Concerts & Events in Glenvar Heights

Led by the baton of Italian guest conductor Nicola Luisotti, the Cleveland Orchestra brings 94 years of euphony-crafting experience south to Miami's Adrienne Arsht Center. The concerts kick off with the sprightly strains of Verdi's Triumphal March and Ballet Music from his opera Aida, sweeping audiences up in romantic drama while sparing time-traveling gossip columnists the burden of keeping up with ancient Egyptian love triangles. Acclaimed soprano and MacArthur fellow Dawn Upshaw joins her instrument-bearing brethren to essay modern composer Osvaldo Golijov's Three Songs for Soprano and Orchestra in its Miami debut—a work composed specifically for Upshaw. Prokofiev's Symphony no. 5 finishes off the evening, its grandeur composed in the throes of World War II to glorify the majesty of the human spirit and show up all his snobby friends who said that writing four symphonies was "pretty good."

Since 1989, The Miami Symphony Orchestra has mimicked Miami’s cultural diversity with concerts and events that act as a melting pot of musical influences. Music director Eduardo Marturet, a Venezuelan composer and conductor, helms many of the concerts, encouraging the musicians to unleash their inner Beethovens or Bachs—former members of the ’80s hair-metal band Skid Row.

Challenge Nation pioneered the urban-adventure race with a race season that includes visits to 35 cities across the country. Each scavenger hunt is personalized to the hosting city, exploring its many diverse neighborhoods with a series of clues that would test even the most skilled children's-book detective. The teams—comprised of at least two people—vie for a $300 first-place prize. The _Amazing Race_–style competition rewards quick wits and wise planning over physical fitness, so the best way to prepare is by doing logic puzzles while eating Funyuns and lounging in a La-Z-Boy. The top 25 teams qualify, the top five receiving free entry, to compete in the national championship, which rewards winning teams with a $5,000 cash prize.

The Taste of Brickell Food and Wine Festival serves culinary samples from 40 local restaurants with a side of exotic cars and multicultural music. Chefs from such area eateries as LaBoca, Taverna Opa, Piola, and Baru Urbano distribute freshly prepared portions of signature menu items. Wine experts entice visitors to try new vintages by hosting tasting demos and dispensing samples. Beyond gourmet treats and libations, the festival hosts an exotic-car show, a free arts-and-crafts area, continuous free music, and a free kids’ park with activities that keep tykes occupied with hands-on entertainment rather than menacing their siblings or balancing their checkbooks. A portion of all event proceeds help fund the Boys and Girls Club of Miami-Dade.

Over the course of 24 hours, audiences await as six sailing vessels speed into the Port of Miami, one by one. At the helm stand six crews of 11 men from 15 countries around the world, many of them Olympic gold medalists and America's Cup champions. In the past five months, each one has helped navigate a route from Spain eastward, around Africa, through Indonesian islands, skirting Antarctic waters, and up the eastern coast of South America. The race pauses in Miami’s Bicentennial Park—its only North American stop—on May 6 for a 14-day celebration at the Downtown Miami Race Village, a 27-acre expanse filled with interactive installations and scheduled race-centric events.

Throughout the festivities, visitors can step onto the deck of a simulator that emulates the movements of a Volvo Open 70, the race’s official ship model, or gain access to the harbor to witness a real ship without having to wear a fake captain’s beard. Both festival weekends contain a dense roster of events, including a classic car show, steamboat races, and paddleboard competitions, as well as multicultural food tastings and youth sailing regattas. On the final weekend, in-port races pit the tournament’s crews against each other on a short, close-quarters course within the harbor, giving audiences a chance to see the crews in action. Amateur VIP sailors can also pit their sail-wrangling and tide-control skills against the professional competitors in the harbor pro-am race before the six competing teams leave port again for their next leg to Lisbon.

For more than two decades, The Great Taste of The Grove has ushered in a miscellany of tastes, sips, and sounds for participants of all ages in order to raise funds for the Coconut Grove Chamber of Commerce. Crowds of up to 20,000 descend upon local cuisine from area eateries as chefs grill up their own specialties during live cooking demonstrations. Wine samples, beer, and cocktails from renowned libations manufacturers acquaint themselves with uninitiated taste buds, and entertainment includes Saturday's Tribute concert covering songs from Neil Diamond, Billy Joel, and Journey and Sunday's Clash of the Decades featuring a mix from the 50s tunes to modern hits with headliner Suenalo. While adults mingle, youngsters can head to the adventure park, where they can hop on carnival rides or get their faces painted.