Thursday, May 12
Today it's a thrift-store find, but in 1971, an album like Carole King's Tapestry was a revelation, unifying dyed-in-the-wool folkies, rock snobs, and the unwashed masses alike. It contained enough smash singles to be confused with a greatest-hits album—"I Feel the Earth Move," "You've Got a Friend," "Beautiful," and "A Natural Woman" are all on it — and it spent 313 weeks on the Billboard charts. King was not yet 30 when she released the album, and 23 other solo records would follow, but from where did the singular blast of inspiration that is Tapestry come? That's one of the questions posed by Beautiful, the jukebox musical based on King's years as a teenager and 20-something. King was a reticent songwriter before she blossomed into a confident singer, and Beautiful follows her from teenaged rebel to talented Brill Building craftswoman, when she met Gerry Goffin, her partner in music and romance. The requisite drama — Gerry begins an affair and eventually suffers a mental breakdown — tests King's mettle and inspires her future greatness. Beautiful won two of its seven Tony nominations in 2014, and it promises a revealing look at a musician's inchoate genius, offering nostalgia for King die-hards and revelations for millennials just discovering her music.
Catch the tour at 8 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday, and 1 and 6:30 p.m. Sunday May 10 through 22 at Broward Center, located at 201 SW Fifth Ave. in Fort Lauderdale. Tickets cost $30 to $125. Call 954-462-0222, or visit browardcenter.org.
Friday, May 13
Eat. Drink. Vote. Party. That's generally what happens at the annual Riverwalk Burger Battle, where dozens of local restaurants compete for the title of "Best Burger" in South Florida. Now in its seventh year, the 2016 battle brings together South Florida's foremost burger aficionados this Friday for an evening of beer, cocktails, live music, and, of course, burgers at Huizenga Plaza. The Burger Battle will pit 16 of the area's best burger restaurants against one another as they show off their creative juices and grilling skills for more than 1,200 guests along Fort Lauderdale's scenic New River. Each establishment will offer unlimited burger samples. From homemade sauces and original recipes to creative toppings and high-quality ingredients, expect a stellar lineup of gourmet burgers at this year's throwdown. From there, a team of restaurant industry judges will award the custom Riverwalk Burger Battle trophy, while attendees will be able to select the fan favorite with their Burger Battle voting chips. This year's competitors include Tucker Duke's Lunchbox, Burger Craze, Hard Rock Cafe, Funky Buddha Brewery, MEAT Eatery and Taproom, Shake Shack, Shooters Waterfront, Gulfstream Park, Brgr Stop, Timpano, Chef's Palette Cafe & Grill, Shula Burger, Ocean Manor, Bamboo Beach Tiki Bar, Beauty & the Feast, and Duffy's Sports Grill.
General admission costs $45 per person and includes burger samples, three drink tickets, and access to the French fry bar. The VIP experience for $125 per person includes an open bar sponsored by Stache, Brown Forman, and Stephens Distributing and admission to the event and general-admission perks, as well as specialty bites provided by Stache, a full open bar from Breakthru Beverage, craft beers from Stephens Distributing, and a reserved seating area. The Riverwalk Burger Battle will take place, rain or shine, from 6:30 to 10 p.m. this Friday at Huizenga Plaza, located at 32 E. Las Olas Blvd. in Fort Lauderdale. The event is open to those 21 and older. Proceeds will help raise money to support Riverwalk's mission of building and nurturing a vibrant community. Tickets are available at blacktie-southflorida.com.
With delicate bonsai arrangements, walking trails for contemplation, and serene rock gardens for quiet meditation, the Morikami Museum's Japanese Gardens may be the best salve for fighting off the amped-up impatience of the South Florida existence. With six historic sites of tranquil beauty, Morikami is a popular stop just about any time of the year, even when summer heat gets a tad oppressive. Realizing that not everyone likes to do their garden time during the day, the Morikami is bringing back its ever-popular evening summertime Sushi & Stroll, beginning this Friday and running through September, where guests can roam the grounds at sunset with a cold sake in hand. Choose from sweet, sparkling, or even canned selections of sake or beer, and pair your drinks with pan-Asian eats from the Morikami's Cornell Café while experiencing taiko drumming performances by Fushu Daiko.
Stroll 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. this and every second Friday of the month through September at 4000 Morikami Road in Delray Beach. Call 561-495-0233 or visit morikami.org. Admission costs $15 for adults and $11 for students with valid ID.
Beer camp – it's not exactly showing up at a beer festival with a tent and a sleeping bag. Sierra Nevada Brewing Company's annual summertime collaboration brings together talented brewers from across the nation. The beers they produce make their way into the ultimate craft beer sixer mixer, Beer Camp Across America. South Floridians should be proud because among those beers is Sweet Sunny South, a Southern table beer that Oakland Park's Funky Buddha Brewery helped create. It's actually a 12-pack containing two bottles or cans of six different beers, and it's available in stores beginning this month. More important to know is that the beers will be on tap locally because, you know, it's good to have options. Be among the first in South Florida to grab a pint at the Riverside Market.
Sierra Nevada's Beer Camp lineup will pour this Friday at 3 p.m. at the Riverside Market, located at 608 SW 12th Ave. in Fort Lauderdale. It's a kickoff to American Craft Beer Week, which begins three days later. The limited variety beers tend to go quickly — on draft and in bottles — so you might want to grab a case on your way to wherever you're going. Call 954-358-8333, or visit beercamp.sierranevada.com and theriversidemarket.com.
