The best things to do in Miami this week

In tandem with the holiday season, Jungle Island's enchanting festival of lights returns for a fourth year with a new production featuring more than 37 monumental, handcrafted silk lantern scenes created by a global team of artisans, graphic designers, seamstresses and more. This year, Luminosa takes visitors on a vibrant trail of themed vignettes representing different ecosystems, from the Amazon rainforest to African savannahs, complete with cutting-edge animatronics, holograms and interactive storytelling. The popular Holiday Village also makes a return this year (through January 4), featuring Christmas trees, holiday treats like churro donut holes and coquito, a seasonal bazaar and a 30-foot Christmas tree centerpiece.  When is Luminosa 2025? Luminosa runs from Friday, November 14 through March 7, 2026. The hours of operation are 5:30 to 9:30pm Sunday through Thursday and until 10:30pm on Friday and Saturday. The Holiday Village will also open on November 14 and run through January 4, 2026. This outdoor experience operates rain or shine, with covered areas available throughout the venue.  How much are tickets? Adult tickets range from $30.78 on weekdays to $46.88 on weekends. Child tickets (ages four to 12) range from $21.58 to $33.08. Family bundles and group rates are available, with discounts for seniors, students and military personnel.

A much-anticipated precursor to the holiday season in Miami, NightGarden returns in November for its seventh season at Fairchild Tropical Botanical Garden, promising even more psychedelic scenery, family-friendly activities and interactive artwork than ever before. Running from November 7 through January 11, NightGarden invites guests to frolic around a neon-lit wonderland of tropical trails lined with holographic sculptures, secret sunken ponds and hidden fairy worlds. Expect several enticing new activations this year, including the Tree of Life, a monumental centerpiece with lights and projections activated by guest touch. You'll also find new immersive domes with themed photo backdrops, a Secret Garden Laser Light Show, movie nights and more. How much are tickets? Tickets start at $28 and vary based on date and time, with discounts for Fairchild members and seniors. Children three and under are free.

Art meets science at "Leonardo da Vinci – 500 Years of Genius," a sweeping exhibition presented by Frost Science and produced by Grande Experiences in collaboration with Rome's Museo Leonardo da Vinci. On view through April 5th, 2026, the show explores da Vinci's multidisciplinary legacy with interactive displays, rare artifacts and life-size replicas of his machines, alongside immersive projections of iconic works like The Last Supper and Mona Lisa. Explore 16 themed sections, from anatomy and flight to engineering and optics, plus hands-on installations like the Vitruvian Man interactive station and the Mona Lisa Revealed exhibit, featuring the world’s only exact 360-degree replica of the painting.

This 10th-annual music festival sprawls across various venues in South Beach from January 8 to 11, celebrating the rich legacy of jazz while expanding the community’s perspective on individuals with unique abilities. Take in both world-renowned and emerging artists from the entire spectrum of jazz, including several free and outdoor concerts. Miami Beach Bandshell, Faena Theater and Collins Park are just a few of the iconic locales for this year's event, which features the Spanish Harlem Orchestra, John Pizzarelli Presents "Dear Mr. Bennett," Steven Bernstein’s Millennial Territory Orchestra and many more.

Art, sexuality and cultural taboos converge at the Museum of Sex with the debut of its latest exhibition, Hard Art: Unruly Selections from the Beth Rudin DeWoody Collection. Explore decades of boundary-pushing works spanning the 1930s to today, pulled from the private collection of one of the world’s most dynamic collectors. From playful to profound and, at times, deemed too provocative for public display, the featured works include a wide range of media that challenges convention and invites conversation. Curated with the goal of amplifying underrepresented voices and celebrating uncensored expression, artists on view include Marco Brambilla, Jimmy DeSana, Bunny Yeager, John Kayser and others.

Few brunches in Miami rise to the level of an "event," but the Sunday brunch at Novikov is assuredly one of them. After a brief sabbatical, this buzzing sunlit feast makes a return to its luxurious perch along the Downtown Miami waterfront, featuring two hours of unlimited grazing from an extensive Market Table spread. Choose from a raw bar, endless sushi and sashimi, a salad bar, dim sum and robata-grilled favorites, plus a decadent dessert bar and signature brunch cocktails. Premium add-ons take the party to another level, including a honey truffle king crab leg, wagyu ribeye and roasted peking duck. Of course, it wouldn't be one of Miami's hottest brunch propositions without a live DJ spinning beats that pair perfectly with Novikov's bayfront views and a glass (or two) of bubbles.

This bustling vintage market enters its 34th year on South Beach's famed Lincoln Road. Approximately every other Sunday (check their calendar for exact dates), 125 vendors convene along the promenade to showcase their wares and barter with discerning shoppers. Find everything from mid-century furniture to Art Deco decor and more. The long-running weekend social presents a solid mix of 19th and 20th-century memorabilia and unique collectibles. While you're there, stock up on locally grown produce, fresh flowers and artisanal goods from the Lincoln Road Farmer's market, which occurs every Sunday from 9am to 6pm.

The Greatest Show on Earth pitches its tent (metaphorically speaking) at the Kaseya Center in Downtown Miami for a weekend-long sprint of death-defying stunts, awe-inspiring athleticism and cheeky circus revelry acted out by some of the world's most accomplished performers. This year's all-new music-driven production includes a seven-member Acro-Salsa Troupe from Colombia, an Acrobatic Bikes and Hoop Diving crew from China and more. Doors open at 6pm each night from January 9 through the 11, with tickets starting around $40.

Little River's bohemian-styled music venue ZeyZey hosts an epic live tribute to The Smiths and Morrissey on Friday, January 9. Formed in Miami in 2010 by vocalist AJ Navarrete, The Ordinary Boys added to the lineup over the years, but their mission always remained the same: to perfect, note by note, the sound of their Manchester heroes. For their free headlining show outside on the main stage, expect a musical homage featuring all the timeless cult hits, from "This Charming Man" to "How Soon is Now?" Show doors open at 8pm with happy hour specials until 9pm and snacks available from the Tacos Maria stand all night.

In January, we set our intentions for the new year, and there's perhaps no better place to do so than at Ford's Farm. Nestled in Homestead, chef Jeremy Ford's farm grows much of the produce that's plated at his Michelin-awarded Miami Beach restaurant, Stubborn Seed. This month, Ford is throwing open the gates for another rustic-chic supper club series at the farm, and he's tapped a handful of Miami's best chefs to collaborate on the menus. On January 10, the globally influenced, spice-driven dinner comes courtesy of chef Pushkar Marathe of Stage Kitchen & Bar, cooking alongside Jeremy Ford and Joe Mizzoni in the fields of Ford’s Farm. The intimate dinner party takes place inside the property’s stunning, custom-built barn for an open-fire dining experience inspired by the farm’s harvest and the spirit of the hospitality community. January 24's Chef’s Garden Collaboration brings together farmer Lee Jones and chefs Brad Kilgore, Seth Blumenthal and Jamie Simpson for a highly personal meal that celebrates the relationship between chefs and the land. Each evening begins with a complimentary cocktail and canapés served on the farm as the sun sets. The canapé hour runs from 5 to 5:45pm, and guests arriving late will miss part of this experience. The seated dinner follows with multiple courses cooked live over fire at the farm. Each course includes one cocktail pairing and one wine pairing.