Memorial Day Weekend things to do: Bad Bunny, Dave Matthews, new barbecue, ‘Below Deck’ watch party with Capt. Kerry
The best events, concerts and festivals on Memorial Day Weekend in South Florida, from West Palm Beach, Delray Beach and Pompmano Beach to Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood and Miami.
Raise your hand if you feel like Memorial Day Weekend just kind of snuck up on us. OK, it’s just me who needs to be better organized. I mean, did you even know that Season 11 of “Below Deck” ends on Memorial Day? OK, but did you know that series star Capt. Kerry Titheradge is hosting a watch party on Monday with some of the crew in West Palm Beach? Me either. Until now. Keep reading for details on that event and many more happening during the long weekend.
THURSDAY
Memorable music: Four days of top tribute bands, vendor pop-ups and food trucks highlight the Memorial Day Weekend Music Celebration at the Wellington Amphitheater beginning on Thursday. The music lineup includes Van Halen tribute Completely Unchained (6:30 p.m. Thursday), Almost ABBA (7:30 p.m. Friday), Shania Now (7:30 p.m. Saturday), and Foreigner Experience with Bad Company tribute Bad Inc. (5 p.m. Sunday). Visit WellingtonFL.gov.
Night shopping: Clematis by Night returns to downtown West Palm Beach on Thursday from 6 to 9 p.m. with music from country singer Tim Charron and shopping at The Mini, an abridged version of the popular West Palm Beach GreenMarket, which closed for the season on April 20. Taking place each Thursday through June 27, The Mini isn’t so small, with more than two dozen vendors, among them many of the GreenMarket’s most popular. Visit WPB.org/themini.
Weekend sandwich: In case you missed it, Mitch’s Downtown Bagel Cafe recently opened in Hallandale Beach, part of the new Atlantic Village center at 601 N. Federal Highway. But the newer news is their new Hangover 2.0 breakfast sandwich, which fills your choice of bagel with scrambled eggs, cheddar cheese and sausage, plus a layer of crispy latke, all drizzled in hot honey. It’s glorious. Cost: $15. It’s also on the menu at Mitch’s bustling Flagler Village location in Fort Lauderdale. Visit MitchsDowntown.com.
FRIDAY
Bunny tracks: Puerto Rican reggaeton superstar Bad Bunny closes out his long-running Most Wanted Tour with three performances at Miami’s Kaseya Center Friday through Sunday. The three 8 p.m. concerts, which feature music from massively popular 2023 album “Nadie Sabe Lo Que Va a Pasar Mañana,” are not quite sold out. Tickets start at $151.95+ at Ticketmaster.com.
Summer Dave: A rite of summer, the Dave Matthews Band will do its signature double play at iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre in West Palm Beach at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday. A small number of tickets remain, starting at $67.20+ for general-admission lawn space, or $111.75+ for two-day lawn passes. Visit LiveNation.com.
Panthers watch: It will be hard to match the watch-party energy of the series-clinching win over Boston last weekend at a packed Baptist Health Iceplex, but any game against any team from New York will inspire, um, enthusiasm. Your hometown Fightin’ Maurices will take on the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden at 8 p.m. Friday, when the Panthers’ will host a big-screen watch party across two levels of their new practice facility in downtown Fort Lauderdale, including at The Federal restaurant and on the big video board over the team’s practice rink. Admission is free, parking is free and the concession stands don’t kill you on food and drink: For instance, $10 chicken tenders and fries, $4.50 Coors Light. Insider tip: If you’re watching from the bleachers at the practice rink, bring a sweater. Looking ahead, the Panthers and Rangers play in Sunrise on Sunday at 3 p.m. Visit FTLWarMemorial.com.
Meat at The Wharf: If you’ve been curious about the pitmaster who once gave us the acclaimed La Traila Barbecue, chef Mel Rodriguez has moved onto a new gig. He’ll introduce his new pop-up, Tejano Craft Barbecue, this weekend during Memorial Day Weekend Cookout festivities at The Wharf in Fort Lauderdale. Rodriguez, who learned to smoke in the Central Texas holy land of barbecue, will be serving while supplies last on Friday beginning at 4 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday at noon. Visit WharfFTL.com.