If there's one thing about craft beer festivals, they always bring out the best in both established and up-and-coming local breweries. The number of craft breweries in South Florida has swelled in the past five years, and now they make up the largest regional portion at the fifth-annual Delray Beach Craft Beer Festival. This year's participating local breweries include Copperpoint, Ookapow, Funky Buddha, Saltwater, Concrete Beach, Barrel of Monks, and Miami Brewing Company. From the rest of Florida, there's Cigar City and Darwin Brewing. But it's also a chance for out-of-state beers to continue to make a name for themselves with area craft beer enthusiasts. Expect to see breweries such as Oskar Blues, Brewery Ommegang, Sam Adams, Sierra Nevada, and Lagunitas pouring as well. Not a fan of beer or just want to switch it up? The festival offers a selection of wines from Delicato Family Vineyards. Tickets include unlimited samplings of more than 100 breweries, ciders, and wine.
The Delray Beach Craft Beer Festival begins pouring Friday at 6:30 p.m. at the Old School Square Pavilion, located at 51 N. Swinton Ave. in Delray Beach. VIP tickets (only 500 available) cost $50 in advance and $60 at the door, and general admission costs $35 in advance and $40 at the door. Call 561-243-7922, or visit oldschoolsquare.org.
Saturday, May 14
May 4 has come and gone, but May 14 awakens with Star Wars Family Fun Day at Tate's Comics. It'll be an amazing day for Star Wars fans young and old as the local comic-book mecca comes alive with character appearances, games, and photo ops. Darth Vader will be on hand from noon to 3 p.m., and R2D2 will roam around all day — hope they don't bump into each other. Win prizes at Lando's Xtreme Trivia Contest, and play the tactical space combat game Star Wars X-Wing. Kids can make their own lightsabers (OK, adults too) and will find coloring stations. And, of course, all Star Wars merch will be 10 percent off at both Tate's locations (even though the festivities will be at only the Lauderhill shop). There's plenty more to enjoy, including Return of Stick Wars in the upstairs Bear and Bird Boutique + Gallery, featuring handmade art and goods inspired by the film series.
Star Wars Family Fun Day takes place from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at Tate's Comics, located at 4566 N. University Drive in Lauderhill. Merchandise discounts are also available at Tate's Comics North, 801 Congress Ave., #604, Boynton Beach. Admission is free. Call 954-748-0181, or visit tatescomics.com.
For four years, the Palm Beach Zoo has hosted an annual 5K run/walk to help raise funds and awareness for the care and preservation of Malayan tigers, the world's most endangered species. This year's event takes on a special significance and bittersweet poignancy. It has been renamed the Stacey Konwiser Memorial Save the Tiger 5K in honor of one of the zoo's keepers who was tragically killed by a tiger earlier this year. Konwiser hosted regular "Tiger Talks" and often referred to her feline charges as her "personable boys." She was known to zoo staff, volunteers, and regular guests as a dedicated keeper who had a special relationship with the Malayan tigers. Sadly, working with wild animals is dangerous work no matter how dedicated you are, and on April 15, 2016, Konwiser was attacked by one of the tigers. She was rushed to a local hospital by helicopter but later died. To honor her memory and her dedication to her "boys," the fundraiser has been renamed as a memorial.
The Stacey Konwiser Memorial Save the Tiger 5K run/walk begins at 7:30 a.m. Saturday. The first 650 runners registered receive a free T-shirt. All runners get zoo admission too. Online registration costs $35, and race-day registration is $40. This run/walk is likely to fill up, so online advance registration is recommended. The Palm Beach Zoo is located at 1301 Summit Blvd. in West Palm Beach. Call 561-547-9453, or visit palmbeachzoo.org/save-the-tiger-5k-2016.
Seafood is boiled all over the country, especially up and down the East Coast. From Maine lobster boils and Chesapeake blue crabs to Low Country shrimp boils and New England-style steamed clams, every region has its oceanic specialty. And it's always a good time. No one does it quite like Louisiana, though. Those crawfish boils are just one big spicy party — Northerners can only try to keep up. Get in on the mudbug love without leaving town. Historic Downtowner will host its third-annual Crawfish Fest this week. Set outside, right on the banks of the New River near the floating tiki bars' regular spot, the event features Cajun-boiled crawfish, live music, and lots of revelry. Hand-selected crayfish are flown in live from the Louisiana Crawfish Company and boiled fresh all day by highly experienced crawdad chefs. Each batch is flavored with special Louisiana spices and can range from spicy-hot to spicy-medium. Platters come with more than a pound of crawfish and sides of traditional boiled potatoes and corn on the cob. Swamp-boogie, zydeco, rock, and blues-rock acts — including DJ Tall Tom, Wesley Phillips Swamp Boogie Band, Orlando's famous Porch Dogs Zydeco Band, and Fort Lauderdale's JL Fulks Band — will play throughout the day.
The fest takes place from 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. this Saturday. Historic Downtowner is located at 10 S. New River Drive E. in Fort Lauderdale. Call 954-463-9800, or visit thehistoricdowntowner.com.
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.