This is the weekend when we celebrate the men and women who paid the ultimate price while fighting for the future of democracy and the American way, that ineffable mixture of confidence and courage, sacrifice and humility, which sometimes can feel like a foreign concept.
One handy illustration can be found in the Florida Panthers, whose resolute excellence, on display this weekend, continues to reshape opinions across the hockey world.
In particular, there is newcomer Brad Marchand, a brilliant tactician better known for his brash swagger, whose postgame interviews have been a study in selflessness, sort of shocking to those who have hated him from afar.
But here he is, an iron fist in a velvet hockey glove, speaking with modesty about his assimilation into a new role in a new home. He deflects personal recognition to turn attention to his teammates, celebrating their diverse skill sets and the unity of purpose that guides them.
And South Florida can’t get enough of it: As the Fightin’ Maurices continue their march toward a second consecutive NHL Stanley Cup championship, fans will gather in Fort Lauderdale on Thursday for one of the largest official watch parties in Panthers’ history — at the War Memorial Auditorium. Consider it an icy intro to the unofficial start of summer.
THURSDAY
Saucy gathering: Memorial Day Weekend’s most irreverent backyard barbecue will take place at GableStage in the historic Biltmore Resort in Coral Gables, which continues the South Florida premiere of “Fat Ham,” playwright James Ijames’ Pulitzer Prize-winning comedic twist on Shakespeare’s “Hamlet.” Starring South Florida actor Henry Cadet, “Fat Ham” sets the Bard’s famous tragedy at a North Carolina family cookout, where protagonist Juicy, a gay Black Southerner, grapples with questions of identity, vengeance, generational trauma and the ghost of his father demanding vengeance. Weekend performances will be at 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday. Tickets start at $45+. Visit GableStage.org.
Thursday laughs: Comedian Ron White will perform at Hard Rock Live in Hollywood on Thursday at 8 p.m. (Didn’t he announce his farewell tour, like, three years ago? Who is he, Elton John?) Tickets are available, starting at $67.95+. Visit MyHRL.com. … Charismatic comedian and radio personality Rickey Smiley will host the aptly named Rickey Smiley’s Karaoke Night at the Fort Lauderdale Improv Comedy Theatre (formerly Dania Improv) in Dania Beach on Thursday at 7 p.m. General-admission tickets cost $40.90+. Visit ImprovFTL.com.
Rockin’ the Cats: The Florida Panthers will raise the bar on watch parties when they face the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday, hosting an event at the 3,400-capacity War Memorial Auditorium in downtown Fort Lauderdale. The concert venue that adjoins the Panthers’ new practice facility in Holiday Park will open at 6:30 p.m., with live music, giveaways, food and drink available before the 8 p.m. game. Standing-room general admission is free, while seats in the mezzanine cost $10 at SeatGeek.com. For more information, visit FTLWarMemorial.com.
The view from the new mezzanine level at the remodeled War Memorial Auditorium in Fort Lauderdale shortly before it opened last November. The venue will host a Florida Panthers watch party on Thursday. (Amy Beth Bennett/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Don’t look back: This is closing weekend for the millennial-skewering play “The Comeuppance” at the Arsht Center in Miami. Presented by Zoetic Stage and directed by Stuart Meltzer, playwright Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’ critically praised 2023 off-Broadway hit is set during a 20th high school reunion filled with witty reminiscing, reality checks and reckoning. Weekend performances will be at 7:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday, 2:30 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, and 2:30 p.m. Sunday. Tickets start at $65.52. Visit ArshtCenter.org.
Renaissance man: If Michelangelo had had Instagram, it might’ve looked a lot like the touring exhibition “Michelangelo: Art & Legacy,” which features eye-popping digital re-creations of iconic works by the Renaissance genius, from the Pietà to the Sistine Chapel and a larger-than-life David. Set up through June 12 at art space 1212 Lincoln Road in Miami Beach, the exhibit is open Wednesdays through Sundays from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. (last entry at 6 p.m.). Depending on day/time of attendance, tickets start at $25+; $22+ for students, seniors (age 65 and older), military; and $17 for guests age 4 to 12. Visit MichelangeloImmersive.com.
FRIDAY
Get up offa that thing: If you are spending the weekend in a place that includes two chances to see Cimafunk, you’re living right. A magnetic and energetic Afro-Cuban showman who draws comparisons to classic James Brown, Cimafunk and nine-piece band La Tribu will perform at 8 p.m. Friday at the Kravis Center in West Palm Beach (tickets start at $39.68 at Kravis.org) and 8 p.m. Saturday at the Arsht Center in Miami (tickets start at $76.05 at ArshtCenter.org).
