After a sold-out debut in 2022, the Sunset Tequila & Mezcal Festival will renew acquaintances with an even bolder and tastier edition on Saturday in Boca Raton, which for the day will (very unofficially) be known as Tequila Raton.
Taking place at Mizner Park Amphitheater from 4 to 10 p.m., the festival will include unlimited sampling of more than 40 tequila, mezcal and spirit brands (plus a selection of beer), along with nonstop music from Philly-bred duo Little Stranger (groovy hip-hop) and locals The Resolvers, Spred the Dub and DJ Le Spam.
The evening also will include all kinds of savory and sweet Mexican street food (for purchase) from popular local kitchens. Among them are The Wolf of Tacos x Topo Chico experience, How Ya Dough’n, DalMoros, Jenny with the Pot, Palm Beach Meats and the unmistakable pro-wrestling-themed doughnuts of LuchaDough. There also will be a cash bar with other beverages.
Tickets to the Sunset Tequila & Mezcal Festival cost $75+ in advance, $85+ day of event. VIP tickets cost $175+ (in advance only) and include 3 p.m. admission, a craft cocktail bar, food in the VIP tent, private bathrooms and dedicated viewing of the stage.
A portion of the proceeds will benefit Kula Cares, a Boca Raton-based organization that provides educational supplies to underserved communities. Visit SunsetTequilaFest.com.
FRIDAY
Opening night at FLIFF: The 38th edition of the Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival opens on Friday at 7 p.m. at Hard Rock Live, at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood, with a red-carpet screening of “The Good Half,” a comedic drama from actor-filmmaker Robert Schwartzman (“The Princess Diaries”) that stars singer Nick Jonas. Schwartzman will attend the screening and an after-party, joined by actors from the film: Brittany Snow (“Pitch Perfect”), Elizabeth Shue (“Adventures in Babysitting,” “Leaving Las Vegas”), Matt Walsh (“Veep”), David Arquette (“Scream”) and Alexandra Shipp (“Barbie,” “X-Men”). Tickets to the film are $13 in advance, $15 at the door. The after-party, which includes an open bar, food and music from The WolfePak Band, costs $125, or $100 for members. Visit FLIFF.com.
Give ’em a hand: As you know, Friday is National Sandwich Day, which will be celebrated at 4 Rivers Smokehouse in Coral Springs with a $5 Pulled Pork or Pulled Chicken Sandwiches. Also ‘tis the season for 4 Rivers’ Pilgrim Sandwich ($9.99), stacked with smoked turkey, stuffing, warm gravy and tart cranberry chutney. It’s Thanksgiving in your hand. The Pilgrim Sandwich is available through Nov. 25. Visit 4RSmokehouse.com.
Ticket window: The Eagles are bringing The Long Goodbye farewell tour to Hard Rock Live in Hollywood on March 1. The general ticket on-sale begins at 10 a.m. Friday at MyHRL.com. … Tickets are also on sale at 10 a.m. Friday to see revered country singer and songwriter Chris Stapleton at iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre in West Palm Beach on May 9. Visit at LiveNation.com. … Scott Stapp and Creed are on their way to iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre on Sept. 21, on a bill with 3 Doors Down, Daughtry, Switchfoot, Tonic and Big Wreck. Get tickets at 10 a.m. Friday at Creed.com. … New Kids on the Block will bring their Magic Summer 2024 Tour, with Paula Abdul and DJ Jazzy Jeff, to iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre on July 20. Tickets are on sale at 10 a.m. Friday at LiveNation.com.
New Korean pop-up: The Carousel Club at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach this week unveiled K-Bop Bop, a Korean BBQ pop-up that gives traditional cuisine a modern spin. The menu will include yangnyeom-dakgangjeong (crispy Korean fried chicken wings), bulgogi (grilled skirt steak), bibimbap bowls and plant-based options such as dubu gangjeong (sweet, crunchy tofu). K-Bop Bop comes from Mad Room Hospitality, which operates the refreshingly authentic Ball & Chain bar in Little Havana and the someday-to-reopen Mai-Kai in Fort Lauderdale, among other properties. The Carousel Club opens at 4 p.m. Thursday. Visit CarouselClub.com.
