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

Thursday, October 8

In Mexico, dance moves are as diverse as the stars. Folkloric dancing holds a special place in the hearts of Mexicans as it is grounded in tradition and celebrations that are observed religiously each year, such as coming-of-age parties and agricultural celebrations. You might be familiar with some, such as the Jarabe Tapatio, or the Mexican Hat Dance that Americans become familiar with in grade school. But then there are dances that represent a specific culture or region of Mexico. Go to the states of Sonora or Sinaloa and you might get to witness the Danza del Venado, or the Dance of the Deer, which was performed to ensure the success of a hunt but is now used as a means to communicate with spirits from beyond. If you know a thing or two — or nothing at all — about Mexican culture but want to know more, you can learn the basics from a trained instructor with more than 20 years of experience in Mexico and Florida.

If you want to be prepared for the big day to dance on the Day of the Dead, November 2, then give the lessons a try this Thursday from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Holiday Park, located at 1150 G. Harold Martin Drive in Fort Lauderdale. There is no cost; it's a public workshop put on by the South Florida Day of the Dead Celebration. Call 954-560-1028, or visit dayofthedeadflorida.com. 

Friday, October 9

Koh Pha Ngan's full-moon party. Pamplona's running of the bulls. Glastonbury Music Festival. There are some amazing celebrations across the world. None, however, is as iconic or has inspired as many costumes (and fantasies) as Oktoberfest in Munich. Every year, beer lovers from nearly every country on Earth descend on the ancient town to drink beer, eat sausage, and party like it's 1810. Nothing compares to heading to Deutschland, but with one of the largest German clubs in the state, South Florida has a damned fine alternative, the 42nd Oktoberfest at the American German Club of the Palm Beaches. For two consecutive weekends, starting this Friday, the club transforms into one of the largest Oktoberfest observances in the country. It's held on ten acres of grounds with a pavilion and massive tent offering authentic Bavarian fare and brews. Expect to see bratwurst, potato salad, leberkäse, time-honored pastries, and sauerkraut. Original Hofbräu Bier is imported straight from the motherland. Domestic beer, liqueurs, wine, and nonalcoholic beverages are available too. Live entertainment includes traditional folk dancing, choral singing, and sing-alongs with two bands straight from Germany. Vendors and craft booths, a kids' zone, and a carnival will entertain the little ones.

Oktoberfest takes place on two Fridays, October 9 and 16, from 5 to 11 p.m.; both Saturdays from noon to 11 p.m., and both Sundays from noon to 8 p.m. The cost to attend is $8 per adult. Kids under 12 are admitted free. The American German Club of the Palm Beaches is located at 5111 Lantana Road in Lake Worth. Call 561-967-6464, or visit americangermanclub.org. 

Maybe it's the challenge of transforming glacial, rhythmless movements into tight and fast choreography. Perhaps it's the limitless songwriting potential inherent in brain-eating and head shots. Whatever the reason, between Song of the Living Dead, Evil Dead: The Musical, Zombie Prom, and others, the undead have enjoyed a permanent residency on the twitchy fringes of American musical theater. The latest attempt at this horror/comedy/musical hybrid is The Rocking Dead: A Zombie Musical, a world premiere darkening the corners of the Coral Springs Museum of Art. The story lovingly skewers horror cinema tropes but with a rock 'n' roll pulse: After an incident on national television torpedoes their career, rock legends the Rocking Dead retreat to — where else? — an isolated cabin in the woods for a soul-searching sabbatical. They didn't plan for their getaway to be ground zero for the zombie apocalypse, but they'll have to put aside their differences and collaborate with a small-town sheriff to restore order. Appealing to fans of The Walking Dead, Coral Springs natives Barrett Shuler and Gabriel Ammad composed the music and penned the book and lyrics, respectively. The latter is no stranger to finding inspired musical theater in award-winning television, having premiered A Game of Scones earlier this year in Coral Springs.

The Rocking Dead runs from Friday through November 1 at Coral Springs Museum of Art, located at 2855 Coral Springs Drive. Showtimes are 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays. Tickets cost $39.22. Call 954-344-5990, or visit coralspringscenterforthearts.com. 

