Festivals in Miami are usually of enormous proportions -- and prices. South Beach Wine and Food Festival comes to mind; Winter Music Conference, though lacking the actual word ''festival,'' is quite voluminous as well. But much as we love those big gatherings, we also love the idea of Tobacco Road's Little Art & Music Festival, taking place from 8 p.m.-4 a.m Friday. It's not so little either, featuring 15 bands, three stages, artists and various vendors hawking various wares. Also: live painting and, according to the invite, ''the little green acoustic tent for singer songwriters and poets.'' The event, an official DJ Oski and Queen of the Scene production, also features a little cover charge: only $10 or free before 9 p.m.

No small shakes either is Aquabooty's booming Summer Sessions at the Raleigh Hotel, this time from 2-9 p.m. Saturday, featuring a slew of DJs spinning including Mr. V. We went to the last Summer Session a few weeks ago and had a blast despite the fact that the sun was a no-show. For those who want to continue into the night despite a wet bathing suit, a DJ set by Mr. V will take place from 11 p.m.-4 a.m. in the private penthouse. While there's no cover for the pool party -- just RSVP online -- limited tix are available for the late set at www.aquabooty.com

And while everyone may fancy themselves a DJ at some point, not everyone can say the same about being a sushi chef. To help combat that affliction, SushiSamba on Lincoln Road is relaunching its Sushi and Sake 101 classes from 7-9 p.m. Wednesday. For $75 (not including tax or gratuity) eager students under the tutelage of executive sushi chef Shoyo Iida will learn to create a sushi roll while indulging in five flights of sake (yowza!) and a selection of the restaurant's signature dishes. Call 305-673-5337.

Speaking of spirits, we really fancy Heathrow Lounge's new cocktail menu, featuring drink specials such as The Full Monty, which buys you a shot and a beer chaser for $12 -- a bargain on South Beach, no? A different sort of bargain is also available at Raphael Restaurant, 530 Lincoln Rd., where, for the next two months, if you order the restaurant's signature $18 mezze platte, you can purchase one of five bottles of the new Christian Audigier (Ed Hardy) wines, dubiously named The Cool Wine, for a $7 discount at $18 a bottle. All bottles are, of course, gussied up in Audigier's tattoo graffiti and said to be collector's items.

Winos and foodies alike may love the Oceanaire Seafood Room's Miami Spice offering: a New England Clam Bake Dinner including soup or salad, lobster, mussels, clams, corn on the cob, potatoes and dessert for $36 per person. A glass of house wine is just $5 extra.

New on South Beach is Pizza Bar, the collaboration of the Sanctuary and Mondrian's Keith Menin and Ola's BrianLieberman at 1627 Collins Ave., featuring a NYC vibe and, according to Menin, ''the place looks like Prime 112 but has Rolling Stones blasting and Goodfellas on the TV.'' Pizza Bar is open until 4 a.m. and serves beer and wine only.

Over at Circa 28 on Saturday, Six Degrees Magazine celebrates its August issue with a live performance by Miami's own Scott Becker, who will debut his album Geronimo to the tune of free hors d'oeuvres from Kitchen 305 and free cocktails from Cuca Fresca Cachaca and Peroni from 9-10 p.m.

The creators of the Versace Mansion pool parties present a new pool party called Therapy at the Raleigh every Sunday beginning at noon. Although it is a pool party, the suggested dress code is ''chic pool/beach fashionable attire required,'' which, we guess, means that pilly bathing suits aren't exactly welcome. For more information or table rezzies, call 305-803-7338.

And in the Design District on Saturday night, a free party at the Moore Building, 4040 NE Second Ave., starting at 9 p.m. and featuring live music by Afro Beta. The ReFLEXions party is a continuation of an invitation-only party at the Collins Building, 139 NW 39th St., where from 7-9 p.m. five local artists will exhibit one-of-a-kind works of art using the Ford Flex car as their muse, including one by Romero Britto called Rothschild Butterfly. Proceeds from the auction will go to The Britto Foundation, which serves people and organizations who work toward education and humanitarian based-initiatives around the world. Now that's grand.

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