Square dancing: The free Sunset Concert Series at Old School Square in downtown Delray Beach continues on Friday with energetic Kenny Chesney tribute band Fast Forward (starring Texan Derek “Cowboy Kenny” Villegas). Gates open at 5:30 p.m., with line-dance lessons from 6:15 to 7 p.m. leading into a performance by local country singer Gabriel Key. Fast Forward will perform from 8 to 10 p.m. These shows are popular, so get there early. Or take advantage of the new VIP ticket, which offers access to a VIP lounge area with seating, a dedicated bar and one free drink ticket. Cost: $50. Visit DowntownDelrayBeach.com.
Ticket window: The Violent Femmes have added dates to their fall tour, including a show on Friday, Sept. 27, at the Pompano Beach Amphitheater. Tickets for the concert — which will include a performance of their album “Hallowed Ground” (celebrating its 40th anniversary) and, after an intermission, their self-titled debut record — go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday at VFemmes.com. … Crooner Marc Anthony is bringing his international Historia Tour to the Kaseya Center in Miami on Sunday, Nov 17. Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday at Ticketmaster.com. … Platinum-selling country quintet Old Dominion will play Hard Rock Live at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood on Friday, Dec. 13. Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday at MyHRL.com.
Weekend DJ: Genre-defying DJ duo Thievery Corporation will make their debut at the Miami Beach Bandshell at 7:30 p.m. Friday. Not surprisingly, tickets ($58.71) are waitlisted. Get on the list and look over the strong upcoming calendar at the venue (Monsieur Periné, Eric Andre, Collie Buddz, Etienne Charles and others) at MiamiBeachBandshell.com.
Weekend playlist: Young Palm Beach Gardens singer-songwriter and actor Ben Krieger, class of 2022 at Dreyfoos School of the Arts and performer at SunFest 2024, last week put out a debut EP, “Frostbite,” that seems likely to foreshadow bigger things. Krieger’s heart-on-his-sleeve yearning and frustration pour out over six tracks, the EP’s splendidly spare production (mostly by L.A.-based Dylan Thom) providing a thoughtful showcase for warm, confident and nuanced vocals (Exhibit A: opening track “Love in the Dark”). You can find “Frostbite” on Spotify, Apple Music and other digital outlets. Visit Instagram.com/benkriegermusic.
SATURDAY
Blues and red: Shemekia Copeland may be “the greatest blues singer of her generation” (The Washington Post), but is equally powerful with pen in hand as a songwriter. Her most recent album, 2022’s “Done Come Too Far,” is another time capsule of life in these confusing times. It includes the song “Pink Turns to Red,” which cuts especially deep whenever it is performed in a community that has witnessed a school shooting. The Harlem-born singer performs at 8 p.m. Saturday at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts in Fort Lauderdale. Tickets start at $35+ at BrowardCenter.org.
Beach party: Fort Lauderdale again plants a flag for free family friendly fun on Memorial Day Weekend with the annual Great American Beach Party from 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Saturday at Las Olas Oceanside Park. Activities include a sand-sculpting contest, water slides, face painting, arts and crafts, a car show and a jump by the SOCOM Para-Commandos parachute team (2-2:30 p.m.). The day will include live performances by Coldplay tribute band Life in Technicolor (11 a.m.-noon), KYO and the Heartbreakers (noon-2 p.m.) and Reaxtion Band (4-6:30 p.m.). Admission is free. Visit TheLOOPflb.com.
Three-day brunch: The beauty of the three-day weekend is the three-day brunch, a loosely observed tradition all over South Florida. The revered Elisabetta’s Ristorante, with locations in downtown Delray Beach and West Palm Beach, will host its popular Bottomless Brunch (unlimited mimosas, Bellinis, Bloodies and Aperol spritz for $18 with entree) beginning at 11 a.m. Saturday, Sunday and Monday. Visit Elisabettas.com.
