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.