Written by 
South Florida, including Fort Lauderdale, Miami and other surrounding cities, offers some of the most abundant and booming festivals and events in the state! After wrapping up the popular spring break months and preparing for the tourist months of summer, this in-between time is still bursting with outdoor or indoor events for you to enjoy! Whether you’re new to the area or you’ve lived in this area forever, there’s always something for you to do with your free time. Check out this list and decide which events spark your interest most!
Outdoor Entertainment:
From May 12 to May 15, attend the Pompano Beach Fishing Rodeo at the 14th Street boat ramps in Pompano Beach. This is southern Florida’s oldest and largest fishing tournament. Last year, over 11,000 pounds of fish were weighed in! Obtain an entry form from the website and mail, fax or bring it in person. For more information, visit PompanoFishingRodeo.com or call 954-942-4513.
On May 15, visit Las Olas Boulevard for the 15th Annual Las Olas Wine & Food Festival! From 7:30 to 10 p.m., leisurely stroll down the Boulevard with friends or loved ones while sipping from more than 45 wine tables and sampling from more than 60 dining destinations. Regular admission costs $75, and VIP admission costs $225. For more information, visit LasOlasWineAndFood.com or call 954-524-4657.
Every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday evening from 7:30 to 9 p.m., head to Hollywood Beach Theatre for Music & Dancing Under the Stars. This wonderful event breaks up the monotony of your week by offering you an evening full of dancing and socializing to live music from country, soul and rock & roll groups! For more information, call 954-921-3404.
On the first Sunday of every month, head to the Riverwalk in downtown Fort Lauderdale from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. for Suntrust Sunday Jazz Brunch. This free outdoor concert includes tunes from local jazz artists on four different stages! Local merchants and food vendors from the area are also present to provide you with goodies to savor or bring home with you. Pets are welcome. For more information, call 954-828-5363.
One perk of living in the warm, sunshine state of Florida is that fresh produce is available year-round! From now through Dec. 26, visit the Broadwalk on Harrison Street from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily for Josh’s Organic Garden Green Market. Here, locals and visitors alike can enjoy an assortment of fresh, 100 percent organic fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and more. For more information, call 954-456-3276.
Plan to cheer on the Florida Marlins as this baseball season heads into the summer months! Upcoming home games are from May 13 through May 18 against New York and Arizona, and May 25 through June 3 against Atlanta, Philadelphia and Milwaukee. Visit Sun Life Stadium in Miami before the Marlins move to their newer future stadium! For more information or to purchase tickets, visit Marlins.MLB.com.
Indoor entertainment:
On May 15, visit the Broward Center for Performing Arts in Fort Lauderdale for the Ballet Gala. After a season of learning at the Arts Ballet Theatre of Florida, only these high-quality dancers could perform the classical repertoire seen at this event! Admission costs $25. For more information, call 954-462-0222.
May events to look forward to in Miami include Cannibal Corpse performing at The Culture Room on May 16, Jeff Dunham performing at BankAtlantic Center on May 19, Don Sha’ performing at Bougainvillea’s Old Florida Tavern on May 25, and the 3rd Annual Memorial Weekend Comedy Fest on May 30 at the James L Knight Center, starring Earthquake, Adele Givens, Gary Owen and many more! For more information on these events, visit Eventful.com/Miami/Events/May.
For a night of dinner and humorous entertainment, visit the Broward Center for the Performing Arts in Fort Lauderdale for Laffing Matterz. Chef John Eustace serves up culinary creations prior to the show, and during the musical comedy, enjoy satirical spoofs of current events that will get you laughing. Tickets are around $65. For more information, visit LaffingMatterz.com.
From now until May 31, visit the Museum of Discover & Science and AutoNation IMAX Theater in Fort Lauderdale for a look at the special exhibit, Van Gogh: Brush of Genius. This film allows you to get to know Van Gogh’s life through personal letters, historic information and close-up critiques of his famous paintings. For more information, visit Mods.org. Dinosaurs: Giants of Patagonia 3D is also available at the museum through May 31.
On the second Saturday of each month, through June 5, visit the Miniaci Performing Arts Center at Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale for Jazz Impressions at 8 p.m. An evening at this event will surely fulfill your desire for the smooth sounds of jazz music! For more information, call 954-462-0222.
Written by 