Indie made: The original local market devoted to vintage, handmade and local artisan pieces, Indie Craft Bazaar returns to the Revolution Live complex in downtown Fort Lauderdale for an extended session of indoor-outdoor shopping among more than 100 booths on Saturday from 1 to 7 p.m. Admission to the dog-friendly event is free. There will be food and drinks available. Visit IndieCraftBazaar.com.
Wine and dine: Saturday is International Wine Day (unlike every other day) and your friends at Small WIne Shop in Flagler Village will celebrate with an evening of free-flowing wine paired with charcuterie, cheeses and caviar from buzzy pop-up host Mano Negra Kitchen. The 8 p.m. party will offer a little sneak peek at what’s coming to Mano Negra’s imminent new brick-and-mortar in Coral Gables. Saturday’s gathering costs $40 (wine club members get 15% off). Visit SmallWineShop.com.
Air and see: The Hyundai Air & Sea Show returns to the sky and sand of Miami Beach from noon to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, with free viewing and activities along Ocean Drive between First Street and 21st Street. Airborne highlights include skyscraping performances by the F-35 Lightning II, F-22 Raptor and F-16 Fighting Falcon; fly-bys of the B-2 Spirit Stealth Bomber, the B-52 Bomber and the massive C-17 Global Master III; and jumps by the Army’s Golden Knights and Black Daggers parachute teams, and the Navy’s Leap Frogs. On the ground you’ll find displays of tanks, helicopters and a fighter jet for photo ops, live music, a vendor market and more. Admission is free. Visit USASalute.com.
SUNDAY
Flamingoing: Tarpon River Brewing and The Flamingo Flea will collaborate on a Memorial Day Weekend barbecue version of the popular makers market on Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. The indoor-outdoor gathering of the cool kids will feature more than three dozen vendors, live music, brunch and craft beer. Visit Facebook.com/theflamingoflea.
Special pies: Guerrilla pizza visionary and rapper Stepdad will celebrate his birthday during a 4-8 p.m. Sunday pop-up at Palm Beach Meats in West Palm Beach. DJ Bamboon will make the sounds, and there will be free tattoos of Stepdad’s logo from artist Kevin Hock. Fun for all. Visit Instagram.com/stepdadspizza.
Change of Hearts: Fort Lauderdale singer and guitarist T.J. Cronin, well known for his Tom Petty tribute band Petty Hearts, will bring his touring Toby Keith tribute Beer for My Horses to Crazy Uncle Mike’s in Boca Raton on Sunday. The five-piece band will perform from 7 to 10:30 p.m. Tickets start at $15+ at CrazyUncleMikes.com.
Prom night: Respectable Street in downtown West Palm Beach invites you to the 18th annual Cheesy ’80s Prom on Sunday from 9 to 11:30 p.m. As always, there will be a costume contest for Prom King and Prom Queen (each gets a $50 gift card), spiked punch and a totally epic soundtrack, with dance moves to match. Admission is free with advance RSVP or $5 at the door. Visit Facebook.com/respectablestreet.
MONDAY
Sea watch: Yes, Capt. Kerry Titheradge of “Below Deck” (and Palm Beach Gardens) is planning to gather fans and cast members from this season and other iterations of the hit Bravo series to watch the Season 11 finale on Monday at Flanigan’s, 330 Southern Blvd., West Palm Beach. It’s just so random, right? But the Aussie-born Titheradge is here to allay our skepticism. “No jokes, mate,” he told us this week. “We have about 12 ‘Below Deck’ crew in the list so far. Come on down and bring some mates.” The show begins at 9 p.m. Visit Instagram.com/capt_kerry.
Staff writer Ben Crandell can be reached at bcrandell@sunsentinel.com. Follow on Instagram @BenCrandell and Twitter @BenCrandell.