In a year when we will elect a president, Presidents Day on Monday will be celebrated in Fort Lauderdale by small men bashing each other over the head with chairs at a brewery. Ringside VIP seats for this show, by stars of the Micro Wrestling Federation, are sold out. It’s who we are now.
Here’s a look at the holiday weekend, which includes the African American Film Festival in West Palm Beach, two concerts by Diana Krall, a Galentine’s cake and wine tasting at Small Wine Shop in Flagler Village, 30th anniversary tours by G. Love and hip-hop icons Digable Planets, and top chefs gathering for the Swank Table dinner series in Loxahatchee.
THURSDAY
Cinematic beauty: The 18th edition of the African American Film Festival unspools this weekend at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach with six screenings Thursday through Sunday in Rinker Playhouse and Persson Hall. The cinematic journey guided by South Florida author, curator and film scholar Terri Francis will kick off at 7 p.m. Thursday with an opening-night screening of “The Beauty of Blackness,” a documentary about Fashion Fair, the first cosmetics brand exclusively for Black women created in 1973 by Eunice Johnson, cofounder of Ebony and Jet magazines. The evening will include a pre-screening reception, and filmmaker Kiana Moore will take part in a panel discussion. Tickets to opening night cost $25 at Kravis.org. The rest of the screenings will cost $15 each or $70 for all six films. Other films on the schedule include “Losing Ground” (7 p.m. Friday), “Bright Road” (2 p.m. Saturday), “Island in the Sun” (7 p.m. Saturday), “Ruby Bridges” (2 p.m. Sunday) and “Daughters of the Dust” (6:30 p.m. Sunday).
Jazz nights: Grammy-winning jazz singer and pianist Diana Krall brings her tour to the Kravis Center at 8 p.m. Thursday. The show is all but sold out, with a few tickets remaining for $149+. Visit Kravis.org. Krall also has a concert scheduled at 7:30 p.m. Monday at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts in Fort Lauderdale. Tickets, starting at $50+, are available at BrowardCenter.org.
AFP/Getty Images
Diana Krall will perform at the Kravis Center on Thursday and at the Broward Center on Monday. (AFP/Getty Images)
New Miss: The North Mississippi Allstars bring the raw Southern roots rock heard on the duo’s latest album, “Set Sail,” to Revolution Live in Fort Lauderdale on Thursday. Tickets for the all-ages show start at $24.50+. Doors open at 7 p.m. Visit JoinTheRevolution.net.
Under the big-top influence: The touring circus for grownups called The Great Mr. Swindle’s Traveling Peculiarium will set up its climate-controlled, big-top tent at Mizner Park in Boca Raton on Thursday, filling it with acrobats, boozy comedy and flying double entendres. The 90-minute performances (with intermission) continue through Feb. 25. Get there an hour before each performance to spend time in the Drink-Ory Garden, which serves beer, wine, cocktails, food and snacks. Weekend performances are at 7 p.m. Thursday, 5 and 7:30 p.m. Friday, 4 and 7 p.m. Saturday, and 3 and 6 p.m. Sunday. Next week, shows will be at 7 p.m. Feb. 21-22, 5 and 7:30 p.m. Feb. 23, 4 and 7 p.m. Feb. 24, and 3 p.m. Feb. 25. Tickets start at $55+. Must be 18 and older. The production moves to Carlin Park in Jupiter from Feb. 29 to March 16. Visit MrSwindles.com.
Weekend laughs: Actor, author and comedian Josh Wolf continues his run at the Dania Improv in Dania Beach with performances at 8 p.m. Thursday, 7:30 p.m. Friday, and 7 and 9:30 p.m. Saturday. Tickets cost $25+ at DaniaImprov.com.
Ticket window: In case you missed it, pop star Justin Timberlake has added a Nov. 8 concert at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise to The Forget Tomorrow World Tour. Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Thursday at JustinTimberlake.com. The tour also will stop at Miami’s Kaseya Center on June 15, with some side-view seats available, starting at $215+, at Ticketmaster.com.
FRIDAY
Country star: Cody Johnson comes to Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise on Friday at 7:30 p.m. riding a string of poignant hits that have struck a chord with country fans and beyond. They include “‘Til You Can’t,” which won the Grammy Award for Best Country Song last year, along with “Human,” “Nothin’ on You” and “The Painter.” The show is down to resale tickets starting at around $100. Visit Ticketmaster.com.
Greek feast: West Palm Beach’s beautiful Saint Catherine Greek Orthodox Church will host the 49th annual Saint Catherine’s Greek Festival from Friday through Sunday, with its traditional wave of souvlaki, saganaki, spanakopita, moussaka, tzatziki and other fun words to say. Hours are noon to 11 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday, and noon to closing Sunday. Admission is $5 (free on Friday from noon to 4 p.m.), with accompanied children younger than 12 entering free. Festival parking costs $10, but a free shuttle will run to a free parking lot nearby at St. Juliana Catholic Church. Visit Facebook.com/greekfestwpb.
