Leafing through the Old Farmer’s Almanac while waiting for one of the plump cinnamon rolls at Fort Lauderdale’s LoveLee Bakeshop (tops on my list of favorite South Florida bakeries right now), I see that the last few days of summer are upon us this weekend. The fall equinox in the Northern Hemisphere will come on Monday (at 2:19 p.m., if you have money on it) — when the sun crosses the Earth’s celestial equator, as daylight and night reach equilibrium, marking the beginning of autumn.
Just a reminder that no matter what we’re doing to each other, the Earth continues to spin on its axis with the same predictable, mathematical precision of the eons. In our narrow-minded obsession to define winners and losers in this moment, time is the great equalizer, and it is undefeated.
THURSDAY
New cocktails: Buzzy Boynton Beach restaurant Driftwood this week unveils a new cocktail series, Tiki Thursdays, featuring rotating inventions from head mixologist Matt Swig, Polynesian-inspired bites from Driftwood chef Jimmy Everett, music and a parade of guest bartenders. First up this Thursday is bartender Gabby Tirillo of nearby Second Rodeo, who will be behind the bar from 4 to 9 p.m. The series continues on Oct. 16 with veteran mixmaster Myles Robinson, the creative and culinary mind behind Standish Cocktails. Visit DriftwoodBoynton.com.
Weekend laughs: Veteran actor and comedian Carlos Mencia will drop some knowledge at the Fort Lauderdale Improv at Dania Pointe in Dania Beach this weekend. Weekend performances are at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, 7:30 and 10 p.m. Friday, and 7 and 9:30 p.m. Saturday. Tickets start at $35.90+, with VIP meet-and-greet seats also available. Visit ImprovFTL.com.
Thursday movie: The critically praised Venezuelan drama “Hambre” will have its Broward County premiere with screenings at 7:15 p.m. Thursday through Saturday at Paragon Ridge in Davie, presented by the Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival. “Hambre” follows two former schoolmates, Roberto and Selina, with opposing views on the future of their crisis-stricken homeland and faced with a difficult question: Stay in Venezuela or migrate? The screening on Thursday will include a post-film Q&A session and wine reception with filmmaker Joanna Cristina Nelson. Visit ParagonTheaters.com/hambre.
Mood music: Resurgent indie-pop band Cage the Elephant will touch your heart (with the darkly delicate “Cigarette Daydreams,” “Goodbye” and “Trouble”) and your feet (on upbeat indie jams such as “Ain’t No Rest for the Wicked,” “Come a Little Closer” and “In One Year”) at Hard Rock Live in Hollywood on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. Soft Play and Girl Tones open. Tickets are available, starting at $49.50. Visit MyHRL.com.
Michael Laughlin / Sun Sentinel
Matt Shultz and Cage the Elephant will perform at Hard Rock Live in Hollywood on Thursday. (Michael Laughlin/South Florida Sun Sentinel file)
Mindful dinner: At The Hub at Space of Mind in downtown Delray Beach, the nonprofit Community Classroom Project has begun a new season of cooking classes, cocktail workshops and chef experiences in its state-of-the-art teaching kitchen and event space. On Thursday from 7 to 10 p.m., it will host the five-course Chef’s Table Dinner with Glenn Rogers (Atlantic Grille at The Seagate Hotel) and Tommy Pozzuto (Elev8ted Chefs), served by CCP students. Cost: $125 ($175 with wine course). Visit Facebook.com/somcommunityclassroomproject.
Horn of plenty: Kirk Whalum, a versatile jazzman whose eclectic resume includes one of the most-heard saxophone solos in pop history on Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You,” concludes his two-night run at The Funky Biscuit in Boca Raton on Thursday with shows at 6 and 9 p.m. Seats for both concerts are limited, but general-admission standing room costs $60. Visit FunkyBiscuit.com.
They come in peace: The Grammy- and Emmy-winning Soweto Gospel Choir will perform in the intimate Amaturo Theater at the Broward Center in Fort Lauderdale on Thursday with a concert titled “Peace,” filled with appreciative nods to the music of Aretha Franklin, Harry Belafonte, Leonard Cohen, Peter Gabriel, Kate Bush and others. Tickets for the 7:30 p.m. performance start at $44.25 at BrowardCenter.org.
