Fireworks in Delray Beach, minimalist art in Coral Springs. Plus, the Blue Man Group, B-52s and more in your week ahead.
WEDNESDAY
What: Opening night of Blue Man Group
Where: Arsht Center, 1300 Biscayne Blvd., Miami
When: 8 p.m.
Cost: $35-$99
Contact: 305/949-6722, arshtcenter.org
Part percussionists, part clowns, part acrobatic showmen and part mimes, the “people of color” of the Blue Man Group have been entertaining audiences with their performance art for the past 35 years. The group, which is now part of the Cirque Du Soleil empire, is a testament to the power of wordless creativity and storytelling. The Blue Men have performed for 50 million people on 25 countries, and have broken 23 thousand drumsticks. This tour features all new music, choreography, stunts and audience interaction but adheres to the BMG’s signature strengths: three guys with shaved heads and cobalt makeup pounding drums of their own invention, with explosions of multicolored paint often accompanying each powerful whack. Performances run through Sunday.
THURSDAY
What: Opening night of “Visual Whispers”
Where: Coral Springs Museum of Art, 2855A Coral Springs Drive, Coral Springs
When: 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Cost: Free
Contact: 954/340-5000, coralspringsmuseum.org
Contrary to the prevailing opinion of the brush-wielding majority, perhaps color is overrated. Perhaps it’s the artistic equivalent of a shiny gewgaw, drawing our attention away from form or context or other aesthetics. Jessie Laura, a mixed-media artist and art instructor from San Francisco, is among the vanguard of artists rejecting the use of color for an approach that is closer to pure, unadulterated minimalism. One of her series is even called “White on White.” Laura works primarily with wood, paper and her third, more ethereal material—natural light—to counteract what she calls “contemporary culture’s onslaught of visual imagery.” On Thursday evening, she will be in attendance at this opening-night event to discuss her pared-down and precise installations, in what marks her first solo exhibition. “Visual Whispers” runs through Aug. 13.
FRIDAY
What: Opening night of “Race to Alaska”
Where: Lake Worth Playhouse, 713 Lake Ave., Lake Worth Beach
When: 6 p.m.
Cost: $9
Contact: 561/296-9382, lakeworthplayhouse.org
Every year, daredevil sailors join a most treacherous competition: the Race to Alaska, a journey through the Inside Passage from Port Townsend, Washington, to Ketchikan, Alaska. Only non-motorized transports are accepted, and the prizes are relatively modest—Ten grand for the winner, a set of steak knives for the runner-up—but the eccentric racers who thrive on the dangers of the race don’t do it for the monetary gain. This acclaimed documentary by Zack Carver captures both the personalities behind the race and the action onboard the boats during their journey, which includes fierce currents, whirlpools, fatigue, broken masts and vessels, icy waters and potential wildlife attacks. As one racer puts it, “things are just boring when they’re easy.” The movie runs through Sunday.
MONDAY, JULY 4
What: Fourth of July Celebration
Where: Downtown Delray Beach, beachside
When: 5 to 9:30 p.m.
Cost: Free
Contact: 561/243-7250, july4delraybeach.com
After taking a COVID gap year in 2021, Delray Beach’s beloved and spectacular Fourth of July festivities return in full force this year, with an evening of entertainment and patriotic festivities culminating in the 9 p.m. display from Zambelli Fireworks over the Atlantic Ocean. In the great Independence Day tradition, BurgerFi along the beach will host custard- and cheeseburger-eating contests, while those with less, ahem, competitive palates can enjoy food trucks, along with merchandise vendors and children’s activities. Live music will be provided by the Groove 2.0 Band, DJ SoNyce and DJ Big Smile. Everything gets underway at 5 p.m. with the solemn raising of the 60-foot American flag and a singing of the National Anthem. It all goes down on East Atlantic Avenue from the Intracoastal Bridge to A1A.
What: Fourth of July Spectacular with the B-52s
Where: Fort Lauderdale Beach
When: Noon to 9:15 p.m.
Cost: Free
Contact: parks.fortlauderdale.gov/special-events/special-events/4th-of-july-spectacular
The City of Fort Lauderdale always puts on a solid evening of July Fourth festivities, but the big news here is its bombshell booking of a headliner. The B-52s, self-described “Proud Purveyors of Love and Unity through music and pop culture since 1977,” will take the stage at 7:30 p.m. in advance of what the group is describing as its “final tour ever on planet Earth.” The proper tour isn’t stopping in a South Florida venue, so next week’s concert is effectively the last time local fans will be able to see the B-52s live—and it’s free! The show also marks the first B-52s concert since the pandemic. Expect to hear “Roam,” “Love Shack,” “Rock Lobster” and other iconic favorites that have made the B-52s both America’s premier party band and one of its finest post-punk progenitors, all in the same well-coiffed and insanely catchy package. The fireworks will begin at 8:45 p.m., immediately following their set.
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