Enjoy Juneteenth Celebrations at Old School Square and the Norton Museum, and a Father’s Day car show at Mounts Botanical Garden. Plus, a watery EDM festival in west Boca and more in your week ahead.
FRIDAY
What: Opening night of Our Hero, Balthazar
When: 6:30 p.m.
Where: Savor Cinema, 503 S.E. Sixth St., Fort Lauderdale
Cost: $10 students/seniors, $12 adults
Contact: 954/525-3456, fliff.com
Described by the Wall Street Journal’s film critic as a “black-comic acid bath,” this directorial debut from producer Oscar Boyson opens its trailer with a joke about a potential school shooting—a sign that no provocation is off limits, and no aspect of the modern experience of being a teenager in the United States is unexamined. The title character, like many contemporary youths, struggles to find his identity in small-town America, compensating for the lack of excitement and opportunity with a rich and often dark imagination. Our Hero, Balthazar pivots on his budding relationship with a nihilistic new friend who challenges his paradigms. A funny and scabrous, but always humanistic, satire of 21st century America, the film stars Jaeden Martell and Asa Butterfield, and it runs through Sunday only.
SATURDAY
What: Juneteenth Think Tank and Celebration
When: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Where: Vintage Gym and Amphitheater at Old School Square, 51 N. Swinton Ave., Delray Beach
Cost: Free
Contact: spadymuseum.com
At one of its major annual community events, the Spady Museum teams up with Old School Square to celebrate the federal holiday acknowledging the date, June 19, 1865, when the last of America’s enslaved peoples were freed. The Spady’s fourth-annual Think Tank features guest speakers, presentations, and interactive group activities aimed at generating dialogue among all peoples, spreading education about the African diaspora, and empowering people of color. Offerings include a sweetgrass basket-weaving workshop with Mary Graham-Grant, a renowned Gullah Geechee artisan; an art exhibition and live art making from Florida Highwaymen; and a lesson in the cuisine of the African diaspora facilitated by Chef Lamin Sanyang and Nyota King-Sanyang. At the adjoining Amphitheater, the engagement and entertainment continues with youth performances, a DJ, food vendors, and live jazz music.
What: Juneteenth Community Day
When: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Where: Norton Museum of Art, 1450 S. Dixie Highway, West Palm Beach
Cost: Free
Contact: 561/832-5196, norton.org
Speaking of Juneteenth, the Norton Museum is also opening its doors to the community at no cost, with a full day of engaging activities that place the Black experience at the forefront. The Jonathan Scales Fourchestra kicks the festivities off on many high notes with a performance of its jazz/classical/rock/Latin hybrid music from 11 to 11:45 a.m. Additionally, drum circles led by Abasi “Manblack” Hanif will be organized at 11:15 a.m. and 2 p.m.; Soul Stage Dance Ensemble will perform at 12:15 p.m.; Ashley Witherspoon will host an Art Wellness Exchange at 12:45 p.m.; and Ayize Hanif will host a dance class at 1 p.m. Continuing through the afternoon, enjoy a panel discussion at 1:45 p.m., a concert from Jobi at 2:30 p.m., and a finale from Faith’s Place Drumline at 3:45 p.m. During the day, attendees can also enjoy Spotlight Tours of the Norton’s galleries at 1:30 and 2 p.m. as well as free access to the Norton’s eight exhibitions, including “Danielle Mckinney: Shelter” and “Recognition of Art by Women: in Retrospect.”
SATURDAY AND SUNDAY
What: Wat3r Festival
When: 2 to 11 p.m. Saturday, 2 to 10 p.m. Sunday
Where: Sunset Cove Amphitheater, 20405 Amphitheater Circle, Boca Raton
Cost: $46.92 and up
Contact: wat3rfestival.com
One of the delights of my job is discovering cultural events and traditions, and the water festival of Southeast Asia is no exception. At these events, often held around the globe during the hottest months (check!), participants douse each other—joyfully—in water as a ceremonial form of cleansing and to spread blessings and good wishes. When water guns are paired with a rave-like atmosphere, you get events like this one, billed as “Florida’s first and biggest Asian electronic music festival.” The beats will be provided by 18 of Asia’s top DJs, including headliners DJ Soda and Laidback Luke, plus Manila Killa, MIV, Cam Girl, Ducka Shan, Cyqflo, Micherri, and more, presented on a stage with giant LED walls, laser effects, and water cannon drops. Special Splash Zones, a PlayStation Tournament Zone, anime and pop culture activations, global food vendors and trucks, and (presumably dry?) VIP lounge areas complete this singular experience.
SUNDAY
What: Dad’s Day at Mounts
When: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Where: Mounts Botanical Garden, 531 N. Military Trail, West Palm Beach
Cost: $20 adults, $18 seniors, $13 children ages 6-17
Contact: 561/233-1757, mounts.org
Mounts Botanical Garden is often a quiet space for tranquil reflection, but this Father’s Day, it will be brimming with bonhomie, music, and the sounds of a sizzling grill. Subtitled “Classic Rides and Cool Vibes,” the daylong event features a car show spanning decades of rare and vintage vehicles, curated by Russ G Classic Car Shows, until 3 p.m.; a cookout on Mounts’ Great Lawn featuring a full spread, plus ice cream, coffee, and pastries for purchase; DJ and live music at both the car show and Great Lawn; and lawn games offering friendly competition for the whole family. And of course, attendees can enjoy all 25 areas of the sprawling gardens complex, including the Children’s Maze, O’Keeffe Rain Garden, and the tropical wetland garden known as “Windows on the Floating World.”
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