Witch way: Early bird registration is now open for the 14th annual Witches of Delray Beach charity bike ride, an irreverent tour of costumed riders and decorated bikes that is one of the signature events of the fall season in South Florida. The 8:30 a.m. ride through downtown Delray Beach, a fundraiser for Achievement Centers for Children & Families, will take place on Oct. 25. As always, the event will conclude with a gathering on Old School Square and contests for best decorated bike, witch costume, team theme and witch cackle. A perennial sellout, early bird registration for Witches of Delray costs $75 through Sept. 30. Visit WitchesOfDelray.org.
Sun Sentinel File Photo
The Witches of Delray will return on their annual fundraising flight through Delray Beach on Oct. 25. (South Florida Sun Sentinel file)
FRIDAY
Meal by Michy: Miami-based chef and restaurateur Michelle “Michy” Bernstein will transport the bold flavors of her newest eatery, La Cañita, to the Hard Rock in Hollywood for a Hispanic Heritage Month-aligned pop-up Friday through Sunday at poolside restaurant Abiaka Wood Fire Grill. A multimedia trailblazer (as seen on TV shows “Check, Please! South Florida” and “SoFlo Taste,” and on bookshelves with “Cuisine a Latina”), Bernstein is a James Beard Award winner who has opened some of South Florida’s most distinctive bars and restaurants, including Sra. Martinez, Cafe La Trova, Sweet Liberty and the original Michy’s. The pop-up menu will be available from 5 to 10 p.m. each day. For reservations and menu details, visit Casino.hardrock.com/hollywood/events.
Wine cruise: The convivial proprietors of downtown Fort Lauderdale‘s beloved Small Wine Shop will host another pop-up event on Friday, this time collaborating with the Fort Lauderdale Water Taxi for a sunset tasting cruise called Wines of the Mediterranean Coast. Guests will board the double-decker boat at 6:30 p.m. at the Hilton Fort Lauderdale Marina, with departure at 7 p.m. sharp. The two-hour Intracoastal sailing will conclude with an after-party at Olive & Sea, where cruisers can get a free glass of wine with dinner. The night will include raffles, a Water Taxi swag bag and more. Tickets cost $75 per person. Visit SmallWineShop.com.
Friday laughs: Actor, comedian and author Tom Segura brings his Come Together Tour to the Kravis Center in West Palm Beach on Friday for performances at 7 and 9:30 p.m. Tickets are extremely limited, though the Kravis opened the balcony for the late show, with a few dozen seats available for $44.86. By the time you read this, they may have opened the balcony for the 7 p.m. show, too. Visit Kravis.org. … “Kill Tony” podcast star Tony Hinchcliffe will be at the Broward Center in Fort Lauderdale at 7 p.m. Friday, with a few dozen tickets remaining, starting at $38.94. Visit BrowardCenter.org.
Future laughs: Actor and comedian Kevin James is on his way to the Kravis Center in West Palm Beach on Jan. 15. Tickets will go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday at Kravis.org and at noon at the box office. … Musician-comedian Morgan Jay will bring The Goofy Guy Tour to Hard Rock Live in Hollywood on June 6. Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday at MyHRL.com.
Synth city: Delightfully effective local Smiths/Morrissey tribute band Ordinary Boys will bring all the synthy hits from Depeche Mode, The Cure, New Order, Pet Shop Boys and more to New Wave Night at Respectable Street in West Palm Beach on Friday at 9 p.m. Tickets: $21.05+. Visit eventbrite.com.
Anuel AA x Blessd: Puerto Rican trap king Anuel AA will bring the U.S. arena tour supporting new album “Real Hasta La Muerte 2” to Miami’s Kaseya Center on Friday at 8 p.m., joined by chart-topper Blessd (a collaborator on recent single “Pórtate Bonito”). Tickets are available, starting at $116.70, at Ticketmaster.com.