Saturday, October 10

On Saturday from 7 to 10 p.m., Fort Lauderdale's Esplanade Park (400 SW Second St., Fort Lauderdale) turns into a wonderland of suds when the 18th-annual New Times' "Original" Beerfest, presented by Isle Casino, returns. This is the longest-running beer festival in South Florida — that means we've been drinking and celebrating beer long before it was cool to do so. At Beerfest, you'll sample more than 100 different international, local, and craft beers and enjoy live music, interactive games, and good food. There will be an emphasis on Florida breweries, with many of your local favorites in attendance, including Funky Buddha, Barrel of Monks, Accomplice, Cigar City, the Brew Bus, Descarga, newcomer 26 Degree, and many more. Plus, new for this year is the Miss Beerfest contest, in which South Florida's most amazing female beer lovers compete for the coveted title of Miss Beerfest 2015 by engaging in fun, brew-related tasks like pouring the perfect beer. See the five finalists on stage at Beerfest make their debut before our panel of judges. Miss Jenna Beth, pinup model and founder of Cupcake Burlesque; Will Manso, sports director at WPLG (ABC) Channel 10; and Candy­Man, South Florida's top nightlife promoter, will make the final decisions live.

There are three levels of tickets this year: general admission ($40), VIP ($80), and Brew Master ($65). You can still save on general admission and VIP tickets if you purchase them online by Friday, October 9. Brew Master tickets are not discounted in advance, but online purchase is highly recommended, as they tend to sell out first and might not be available at the door. VIP ticket holders will get early access at 6 p.m. plus samplings from additional specialty beers, a full liquor bar, and complimentary food from South Florida's favorite restaurants. The Brew Master ticket gets exclusive access to the Brew Master Beer Garden with specialty craft and homebrews as well as early entrance at 6 p.m. and a commemorative gift. General admission is from 7 to 10 p.m. 

Did you know that pigs are extremely social beings, often lying down next to each other and staying in constant communication with elaborate grunts, oinks, and squeals? Or that cows are immensely loyal creatures that process deep feelings of pain and fear and (according to science) can even hold grudges? This sounds a lot like some other furry and feathery companions you spend hours of your day with. So why are some animals (dogs, cats, parrots) highly cherished housemates while others (cows, pigs, chickens) are relegated to a sad life at a factory farm? For the creators of Farm Sanctuary — the largest farm-animal sanctuary in North America — there is no prioritizing in the animal kingdom. All beings deserve the chance to live out a happy life. This weekend offers a chance to get out in support of the sanctuary as Walk for Farm Animals arrives at Huizenga Plaza with a day of fitness, music, free vegan eats, yoga, a talk with guest speaker Harry "Hank" Lynch, and, most important, fundraising. There are even activities for the kids, says organizer Jennifer Mennuti. "This year's walk will include a creative kids activity led by local 12-year-old twins Sydney and Alexandria Cohen, who have been vegetarian since birth. The girls were recently awarded an Animal Hero Kids Award for their outstanding work on behalf of all animals."

The walk starts at 10 a.m. with the event lasting till 1:30 p.m. at 32 E. Las Olas Blvd., Fort Lauderdale. Visit walkforanimals.org to purchase advance tickets at $15 or $25 the day of. 

What is a swede? Is it a six-foot-tall Nordic woman with blond braids? Not exactly, but it does have some origins from Sweden, at least in fiction. The term comes from the Jack Black movie Be Kind Rewind, referring to movies that were erased and then re-created, unedited, with a single take per scene. The term basically grew to mean a no-budget, comedic short remake of a Hollywood film. It spawned an underground craze that soon led to swede film festivals across the country, including in Palm Beach. They're not exactly the best movies (total understatement), but they're at least fun to watch. In the past, Swede Fest Palm Beach has featured swede versions of Goodfellas, The Matrix, and Napoleon Dynamite. This year, you're treated to the swede versions of 17 movies, including Jurassic World, Goonies, and Ferris Bueller's Day Off. And perhaps one of the best aspects of such film festivals is that you get to chat with the personalities behind the short flicks. Now in its fourth year, Swede Fest Palm Beach promises to be "sweder" and will feature three-minute hilariously re-created PG-13 shorts from filmmakers across Palm Beach County.

