Things To Do in South Florida JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2016

South Florida is Serving Up Food Festivals, Live Musical Performances, Art Palm Beach Week, Operas, and more…

From Palm Beach County to the Keys, you’re guaranteed to find something to do in South Florida … and with your wallets likely dented over the holidays, there are lots of free events to enjoy. Stay connected with Cook Mix Mingle on Twitter, Facebook, or Google+ for regular updates.

Northwood Village Food Truck Roll-In

3RD WEDNESDAYS OF EACH MONTH

Smack dab on Northwood road in West Palm Beach, event features food trucks, live music, and art. Free.

More info: http://on.fb.me/1S14x1H

Nature Connects: Art with LEGO Bricks

THRU FEB. 14

Nature Connects is an award-winning, record-breaking exhibition now touring North America. Created with over 1.6 million LEGO pieces, this show features over 50 larger-than-life sculptures built with LEGO bricks by New York artist Sean Kenney. While the exhibit has been offered in other cities and counties in Florida, this showing offers newly designed sculptures. Featured pieces include a Peacock, Herd of Deer, Giant Corn Spider, and Monarch Butterfly on Milkweed. The Garden will showcase 14 sculptures making up 13 displays from nearly 500,000 LEGO bricks.

More info: http://on.fb.me/1lPnUgX

Mesoamerican Danza and Drum Workshop

JANUARY 9

Participants will gain an understanding and appreciation of the basic elements of a traditional style of Mesoamerican performance art. Designed for all ages and ability levels, audience members and participants will learn how to formulate the rhythms and sequences that preserve and revive this ancient form of cultural expression. General admission: $5

More info: http://bit.ly/1n1dL1i

SURYA—The Eternal Rhythm

JANUARY 9

Surya: The Eternal Rhythm is a visualization of Afro-Caribbean poetry via Indian dances. Ancient Hindu mythology depicts Surya as the Sun god, a tangible manifestation of the Supreme Being or the divine. The energies of Surya the Sun God are visualized as the eternal rhythm that creates, nourishes, sustains, and eventually dissolves life on earth. Admission starts at $15

More info: http://bit.ly/22I0M58

Handmade Puppet Dreams (Vol 2)

JANUARY 9

Heather Henson introduces independent filmmakers and puppeteers who explore their craft specifically for the camera in this handpicked selection of puppet film shorts. Handmade Puppet Dreams showcases the fresh voices of independent puppeteers who embrace film as their medium for individual expressions, to build their visions, and breathe life into their dreams, while exploring a spectrum of live-action puppetry styles. Free

More info: http://on.fb.me/1OLiX5D

Dance Band Night: West African Soukous featuring Nkumu Katalay and the Life Long Project Band

JANUARY 14

Nkumu Katalay is an artist and orator born in Kinshasa, the capital city of the Democratic Republic of Congo, and now living in New York City. For the past two decades, he has worked as an ensemble musician, choreographer, dancer, and speaker. Katalay’s “Life Long Project,” is a Congolese-style soukous band. Free

More info: http://bit.ly/1O21J0t

Florida Keys Seafood Festival

JANUARY 16-17

The 11th annual Florida Keys Seafood Festival will feature grilled Florida lobster, fried fish, stone crab claws, Key West Shrimp, smoked fish dip, conch (fritters, chowder and ceviche) on its menu. But wait, there’s more… booze, key lime pie, and live entertainment. General admission: $5

More info: http://bit.ly/1OIdgFE

Art Palm Beach Week

JANUARY 19-24

A week filled with exhibitions and art shows happening throughout Palm Beach County. Participants include Art Palm Beach, Art Synergy, Benzaiten Center for Creative Arts, FOTOfusion and more.