SATURDAY
Deadheads unite: Led by Fort Lauderdale’s Pied Piper of Puppets, Jim Hammond, the colorful, exuberant, family-friendly (and free) Florida Day of the Dead festival and parade returns on Saturday in a new location at Esplanade Park. From 3 to 7 p.m., the park will be home to Latin-themed food trucks, crafts booths, kids’ activities, artists doing sugar-skull face painting and more than 100 folklórico performers. At 6 p.m. families can take part in the Skeleton Processional, a costumed parade of Frida Kahlos, sombrero-ed skeletons, masked luchadores, mariachis and Hammond’s iconic puppets that leads to a street party in front of Revolution Live and Backyard, another family-friendly gathering of music, vendors and more food trucks until 10 p.m. Visit DayOfTheDeadFlorida.com.
Scott Luxor/Contributor
Thousands of people turn out at Huizenga Park for the 13th annual Florida Day of the Dead Celebration to watch the skeleton processional in Fort Lauderdale on Saturday, November 5, 2022.
Scott Luxor/Contributor
Thousands of people turn out at Huizenga Park for the 13th annual Florida Day of the Dead Celebration to watch the skeleton processional in Fort Lauderdale on Saturday, November 5, 2022.
Scott Luxor/Contributor
Thousands of people turn out at Huizenga Park for the 13th annual Florida Day of the Dead Celebration to watch the skeleton processional in Fort Lauderdale on Saturday, November 5, 2022.
Scott Luxor/Contributor
Thousands of people turn out at Huizenga Park for the 13th annual Florida Day of the Dead Celebration to watch the skeleton processional in Fort Lauderdale on Saturday, November 5, 2022.
Scott Luxor/Contributor
Thousands of people turn out at Huizenga Park for the 13th annual Florida Day of the Dead Celebration to watch the skeleton processional in Fort Lauderdale on Saturday, November 5, 2022.
Scott Luxor/Contributor
Thousands of people turn out at Huizenga Park for the 13th annual Florida Day of the Dead Celebration to watch the skeleton processional in Fort Lauderdale on Saturday, November 5, 2022.
Scott Luxor/Contributor
Thousands of people turn out at Huizenga Park for the 13th annual Florida Day of the Dead Celebration to watch the skeleton processional in Fort Lauderdale on Saturday, November 5, 2022.
Scott Luxor/Contributor
Thousands of people turn out at Huizenga Park for the 13th annual Florida Day of the Dead Celebration to watch the skeleton processional in Fort Lauderdale on Saturday, November 5, 2022.
Scott Luxor/Contributor
Thousands of people turn out at Huizenga Park for the 13th annual Florida Day of the Dead Celebration to watch the skeleton processional in Fort Lauderdale on Saturday, November 5, 2022.
Scott Luxor/Contributor
Thousands of people turn out at Huizenga Park for the 13th annual Florida Day of the Dead Celebration to watch the skeleton processional in Fort Lauderdale on Saturday, November 5, 2022.
Scott Luxor/Contributor
Thousands of people turn out at Huizenga Park for the 13th annual Florida Day of the Dead Celebration to watch the skeleton processional in Fort Lauderdale on Saturday, November 5, 2022.
Scott Luxor/Contributor
Thousands of people turn out at Huizenga Park for the 13th annual Florida Day of the Dead Celebration to watch the skeleton processional in Fort Lauderdale on Saturday, November 5, 2022.
Scott Luxor/Contributor
Thousands of people turn out at Huizenga Park for the 13th annual Florida Day of the Dead Celebration to watch the skeleton processional in Fort Lauderdale on Saturday, November 5, 2022.
Food for good: The fifth annual Taste of Recovery takes place on Saturday from 4 to 7 p.m. at the American German Club (5111 Lantana Road) in Lake Worth Beach, gathering many of Palm Beach County’s most popular restaurants to raise money for The Crossroads Club, the Delray Beach nonprofit celebrating 40 years of substance-abuse treatment. The event, founded by Chef Louie Bossi, will include food from Louie Bossi’s Ristorante, Bar & Pizzeria; City Cellar Wine Bar & Grill; Elisabetta’s Ristorante, Bar & Pizzeria; City Oyster & Sushi Bar, Rocco’s Tacos & Tequila Bar; Grease Burger, Beer and Whiskey Bar; Proper Ice Cream; Subculture Coffee and many more. Tickets cost $60 in advance, $75 at the door. Purchase them on the Eventbrite page. For more information, visit TheCrossroadsClub.com.
