calendar-blue_web.jpgThursday, Jan. 2

Jay Z: Magna Carta World Tour: If you missed Jay Z this year when he toured with Justin Timberlake, don’t fret! Hip-Hop’s biggest star will be bringing his Magna Carta tour to promote his latest album to South Florida at 8 p.m., at the BB&T Center, One Panther Parkway, Sunrise. Google Magna Carta World Tour Miami

Friday, Jan. 3

Jackie Evancho Live:
The Adrienne Arsht Center and AEG Live are proud to present the Miami debut of Jackie Evancho – the 13-year-old operatic soprano prodigy who captivated audiences nationwide on America’s Got Talent and PBS’ Great Performances series – live in concert to thrill South Florida fans with her mesmerizing voice as she performs operatic arias, pop standards, show tunes and hits from her latest album, Songs from the Silver Screen. She will be supported by a 25-piece symphony orchestra at 8 p.m., in the John S. and James L. Knight Concert Hall, 1300 Biscayne Blvd., Miami. Tickets range from $49.50 to $99.50. Call 305-949-6722 or visit arshtcenter.org 

The Nutcracker: Miami City Ballet presents George Balanchine’s legendary piece, Jan. 3-5 in the Au-Rene Theater at the Broward Center for Performing Arts, 201 SW Fifth Ave., Fort Lauderdale. Complete with beautiful sets, lavish costumes, dazzling special effects and glorious music, The Nutcracker is a musical treat for audiences of all ages. This special performance will feature a large cast of talented children performing with the company on Friday, Jan. 3 at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, Jan. 4 at 2 and 7:30 p.m.; and Sunday, Jan. 5 at 1 p.m. Tickets are $25, $37, $49, $69 and $79; $17, $28, $43, $56, and $65 for groups of 10 or more; $15, $20, $30 and $40 for students; Club Level tickets available for $139. Visit browardcenter.org

Monday, Jan. 6


Financial Series:
Merrill Lynch Wealth Management presents “Social Security & You: Potential Strategies for Maximizing Benefits” at 4:30 p.m., at the Delray Beach Public Library, 100 W. Atlantic Ave. Call 561-266-9490.

Vinyl Record Giveaway: Florida Atlantic University’s Recorded Sound Archives, which preserves and digitizes rare and historic recordings, will host its third annual giveaway of excess vinyl records from Monday, Jan. 6 through Friday, Jan. 10 and again from Monday, Jan. 27 through Friday, Jan. 31, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., on the fifth floor of the Wimberly Library, 777 Glades Road, Boca Raton campus. The giveaway is free and open to the FAU community as well as the general public and features thousands of LPs and 45 rpm vinyl discs that span from the 1940s to the 1990s and features every genre, including pop, Latin, jazz, classical, opera and orchestra music. Cassette tapes and CDs also are available. Contact Schackman at 561-297-0080 or SoundArchives@fau.edu


Wednesday, Jan. 8

MLKCC Teen Summit:
Teens are invited to come out and discuss issues affecting youth at the 5th annual summit entitled “Change Yourself Before You Change Me” from 1-4 p.m., at the African American Research Library and Cultural
Center (ARLCC), 2650 Sistrunk Blvd., Fort Lauderdale. The discussion will be led by the Dream Defenders, who were active within the Trayvon Martin case and “Taking Over Florida.” Solutions will be proposed through open discussions, spoken word, dramatic performances and music. Other highlights will include special invited celebrity guests, a Greek step show and a historic fashion play. Partners include Dwyane Wade’s foundation “The D-Wade Foundation,” BET and Clear Channel Radio’s 103.5 The Beat.  Call 754-235-3298.

