Weekend things to do: Drinking with Santa in Delray Beach, firefighters in kilts, Bugattis on Las Olas

You may have felt Scrooged when Home Depot put out the wreaths and lights a couple of weeks back, but it’s never too soon for the advent of Death or Glory’s Christmas-season cocktail pop-up called Miracle.

Yes, it’s the homey Delray Beach bar’s inventive drinks (little known fact: every time you drink a Chrismapolitan, an angel gets its wings), but also the festive presentation, decorations and what feels like an abundance of sincere good cheer. You know you need it.

And do not be totally distracted by the cocktails — the food menu is strong (great burger).

Miracle debuts at Death or Glory (116 NE Sixth Ave.) on Saturday night. Visit DeathOrGloryBar.com.

Here’s to ‘Away’

More good cheer comes in the form of “Come From Away,” the hit Broadway musical in opening-weekend mode at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts in Fort Lauderdale. Ostensibly it is the fact-based story of 7,000 airline passengers, fearful and far from home, who were marooned by the 9/11 attacks in the tiny town of Gander, Newfoundland, in remote eastern Canada. What happened next was a story of connection, compassion and human kindness. The show is up at the Broward Center through Nov. 14, then moves to the Kravis Center in West Palm Beach Nov. 16-21. Tickets cost $30.50-$90.50 at BrowardCenter.org.

Weekend movies

The Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival returns this weekend with a full slate of movies at five Broward County locations through Nov. 21. Opening-weekend highlights include a double screening of Marvel Studios’ “Eternals” on Friday at the Museum of Discovery & Science, with a party in between; American-Muslim romantic comedy “American-ish,” (director Iman Zawahry attending with actors Aizzah Fatima and Salena Qureshi), the 2000s-set British coming-of-age tale “Soundtrack to Sixteen” (sister creators Hilary and Anna-Elizabeth Shakespeare will be joined by stars Scarlett Marshall and Gino Wilson) and the quirky Spain-to-Greece travelogue “Vasy’s Odyssey (with star Mery Gregorio). For more information, visit FLIFF.com.

It’s your thing

Nu Deco Ensemble opens its 2021-2022 season 8:30 p.m. Friday at the lovely North Beach Bandshell, its unwaveringly eclectic instincts on full display in a program highlighted by their new “Isley Brothers Symphonic Suite,” featuring platinum-selling soul singer Anthony Hamilton. On Nov. 10, NDE will release “Still Cruisin’: An Orchestral Tribute to the Beach Boys,” a compelling reimagining of music from the Beach Boys’ landmark “Pet Sounds” album and its unfinished follow-up, “Smile.” General-admission tickets for Friday’s concert start at $60. Visit Nu-deco.org.

Sushi and sumo

Chef Jose Mendin’s inventive Latin-Japanese eatery Pubbelly Sushi Aventura is throwing a party 7-11 p.m. Saturday, both as a commemoration of the Japanese fall harvest festival known as Kishiwada Danjiri Matsuri and, perhaps more useful to you, to celebrate getting a full liquor license. Which can mean only one thing: Sumo wrestlers. Dinner guests (with a reservation) will find complimentary cocktail samples, live entertainment and a sumo-wrestling show at 8 p.m. on the third level of Aventura Mall. Visit: PubbellyGlobal.com.

Krazy kilts

South Florida breweries and bands make krazy strange bedfellows: Mathews Brewing in Lake Worth will help Palm Beach County Firefighters Pipes and Drums (so dashing in their kilts) celebrate “20 years of shamrocks and shenanigans” beginning at 5 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 10. Also scheduled are popular local rockers Krazy Train. At some points during the evening, they’ll be performing together. Exclamation points are so overused, but this deserves three!!! There also will be food trucks, merch and a beer brewed especially for the firefighting pipers. … On a related note this weekend, Krazy Train vocalist Jose Almonte will be at Mathews Brewing 3-6:30 p.m. Sunday doing an acoustic solo set. Recommended. Visit Facebook.com/mathewsbrewing.

See Dickinson run on

If you were wondering what kind of programming a $30 million remodel would allow The Parker to accommodate, we have an answer: Iron Maiden’s Bruce Dickinson. The charismatic showman, a captivating presence when Iron Maiden last played South Florida in 2019, will open his first North American spoken-word tour in Fort Lauderdale on Jan. 17, the departure point for a 34-city jaunt. The appearance will be one-half storytelling about rock-star highs and lows and one-half audience Q&A. A reviewer for the Daily Express in Brighton, England, wrote: “The whole evening is as hilarious as it is disarming. As fascinating as it is incredible.” Tickets cost $37.50-$57.50 and go on sale 10 a.m. Friday, Nov. 5, at ParkerPlayhouse.com.

