We spring forward this weekend, turning the clock ahead at 2 a.m. Sunday. So we lose an hour on Saturday night — but what is time, really? The hottest music in South Florida this weekend was made more than 55 years ago by The Beatles, “Back to the Future” is a must-see movie in Boca Raton, and they’re already celebrating St. Patrick’s Day in Fort Lauderdale and Hollywood (pssst, you have plenty of time to get that green outfit for the actual St. Pat’s party). Ob-la-di, ob-la-da, life goes on …
THURSDAY
Fab weekend: The annual Beatles on the Beach tribute in Delray Beach takes place Thursday through Sunday, with headline events on Old School Square and plenty of parties, brunches, celebrity meet-and-greets and side gigs elsewhere around downtown. Official opening parties on Thursday are scheduled at the Hyatt Place Delray Beach (Can’t Buy Me Love Singles Mingle, 6-8 p.m.), Thrōw Social (7-11 p.m.) and Johnnie Brown’s (8-11 p.m.). Main events include performances by multiple bands and headliner Night Ranger at the amphitheater on Old School Square (8 p.m. Friday) and, on the same stage, Live & Let Die: A Symphonic Tribute to Paul McCartney (8 p.m. Saturday). Tickets to those shows start at $39.50+ per day for general-admission lawn access, $65+ for a two-day pass, and include admission to all other BOTB events. Several levels of premium reserved seating are also available. Visit BeatlesOnTheBeach.com.
Boxing days: This is closing weekend for acclaimed exhibit “Strike Fast, Dance Lightly: Artists on Boxing” at the Norton Museum of Art in West Palm Beach. Composed of more than 100 works dating to the late 1800s, the show examines the cultural influence of the sport and its representation of power, struggle and activism. Weekend museum hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday, and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Admission: $18; $15 for seniors (60+) and $5 for students. The weekend will include a discussion of the exhibit on Friday from 7 to 8 p.m., led by Dr. Jordana Moore Saggese, author of “Heavyweight: Black Boxers and the Fight for Representation.” Professor of modern and contemporary American art at the University of Maryland and former editor-in-chief of Art Journal, Saggese will return on Saturday from 2 to 3:30 p.m. for a conversation with artists Cheryl Pope, Rose Marie Cromwell and Jared McGriff, joined by Arden Sherman, senior curator of contemporary art at the Norton. Both discussions are free with museum admission. Visit Norton.org.
Memorable Knight: There are many reasons to appreciate a performance by Gladys Knight, including some of the most iconic hits of the R&B era with “Midnight Train to Georgia,” “Neither One of Us,” “If I Were Your Woman” and “Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me.” But perhaps the recent passing of one of her illustrious peers, Roberta Flack, makes Knight’s performance at Hard Rock Live in Hollywood on Thursday even more essential listening. Tickets for the 8 p.m. show start at $39+ at MyHRL.com.
Weekend movie: Maybe I’m the only person I know who hasn’t seen the five-time Academy Award winner, but if you’re “Anora” curious, the screwball Cinderella story (which won the Best Picture Oscar) will be back in a few South Florida theaters this weekend. Screenings start Thursday at Savor Cinema in downtown Fort Lauderdale (visit FLIFF.com) and at Regal Royal Palm Beach, while “Anora” also will be shown at Cinemark Boynton Beach 14 beginning Friday. Check your local theater to see if “Anora” pops up near you.
Recommended listening: Shovels & Rope bring their engagingly scruffy Americana sound, as heard on the new album “Something Is Working Up Above My Head,” to the Culture Room in Fort Lauderdale on Thursday. Doors open at 7:30 p.m., with James Felice of The Felice Brothers opening. General-admission tickets cost $25+, and there is table seating near the stage for $48+. Visit CultureRoom.net.
Weekend laughs: Comedian (and renowned heckler destroyer) Steve Hofstetter will perform at The Banyan Live in West Palm Beach at 8 p.m. Thursday. Tickets for the 18-and-older show start at $27+. Doors open at 7 p.m. Visit TheBanyanLive.com. … Actor, comedian and former “Saturday Night Live” trouper Jon Rudnitsky will be at the Dania Improv in Dania Beach at 7:30 p.m. Thursday and 10 p.m. Friday. Tickets cost $22+ at DaniaImprov.com.
Big shots: Galuppi’s restaurant in Pompano Beach will pay tribute to one-time tour mates Billy Joel and Elton John with Legend 2 Legend, a concert featuring tribute artists Tony Monaco of Turnstiles joined by Dan Gasser of Elton Dan and The Rocket Band. The concert will run from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. Tickets start at $40+ for general-admission standing room, $50+ for GA seating. Visit Galuppis.com.
Local music: The free Clematis by Night concert series on the Great Lawn at Centennial Square in downtown West Palm Beach will feature top-shelf blues band JP Soars & The Red Hots. The every-Thursday event runs from 6 to 9 p.m. Visit WPB.org/events.
FRIDAY
McFly trap: Festival of the Arts Boca — continuing through Sunday at Mizner Park Amphitheater in Boca Raton — includes a special event on Friday at 7:30 p.m., when the beloved film “Back to the Future” is screened with its iconic soundtrack performed live by Festival Orchestra Boca. General-admission tickets start at $30. Visit FestivalBoca.org.