Cimafunk will have two South Florida concerts on Memorial Day Weekend. (Roy Rochlin/Getty Images for WhyHunger)
Summer sounds: A summer staple in downtown Delray Beach, the free Sunset Concert Series returns to Old School Square on Friday with a performance by Bon Jovi tribute band Livin’ on a Bad Name. This popular BYO-chair event gets going when gates open at 5 p.m., with local Beatles tribute Strawberry Lane opening at 6 p.m. and the headliners going on at 7:30 p.m. There will be food and drink vendors (no coolers or outside alcohol inside the venue). VIP tickets are available for $50 and include a seat, access to a private lounge area with a dedicated bar, and one complimentary beer or wine. The series continues through the summer with The Best of Rod Stewart (June 27), Fleetwood Mac tribute True Rumors (July 25) and Billy Joel tribute Turnstiles (Aug. 22). Visit DelrayOldSchoolSquare.com/events.
Beer and a view: Copperpoint Brewing in Boynton Beach and South Florida dining institution Benny’s on the Beach — the seafood restaurant poised over the water atop the Lake Worth Beach Pier for nearly 40 years — have collaborated on a new beer making its debut this weekend. Brewery reps will be at the pier on Friday from 5 to 7 p.m. to hand out free samples of the new blonde ale, dubbed Benny’s on the Beach, and Benny’s will be offering a $5 can special all weekend. Visit Instagram.com/copperpointbrewingcompany, BennysOnTheBeach.com.
Make it a date: Nationally touring Led Zeppelin tribute band Zoso will perform at the lovely Miami Beach Bandshell on Friday at 7 p.m. Doors open at 6 p.m. Admission starts at $39.56. Visit MiamiBeachBandshell.com. If you want to start rocking early, just across the causeway from the bandshell, at 7100 Biscayne Blvd., cocktail-forward, Asian-fusion hot spot Phuc Yea recently introduced a new Golden Hour with half-off cocktails and $5 beer, wine and sake shots, along with $5 chicken or broccoli bao, Wednesdays through Sundays from 5 to 7 p.m. Visit PhucYea.com.
Bib bubbly: West Palm Beach’s Wagyu destination Palm Beach Meats will celebrate its recent Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand award with a Friday fete featuring menu specials and free bubbly for the first 25 guests who arrive beginning at 7 p.m. Visit Facebook.com/palmbeachmeats.
Taste of Peru: Getting an early start on the weekend? In Aventura, Peruvian restaurant Jarana recently introduced Four, Five, Six, Seven Happy Hour from 3 to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. The deal features $4 beer (including locals La Rubia and Oleta River IPA), $5 wine by the glass, a $6 cocktail menu and $7 bar bites that also celebrate the diverse Japanese influence of Peruvian cuisine (from Nikkei-style fried chicken wings to Bao Seco, a fried bao bun filled with seco meat and sarza criolla). A highlight among the cocktails is the Chicha Sour, featuring pisco quebranta, chicha morada (a Peruvian purple corn drink) and lime. Visit JaranaRestaurant.com/aventura.
Noah Fecks/Courtesy
The Chicha Sour, featuring pisco quebranta, chicha morada (made from Peruvian purple corn) and lime at Peruvian restaurant Jarana in Aventura. (Noah Fecks/Courtesy)
SATURDAY
Walk this way: As long as speed is not a consideration, one of the weekend’s finest outdoor strolls will occur along Atlantic Avenue as the 27th annual Downtown Delray Beach Memorial Day Weekend Craft Festival takes place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. The event will bring the work of more than 100 juried artists and crafters to the city’s bustling boulevard, along with a seasonal green market. Admission is free. Visit ArtFestival.com.
A summer thang: In downtown Fort Lauderdale’s Progresso neighborhood, Sidewalk Bottle Shop will create another one of its attractive patio hangs on Saturday, hosting winemaker Vigna Lenuzza, a small organic vineyard in eastern Italy on the Slovenian border, and local smashburger godfather Ted’s Burgers, past winner at the South Beach Wine & Food Festival’s Burger Bash. Quality wine, quality food, quality crowd. It starts at 7 p.m. Visit Instagram.com/sidewalk.bottleshop.
Take the kids: A Memorial Day Weekend tradition, the Great American Beach Party returns to Las Olas Oceanside Park in Fort Lauderdale on Saturday with free family oriented fun from 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. The festivities include a kids’ zone, classic car show, sand-sculpting contest, SOCOM Para-Commandos parachute jump and live music from local blues-rock favorites Shaw Davis & The Black Ties. Visit Parks.FortLauderdale.gov/gabp.
