Bye-bye to the work week — hello, freedom!
Welcome to the Weekend Top 10, your new quick-hit guide to the best hotspots, hidden gems and must-see happenings around South Florida.
With this new column, we’re cutting to the chase and serving up 10 ways to make the most of your Thursday through Sunday (of course, we’re not waiting until Saturday to start the weekend!).
For our inaugural edition, we’ve got the three Rs: relaxation, rum and rock!
It can’t be a coincidence that National Relaxation Day (this Saturday) and National Rum Day (on Sunday) are back to back every.year, right? Fortunately for us, there are plenty of ways to mix the two this weekend — from spa deals and rum-soaked revelry to a nostalgic hard rock show or a night of stress-busting belly laughs.
There’s always something exciting to do if you know where to look. So, let’s dive into what’s worth your time and make some weekend plans, shall we?
All weekend
Wan’s Mandarin House in Fort Lauderdale is celebrating its 60th anniversary by bringing back classic dishes and offering a one-day prix fixe brunch. (Downtown Photo/Courtesy)
Wan’s Mandarin House turns 60: The popular family-owned Chinese restaurant has been serving diners authentic dishes since Lee Pong Wan and his wife, Hide, opened the original Miami location in 1966. Wan’s made its way to Broward County in the ’70s, eventually landing in its current spot at 664 N. Federal Highway, Fort Lauderdale. Chef-owner Alex Kuk took over the restaurant from his aunt, Christina Huynh, who retired in 2024. The restaurant closed for about fourth months before Kuk reopened it. To celebrate its 60th anniversary, Wan’s will bring back classic dishes such as Ginger Scallion Lobster, Hong Kong Chicken and Sweet & Sour Whole Snapper through Sunday. You also can sample some of the dishes during a prix fixe brunch at 11 a.m. Saturday for $70.48 a person. The meal includes a family-style, three-course menu of seafood soup, dumplings and Peking duck with cucumber salad; ginger scallion shrimp, Hong Kong chicken, Chinese broccoli, mei fun noodles, egg and onion rice; and a dessert by Berna Bakes. Don’t miss limited-time anniversary cocktails and a display of memorabilia such as photos and menus from the family’s personal archives. Visit eventbrite.com.
Jim Rassol/Contributor
Igor Shteyrenberg, left, and Marc Ferman at the Paradigm Cinemas: Gateway Fort Lauderdale before last year’s festival. (Jim Rassol/Contributor)
Popcorn Frights Film Festival: Founded in 2015 by Igor Shteyrenberg and Marc Ferman, the award-winning festival wraps up on Sunday, with films being shown at Paradigm Cinemas: Gateway Fort Lauderdale, 1820 E. Sunrise Blvd., and Savor Cinema, 503 SE Sixth St., Fort Lauderdale, as well as virtually. Highlights include the 35th anniversary screening of “Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey” with actor William Sadler, who played the Grim Reaper (10 p.m. Friday, $16.81), and the 45th anniversary of David Cronenberg’s “Scanners” in 4K with star Michael Ironside in attendance (7 p.m. Saturday, $16.81). Visit popcornfrights.com.
Miami Spa Months: It’s been a long, hot summer, and it’s not over yet! Pamper yourself in the cool, calming atmosphere of a spa this weekend while taking advantage of the final weeks of the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau’s Miami Spa Months. The program, which returned for its 19th year on July 1 and ends Aug. 31, offers up to 40% savings on wellness treatments at more than 30 spas across Miami and Miami Beach. Packages are available for $109, $159 and $199. New this year are elevated Signature Experiences at participating spots such as a sound bath at The Spa at Baia Beach Club and a Tropical Romance Couples Massage at The Trump Spa, among others. Other trending treatments include CBD, fresh fruit infusions and ocean-inspired elements such as salt stones and seaweed masks. Visit miamiandbeaches.com.
Friday
Mötley Crüe: The Return of the Carnival of Sins tour — with opening acts Tesla and Extreme — comes to iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre, 601-7 Sansburys Way, West Palm Beach, at 6:30 p.m. Friday. Rock out with one of the greatest groups from the heavy metal hair-band heyday of the 1980s, celebrating their 45th anniversary and 20 years since the “Carnival of Sins: Live” album. Hopefully, we can expect hits such as “Dr. Feelgood,” “Home Sweet Home” and “Kickstart My Heart.” Tickets start at $35. Visit livenation.com.
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The Shane Duncan Band will perform Friday at Holiday Park in Fort Lauderdale. (Prolific 1/Courtesy)
Starlight Musicals: Party with the Shane Duncan Band for the last show of the summer as part of this Fort Lauderdale Parks and Recreation Department concert series. Enjoy a playlist of Top 40, dance, disco, pop, rock, country and Latin music performed live with no backing tracks, according to the band’s website, beginning at 7 p.m. Friday on the football field at Holiday Park, 1150 G. Harold Martin Drive. The 47th season of these outdoor concerts kicked off back in June, featuring a different genre of music each week. Attendees can bring lawn chairs, picnic baskets and coolers to enjoy on the lawn, with food and beverages available for purchase. Free admission. Visit parks.fortlauderdale.gov/special-events.