Palm Beach Swede Fest happens Saturday at the Palm Beaches Theatre, located at 262 S. Ocean Blvd. in Manalapan. Advance tickets are on sale now starting at $13 through Eventbrite, or pay $15 at the door. Note: Seating is limited to the first 200 ticket buyers. To purchase tickets or view a complete list of movies, visit swedefestpalmbeach.com, or call 561-543-8276. 

Summer is on its way out, but there's still a bit of time until the weather cools down and season heats up. This is South Florida, though, so no matter the conditions, we always find a way to enjoy a cocktail — hey, we invented the hurricane party. It's been too hot and rainy to get the pups to the park, but Larry and Cathy Danielle are giving Broward and Palm Beach residents a reason to let the dogs out. Riverwalk's Mutts and Martinis is celebrating its tenth anniversary on Saturday, which means now's the time to meet other crazy animal people in a social environment. The event brings humans and their four-legged friends together for an afternoon of cocktails and canines. Each ticket includes two drink tickets and hors d'oeuvres for people as well as refreshments, activities, giveaways, a doggy pool, and even puppies on parade for Fido. A dog-themed silent auction offers guests a chance to take home some presents while supporting Riverwalk. Multiple rescue dogs will be onsite for anyone looking to enlarge the family.

The event takes place noon to 3 p.m. at the Historic Downtowner on the south side of the New River, right at the base of Andrews Avenue Bridge. The cost to attend is $20 online until October 9, $25 at the door. Pets are admitted free. One dollar from every ticket sold will benefit the Humane Society. The Historic Downtowner is located at 10 S. New River Drive E. in Fort Lauderdale. Call 954-468-1541, or visit goriverwalk.com. 

In 2011, when Matt Krug and Jon Jordan were putting the fixings together for the first ARToberfest – a festival of local bands, beers, and art in downtown Lake Worth – they cobbled together a scant three bands and ten artists as contributors inside the confines of the former Speakeasy bar. Fast-forward to 2015 and this homegrown festival has far surpassed its humble beginnings and spread out into the streets with a weekend's worth of activity. "This year will be the first that we will be doing two full days, and with the additional participation of Bamboo Room and Common Grounds Coffee, along with the main Street Stage and Propaganda Stage, that allows us to boast 52 bands over the two days on four stages," says organizer Matt Krug. "A number I'm pretty proud of, along with being at about 60 arts and craft vendors." Bands include Raggy Monster, Dubble James, Bonnie Riot, the Zoo Peculiar and 40 or so others playing everything from surf and punk to reggae and electronic. The entire weekend is sponsored Saltwater Brewery, so expect some new seasonal brews on tap. A full rundown of the schedule is available on propagandalw.com.

Gates open at 2 p.m. both days at 6 S. J St., Lake Worth. Most of the event is free of charge, save for the doors at Propaganda and Bamboo Room, where a $5 cover charge goes into effect after 8 p.m. Call 561-547-7273. 

Sunday, October 11

The history of South Florida's robust pride scene can be traced to the late 1970s, when orange-juice-commercial-queen Anita Bryant was successful in repealing an ordinance that prohibited discrimination based on sexual orientation. A coalition formed among the gay population for a referendum to reinstate the law, but they weren't successful until 20 years later. Still, pride continued in the face of defeat. As a result, South Florida enjoys one of the best pride scenes in the nation. Chalk it up to great weather too. Now in its 38th year, the Fort Lauderdale Pride Festival is a weekend culmination of the previous weeklong event. If you like to get out and go all out, then it shouldn't be missed. Peep the music lineup with performances from artists such as DJ Lady Bunny, Dumblonde, Scarlett Santana, Serena Cha Cha, and Team Heartbreak. In addition to the music, the fest includes indoor and outdoor areas with more than 150 vendors, food (with healthy options), frozen cocktails, and beer. Inside the indoor space is the AIDS Memorial Quilt.

The 38th-annual Fort Lauderdale Pride Festival runs from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday at the War Memorial Auditorium in Fort Lauderdale, located at 800 NE Eighth St. Two-day tickets cost $20, or $10 for Saturday and $15 for Sunday. VIP tickets for both days cost $50 each. Meet-and-greet tickets cost $75. Parking is free. Call 954-828-5380, or email [email protected].