Embrace community spirit as you immerse yourself in the rich tapestry of events happening throughout the Suncoast this winter and spring. From lively music festivals and art fairs to delicious culinary experiences and engaging community gatherings, there's something for everyone to enjoy. 
January 2024 events:
January 18 - 21: St. Petersburg Power & Sailboat Show. Experience the Gulf Coast's Largest Boat Show, where you can discover an impressive array of powerboats and sailboats both on the water and on land. Thursday-Saturday 10am-6pm; Sun 10am-5pm. Duke Energy Center for the Arts Mahaffey Theater Yacht Basin, Albert Whitted Park in St. Petersburg, Florida. General admission tickets are priced at $22, with complimentary entry for kids aged 15 and under. Tickets $22, 15 and under free, active duty military and Veterans free with proof of military service. Tickets can only be purchased online. January 19 – 21: Sarasota Bradenton Home Show. Designed for homeowners thinking about or already remodeling, landscaping, or decorating their homes, this show offers discounted products, kitchens, baths, contractors, ideas, and so much more! Fri - Sat: 10am-7pm, Sun: 10am-5pm. Robarts Arena, Sarasota Fairgrounds, 3000 Ringling Blvd., Sarasota. Admission is free with online registration or $10 at the door. Parking is free. January 19 – 21: St. Armands International Food Truck & Music Festival. Indulge in a diverse range of culinary delights, from local favorites to international delicacies. While savoring scrumptious dishes, enjoy live music featuring a diverse range of musical styles. Fri 4-10pm, Sat 11am-10pm, Sun 11am-6pm. Ken Thompson Park, 1700 Ken Thompson Parkway, Sarasota, FL. Free admission. 
January 20 | 8am: 24th Annual Scrub Jay 5K & 10K run. Get some exercise while supporting Florida Scrub-Jay conservation and habitat restoration. Put on by the Friends of Oscar Scherer Park. Various running packages available, including the 5K and Scramble 10K, which utilize different starts and courses. Post-race party by the Nature Center and pavilions. Fee $45-54. Oscar Scherer State Park, 1843 S. Tamiami Trail. Race fee $45-$54. January 20 - 21: Venice-Nokomis Rotary's 32nd Annual Fine Art & Craft Festival. Showcasing skilled artists and craftspeople, the event draws in thousands of attendees admiring the work of over 85 talented artists. Live music, great food and drinks, kid’s area, family-friendly activities, antique/classic automobiles, and more. Proceeds support local non-profit organizations. Sat 9am-6pm, Sun 10am-4pm. Venice Airport Festival Grounds. 610 Airport Ave E, Venice, Price $5 at the gate. Kids 10 and under free. January 22: Monday Night Jazz at the Florida Studio Theatre Court Cabaret. Experience an electrifying night of jazz in an intimate setting downtown. Concert starts at 7:30pm; doors open at 6:30pm for food and beverage service. Florida Studio Theatre, First St and Cocoanut Av, Sarasota. Tickets starting from $34. January 22 | 7pm: Venice Concert Band’s “No Strings Attached” This program showcases the repertoire of both the symphony orchestra and contemporary concert band presenting pieces ranging from Samuel Barber to Duke Ellington and Rimsky-Korsakov to Lerner and Lowe. Venice Performing Arts Center (VPAC), 1 Indian Avenue, Venice. Tickets $14. January 26-27 | 9am-4pm: Experience an exciting and fun shopping extravaganza at the American Vintage Markets, which offers a large variety of vintage delights ranging from home décor, collectibles, jewelry, clothing, and a whole lot more. Robarts Arena, Sarasota Fairgrounds, 3000 Ringling Blvd, Sarasota. Tickets $8. Kids 16 and under are free. Free parking. January 27 | 11am-6pm: 13th Annual Chili, Beer, & Blues Fest in Punta Gorda. Enjoy a day of delicious chili, live blues music and craft beers. There will be food vendors, chili teams and a full liquor bar, too. Laishley Park, 150 Laishley Ct., Punta Gorda. Tickets $7.50 in advance, $10 at the gate. 
January 27 | 9am-9pm: Annual Gasparilla Festival. Land Ho! Enjoy a day of pirate fun with various events starting at 10am and lasting ‘til 10pm, including the pirate invasion re-enactment at the Tampa Convention Center from 11:30am-1pm, the Parade of Pirates 2-6pm and live music 10am-8pm along the Tampa River Walk. Free. January 27-28: Sarasota Florida Antiques Show. Explore a diverse selection of items, from vintage furniture to rare coins, antique jewelry, and more from national and international exhibitors. Sat 10am-5pm, Sun 10am-4pm. Sarasota Municipal Auditorium, 801 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota. Admission $8. January 27-28 | 10am-5pm: 21st Annual St. Armand's Circle’s Art Festival. National and local artists display their fine works in this prestigious art show that offers life-sized sculptures, fine jewelry, striking works of art, hand-crafted apparel, décor and more. Inside St. Armands Circle. Free admission. January 27 - 28 | 10am-5pm: 16th Annual Downtown Venice Craft Festival. Peruse and purchase from a wide variety of artists specializing in ceramics, jewelry, stained glass, metal works and more. There will also be live flora, freshly popped kettle corn, gourmet spices, and sauces. West Venice Avenue in downtown Venice. Free admission. 