McBrain food

Speaking of Iron Maiden, drummer Nicko McBrain will celebrate the 12th anniversary of Rock n Roll Ribs with a Dec. 4 party in the parking lot of his Coral Springs restaurant (“where BBQ meets metal!”). The free event will include plenty of food and drink (Iron Maiden’s Trooper, yes) and performances by a half-dozen noisemakers, including Children of the Grave, locals Kinlin, Angels of War and of course, Nicko doing whatever he wants to do. Visit Facebook.com/rocknrollribs.

Rod at Hard Rock

Maybe this will score some points in your house as a Valentine’s Day gift … Crooner Rod Stewart is coming to Hard Rock Live at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood on Feb. 15. Tickets are scheduled to go on sale 10 a.m. Friday, Nov. 5, at MyHRL.com. Cost: $335, $215, $145, $95 and $65. A series of presales includes venue tickets on sale beginning at 10 a.m. Thursday through the Hard Rock Facebook and Twitter pages.

Future laughs

More outdoor comedy is on its way to Boca Raton with Laughing Spree Fest, bringing major comic talent, DJs, displays by local artists and more to Sunset Cove Amphitheater Dec. 3-4. The lineup for three shows includes headliners Bryan Callen, Jim Norton and Andrew Schulz, joined by Plantation High School grad Bret Ernst, Leah Lamarr, Jeff Dye, Yamaneika and others. Tickets are on sale now, starting at $65, with passes for all three shows starting at $150. VIP options also available. A parking pass costs $20. Visit LaughingSpreeFest.com.

Pompano untapped

The Old Town Untapped series makes a season-opening return to downtown Pompano Beach on Friday with live music from tribute band Beatlemaniax USA, food and drink, art vendors and gallery openings at Bailey Contemporary Arts Center. The free monthly first-Friday feature runs from 6 to 10 p.m. Visit PompanoBeachArts.org.

Drinking with dogs

Riverwalk Mutts & Martinis returns to Esplanade Park in downtown Fort Lauderdale 2-5 p.m. Saturday with live music (School of Rock), vendors, rescues to adopt and those off-the-leash cocktails. Admission is free. VIP tickets ($35) comes with unlimited martini samplings and light bites. Proceeds benefit the civic advocacy and nurturing of riverside parks by the nonprofit Riverwalk Fort Lauderdale. Visit GoRiverwalk.com.

Dogs and Santa

Holiday warmth and cold noses will rule as the inaugural Pooches and Presents in the Park event takes over Old School Square in downtown Delray Beach noon-4 p.m. Sunday. Organized by the all-volunteer nonprofit Pets Broward, the free, pet friendly gathering will include vendors, holiday shopping, crafting for kids, photos with Santa and, of course, adoptable dogs. Visit Facebook.com/petsbroward.

Walking with cars

You can kick the tires (visually, please) on some of the world’s most coveted cars during Exotics on Las Olas 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday in downtown Fort Lauderdale. From Ferrari, Bugatti and McLaren to Pagani and Koenigsegg, more than 250 eye-catching, foot-tingling rides will line the city’s gleaming tourist thoroughfare for the fourth edition of the annual event. Proceeds will help support the Wounded Veterans Relief Fund, which provides emergency assistance to disabled veterans and their families. Admission is free. Visit ExoticsOnLasOlas.com.

Family time

The Amazing Hunt: FTL Beach is a timed scavenger hunt on Fort Lauderdale beach on Sunday morning with more than $12,000 is prizes up for grabs. Teams of two-to-four people (kids older than 10 can join) will check in between 8:30 and 9:15 a.m. at Las Olas Oceanside Park (near the intersection at A1A), the hunt starting at 9:30 a.m. and ending at 11:30 a.m. Prizes include hotel and dining packages, and there will be a raffle with a one-in-50 shot at winning a pair of three-day passes to Tortuga Music Festival. Tickets start at $25 per individual at TheLoopFLB.com. Proceeds benefit the Greater Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce.

Staff writer Ben Crandell can be reached at bcrandell@sunsentinel.com.