Thursday, Jan. 9

Uncorked … the Key Largo and Islamorada Food & Wine Festival:
Come on down to the Florida Keys and enjoy a multi-sensory experience as Key Largo and Islamorada’s culinary experts step up to the “palate” to present nearly 30 tasty food, wine and spirits events, Jan. 9 – 18. Enjoy 10 glorious days of wine tasting events, cooking demonstrations, wine dinners, food and wine pairing classes, progressive wine dinners, art and wine shows and the Festival Finale ‘A Grand Tasting,’ set for Jan. 18. What better reason to ‘Uncork’ and unwind in the Florida Keys. Call Sue Finney at 305-394-3736 or email suefinney4@gmail.com

Free Resume Coaching:
Former Executive Recruiter and Technical Writer Merrill Rutman will offer free private, 30-minute resume coaching sessions from Jan. 9 through March 29 at the Delray Beach Public Library, 100  West Atlantic Ave., in the Library’s Empowerment Zone (E-Zone) on the second floor. The sessions are on Thursdays from 1-4:30 p.m., on a reservations-only basis. A Delray Beach Public Library card is required. Rutman will offer help with resume creation and format, advice and planning. Call 561-266-0196, e-mail
delraybeachpubliclibrary@gmail.com or Visit delraylibrary.org

Nature Photography Exhibit: Miami Dade College’s (MDC) InterAmerican Campus will showcase the beauty of underwater life as part of its student nature photography exhibit, South Florida’s Water
Wonderland at 6 p.m., at the Campus Art Gallery, 627 S.W. 27 Ave., Room 3210F. The exhibit will feature selected pieces from student winners who participated in a
campus-wide photo challenge and the work of nature photographer and conservationist Brian F. Call. Contact Michael Matthews at
305-237-6733 or mmatthew@mdc.edu

Saturday, Jan. 11

Heritage Festival: Celebrate the New Year at the 39th Annual Redland Heritage Festival on Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 11 and 12 at the Fruit and Spice Park, 24801 S.W. 187 Ave., Homestead. The festival celebrates the unique heritage and history of the Redland agricultural community. Participating vendors will showcase traditional natural arts and crafts and nurseries will sell native plants and tropical fruit trees. There will also be a children’s area featuring pony rides, face painting and old time games, as well as a variety of entertainment for everyone. Admission is $8 per person and children under 11 years of age are admitted free. Doors open at 10 a.m. and close at 5 p.m. Call the Fruit & Spice Park at 305-247-5727.

Keep Hollywood Beautiful Beach Sweep:
Volunteer to help keep the community in stellar condition from 7 to 11 a.m., at Charnow Park, 300 Garfield St. Call 954-921-3020 or visit hollywoodfl.org


Sunday, Jan. 12
 
15th Annual Author’s Showcase: In honor of National Book Month, selected authors from various genres will speak briefly about  their books, sale and autograph them at 2 p.m., at the Delray Beach Public Library, 100 West Atlantic Ave. Call 561-266-9490 or visit delraylibrary.org

Picnic in the Park:
Spend a relaxing day with your family and friends at the Deering Estate at Cutler and enjoy a picnic on the main lawn, old-fashioned lawn games, historic house tours and Tequesta Trail tours from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Guests who bring a picnic lunch or purchase a preordered meal through one of our official picnic providers will receive a reduced admission fee of $7 for all ages. Please note that grilling and cooking is not permitted on the estate. Chef David Schwadron Catering and Joanna’s Marketplace are the official picnic providers for the Deering Estate at Cutler and can be contacted directly for preordered meals. Preordered meals are available for delivery to the estate or for pick-up. Please call 305-238-5881 for Chef David Schwadron Catering and 305-661-5777 for Joanna’s Marketplace. Call 305-235-1668 ext. 233.

Ongoing:

Dogs on the Dunes: By popular demand, the Miami-Dade County Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces Department has extended its weekend activity that offers a unique opportunity for dogs and their owners to swim and play together in a designated beach recreation area for dogs to now include Wednesdays at Haulover Beach Park, 10800 Collins Ave., Miami. The new operating schedule is Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Visitor parking for the dog recreation areas is $2 per vehicle and you must have a dog in the vehicle. Call 305-947-3525.