On Sunday, December 13, Arts Ballet Theatre of Florida will dance The Nutcracker twice at the Aventura Arts & Cultural Center. The 5 p.m. show is part of the regular run. The 11 a.m. show is an abridged 60-minute version, with the sound turned down, no flashing or strobe lights, and a therapist waiting in a quiet room next to the theater.
The center sits at 3385 NE 188th Street and is managed by the Broward Center for the Performing Arts. Its calendar runs on two things: series the City of Aventura presents under its own name, and a holiday ballet run scheduled for several different audiences. Between now and mid-December, much of Aventura's cultural season happens inside this one hall.
Three Series Carry the City's Name
The billing on the Aventura Center events calendar shows how closely the City is tied to what happens here. Three separate programs carry municipal credit this season:
- The Aventura Comedy Series, "Presented by the City of Aventura"
- The 2026/2027 Broadway Concert Series, also "Presented by the City of Aventura"
- The Glocal Piano Festival, from the Miami International Piano Festival and "Sponsored in Part by the City of Aventura"
So the hall gives the City a stage of its own. A comedy night or a Broadway concert here is part of Aventura's civic calendar.
Mid-November, Night by Night
Most of the November lineup falls in the stretch before Thanksgiving, and three of the shows are City-backed:
- Thursday, Nov. 12: New World Dance Ensemble @ Aventura, presented by New World School of the Arts.
- Friday, Nov. 13: Absolute Journey, the Journey Tribute, presented by Absolute Bands.
- Sunday, Nov. 15: Glocal Piano Festival: Road to the 66th Busoni Piano Competition, the Miami International Piano Festival program the City helps sponsor.
- Friday, Nov. 20: Julia Scotti, part of the Aventura Comedy Series.
- Saturday, Nov. 21: Top of the World – A Carpenters Tribute Featuring Debbie Taylor.
- Sunday, Nov. 22: An Evening with Victoria Clark, part of the 2026/2027 Broadway Concert Series.
From Nov. 12 to Nov. 15, the center has a dance ensemble, a tribute band, then a piano festival on Sunday. The following weekend has comedy, a Carpenters tribute and a Broadway concert, so if you plan just one night out before Thanksgiving, that's the weekend with the widest choice.
Times and ticket links are on each event's page. Tickets for the regular shows are sold through Ticketmaster from the center's own listings. Schedules can change, so check the event page before you go.
At The Abbey, Saturday Nov. 14 Belongs to Cars
The Saturday between the Journey tribute and the piano festival brings something different to the neighborhood. DRIVEN Concours comes back to The Abbey at Aventura on Nov. 14. Aventura Mall's event page calls it "a one-day celebration of automotive passion, culture, and community," following earlier DRIVEN Cars & Coffee gatherings.
According to that listing, the event offers a curated showcase of automobiles, food and beverage, cocktails, live entertainment and VIP hospitality, aimed at collectors, dealers, enthusiasts and families. More details are on the DRIVEN Aventura site. Put that next to the Friday and Sunday shows at the Aventura Center, and there is something on each of that weekend's three days.
December Opens With Two Holiday Shows Before the Ballet
The first weekend of December has one show for Hanukkah and one for Christmas:
- Saturday, Dec. 5: the Dovi Neuburger & Ami Kozak Hanukkah Comedy Show, part of the City-presented Aventura Comedy Series.
- Sunday, Dec. 6: The Dean Martin Story - Christmas Special, presented by Drew Anthony Productions.
The City's comedy series takes the Hanukkah slot, so the municipal billing reaches the holiday programming too. Then the stage goes to the ballet.
One Nutcracker, Three Kinds of Ticket
Arts Ballet Theatre of Florida, under Artistic Director Vladimir Issaev, has five performances on the Aventura Center calendar.
Date | Time | Performance |
|---|---|---|
Thursday, Dec. 10 | See event page | |
Friday, Dec. 11 | 7:00 p.m. | |
Saturday, Dec. 12 | 7:00 p.m. | The Nutcracker |
Sunday, Dec. 13 | 11:00 a.m. | |
Sunday, Dec. 13 | 5:00 p.m. | The Nutcracker |
So one production comes in three formats: a gala opening night, a regular run of evening shows and a late-afternoon Sunday show, and a shortened morning show built around the needs of its audience. The table tells families which one to book. If an evening ballet is a lot to ask of a young child, the 11 a.m. hour may be the better fit.
What Changes at 11 a.m. on Dec. 13
The center's listing for the sensory-inclusive Nutcracker spells out who it is for. The performance is "intended to create a welcoming and supportive environment for children and adults on the autism spectrum as well as individuals with other developmental disabilities or sensitivity issues."
The listing describes these changes and extras:
- Length: an abridged, 60-minute version of the ballet.
- Sound and light: reduced sound levels, no flashing or strobe lights, and minimal special effects.
- Quiet space: a Sensory Quiet Room next to the theater, staffed by a specially trained therapist who supports audience members.
- Before the show: free arts and crafts from Young at Art Museum, starting one hour before curtain.
- After the show: a character meet and greet.
With crafts starting at 10 a.m. and a 60-minute show at 11, families who arrive early could be done with the ballet around noon, plus whatever time they spend at the meet and greet afterward.
Buying tickets works differently from the regular shows. According to the event page, you call 954-468-2682 or email [email protected] to get a code that unlocks tickets for this performance. Lap tickets for children 12 months and under are sold only at the Aventura Arts & Cultural Center Box Office, and everyone in the theater needs a ticket.
This morning show comes out of a wider program. The page credits the Broward Center's sensory-inclusive programming, supported by The Batchelor Foundation, BBX Capital Foundation, The Gore Family Memorial Foundation Trust, Nicklaus Children's Health System and The Taft Foundation, with in-kind support from UM-NSU CARD. Because the Broward Center manages the Aventura hall, Aventura gets this kind of performance on its own stage.
Planning the Season Around NE 188th Street
Every Aventura Center date above shares one address, 3385 NE 188th Street. Over about five weeks, the City-presented series fill several nights in late November and early December. DRIVEN Concours fills a Saturday at The Abbey, and the Nutcracker closes things out with five performances in four days.
For parents, Dec. 13 is the date to plan around, and the unlock code is the step to take now. For everyone else, the weekend of Nov. 20 to 22 has the most choice in one stretch: City-presented comedy on Friday, a Carpenters tribute on Saturday and a Broadway concert on Sunday.
Aventura, from the Aventura Center to The Abbey, is where Rafael Szydlowski helps clients buy and sell. If you're curious what your condo or home near the center is worth this season, request a free home valuation and Rafael will put together a clear, current picture of where your property stands.
