Winter may not mean much in perpetually sunny South Florida, so holiday happenings have to really bring it on to set the mood for the holidays. Here’s a sampling of some not-to-be-missed events and performances around Broward County make the holidays merry and bright.
A Holiday Extravaganza
Since its founding nearly fifteen years ago in Oakland Park, the Gay Men’s Chorus of South Florida (GMCSF) never misses a holiday to bring cheer. At Hard Rock Live, Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood on Tuesday, Dec. 17, GMCSF and guest artist Todrick Hall, songwriter, choreographer, and Broadway performer, come together for “A Holiday Extravaganza.” The music mix goes from contemporary to traditional with Christmas melodies such as “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” and “Hark The Herald Angels Sing.” A professional orchestra accompanies the choir and guest artist along with a dance company to boot led by choreographer Anthony Velasquez. Gaba Salazar, artistic director of GMCSF, praises the addition of Hall to GMCSF’s holiday concert mentioning his diverse career on Broadway, where he starred in shows like “The Color Purple,” “Kinky Boots,” and “Waitress.” He was a guest judge and resident choreographer on “Ru Paul’s Drag Race,” choreographed a Beyoncé music video, and was co-executive producer on Taylor Swift’s music video for her song, “You Need to Calm Down.” Hall himself has released several of his own albums and is a successful Youtuber.
Gay Men’s Chorus of South Florida’s “A Holiday Extravaganza,” 8 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 17, Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood, 1 Seminole Way, Hollywood. Tickets start at $61. (954) 763-2266 or gmcsf.org for information. Bonus: If you can’t make the Hard Rock Live performance of “A Holiday Extravaganza,” check out the show at 8 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 13, at Sunshine Cathedral, 1480 SW 9th St., Fort Lauderdale. Todrick Hall will not be at the Friday performance. Tickets start at $49.
Light Up the Holidays Events by The City of Fort Lauderdale
A holiday celebration, especially in South Florida, is not complete without the lights and decoration to mark the season. The City of Fort Lauderdale and Riverwalk Fort Lauderdale will present their annual “Light Up the Holidays” events featuring tree lightings and holiday lights, live music, food and drinks, as well as an array of activities and family-friendly offerings in parks and spaces around Fort Lauderdale. The “Light Up the Holidays” events kicked off in Esplanade Park in November, but there’s plenty more in December. “Light Up the Holidays” events are free to the public and begin at 5 p.m. and end at 8 p.m. (954) 828-7275 or Parks Fort Lauderdale for information.
“Light Up Sistrunk” at Sistrunk Boulevard includes a teen and kids’ zone, live entertainment, food trunks, and a toy giveaway and health fair sponsored by Black AIDS Advisory Group. Friday, Dec. 6, Sistrunk Boulevard between NW 9th and 11th Avenues, Fort Lauderdale
“Light Up Carter Park” at Carter Park features local artists in live performances, giveaways, holiday-themed arts and crafts, face painting, and the lighting of the Carter Park Holiday Tree. Friday, Dec. 13, 1450 W. Sunrise Blvd., Fort Lauderdale
The “Menorah Lighting Celebration” at Las Olas Oceanside Park coincides with the first night of Hanukkah on Thursday, Dec. 26 and includes a menorah lighting along with music and traditional Hanukkah treats to enjoy. The event begins at 6 p.m. 3000 E. Las Olas Blvd., Fort Lauderdale
The final “Light Up the Holidays” event, “Kwanzaa Ujamaa,” celebrates the Kwanzaa holiday at Bass Park. The event name, “Kwanzaa Ujamaa,” references the fourth day and fourth principle of Kwanzaa, “Ujamaa,” which supports entrepreneurship and collective benefit. The “Kwanzaa Ujamaa” event at Bass Park starts at 2 p.m. and continues to 6 p.m. It includes family-friendly cultural events, live performances, and activities that celebrate and educate the public on the pan-African holiday of Kwanzaa. Friday, Dec. 27, 2750 NW 19th St., Fort Lauderdale
Levi Kreis: Home for the Holidays
The Tony Award-winning actor brings his tenth annual “Home for the Holidays” show to the Amaturo Theater at The Broward Center for Performing Arts at 8 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 5. The singer, songwriter, and Broadway actor, blends gospel, jazz, and rockabilly—an early style of rock and roll heavily influenced by country music—into his performance of classic Christmas songs and popular holiday favorites. He broke into acting with his performance of Roger in the Broadway national tour of “Rent” and earned a 2010 Tony Award as Jerry Lee Lewis in “Million Dollar Quartet.” He has released ten albums of original music. Tickets start at $45. 201 SW 5th Ave., Fort Lauderdale. (954) 462-0222 or Broward Center.