February 2024 events:
February 2 | 6-9pm: Enjoy live music every first Friday with Music on Main in downtown Lakewood Ranch. Chairs are allowed, but no coolers, please. Beer, wine, and food are available for purchase. Dogs on a leash are welcome. Overflow parking available at the Lakewood Ranch Medical Center. Main Street, Lakewood Ranch. Free. February 2-4: Spend a fun day at the 5th Annual Englewood Seafood & Music Festival. Enjoy delicious seafood and other delicacies while listening to live music, and perusing a large variety arts, crafts, jewelry, fine products, and more! Fri 4-10pm, Sat 11am-10pm, Sun 11am-6pm. Pioneer Park off West Dearborn Street, Englewood. Free. February 2-4: For the coolest music festival around, attend the 4th Annual Bradenton Cigar Box Festival in the Village of the Arts. Workshops, vendors and a range of cigar box guitars and other hand-made instruments will be on display. Enjoy delicious eats, free parking, and the best local shopping around. Fri 6- 9:30pm, Sat 11am-4pm. Village of the Arts Square, 9th Ave W – 17th Ave W, Bradenton. Free admission. February 3-4 & 10: Go back in time during the Crowley Museum & Nature Center “Myakka River Rendezvous.” Enjoy living history demonstrations, food vendors, blacksmithing, black powder demonstrations, archery, and old time games. Crowley Museum & Nature Center, 16405 Myakka Road, Sarasota. Admission $10; $5 for children 3-12. February 3-4: 57th Annual Venice Area Orchid Society Show & Sale. Orchid lovers rejoice as you take in the beauty of thousands of blooming orchids on display. Free orchid classes and orchid art and supplies are available for purchase. Sat 10am-5pm, Sun 10am-4pm. Venice Community Center, 326 S. Nokomis Ave., Venice. Admission $5, children under 10 free. 
February 4 | 10am-3pm: Temple Sinai's 16th Annual Sarasota Jewish Food Festival. Delight your tastebuds with a wide range of traditional Jewish food like kugel, blintzes, matzoh ball soup, desserts, and more. Jewelry, arts and crafts vendors on site. Bring non-perishable food donations for All Faiths Food Bank. Receive free food tickets when you donate blood; Suncoast Bloodbank mobile on-site all day. Free admission. Temple Sinai, 4631 S Lockwood Ridge Rd, Sarasota. Free admission. Feb 5-May 20 | 6-9pm: Ringling by the Bay. 2 Mondays each month from now through May you can enjoy live music and dancing against a gorgeous backdrop of Sarasota Bay. Food and drinks available for purchase. Tickets available 1 month prior to the event $20/$10 for members. Limited number of tickets available and they sell out fast. February 8 | 5-8pm: Chocolate Walk in Downtown Venice. Chocolate bliss awaits you on the avenues in historic downtown Venice for mouth-watering chocolate treats, drinks, chocolate-themed items, ice cream, and more! Downtown Venice. February 1 & March 7 | 8-11pm: Ringling Underground. Enjoy live music, art and loads of atmosphere in the Ringling Museum of Art Courtyard. Featuring an eclectic mix of local, regional, and national live music and up-and-coming artists displaying their work. John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, 5401 Bay Shore Rd, Sarasota. Tickets $15; free for Students with ID; free for members; free with Art after 5 admission. February 10 | 8:30am: 13th Annual Superhero 5K & Fun Run. Dress up as your favorite superhero to show support for children in our community who come from hard places. Walk, run, sponsor, or volunteer! Kids’ Fun Run starts at 8:30am. The 5K will be on a chip start between 9 - 9:05am. You will receive an official chip time and place. The start/finish line will be on the island near the rowing finish tower. Nathan Benderson Park, 5851 Nathan Benderson Cir, Sarasota. $20-$45. 
February 10 | 8am-6pm: It’s the Suncoast Scots Highland Games and Celtic Festival. Enjoy the excitement of the highland games, demonstrating feats of incredible strength, athleticism, and dexterity. Plus, there will be plenty of kilts, food, drinks, and dancing as only the Scottish can do it! It’s fun for the whole family. Manatee County Fairgrounds, 1402 14th Avenue West Palmetto. Tickets $15-$20. February 10 | 12-3pm: The Barkelor Adoption Event. Inspired by “The Bachelor” reality show, pups will be vying for attention to find their perfect match and fur-ever home. Presented by Manatee County Animal Welfare and Manatee Library, adoption fees will be waived for this event. All adoptable pets are spayed/neutered, microchipped, and vaccinated. Manatee County residents adopting a pet will be required to purchase an annual county pet license for $20, which can be obtained by going to mymanatee.org/petlicense. Rocky Bluff Library, 6750 US Highway 301 North, Ellenton. Free and open to everyone. February 10 | 2-6pm: Mardi Gras Celebration. Celbrate Mardi Gras for a cause, presented by the Family Promise of South Sarasota County. Enjoy a delicious New Orleans-style buffet dinner, live music, dancing, children’s activities and raffle drawings for a vacation or cooler full of booze. Shuck N’Ale, 648 Tamiami Trail South, Venice. Prices Vary. February 10 | 6pm: 50th Anniversary Orchid Ball: Infinity! An elegant evening of dinner, champagne toasts and dancing to celebrate the 2024 Jean & Alfred Goldstein Exhibition Yayoi Kusama: A Letter to Georgia O’Keeffe will take place on the grounds of Selby Gardens. Make sure you stay for the silent disco. 1534 Mound St, Sarasota. Tickets from $750. February 10-11 | 10am-5pm: 36th Annual Downtown Sarasota Festival of the Arts. View works from some of the best artists in the nation. Pottery, painting, life-size sculptures, photography, jewelry and more. Downtown Sarasota. Free admission. 