More info: http://bit.ly/1O24TBl

10th Annual International Chocolate Festival

JANUARY 22-24

Enjoy chocolate samples from artisan chocolatiers, lectures on chocolate making and demonstrations such as Discovering the Magic of Chocolate from the Bean, The Age of chocolate: A Diversification History of Cacao, Making Chocolate like the Maya: An Interactive, hands-on cacao and artisan chocolate experience and more.! Learn about the life cycle of a cacao plant on the Chocowalk with stops in the Rainforest. General admission: $25 for non-members

More info: http://bit.ly/1JUoCPo

Carmen

JANUARY 22-24

This steamy performance begins as Carmen seduces naïve soldier Don José. His innocence quickly turns as Carmen’s manipulations bring out the very worst in him. Intensely passionate melodies performed by world-class singers bring the desire and madness from the stage directly into your heart. Sung in French with English supertitles projected above the stage.

More info: http://bit.ly/1T75h1q

Christian Scott / Hailu Mergia at North Beach Bandshell

JANUARY 23

The New Orleans-raised, Berklee-educated, Manhattan-based trumpeter’s music…is rooted in tradition but it is also part of the modern world, musically and politically. Scott hangs on to what is still relevant in jazz’s legacy and mixes it up with a bag of twists: hip hop, rock, ambient, funk, Afrorock and the reassertion of jazz-as-protest.

Keyboard and accordionist Hailu Mergia was a major star in 1970’s Ethiopia, presiding over the country’s leading instrumental jazz ensemble Walias Band. In 1981 members of Walias including Hailu used the first ever US tour of an Ethiopian music group to escape the dictatorial Mengistu regime.

Opening set: Aaron Lebos Reality. General admission: $25 in advance

More info: http://bit.ly/1O2127t

Nu Deco Ensemble

JANUARY 28

Nu Deco Ensemble makes its Miami Beach debut at the historic North Beach Bandshell, performing its signature music of genre-bending eclectic styles. The repertoire features music by Daft Punk, JS Bach, LCD Soundsystem, Adam Schoenberg and Clint Needham. Nu Deco Ensemble is also collaborating with iconic Miami musicians Andrew Yeomanson and the Spam Allstars to create original works and re-interpretations of their classic music.General admission: $25 in advance

More info: http://bit.ly/1RdBQyF

Little Havana Social Club presents Joan Soriano

JAN. 29

Soriano’s tender crooning evokes the countryside and sweeter times, but the nimble runs and articulate phrases on his steel-string guitar give an urban, contemporary edge to his music. The farmer-turned-musician’s star has quickly risen: he is featured in Alex Wolfe’s acclaimed documentary, Santo Domingo Blues, is the subject of Adam Taub’s documentary, The Duke of Bachata, and is showcased on The Rough Guide’s Bachata compilation. South Florida debut.

More info: http://bit.ly/1NgMxNL

Garlic bulbs — Photo credit: Merrin Macleod

Delray Beach Garlic Fest

JAN. 29 – 31

Now in its 17th year, the Delray Beach Garlic has become an institution in Palm Beach County and is affectionately named “The Best Stinkin’ Party in Town. Feast on unique garlic inspired dishes including fest favorite – flaming shrimp scampi – in addition to garlic crab cakes, garlic bruschetta, garlic pizza, garlic Argentine BBQ with garlic black beans and rice, garlic Portobello sandwich, garlic ice cream and more.

More info: http://bit.ly/1b9jSK7

Key Largo Stone Crab & Seafood Festival

JAN. 30-31

Held each year on the last weekend in January, the festival contains cooking demos, fishing demos, a kids fishing tournament, key lime pie eating contests, shrimp eating contests, live music, magic shows, and a kids play area. Seafood booths are to serve up stone crab claws, homemade smoked fish dip, conch fritters, chowders, tuna nachos, lobster and more. General admission: $5

More info: http://bit.ly/22HVkPC

Che Malambo: Argentinian Dance

FEB. 6

Malambo began in the 17th century as competitive duels that tested skills of agility, strength and dexterity among the gaucho. It soon evolved to include its hallmark, zapeteo, the fast-paced footwork inspired by the rhythm of galloping horses. In addition to Zapateo, Malambo features the drumming of traditional Argentine bombos and whirling boleadoras, a throwing weapon made up of intertwined cords and weighted with stones. General admission starts at $15

More info: http://bit.ly/1PHbnpH