Women visit the altar for founder George Morikami during a previous Obon Weekend at Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens in Delray Beach. (Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun Sentinel file)
Saturday
Obon Weekend: Honor the spirit of your ancestors during this traditional Japanese festival and holiday, when it’s believed they return home to visit living relatives. The two-day cultural event takes place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens, 4000 Morikami Park Road, Delray Beach. Visitors can write the names of deceased loved ones and messages on paper slips and pay their respects at the altar of museum founder George Morikami. Other highlights include learning Bon Odori, a Japanese folk dance, and experiencing the powerful taiko drumming of Fushu Daiko. On Saturday, kids can make a free lantern craft. Additionally, Guiding Light Lanterns ($5) and Lantern At Home Kits ($8) will be available for those who want to have their own celebration at home. Museum admission is $18 adults; $16 for guests age 65 and older and military; $14 for students; $12 for children ages 6-17; and free for kids age 5 and younger; additional fees may apply. Visit morikami.org.
Celebrate National Rum Day with the Miami Goddess cocktail at La Ferneteria at Rooftop Miami. (La Ferneteria/Courtesy)
National Rum Day: It’s the liquor that gives life to a bevy of our beloved tropical cocktails, frozen favorites and mixed drinks — daiquiris, mojitos, piña coladas, mai tais and Cuba Libres. So when there’s a day assigned to honor this distilled spirit, respect must be paid. The Rum Day Festival, featuring more than 100 rum varieties, returns to the riverfront at The Wharf Fort Lauderdale, 20 W. Las Olas Blvd., starting at 5 p.m. Saturday. Sip and stroll through themed spots, including a Frozen Bar, Mermaid Bar, Pirate’s Cove, Build Your Own Mojito Bar, Caribbean Carnaval Bar, Havana Nights, and Beach Bar (complete with sand). Taste rum-infused foods or pair your cocktails with something from the VIP Cigar Lounge. Free admission. Visit wharfftl.com. For a skyline experience anytime this weekend, enjoy rum with a view on the ninth floor of Rooftop Miami at La Ferneteria, 230 NW 24th St. There you can pivot from the norm with a cocktail that’s an ode to the essence of the Magic City — the Miami Goddess. It’s made with Santa Teresa 1796, a smooth Venezuelan rum, and layered with mamey, pineapple and herbal flavors. Also on the menu, the Coco D’Amore, which uses the classic Malibu Coconut Rum combined with passion fruit liqueur, pineapple and fresh lime for a sweet, island vibe taste. Visit laferneteria.com.
Live rugby: Two international rugby squads are preparing to take the field for a match in Fort Lauderdale that combines nonstop, fast-paced action and powerful physical contact (with minimal protective padding!). The USA Eagles and Argentina XV will compete at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Inter Miami CF Stadium, 1350 NW 55th St., Fort Lauderdale. The Eagles are one of four premier senior national teams overseen by USA Rugby. The Argentine Rugby Union has five national high-performance teams, which includes Argentina XV. How does the game work? Well, it may sound familiar. Players advance an oval-shaped ball down the pitch (a rectangular field) into the opponent’s in-goal line to score points while the defending team tries to stop them by tackling. But at least one difference with American football is that play doesn’t stop after a tackle. Tickets range from $28.60 to $247.50. Visit eagles.rugby.
Comedian Brittany Brave is making a stop at the Comedy Attic at Barrel of Monks Brewing in Boca Raton on Saturday. (Ashlyn McKibben/Courtesy)
Comedy on tap: Craft beer won’t be the only thing flowing when comedians hit the stage at 8 p.m. Saturday upstairs in the Comedy Attic at Barrel of Monks Brewing, 1141 S. Rogers Circle, No. 5, Boca Raton. Captivated Comedy Co. has been bringing a night of laughs to the brewery once a month for the past two years. (There’s also the Cheffrey Eats food truck on-site, serving fries, burgers, wings and more, delivered straight to the showroom.) In the stand-up spotlight this month are Ryan Panucci, Shannon Laleem, Drew Illa and headliner Brittany Brave, a New York City-based actress, writer, producer and host with South Florida roots. Tickets are $20 at barrelofmonks.com. Selected as a 2024 “Comic To Watch” at the New York Comedy Festival, Brave has additional South Florida tour stops at the Miami Improv in Doral (Aug. 20) and Revelry in Pompano Beach (Aug. 30).
Bring a mat for 8 a.m. yoga during Saturday’s Coco Minis wellness event at SmartyPlants in Lake Worth Beach. (Throttle Galore Photography/Courtesy)
Sunday
Coco Minis: Ready to branch out into some new wellness activities? The second of three community wellness events put on by Coco Market this summer will take place from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday in the garden at SmartyPlants Nursery + Cafe, 1515 N. Dixie Highway, Lake Worth Beach. Take a deep breath and try garden yoga at 8 a.m., followed by sound healing, hypnotherapy or somatic unbinding, or just enjoy live music. Starting at 9 a.m., shop from a curated market with apparel, jewelry, candles, empanadas, cold-pressed juice, coffee, plants and body care items. Learn about bonsai and composting, DIY terrariums, plantable love letters and book binding. Free admission. The final Coco Minis series returns to SmartyPlants on Sept. 20. Visit cocomarket.org.