Nu groove: Intrepid Miami-based orchestra Nu Deco Ensemble will join forces with dance-music producer Dude Skywalker for two nights of energetic sounds called Underground Symphony at The Citadel in Miami’s Little River neighborhood on Friday and Saturday. Doors open at 8 p.m. for these dancing-room-only concerts. Tickets cost $55+. Visit Nu-Deco.org.
All things Ari: Ari Shapiro, a voice you may know from NPR’s “All Things Considered,” if not from his vocal work with Pink Martini, brings his cabaret show to the intimate Amaturo Theater at the Broward Center in Fort Lauderdale at 8 p.m. Friday. Titled “Thank You For Listening,” the evening will weave stories that the Fargo, North Dakota, native has collected while reporting from war zones and the White House, with favorite songs from Billy Joel, Paul Simon, Taylor Swift, Stephen Sondheim, Rufus Wainwright and others. Tickets start at $45+ at BrowardCenter.org.
Forever Young: Country singer Brett Young just added a new single, “Tastes Like You,” to fan favorites such as “In Case You Didn’t Know,” “Lady” and “Mercy” as he aims his Back to Basics World Tour for Hard Rock Live in Hollywood on Friday at 8 p.m. Tickets are available, starting at $45+. Visit MyHRL.com.
John McCall/South Florida Sun Sentinel
Brett Young was on the bill at Tortuga Music Festival 2023 in Fort Lauderdale. (John McCall/South Florida Sun Sentinel file)
Parental guidance: Some parents are already missing the kids who will be headed off to college in the fall — others can’t wait. Comedian Chad Daniels offers a judgment-free tutorial in the Netflix special “Empty Nester” and in his touring act, stopping at the Dania Improv in Dania Beach at 7:30 p.m. Friday and 7 and 9:30 p.m. Saturday. Tickets cost $30+ at DaniaImprov.com.
Open Bard: Nationally touring Tony Award winners The Acting Co. will perform quintessential Shakespeare farce “The Comedy of Errors” at Rinker Playhouse in the Kravis Center in West Palm Beach at 7:30 p.m. Friday and 2:30 p.m. Saturday. Tickets for the show, part of the venue’s thoughtful Peak Series, start at $45+. Each ticket comes with a free beverage. Visit Kravis.org.
Familiar faces: The newly remodeled War Memorial Auditorium in Fort Lauderdale on Friday will host The Driver Era, the brother-duo Rocky and Ross Lynch, former members of the pop band R5 (Ross also once starred on the Disney Channel sitcom “Austin & Ally”). The duo is set to release the album “Obsession” (TOO Records) on April 11. Tickets for the 8 p.m. concert start at $25+ for general-admission floor access at SeatGeek.com. Other upcoming War Memorial shows include GloRilla on March 10, Niko Moon on May 17, Dance Gavin Dance on June 6 and Rainbow Kitten Surprise on June 17. Visit FTLWarMemorial.com.
Feels like the first time: As the young and restless gather on the beach in Fort Lauderdale, organizers of the Friday Night Sound Waves Backstage Pass Series will get their revenge by programming their parents‘ favorite Spring Break music. Presented at Las Olas Oceanside Park (The LOOP) by DiscoverFTLBeach.com and Audacy’s 102.7-FM The Beach, the Spring Break Rewind concert will feature tribute bands Forever Foreigner and Smokin‘ (Boston) on Friday from 7 to 9:30 p.m. Admission is free. Visit TheLOOPFLB.com.
A new picnic: The city of Coconut Creek on Friday will introduce Groove N Grub, a new series that will gather favorite local food trucks and musicians for free events each month. The inaugural edition will take place from 6 to 9 p.m. at Sabal Pines Park, highlighted by music from The Original Studio 54 Band at 7 p.m. Bring your own chair or blanket, and coolers are permitted, but no pets. Visit CoconutCreek.net/events.
SATURDAY
Gardens party: The 18th annual Jazz in the Gardens music festival returns to Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens on Saturday and Sunday with a lineup led by Fugees icons Lauryn Hill and Wyclef Jean, reprising their collaboration during “SNL50: The Homecoming Concert” last month, along with Grammy-winning rapper Doechii, singer Toni Braxton and old-school favorites New Edition, among many others. Gates will open at 2 p.m. each day, with music starting at 3 p.m. Single-day tickets start at $125.75+ for general admission each day; two-day GA passes are currently priced at $135.65+ with password JITGSP. GA areas have limited seating, but you can bring your own chair or rent one. Reserved seating starts at $199.75+ each day. Multiple levels of VIP accommodations are also available. Check for updates on tickets at JazzInTheGardens.com.
Irish spring: Apparently having something to do with Irish Daylight Saving Time, the St. Patrick’s Parade & Festival in Fort Lauderdale is happening on Saturday, nearly 10 days before the actual Feast of St. Patrick on March 17. We’re just springing forward. Or falling backward. Whatever. Events will take place from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Tunnel Top Plaza on Las Olas Boulevard, with the parade at noon (moving from Huizenga Plaza at Andrews Avenue east to Southeast Ninth Avenue) and U2 tribute band Wide Awake on at 5:30 p.m. Visit Parks.FortLauderdale.gov/stpat.
