Concerts & Events in Miami Springs

Ever since football became too rambunctious for the limited confines of mess halls, it has been performed in stadiums. During this year's Pro Bowl weekend, celebrate the only sport legally allowed in football stadiums with today's Groupon. For $7, you get a single-day entry to the South Florida FanFest at the Miami Beach Convention Center—tickets normally cost $15 at the door. The exhibition, a 200,000-square-foot sports-memorabilia and card show, is the largest of its kind in Florida and is open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on January 29–31. There is no purchase limit, so pick up a few to attend all three days. Gift a few to your old high-school football teammates to relive the glory days of the Bash Brothers.

As they continue to find their ice-footing this year, the Panthers strive to wrest control of the NHL's jungle gym by dominating visiting pucksters on their home ice. Witness the squad's skate-borne feats of athleticism as they attempt to vanquish their Eastern Conference foes the Ottawa Senators, New York Islanders, or Toronto Maple Leafs. Premium lower-bowl seating gets spectators close enough to see the intricate weaving of line formations and collect ice flecks from the players’ skates to make snow cones. Your exact stadium location will be determined upon your arrival, and groups must purchase tickets together for consecutive seats if they don't want their painted torsos' letters to accidentally spell, "Flo, rid a pant. Hers."

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."

The Marlins take the field at Marlins Park: an eco-friendly, 37,000-seat facility equipped with a retractable roof, plexiglass fish tanks behind home plate, and a vibrant sculpture in left-center field that kicks into motion for Marlins home runs. Born in 1993, the Florida Marlins quickly established themselves as contenders in the National League, taking home World Series titles in 1997 and 2003. And today, after some light rebranding to go along with the new ballpark, the rechristened Miami Marlins aim to continue traditions new and old, expanding their list of Hall of Famers.

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The original Strikers were born in 1977, when the Miami Toros moved to Broward County. Donning their popular red-and-gold hooped uniforms, the team experienced instant success—so much so that Lockhart Stadium underwent two seating expansions to accommodate the club's rapidly growing fan base. During those years, a playoff game between the Strikers and New York Cosmos drew a crowd of 77,691, which still stands as the record for a U.S. Pro League soccer match and most people squished into a single soccer net.

Even with all their success, the Strikers relocated to Minnesota after the 1983 season. The team returned five years later, and for more than two decades, competed as part of several leagues. Finally, after a failed attempted to bring Major League Soccer to Miami, the Miami FC of the United Soccer League decided to officially adopt the Strikers moniker and move to the North American Soccer League for the 2011 season. The Strikers didn't waste any time announcing their rebirth, as they made the league's championship series that same season.

This year marks the second annual Boca Burger Battle, and the competition is heating up. The reigning champs from Rebel House took home both the Judge’s Pick and the People’s Choice last year, but the runners-up from Gimme A Burger don’t plan to go down without a fight. Dark horse Justin Flit from the newly opened Jazziz Nightlife trained at the French Culinary Institute in New York City, and Morton’s offers up the burger that inspired founders Arnie Morton and Klaus Fritsch to go into business in the first place. Non-beef entrants include fish sliders from Sea Level Restaurant and Ocean Bar and vegan patties from Darbster and 4th Generation Organic Market and Cafe.

Though burgers are the stars of the showdown, they aren’t the only refreshments on exhibition. There will be craft beers, summer wines, and top-shelf spirits from far and near, as well as an array of summer food samplings like gourmet french fries, onion rings, tropical salads, chicken wings, rum cakes, liquor infused ice cream, and apple pie. Meanwhile, judges such as Mo and Sally from KOOL 105.5, Sef “Burger Beast” Gonzalez, and The Glamorous Gourmet author Stephanie Miskew will be on hand to offer their insights into what makes a burger stand out from the pack.