The Best Free Events in Miami This Week

The workweek has just begun and you're already looking forward to next weekend. But there's no need to wait five days to have fun in a vibrant city like Miami. Even better, there's no need to spend any money either. From engaging book presentations to public performance art to a new weekly vinyl party and monthly Britpop dance night and even a drag-queen lip-sync battle in a boxing ring, we've got you covered with the best free events around town this week. Save your money for the weekend.
Mama said you should never talk so strangers, but we all need someone to talk to these days. This Monday through Wednesday, Brazilian artist Eleonora Fabião will host a series of free public performances called I Will Have a Conversation About Any Subject, or Converso Sobre Cualquier Asunto. Fabião will set up at various public areas in Miami, including Little Havana's Domino Plaza, Government Center, and Lincoln Road, sitting barefoot across from an empty chair, waiting for someone to talk to. Looking to vent about the state of today's world? Eager to share some great news? Or do you simply want to talk about Miami's Beach weather? Fabião will chat with you about any of it. 1 to 5 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday at Domino Park, Government Center, and Lincoln Road, respectively. Miami; mdcmoad.org. Admission is free.

Whether or not you come from Cuban heritage, Miami's culture is massively influenced by the exiles and descendants of exiles who fled the Cuban Revolution. Stories of that era permeate our daily experiences here, and a book presentation at FIU aims to add to the conversation. "Revolutionary Horizons: Art and Polemics in 1950s Cuba" explores the modernist, abstract, and avant-garde contributions of Cuban artists during the volatile era and the effect this art might have had on social change. The book's author, Abigail McEwen, associate professor of Latin American Art History at the University of Maryland, College Park, will lead the discussion. 7 p.m. Tuesday, January 23, at FIU Modesto A. Maidique Campus, Green Library 220, 11200 SW Eighth St., Miami; fiu.edu. Admission is free.

The women's suffrage movement had a lot of help from female aristocrats with last names such as Astor, Belmont, Rockefeller, Tiffany, Vanderbilt, and Whitney. They made feminism fashionable. Though they were poo-pooed in their day as dilettantes, the activism of these media darlings pushed the cause into the spotlight. Author and historian Johanna Neuman explores their stories in her new book, Gilded Suffragists, thereby elevating the roles of these women in history — women who took their power seriously and placed it properly behind the feminist movement. Neuman will speak at Books & Books this Wednesday. Maybe the current movement can learn something from its past. 8 p.m. Wednesday, January 24, at Books & Books, 265 Aragon Ave., Coral Gables; booksandbooks.com. Admission is free.
You might have fat stacks of vinyl sitting at home, but you probably go back to listening to the same records frequently. Sometimes you need someone to play something new for you. Jolt Radio's new, weekly Vinyl Delight parties have you covered. Join your favorite Jolt Radio DJs as they spin some of their favorite records every Thursday while you enjoy happy hour at the bar and Caribbean and Korean fusion bites. Guest DJ Danny Kokomo of Jacuzzi Boys will spin his favorite wax this week. 6 p.m. Thursday, January 25, at 1306 Miami, 1306 N. Miami Ave., Miami, joltradio.org. Admission is free.

Airfare across the pond to England can be pricey. Why not save some dough and have a proper party in the 305 instead? Tigermilk Miami bills itself as "Miami's new Brit-pop party." The shindig features resident DJs Ray Milian and Tommy Gun. As long as the pints keep flowing, Las Rosas plans to host Tigermilk each second Saturday moving forward, so cheerio! 11 p.m. Friday, January 26, at Las Rosas, 2898 NW Seventh Ave., Miami; lasrosasbar.com. Admission is free.
Last month, some of Miami's rising drag talents kicked off their monthly Celebrity Deathmatch series with lip-sync battles between pop stars such as Lady Gaga versus Madonna and Nicki Minaj versus Cardi B. For their next installment, your favorite local drag queens will battle it out as some of your favorite videogame characters during Celebrity Deathmatch: Mario Party. It's Miami drag meets Nintendo, hosted by Athena Dion and with beats by Stephanie Zehno. Drag matchups include Casey Caldwell as Princess Peach versus Eddy Salgado as Princess Daisy; Lisa Mercedes as Mario versus Stephanie Cockroach as Luigi; and other impressive pairs. Eighties babies with a hankering for cross-dressing and glam will find their home at this dance party. 10 p.m. Saturday, January 27, at the Hangar, 60 NE 11th St., Miami; tfl.events/mia. Admission is free with RSVP.

South Florida has enviable weather for about three months each year, and January is one of them. Take advantage of the natural beauty while appreciating a performance by the finest classical musicians in town. This Sunday evening in Collins Park outside the newly renovated Bass, Miami Symphony Orchestra will present a family-friendly concert. Besides enjoying the gorgeous music, you can also visit the museum, where admission is free. 4 p.m. Sunday, January 28, at the Bass, 2100 Collins Ave., Miami Beach; thebass.org. Admission is free.

Winter in Miami is meant to be lived outside before the summer scorchers begin. Couple that with your favorite local beers, barbecue, and live music, and you're got the makings of a perfect day in the Magic City. Bring friends and family to Canvas Miami's Southern Soul Sunday for delicious food and beer, outdoor games, and great live music by Vanya Allen and Juke. 1 p.m. Sunday, January 28, at Canvas Miami, 90 NE 17th St., Miami; eventbrite.com. Admission is free.