Tribute X 3: The tasty ear candy provided by Pink Talking Fish — a fusion of tributes to Pink Floyd, Talking Heads and Phish — will spill from the stage at The Funky Biscuit in Boca Raton at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Tickets start at $30+ for standing room (you won’t use the chair anyway). Visit FunkyBiscuit.com.
A fistful of guitars: Art After Dark at the Norton Museum of Art in West Palm Beach on Friday night will include a set (7:30 to 9 p.m.) by Gold Dust Lounge, alter ego of Russell Mofsky, a singular guitarist whose retro-rock sonics may recall the soundtrack of your favorite film by David Lynch or Sergio Leone (bring your own popcorn). Art After Dark, which includes gallery tours and artist talks, is from 5 to 10 p.m. Admission during the event is $10, or $5 for students. Parking is $5. Visit Norton.org.
Friday laughs: Pranksters Tom Allen and John Parr will share the bro-comedy stylings of their podcast and Netflix series “Chad and JT Go Deep” at the Dania Improv at 10 p.m. Friday. Tickets cost $25+ at DaniaImprov.com.
SATURDAY
Let them drink wine: A collaboration with popular LoveLee Bakeshop, Small Wine Shop in Fort Lauderdale’s Flagler Village will be the setting for a Galentine’s Cake and Wine Tasting on Saturday from 3 to 4:30 p.m. The assembled will enjoy a flight of four cakes paired with four wines. Price: $49. Visit SmallWineShop.com.
Union shop: The shoppy, drinky, brunchy pop-up known as The Flamingo Flea turns up on Saturday at its second home at Crazy Uncle Mike’s in Boca Raton, with more than 30 vendors, live music and positive energy. The Flea, which is kid- and dog-friendly, runs from noon to 4 p.m. Visit FlamingoFlea.com.
Cats match fever: If you haven’t jumped back on the feisty Florida Panthers’ bandwagon (they again have one of the best records in the NHL), Funky Buddha Brewery in Oakland Park will host a watch party on Saturday for the Cats’ game against annoying cross-state rivals the Tampa Bay Lightning. The party starts at 4:30 p.m., with drink specials, prizes and mascot appearances. The game begins at 5 p.m. Visit Facebook.com/FunkyBuddhaBrew.
Old Love: Touring in celebration of the 30th anniversary of their eponymous debut album, G. Love & Special Sauce will bring their genre-defying sound to the Culture Room in Fort Lauderdale on Saturday with guest Jakobs Castle. Doors open 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $39.50+ at CultureRoom.net.
SUNDAY
Farm dinner: The uncomplicated beauty of Swank Farm in Loxahatchee will be the setting for another installment in the Swank Table dinner series, which returns on Sunday at 4 p.m. with an evening called Bourbon, BBQ and Blues. The featured chefs will be Joe Bonavita (executive chef, formerly of WET Miami and 50 Ocean, Delray Beach); Josie Smith Malave (owner/chef, Bubbles and Pearls, Wilton Manors); Anthony Sanders (owner/chef, Atlanta Breakfast Club); Lauren and Chuck Lupo (owners/bakers, Key Lime to Happiness, West Palm Beach). There will be beer from Copperpoint Brewing Co. in Boynton Beach and blues from three-time Grammy nominee John Primer. Tickets cost $180 per person at SwankSpecialtyProduce.com. A portion of the proceeds go to the Loxahatchee Groves Landowners Association Scholarship Fund.
Buggin’ out: Experimental hip-hop group Digable Planets be at Revolution Live in Fort Lauderdale on Sunday, with the tour supporting the 30th anniversary of their remarkable debut album, “Reachin’ (A New Refutation of Time and Space).” Doors open at 7 p.m. Tickets for the all-ages show start at $36.50+. Visit JoinTheRevolution.net.
Sunday laughs: Lively drag icon Bianca Del Rio brings her Dead Inside Comedy Tour to the Kravis Center in West Palm Beach on Sunday at 8 p.m. Tickets start at $45+ at Kravis.org.
MONDAY
Monday blues: Five-time Grammy-winning blues guitarist and actor Keb’ Mo’ will be matched with the warm acoustics of The Parker in Fort Lauderdale on Monday at 8 p.m. A few dozen tickets remain, starting at $45.50+. Get there in time for the openers, folky harmonizers The Brother Brothers. Visit BrowardCenter.org.
Small wonders: Like we said, the Micro Wrestling Federation will bring its small-scale, WWE-style pandemonium to LauderAle in Fort Lauderdale on Presidents Day from 8 to 10 p.m. This show is 21 and older, with tickets $23.99+ for standing room. The micro wrestlers (all less than 5 feet tall) also can be found at Renegades in West Palm Beach on Saturday, with doors open at 7 p.m. for an 18-and-older show. Tickets again are $23.99+ for standing room. Yes, there are no ringside VIP tickets left. Visit MicroWrestling.com.
Staff writer Ben Crandell can be reached at bcrandell@sunsentinel.com. Follow on Instagram @BenCrandell and Twitter @BenCrandell.