A Seraphic Fire Christmas
If you have never enjoyed live a cappella music (singing without any accompanying instruments) performed by a professional chorus, then “A Seraphic Fire Christmas” is a good place to start. South Florida’s awarding-winning ensemble chorus, “Seraphic Fire,” started in 2002 as a volunteer-led organization that wanted to bring vocal music to the community. Since then, the organization and professional choral group have grown and been nationally recognized for their artistry and performances. Two of their albums, including “A Seraphic Fire Christmas” album, earned Grammy awards in 2012. Although Seraphic Fire performs all over the United States and North America, South Florida is still home. The selection of songs include well-known favorites like “Silent Night” and “O Come All Ye Faithful” along with lesser-known songs like “Solstice” and “Jesus Christ the Apple Tree.” Performances are in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties. Visit the “A Seraphic Fire Christmas” page for a full list of locations and times for performances. Tickets start at $50 for the Aventura Arts & Cultural Center performance, tickets start at $65 for the Sanctuary Church performance. Call (954) 462-2004 for additional information.
Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical
Playing at the Au-Rene Theater at The Broward Center for the Performing Arts from Wednesday, Dec. 18 through Monday, Dec. 23, “Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical” first played on Broadway in 2006. The show features the songs, “Welcome, Christmas (Fah Who Doraze),”and “You’re A Mean One Mr. Grinch” from the 1966 animated version of “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” as well as additional music and lyrics by Mel Marvin, Theodor S. Geisel, and Albert Hague. The show’s costumes (designed by Robert Morgan) and sets (John Lea Beatty) take inspiration from the illustrations in Dr. Seuss’s original book to create the setting of Whoville. 7:30 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 18, Thursday, Dec. 19, and Friday, Dec. 20. 11 a.m., 3 p.m., and 7:30 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 21. 1 p.m. and 6:30 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 22. 1 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., Monday, Dec. 23. Tickets start at $45. 201 SW 5th Ave., Fort Lauderdale. (954) 462-0222 or Broward Center.
Holiday Music Showcase at Galleria Fort Lauderdale
For those who think they are too busy to enjoy a holiday performance, Galleria Fort Lauderdale is offering a slate of free musical performances in November and December. Featuring a host of accomplished local South Florida musical groups, Galleria’s “Holiday Music Showcase” includes eight weekend performances starting Saturday, Nov. 30.
Each event is free and takes place from 1 to 3 p.m. on Saturday or Sunday. Performances are held near Altar’d State. If you plan to go, use the level 2 entrance to the mall near Dillard’s. The Galleria Mall is located at 2414 East Sunrise Blvd., Fort Lauderdale.
Here’s the schedule of performances:
Saturday, Nov. 30, Gay Men’s Chorus of South Florida: Founded in 2010, the Gay Men’s Chorus of South Florida has performed nationally and won numerous awards for their non-profit advocacy work.
Sunday, Dec. 1, New Canon Chamber Collective: Founded and based in South Florida, the collective is an ensemble of classical musicians dedicated to promoting and showcasing diversity in the classical music space. The New Canon Chamber Collective features a diverse range of musicians and highlights the talents and work of Black musicians.
Saturday, Dec. 7, Master Chorale of South Florida: South Florida singers perform music by classical and contemporary composers—from Mozart, to Gilbert and Sullivan, to American classical composers like Florence Price, the celebrated African-American symphony composer.
Sunday, Dec. 8, University of Miami’s Frost School of Music Carolers: UM’s all-student chorale group that performs music locally, nationally, and internationally. All members of the group are current students at the University of Miami’s Frost School of Music.
Saturday, Dec. 14, South Florida Symphony Orchestra: The Fort Lauderdale-based symphony was founded by Maestra Sebrina Maria Alfonso in 1997 and performs throughout South Florida in Palm Beach, Broward, Miami-Dade and Monroe counties. A week before they perform at the Galleria, they’ll be playing Holiday Pops and Handel’s Messiah at 7:30 p.m. at The Parker, 707 NE 8th St., Fort Lauderdale. Tickets and information for that show at www.southfloridasymphony.org.
Sunday, Dec. 15, The Girl Choir of South Florida: The Girl Choir of South Florida is an all-girl singing ensemble of girls and young women aged 6 to 18; this non-profit group works to nurture the musical talents of girls while creating a safe space for them to improve their skills.
Saturday, Dec. 21, South Florida Pride Bands: A musical group for the LGBTQ+ community of South Florida, which consists of the Pride Concert Band, Pride Youth Band, Pride Marching Band, Pride Jazz Band, Pride Tropical Winds, and the Pride Steel Band.
Sunday, Dec. 22, South Florida Chamber Ensemble: The chamber ensemble performs classical music featuring works by diverse, underplayed composers with a mission of educating audiences about the individuals and stories behind the music they showcase.