Beer, bags, BBQ: Copperpoint Brewing Co. in Boynton Beach hosts its annual BBQ Beer Bash on Saturday from noon to 10 p.m. Along with special beer releases, chefs from Twisted Smoke BBQ, Third’s BBQ and NEVS Barbecue will have the meats. There’s also a cornhole tournament with a trophy and gift cards at stake. Visit Facebook.com/CopperpointBrewingCo.
Great pointe: Miami City Ballet alights at the Kravis Center in West Palm Beach this weekend to perform its Winter Mix — including Balanchine’s “Walpurgisnacht Ballet” and “La Valse,” as well as “Coincident Dances,” a new work by celebrated choreographer Pam Tanowitz — at 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday. Tickets start at $25+ at MiamiCityBallet.org.
Fuel’s gold: Touring car-culture show FuelFest will return to the South Florida Fairgrounds in West Palm Beach on Saturday, with more than 800 cars, drift rides, celebrity meet-and-greets with actors Cody Walker and Tyrese Gibson (“Fast and Furious”), food, drink and entertainment, including a live set by Miami hip-hop icons ¡Mayday!. Gates will be open from 1 to 8 p.m. Tickets start at $45+, with free entry for kids age 12 and younger. Visit FuelFest.com.
See food, eat food: The annual Dania Beach Wine & Seafood Festival will set up on the grounds of City Hall on Saturday, offering unlimited grazing among more than 60 favorite local restaurants and vendors from 4 to 9 p.m. Tickets start at $75+, or $265+ for a four-pack of tickets. A VIP ticket is $100+ and includes, among other perks, access to exclusive vendors (personally, 3 Sons Brewing is worth the extra $25). Entertainment will include the Adam Uhlan Band, VAM Band and Michael Jackson tribute “The Ultimate King of Pop.” On-site parking in the City Hall garage is free, but limited. The city will offer free parking and shuttle service from the Dania Beach Casino from 3:30 to 10 p.m. Visit DaniaBeachWineAndSeafoodFest.com.
Saturday night live: Music created by Emilio Estefan for films and other prominent settings will be celebrated by Miami Symphony Orchestra and conductor Eduardo Marturet at the Arsht Center in Miami on Saturday at 6 p.m. Tickets to the production, hosted by Estefan and titled “The Soundtrack of My Life,” are available starting at $64.50. Visit ArshtCenter.org. … Italian pop-opera trio Il Volo will play Hard Rock Live in Hollywood on Saturday at 8 p.m., a show that is essentially sold out. Check on resale tickets at Ticketmaster.com. … Contemporary jazz veterans Spyro Gyra bring their tour with guitarist Lee Ritenour to The Parker in Fort Lauderdale at 7:30 p.m. Saturday. A handful of resale tickets are available at Ticketmaster.com.
Take the kids: South Florida-based Bad Apples Brass Band will bring New Orleans-style energy to the Arts Garage in Delray Beach on Saturday afternoon for an interactive, family friendly performance. Tickets for the show, taking place from 2 to 3 p.m., cost $10. Visit ArtsGarage.org.
Help wanted: The beloved West Palm Beach GreenMarket continues to celebrate its 30th anniversary season on the downtown waterfront each Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. through April 26 (except March 22). We mention it because this week organizers announced that they are accepting applications for new vendors for the upcoming 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 seasons. The deadline to apply is March 31. Visit WPB.org/events.
SUNDAY
Green market: St. Patrick’s Day festivities on Sunday in downtown Hollywood — billed as the region’s largest — include its signature milelong parade, beginning at 1 p.m., along Harrison Street and Hollywood Boulevard, highlighted by the famed New York Police Department Emerald Society Pipes and Drums Corps. You’ll also find more than 75 vendor booths, food and drink, kids’ activities, and performances by Uproot Hootenanny and popular tribute band U2 By UV. Visit StPatricksFestival.com.
Sunglasses at night: Rock and Roll Hall of Famers ZZ Top (guitarist Billy Gibbons, drummer Frank Beard and bassist Elwood Francis) bring the big Texas beat to Pompano Beach Amphitheater on Sunday at 7:30 p.m. Gates open at 6 p.m., with guitarist-songwriter McKinley James opening. Tickets are available, starting at $49.50+, at PompanoBeachArts.org/amp.
Blue-collar special: The Acting Co. continues its Peak Series run at Rinker Playhouse in the Kravis Center in West Palm Beach on Sunday with “Two Trains Running,” acclaimed playwright August Wilson’s durable tale of gentrification and economic justice set in a Pittsburgh diner. Performances will be at 2:30 and 7:30 p.m. Tickets start at $45+, with each ticket accompanied by a free beverage. Visit Kravis.org.
Staff writer Ben Crandell can be reached at bcrandell@sunsentinel.com. Follow on Instagram @BenCrandell and X @BenCrandell.