Amazing grace: Miami City Ballet brings its season-opening Fall Mix to the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach at 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday. The company will perform a program including “Sea Change,” with choreography by Miami native Jamar Roberts, the former Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater artist and choreographer, set to music of John Adams. The performance also features the Balanchine-Tchaikovsky touchstone “Serenade” and Twyla Tharp’s career-changing “In The Upper Room,” with its compelling Philip Glass score. Tickets start at $40+. Visit MiamiCityBallet.org.
Maluma in Miami: Colombian singer (and friend of Lionel Messi) Maluma brings the tour supporting his latest album, “Don Juan,” to Miami’s Kaseya Center at 8 p.m. Saturday, with tickets surprisingly available. Prices start at $41+ at Ticketmaster.com.
Diwali lights: The social-justice children’s bookstore Rohi’s Readery and The Square in West Palm Beach will host their third annual celebration of Diwali, the Festival of Lights, on Saturday from 2 to 7 p.m. The free event, taking place on the lawn and on the courtyard, will include Indian food pop-ups, a vendor market, rotating art stations, music, dancing and the lighting of the Wishing Tree. For information, visit RohisReadery.com and the shop’s Eventbrite page.
Weekend laughs: Comedian Dane Cook, who opened up a whole new supply of humorous storytelling recently when he (51) married his pilates trainer (24), brings The Perfectly Shattered Tour to Hard Rock Live in Hollywood at 8 p.m. Saturday. Tickets start at $75+ at MyHRL.com. … Comedian and radio personality Rickey Smiley performs at the Dania Improv in Dania Beach at 7 and 9:30 p.m. Saturday and 6 and 8:30 p.m. Sunday. Tickets cost $40+ at DaniaImprov.com.
Free movie, free pizza: The Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival includes a number of easily accessible screenings and events during its run from Friday through Nov. 16. Among them this weekend is a free screening of 2001 cult-favorite film “The Princess Diaries” at 11 a.m. Saturday at Savor Cinema in downtown Fort Lauderdale. Actor (now filmmaker) Robert Schwartzman, who played Michael Moscovitz, the love interest of Anne Hathaway, will attend the screening to take pictures with “Princess” fans during an after-party with free pizza from 1 to 1:30 p.m. Visit FLIFF.com.
Ghost Light at night: The Ghost Light Society — the youthful (age 25-45) patrons organization at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts in Fort Lauderdale — will hold its annual fundraiser at 7 p.m. Saturday at The Parker. The soirée will include food and drinks, dancing and a performance by Michael Glabicki and Dirk Miller of the multiplatinum band Rusted Root. Tickets start at $300, with all proceeds going to the Broward Center’s ambitious education programs for local students. Visit BrowardCenter.org.
SUNDAY
Sunday beer: You may have heard that the Miami Dolphins game on Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs — which could end up being the best game of the NFL regular season — takes place in Frankfurt, Germany, and will be televised here at the crack of 9:30 a.m. Yes, with an “a.” Fortuitously, Wunderbar Sports Bar & Grill in Davie is hosting a watch party with a wake-me-up Sunday beer special: Half-off German liters of beer, which tip the scales at nearly 34 ounces. So that means your giant mug of Warsteiner, typically $16, will cost $8. I don’t do math, but that feels like a deal. Wunderbar, at 4995 Volunteer Road, will open for its Dolphins watch party at 8:30 a.m. Visit .
Sunday Fire: Adventurous Miami choral ensemble Seraphic Fire brings its season-opening concert, “Gods and Mortals: Music of the French Baroque,” based on scenes from “Castor and Pollux” by Jean-Philippe Rameau, to the Kravis Center in West Palm Beach at 4 p.m. Sunday. The performance will open with Jean-Joseph de Mondonville’s “Dominus Regnavit.” At 3 p.m., Seraphic Fire will offer a pre-concert conversation with critically lauded soprano Dr. Nola Richardson. Tickets start at $45+ at Kravis.org. Visit SeraphicFire.org.
Sunday blues: Excellent young blues guitarist Marcus King will play the Revolution Live at the Backyard stage in downtown Fort Lauderdale on Sunday, with support from Joshua Ray Walker. Doors open at 7 p.m. Tickets start at $32+ at JoinTheRevolution.net.
Staff writer Ben Crandell can be reached at . Follow on Instagram @BenCrandell and Twitter @BenCrandell.
