oh, and drink a lot of beer. But, it’s not every day that you hone your woodshop skills. You can do just that on Monday at LauderAle as AR Workshop hosts its Boards and Brews event. In addition to customizing your very own 12”x16” plank sign, wood photo frame, or 6”x16” bottle opener plank, your admission comes with two craft brews. 7:30 p.m. Monday at LauderAle, 3305 SE 14th Ave., Fort Lauderdale; arworkshop.com. Tickets start at $39.
Tuesday
Stress sucks. The documentary Resilience chronicles what pediatricians, teachers, and social welfare professionals are doing to protect kids from the effects of toxic stress. Tuesday’s event at Keiser flagship will include a screening of the documentary as well as a panel discussion with thought leaders on the subject. The event is made possible with the help of Center for Child Counseling, Inc., the Florida Association for Infant Mental Health, and Keiser Flagship. 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at Keiser Flagship, 2600 N. Military Trl., West Palm Beach; facebook.com. Admission is free with registration.
Wednesday
The Dalmar recently celebrated its grand opening and Flo Rida made a surprise appearance. The Fort Lauderdale hotel is quickly becoming a hotspot on many fronts, and amid its stellar offerings is its Sunset Hour on weekdays from 5 to 7 p.m. Among the options you can enjoy at the Lobby Bar and Sip and Dip Bar are $5 chips and guac, $10 fried calamari, $3 Peronis, $5 select wines, and an assortment of $10 cocktails. Cheers to that! 5 to 7 p.m. weekdays at the Sip and Dip Bar and Lobby Bar at The Dalmar, 299 N. Federal Hwy., Fort Lauderdale; thedalmar.com.