Events &
Entertainment
January
West Florida Spring
Home & Garden Show
Held in late
January
Sarasota Bradenton
Int'l Convention Center
941-355-9161
Call for additional
information
March
Annual Sarasota
Jazz Festival
Held in late March
Location: Varies in
Sarasota
941-316-9207
Featuring a variety
of performances
Italian American
Music Festival
Held in mid March
Location: Van Wezel
Performing Arts Hall
941-953-3368
Call for additional
information
April
Florida Winefest &
Auction
Held in late April
Location:
Ritz-Carlton Sarasota
941-952-1109
Call for additional
information
Exceptional four
day celebration that combines wine and food aficionados, premier chefs, vintners
and world-class winemakers.
May
Classic Corvette
Show
Held in early May
Location: St.
Armands Circle
941-388-1554
Call for additional
information
Stroll through the fantastic cars on display while enjoying the shops and
restaurants of St. Armands.
June
Annual Suncoast
Offshore Grand Prix Boat Race
Held in late June –
early July
Location: Victory
Circle in Van Wezel Parking Lot
941-371-2827
Call for additional
information
Boat races and
festival
Craft Festival and
Sidewalk Sale
Held in mid June
Location: Downtown
Sarasota
941-388-1554
Call for additional
information
Popular festival
and summer sidewalk sale with live entertainment.
Sarasota Music
Festival
Held in early – mid
June
Location: Holley
Hall and Van Wezel
941-953-4252
Call for additional
information
Annual music
festival
July
Annual Suncoast
Offshore Grand Prix Boat Race
Held in late June –
early July
Location: Victory
Circle in Van Wezel Parking Lot
941-371-2827
Call for additional
information
Boat races and
festival
Fireworks
Celebration
Held on July 4
Location: Downtown
Sarasota
941-954-4102
Call for additional
information
August
Ringling Bridge Run
Held in late August
Location: Van Wezel
Performing Arts Center
941-952-9533
Call for additional
information
Back to School Bash
Held in late August
Location: Jungle
Gardens
941-355 5305
Call for additional
information
Annual Back-to-School Bash - be a champion - medals & ribbons to all
participants - cash giveaways - free hotdogs & popsicles to all kids.
Christmas in August
Held in early
August
Location: Sarasota
Bradenton International Convention Center
386-860-0092
Call for additional
information
Art & Craft Fair with nationwide exhibitors in air conditioned comfort.
October
Annual Morton’s
Firehouse Chili Cook-Off
Held in mid October
Location: Osprey
Ave between Hyde Park St and Hillview Ave.
941-954-0609
Call for additional
information
Over a dozen of
Sarasota Fire Houses compete. Food, educational booths.
Downtown Sarasota
Fall Festival
Held in mid October
Location: Downtown
Sarasota
941-366-5969
Call for additional information
Octoberfest
Suncoast
Held in early
October
Location: Sarasota
Fairgrounds
941-708-3456
Call for additional
information
Experience the
flavor & fun of Germany on Florida's West Coast. Continuous live entertainment,
authentic German food, imported beer, children's activities, antique Volkswagen
auto show, cooking demonstrations.
Oktoberfest –
Ringling Museum
Held in late
October
Location: Museum
Estate
941-358-3180
Call for additional
information
Celebrate the
culture and heritage of the Ringling family’s native country – Germany. This
festival is fun for the entire family with a variety of activities for all ages,
German food, and German inspired entertainment.
Sarasota Folk Music
Festival
Held in early
October
Location: Crowley
Museum & Nature Center
941-322-1000
Call for additional
information
Sarasota Folk Club with 20+ of the area's most celebrated folk and acoustic
musicians on 2 stages.
St. Armands Art
Festival & Annual Fall Sidewalk Festival
Held in mid October
Location: St.
Armands Circle
941-388-1554
Call for additional information
Over 170 artists'
booths with original works of art.
Annual Stone Crab
Seafood & Wine Festival
Held in late
October
Location: The
Colony Beach & Tennis Resort, Longboat Key
941-383-6464
Call for additional
information
Celebrate the start
of the stone crab season at this acclaimed culinary event! Don't miss out on the
fun and epicurean excitement at the Tasting on the Beach or the Chef's
Collaboration Gala.
November
Annual Sound Advice
Sarasota Blues Festival
Held in early
November
Location: Sarasota
Fairgrounds
941-377-3279
Call for additional
information
Art Fest – Venice
Held in early
November
Location: The
Island Avenues in downtown Venice
964-472-3755
Art and craft show
Sarasota Reading
Festival
Held in early
November
Location: Five
Points Park, Downtown Sarasota
941-957-5109
Call for additional
information
A free event for
the whole family featuring great authors, storytellers, booksellers, book
signings, free books for kids, food and more!
Super Surreal
Family Festival
Held in mid
November
Location: Museum
Estate
941-358-3180
Call for additional
information
The whole family gets into the act when images of fanciful critters, dreamy
landscapes, and morphing portraits spark everyone’s imagination.
Entertainment:
Asola Theatre
Company
5555 N Tamiami
Trail
Sarasota, FL 34243
941-351-8000
Call for
performance schedule and additional information
The Players Theatre
838 N. Tamiami
Trail
Sarasota, FL 34236
941-365-2494
Call for
performance schedule and additional information
Banyon Theatre
636 Indian Beach
Lane
Sarasota, FL 34234
941-358-5330
Call for
performance schedule and additional information
The Banyan Theater
Company's mission is to produce theater in the summer. This venue showcases
outstanding actors performing in plays of high literary merit. Works by
playwrights such as G.B. Shaw, Chekhov, Ibsen, Pinter and Stoppard are featured
to provide the community with a unique theater experience.
Florida Studio
Theatre
1241 North Palm
Avenue
Sarasota, FL 34236
941- 366-9000
Call for additional
information
FST produces world
premieres and contemporary works which have been produced on or off-Broadway
within the last five years. By focusing on the works of contemporary writers,
FST has been able to offer plays to its audiences that are not normally produced
by other area theatres. FST is comprised of five main programs: Keating
Mainstage, Cabaret, Touring (In the schools), Education and New play
development.
Van Wezel
Performing Arts Hall
777 North Tamiami
Trail
Sarasota, Florida
34236
941-953-3368
Call for
performance schedule and additional information
Set along
Sarasota's beautiful bayfront, the landmark Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall has
been entertaining audiences with a variety of music, dance, theater and comedy
for generations.
Soulspeak –
Sarasota Poetry Theatre
535 Columbia Court
Sarasota, FL 34236
941-966-3416
Call for reading
schedule and additional information
Soulspeak/Sarasota
Poetry Theatre was founded in 1992 for the purpose of promoting expression
through all forms of poetry and making contemporary poetry more accessible to
the public. It features both local and nationally known poets, singers and
musicians, and presents poetry in the form of highly original collaborations.
Sarasota Opera
61 North Pineapple
Avenue
Sarasota, FL 34236
941-366-8450
Call for
performance schedule and additional information
Sarasota Ballet of
Florida
5555 N Tamiami
Trail
Sarasota, FL 34243
941-552-1032
Call for
performance schedule and additional information
The Ballet has the
unique distinction of being voted Sarasota’s Best Performing Arts Group for
consecutive years and has gained in stature and regional prominence over the
course of its long history.
