Weekend Roundup · October 23, 2026

South Florida This Weekend: Top News Stories and Events, October 23–25

By the SFL Today team · Published October 23, 2026 · South Florida, FL

Palm trees on a South Florida beach. Get the outdoor time in early — the wettest, windiest stretch of this king-tide weekend arrives Saturday and Sunday. Photo: Leah Newhouse via Pexels.

The weather owns this weekend. The highest tides of the year, days of onshore wind, and rounds of heavy rain are stacking up over Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties from Friday, October 23 through Sunday, October 25 — right on top of a packed calendar: the No. 1 team in college football at home in Miami Gardens, the final weekend of the South Beach Seafood Festival, Blake Shelton in Hollywood, the closing nights of two festivals, and early voting in full swing. Here is what is happening, what it costs, and how to plan around the water.

The headline: king tides plus 3 to 6 inches of rain

The Palm Beach Post reports that the year’s highest king tides will combine with heavy rain beginning Friday, east to northeast winds gusting to 40 mph, and towering surf to raise the risk of freshwater and saltwater flooding along Florida’s east coast. The National Weather Service in Miami puts the highest rain chances on Saturday (70%) and Sunday (80%), with 3 to 6 inches of rain possible Friday through Monday in coastal Palm Beach, Broward, and Miami-Dade — and more than 10 inches in a worst-case stall. AccuWeather senior meteorologist Dan Pydynowski told the Post the worst of it is likely Saturday through Monday.

A coastal flood advisory is already in effect for South Florida’s east coast, with a risk of moderate coastal flooding through at least Saturday in all three counties, according to USA Today, citing the National Weather Service office in Miami. The practical takeaways: expect standing water on low-lying coastal streets around high tide even when it is not raining, give outdoor plans a covered backup, and check conditions before driving through flooded roads. Keep up with our SFL Today news feed for updates through the weekend.

Saturday at noon: No. 1 Miami hosts Pitt

Pitt at No. 1 Miami — Saturday, October 24, noon ET, Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, on ESPN. The Panthers’ official site, PittsburghPanthers.com, confirms Pitt (5-2, 2-2 ACC) travels to face the top-ranked Hurricanes (6-0, 4-0 ACC), notes Miami leads the all-time series 30-12-1, and says a Pitt win would secure bowl eligibility. NBC Sports confirms the noon kickoff, the Hard Rock Stadium setting, and the ESPN broadcast. It is Miami’s first daytime kickoff of the season — and with the rain forecast peaking Saturday, tailgaters should pack for a wet one.

On Sunday, the winless Dolphins (0-5) come off their bye looking for a first victory at the New York Jets (2-4). The Miami Dolphins’ official watch guide lists Sunday, October 25 at 1 p.m. ET at MetLife Stadium on CBS, with the Dolphins Radio Network on BIG 105.9 FM and WINZ 940 AM; Bleacher Nation confirms the date, time, venue, and the teams’ records.

Miami Beach: the Seafood Festival’s final two days

South Beach Seafood Festival — Friday, October 23 and Saturday, October 24, Lummus Park, Miami Beach. The 14th annual festival closes with the VIP Chef Showdown on Friday from 7 to 11 p.m. ($175, all-inclusive) and the Seafood Slam on Saturday from 1 to 5 p.m. The festival’s official Seafood Slam page lists Saturday admission at $160 online ($175 at the gate), with tastings from 40 to 50 restaurants and kids under 10 free; stone crabs at the Premium Stone Crab Pavilion cost extra. Miami and Beaches confirms Saturday’s 1 p.m. finale, the 40-plus restaurants, and the Best of the Fest vote. Both beach days are on the sand and run rain or shine under tents — relevant this weekend.

Country weekend: Turnpike Troubadours Friday, Blake Shelton Saturday

Turnpike Troubadours with Muscadine Bloodline — Friday, October 23, 7 p.m., FTL War Memorial Auditorium, 800 NE 8th Street, Fort Lauderdale. Consequence Live lists the 7 p.m. show and the venue address, and TickPick shows resale tickets from $55 for Friday night.

Blake Shelton — Saturday, October 24, 8 p.m., Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Hollywood. The venue lists tickets beginning at $105, according to Across the Country, and stupidDOPE’s Miami concert roundup confirms the Saturday 8 p.m. slot in Hollywood. More Broward events are on our Fort Lauderdale page.

Halloween season: Horrorland and OUTshine’s closing weekend

The Horrorland at Jungle Island — Thursday through Sunday, 7 to 10 p.m., 1111 Parrot Jungle Trail, Miami. The seventh-season scream park runs six haunted houses, three scare zones, and the Circus of Terror stunt show, according to The Miami Guide. BooMap lists general admission from $39.99 and fast passes from $69.99, with a minimum age of 13 and 16-plus recommended.

OUTshine LGBTQ+ Film Festival, Fall Edition — closes Sunday, October 25. The festival’s final weekend includes Noche CineMundo on Friday, October 23 at 7 p.m. and the closing-night Florida premiere of Before I Do on Sunday, October 25 at 6 p.m. at the Little Haiti Cultural Complex, 212 NE 59th Terrace, Miami, followed by an afterparty. Soul of Miami lists closing-night tickets at $40 and individual films festival-wide starting at $17, while BroadwayWorld confirms the October 15–25 run with more than 20 premieres from 20 countries across Broward and Miami-Dade.

Free picks and a last call for Miami Spice

The free calendar is stacked, according to Premier Guide Miami’s Weekend Notebook: Viernes Culturales on Calle Ocho in Little Havana on Friday evening; Lincoln Road Pumpkin Decorating and the Kiddo-Ween Festival at the Coral Gables Museum on Saturday; free admission for Fort Lauderdale residents at NSU Art Museum Fort Lauderdale on Saturday; and on Sunday, the Festival de Bomba y Plena at the Miami Beach Bandshell and Puptoberfest at Tropical Park. All are listed as free — but with this forecast, confirm outdoor events are still on before you drive.

And the clock is ticking on dinner: Miami Spice ends October 31 after a first-ever third-month extension for its 25th anniversary, with more than 400 restaurants offering three-course menus at $40 for brunch and lunch and $50 or $65 for dinner, according to The Miami Guide. This is the last full weekend to use it. See our events page and Miami coverage for more picks.

The news to know: early voting is underway

Early voting for the November 3 general election opened Monday, October 19 in Miami-Dade and Broward and runs through the weekend, according to USA Today’s county guides for Miami-Dade County and Broward County. Statewide, about 1.6 million Floridians had already voted as of this week, the Palm Beach Post reports, citing the University of Florida Election Lab. A rainy weekend is a good excuse to vote early and skip any Election Day lines.

What’s next

Wednesday, October 28 opens the 67th Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, running through November 1 across six waterfront locations, with a floating pickleball court at Las Olas Marina among the new additions, according to Haute Living and Boat International. Monday brings our next Week Ahead preview in SFL Today Originals. Until then: check the tide, check the radar, and then go enjoy the weekend anyway.