Canes & Gators: As you may have heard around the water cooler, the Miami Hurricanes (of South Florida) and the Florida Gators (of somewhere up north) will be playing football in a nationally televised game on Saturday night at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens. At the invitation of former UF and Miami Dolphins star Louis Oliver and Canes Super Bowl champ Duane Starks, fans of both programs will gather for a pregame party on Friday beginning at 4 p.m. at DAER nightclub at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood (not named for the team from Tallahassee). The poolside party will include former stars from both schools, music, fan activities and more. Tickets cost $36.22 at HardRockNightlife.com.
Beer & schnitzel: Funky Buddha Brewery in Oakland Park will begin more than two weeks of Oktoberfest celebrations on Friday, introducing three German-style seasonal beers — Buddhafest Märzen, Helles Lager and Doppelbock — available in 32-ounce Oktoberfest steins (starting at $18), or as part of the Oktoberfest Flight ($16). The Funky Buddha kitchen will be serving traditional Bavarian fare, including kartoffelpuffer (German potato pancakes; $9), house-made pretzels ($10), chicken schnitzel ($16) and a craft bratwurst ($15). The celebration runs through Oct. 5. Visit FunkyBuddha.com.
SATURDAY
Howdy, Hardy: Country-metal firebrand Hardy brings his Jim Bob World Tour to iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre in West Palm Beach on Saturday, a perfect match of artist and venue. If you caught his headlining performance at Tortuga Music Festival in 2024, then you know. Gates open at 6:30 p.m., and the tour includes a couple of strong opening acts in Koe Wetzel and Stephen Wilson Jr. Tickets are available in a wide range of prices at Ticketmaster.com.
‘The Voice’ winner: Fort Lauderdale singer-guitarist Adam David will take the stage with his band at restaurant-lounge Revelry in Pompano Beach on Saturday at 8 p.m., his first South Florida performance since winning Season 27 of “The Voice” in May. Early bird tickets are sold out, with remaining tickets going for $30.52. Visit RevelryFla.com.
Saturday movie: Celebrating Hollywood’s centennial, Cinema Paradiso on Saturday opens its On Location film series, dedicated to movies shot in the city, with a 7:30 p.m. screening of NC-17-rated “Midnight Cowboy.” Oscar-winning director John Schlesinger’s iconic 1969 drama about the New York City adventures of a naive Texas hustler (Jon Voight) and the gimpy con artist (Dustin Hoffman) he befriends included a brief Florida fantasy scene shot at the original Diplomat hotel, which was demolished to make way for the new Diplomat Beach Resort. Future films in the series include “Bart Got a Room” (Oct. 18) and “Canvas” (Nov. 1). Visit CinemaHollywood.org.
Take the kids: The Broward Center in Fort Lauderdale will host “Avatar: The Last Airbender in Concert” on Saturday, a “reimagined, recharged” version of the long-running tour featuring a live orchestral soundtrack played to a two-hour retelling of the animated saga on a full-size cinema screen. Tickets for the 7:30 p.m. performance start at $53.10 at BrowardCenter.org.
SUNDAY
Green day: Iconic R&B balladeer Al Green will bring his bottomless bag of hits to Hard Rock Live in Hollywood at 8 p.m. Sunday. Expect to hear timeless hits such as “Love and Happiness,” “Let’s Stay Together,” “Take Me to the River” and his sweet cover of the Bee Gees’ “How Can You Mend a Broken Heart?” Tickets are available, starting at $47. Visit MyHRL.com.
Play time: Conundrum Stages, which provides a spotlight for local talent in productions across three counties, will present “Support Your Local Playwrights” at 6 p.m. Sunday at Savor Cinema in downtown Fort Lauderdale. The evening will feature staged readings of six short works by local playwrights James Carrey, Todd Caster, Barbara Fox, Desiree Mora, Jazz Patterson and Wendy White. Tickets cost $10. Visit ConundrumStages.net.
Cardi B presale: Just a reminder that 10 p.m. Sunday is the deadline to sign up for the artist presale for Cardi B’s concert at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise on April 14. To register, visit Signup.ticketmaster.com/cardib. The presale begins at 10 a.m. Tuesday, and the general on-sale at 10 a.m. Sept. 25, at Seatgeek.com.
Staff writer Ben Crandell can be reached at bcrandell@sunsentinel.com. Follow on IG: @BenCrandell.