Riverwalk Arts & Entertainment District Will Offer a Variety of Art Exhibitions, Tours and More During Art Basel

Visitors to the world-renowned Art Basel Miami Beach (Dec. 5-8, 2019) can take their love of culture a step further by visiting the Riverwalk A&E District in Fort Lauderdale. Located less than 30 miles north of Miami Beach, The District is offering many fun-filled holiday events, art exhibitions, tours and more during and surrounding Art Basel.

Showcasing its own intriguing art exhibitions is NSU Art Museum Fort Lauderdale, one of South Florida's leading cultural attractions. "Happy!", on view now through July 5, 2020, features contemporary works produced by artists who want to emotionally engage viewers. Drawn from NSU Art Museum Fort Lauderdale's collection, "I Paint My Reality: Surrealism in Latin America" examines the manifestation of the Surrealism Movement in Latin America. It's on view now through June 30, 2020.

Also on view at NSU Art Museum Fort Lauderdale is "Transitions and Transformations," which highlights modern and contemporary works from the Museum's collection, on view through June 30, 2020. "William J. Glackens: From Pencil to Paint," features over 100 works from the 1890s-1930s, highlighting William Glackens' role as illustrator and painter. It's on view through Fall 2020. Viewing of exhibitions is free with museum admission. For more information, visit nsuartmuseum.org.

Bonnet House Museum & Gardens, a beautiful historic home on Fort Lauderdale Beach, is hosting many holiday events during its Holiday Magic Evening Experience, taking place Dec. 7, 8, 11, 12 and 13 from 5:30-8:30 p.m. Guests will enjoy self-guided tours of this home, exquisitely decorated for the holidays, with special holiday entertainment each night. In honor of its 100th anniversary, during each evening tour, Bonnet House Museum & Gardens will be offering holiday cheer, including general admission to the house ($20 per person) and admission with cheers (including two drink tickets) for $30 per person. $5 for kids 6-12 and free for kids under 6. For more information, visit www.bonnethouse.org.

Holiday Magic Evening Experience events include:

Pride Jazz Ensemble a?? Saturday, Dec. 7; 6:30-7:10 p.m. & 7:30-8:10 p.m.
Whimsical Wonderland a?? An Evening for Families: Broward Center Spotlights a?? Sunday, Dec. 8, 5:30-8:30 p.m. Includes Santa arriving on a fire truck, face painting, stocking making, punch and cookies.
Dillard Jazz Trio a?? Wednesday, Dec. 11; 6:30-7:30 p.m.
Yuletide Carolers a?? Thursday, Dec. 12; 6:30-7:30 p.m.
Gay Men's Chorus of South Florida a?? Friday, Dec. 13; 6:30-7 p.m. & 7:45-8:15 p.m.

In its second year as an Art Basel-sanctioned event venue, History Fort Lauderdale, which takes guests back in time to experience early South Florida, is offering many cultural experiences:

The exhibition "Patchwork Mosaic: An Indigenous Gathering of Seminole Masterworks," on view now through Jan. 12, 2020, is a retrospective of contemporary and traditional Seminole and Miccosukee Tribal Native American multi-media art and presentations. Free with Museum admission.

The "Light Up Holiday Event," taking place on Dec. 10, 6-8 p.m., commemorates the date of Dec. 10, 1918, when Andrews Avenue in Fort Lauderdale received its first street lights powered-up by the Bryan Electric Company. Attendees will enjoy a special Holiday Cocktail Reception featuring wine, hors d'oeuvres and sweet treats as the campus twinkles with traditional holiday decorations and musical sounds of the season. $25 per person.

Docent guided tours (including three museums: King Cromartie House Museum, 1899 Ivy Cromartie Replica Schoolhouse, Hoch Heritage Center & Research Library) are offered daily at 1, 2 and 3 p.m., as well as walking tours and group tours. Self-guided tours of the main museum are $10; guided tours are $15 per person. Group tours begin at $15 per person.

For more information on History Fort Lauderdale events, visit historyfortlauderdale.org/museum.

At the Broward Center for the Performing Arts and Parker Playhouse, visitors can enjoy a wide variety of performances from the heralded opera "Don Giovanni," to country music legend Trisha Yearwood, to Broadway star Sutton Foster. Both the Broward Center and Parker Playhouse are also presenting holiday-themed musicals and dance performances, ideal for every member of the family. For more information about events at the Broward Center and Parker Playhouse, visit www.browardcenter.org.

"While Art Basel Miami Beach offers a spectacular week for artists, collectors, critics and art enthusiasts; The District in Fort Lauderdale, just a short drive from Miami Beach, offers a whole world of additional types of exciting cultural activities that shouldn't be missed," said Carmen Ackerman, director of Riverwalk Arts & Entertainment District.

Riverwalk Arts & Entertainment District is a unique partnership of arts and entertainment organizations located along the New River in downtown Fort Lauderdale with the express mission of promoting cultural tourism in South Florida. Presenting over 1000 individual events each year, The District attracts well over 1 million visitors annually. Partners of The District Consortium include Broward Center for the Performing Arts, NSU Art Museum Fort Lauderdale, History Fort Lauderdale, the Historic Stranahan House Museum and Bonnet House Museum & Gardens. It is supported by the Broward County Board of County Commissioners as recommended by the Broward Cultural Council and the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau. For more information about The District and its partners, visit www.riverwalkae.com.