Michael Laughlin/Sun Sentinel
Shaw Davis & The Black Ties will perform at the Great American Beach Party in Fort Lauderdale. (Michael Laughlin/South Florida Sun Sentinel file)
Saturday night live: Sunidhi Chauhan is best known as an Indian playback singer (who provides vocals that are lip-synced by actors in films), but her live shows are dazzling displays of sexy theatricality that Beyoncé would embrace. See for yourself when the Delhi native brings her U.S.-Canada tour to Hard Rock Live in Hollywood on Saturday at 8 p.m. Tickets start at $82.30 at MyHRL.com. … Acclaimed South Florida blues guitarist Albert Castiglia plays The Funky Biscuit in Boca Raton at 8 p.m. Saturday. Tickets (general-admission standing room) cost $33.56 at FunkyBiscuit.com. … For the record, Weezer’s headlining show on Saturday at Mizner Park Amphitheater (with Fountains of Wayne opening), a centerpiece of Boca Raton’s centennial celebrations, is down to scattered tickets on the resale market.
More tributes: Nationally touring Red Hot Chili Peppers tribute band The Chili Poppers return to Revolution Live in Fort Lauderdale on Saturday, joined by Weezer tribute Beeline. Doors open for the all-ages show at 7 p.m. Tickets start at $15+ at JoinTheRevolution.net. … Rolling Stones tribute Start Me Up will be at Galuppi’s in Pompano Beach on Saturday from 7:30 to 11 p.m. General admission is $10, with tables starting at $30 for a two-top. Visit Galuppis.com. … Cars tribute band Touch & Go will play Mathews Brewing Co. in Lake Worth Beach on Saturday at 8:30 p.m. Admission is free. Visit Facebook.com/mathewsbrewing.
SUNDAY
Halsey is here: Influential singer, songwriter and poet Halsey will bring her For My Last Trick Tour to Hard Rock Live in Hollywood on Sunday at 7 p.m. Alvvays and The Warning will open. The tour supports Halsey’s most recent album, “The Great Impersonator,” which reached No. 2 on the Billboard 200 chart. Tickets start at $77.15 at MyHRL.com.
Vianney Le Caer/Vianney Le Caer/Invision/AP
Singer Halsey will perform at Hard Rock Live in Hollywood on Sunday. (Vianney Le Caer/Invision/AP)
High lights: Beyond the sold-out Weezer show, the other big event in Boca Raton is the Centennial Celebration Weekend Drone Show on Sunday at the Boca Raton Innovation Campus (5000 T-Rex Ave.). Gates open at 7:30 p.m. (seating is limited, so don’t dally), with a DJ spinning family friendly music before the first drone display at 8:30 p.m. The performance will run about 12 minutes and be followed by another DJ interlude ahead of a repeat of the same drone show at 9:30 p.m. Admission for each is free, and guests are welcome to stay for both shows. The evening will end with a fireworks display. Snacks will be available for purchase. Visit Boca100.com.
Fashion finds: The Flamingo Flea will return to Tarpon River Brewing in downtown Fort Lauderdale on Sunday for an afternoon of shopping among three dozen crafty vendors from noon to 4 p.m., plus live music and TRB brunch eats and beers. Admission, as always, is free. New at this edition of the Flea will be a clothes swap cohosted with social group FTL Gals. Tickets to shop the swap are $20, but if you drop off clothes to be included in the swap, your admission is $10. Drop-off is between 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Visit FlamingoFlea.com or Instagram.com/ftlgals.
MONDAY
Running for pie: The 40th annual Memorial Day Apple Pie 5K and Whit’s Ice Cream Mile will take place at the Spanish River athletic fields in Countess de Hoernle Park in Boca Raton on Monday, with the 5K at 7 a.m. and the mile run at 8 a.m. Like it sounds, there will be pie and ice cream at the end. Registration (in advance or on-site) costs $40 for the 5K and $20 for participants age 16 and younger. The Whit’s Ice Cream Mile costs $20. Veterans can participate in the runs for free. A free kids race for age 8 and younger also will take place at 8 a.m. Proceeds benefit Folds Of Honor, which provides educational scholarships to spouses and children of fallen or disabled military and first responders. Visit Facebook.com/runnersedgeboca.
Eating and drinking: In Pompano Beach, 26 Degree Brewing Co. will host a Memorial Day barbecue on Monday starting at noon, with live music, cornhole, food and beer specials, and limited-edition Memorial Day stickers and prizes. Visit Facebook.com/26brewing. … Deck 84 in Delray Beach will cap its Memorial Day Weekend celebrations on Monday with live music from the Taylor Road Trio (2-5:30 p.m.) and 20% off all day for military veterans and those currently serving. Visit Deck84.com. … Yes, brunch on Monday: Louie Bossi’s Ristorante in Fort Lauderdale continues its weekend brunch service on Monday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., including $19 bottomless mimosas, bellinis and bloody marys with the purchase of an entree. Visit Facebook.com/louiebossis.
Staff writer Ben Crandell can be reached at bcrandell@sunsentinel.com. Follow on Instagram @BenCrandell and X @BenCrandell.
Originally Published: May 22, 2025 at 8:00 AM EDT