Weekend Preview: July 16th - 19th, 2015

Woodcut by Jacoub Reyes

Thursday, July 16th

Fauna at Canvs features works from Forrest DeBlois and Jacoub Reyes that explore the images and stories of animals. Hosted by Takeover, who brings art to local co-working spaces, this opening will include guest speaker Cole NeSmith (creator of the Creative City Project) who will have a conversation about the power of art, community, and creativity. 6:00pm, talk at 7:30pm, free.

For a night in a different direction, check out The Dual Duel, an MC freestyle and Bboy/Bgirl rap battle competition which also includes an album release party for a local female hip hop artist, MyVerse. 9:00pm at The Office, $10.

Inkstains, the latest exhibit at Redefine Gallery, opens Thursday night with an opening reception from 6:00 to 10:00pm. It's part of the 3rd Thursday Gallery Hop & Artwalk in Downtown Orlando.

Friday, July 17th

As a self-described bunch of "kinky do-gooders doing good," let the Live Lewd Girls Return! entertain you with erotic spoken word and storytelling to benefit the Florida Little Dog Rescue. So break out your best "well I've never!" and join this all-female cast that's been plucked from the performance stages, adult film sets, and fetish dungeons of Florida. What better way to start your weekend than getting all hot and bothered for charity? Doors at 9:00pm, $5 donation.

Over in Winter Garden, the Garden Theatre's Friday Cult Classics series is showing Mystery Science Theater 3000 (yeah, I guess there was a movie?) at 7:00pm; tickets are $6.

Come out and celebrate beer St. Arnoldus at the Rogue Pub's Saint Arnoldus Day Celebration, this Friday at 7:00pm (and again Saturday at 2:00pm) with limited-edition beers, swag, and more.

Saturday, July 18th

Retro City Cycles presents Ride for our Homies Urban Race this Saturday at 1:00pm, a point-to-point race of about 10 miles with selfie-opps at each checkpoint. $10 to participate, which go directly to H.O.P.E.

Join your fellow art-loving Orlandoans for a screening of  Full Circle: Before They Were Famous, a documentary about the time photographer William John Kennedy spent with the iconic artists of the Pop Art Movement. The current art exhibit at Snap! features many of those photographs taken by Kennedy, and after the screening there will be a Q&A with Louis Canales, Creative Director of KIWI Arts Group. 7:00-9:00pm, free (but RSVP online).

It's time for another Art & Wine Stroll at Artegon Marketplace, with local art, complimentary treats and wine, and live music.

No Borders is a prized art competition happening this Saturday at 8:00pm ($5) where artists are given one black marker and one color of their choice to "out-create their opponent" on 4'x4' and then 6'x6' canvases. (You'll recognize some of the artists, like Boy Kong, from their murals around town.)

Grab your leggins and don't be shy with the Aqua Net, it's the 10th annual Crazy 80s Pub Crawl this Saturday. Check-in is at Wall Street Plaza at 8:00pm, but the crawl actually starts at Finn Henry's & co. Tickets are $20 and include four drinks.

Sunday, July 19th

It's a dilemma that adults face everyday: the desire to go back to a time of simple, childish, carefree fun vs. the reality that most kids' playtime doesn't include craft beers and cocktails. Well, the Cloak & Blaster has solved that problem by hosting a Coloring Book Pajama Party! With a night full of pajamas, breakfast food, cartoons, beer, and coloring sheets/crayons, you can relive the best years of your childhood while also being old enough to dictate your own bedtime. 6:00pm, free.

The 7th Annual Southern Fried Sunday Benefit for The Mustard Seed is this Sunday at 4:00pm, where $10 gets you in to see 21 (!) musical acts and a BBQ dinner.

What are you up to this weekend? Leave a comment below!