February 14: Say “I Do” again with a renewal of wedding vows at sunset. Participants will receive a commemorative certificate, gift, flower, and there will be music and light refreshments. Check-in begins at 4:30pm, activities begin at 5pm. Visit scgov.net/parks or call 311 or 941-861-7275. Nokomis Beach and Siesta Key Beach. Prices $15-$25. February 14-17: Palm Grove Amish Quilt & Craft Show. Check out beautiful hand-made quilts and crafts for sale. Wed - Fri: 8am-5pm. Sat: 8am-12pm. $3 admission donation for charity. Palm Grove Mennonite Church, 1087 Beneva Rd, Sarasota. February 15 | 5-6pm: World-famous Budweiser Clydesdales are coming to Lakewood Ranch Main Street. 5 p.m. - 6 p.m. Main Street, Lakewood Ranch. Free. February 16-19: 40th Annual Saint Barbara Greek Festival. Eat, drink and dance like a Greek. Purchase a $100 donation ticket for a chance to win a car or $35,000 in cash. Secure tickets online before they sell out. Fun for the whole family. Thursday - Saturday: 11am-9pm, Sunday: 12-8pm. St. Barbara Greek Orthodox Church at 7671 N. Lockwood Ridge Road, Sarasota. Free parking and shuttle service. Tickets $4, kids under 12 free. February 17 | 8am-10pm: Bradenton Area River Regatta on the Manatee River. Enjoy exciting Formula 2 powerboat racing from either the Bradenton or Palmetto river fronts or bridges. This all-day fest includes food, stunt dogs, children’s zone, and live music on two stages in both Bradenton and Palmetto starting at noon. New for this year is “Friday Night Flash” a world-famous Drone Light Show on Friday starting at 7:15pm. Downtown Bradenton's Riverwalk and in Palmetto. Free admission. February 17 | 8:30-11:30am: LECOM’s 5K Run the Riverwalk. Taking place on downtown Bradenton’s Riverwalk, run or walk this 5K across the Green Bridge and back via the Riverwalk. Proceeds benefit the LECOM Student Scholarship Fund. Post-race breakfast provided to participating runners and walkers. After the race, stick around for the Bradenton Area River Regatta festivities. Downtown Riverwalk, Bradenton. Price $30-$40. February 17 | 1-5pm: Tampa Bay Rays Fan Fest offers an exciting lineup of activities including a charity Yard Sale benefiting the Rays Baseball Foundation. Interact with your favorite players! And enjoy games, inflatables, mascots and a stage show. Tropicana Field, 1 Tropicana Drive, St. Petersburg. This is a free event, but all attendees must claim a ticket via the Ballpark App. February 17-18 | 9am-4pm: 21st Annual Fine Arts Show at the Venice Art Center. Peruse a variety of paintings, pottery, prints, jewelry, glass and more with a charming outdoor café with refreshments. Venice Art Center, 390 Nokomis Avenue South, Venice. $4 for members, $5 for non-members. 
Feb 19-May 20 | 6-9pm: Ringling by the Bay. 2 Mondays each month from now through May you can enjoy live music and dancing against a gorgeous backdrop of Sarasota Bay. Food and drinks available for purchase. Tickets available 1 month prior to the event $20/$10 for members. Limited number of tickets available and they sell out fast. February 22-25: 35th Annual Venice Italian Feast and Carnival at the Venice Airport. Enjoy a huge variety of Italian food along with rides, games, live music, entertainment and more. This popular 4-day fest is fun for the whole family. Starts at 4pm on Thursday and Friday and noon on Saturday and Sunday. $5 per person; parking $10. Rides and food at cost. February 24-25: Sarasota Florida Antiques Show. Explores booths filled with antique art, jewelry, specialty objects, furniture, Tiffany, Pairpoint and so much more. Sat: 10am-5pm, Sun: 10am-4pm. Sarasota Municipal Auditorium, 801 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota. Admission $8. February 24-25 | 10am-5pm: Longboat Key Festival of the Arts. Local and national artists display original paintings, ceramics, prints, jewelry and more. Longboat Key Town Center Green, 600 Bay Isles Rd in Longboat Key. Free admission. February 29-March 2 | 9am-4pm: 32nd Annual Pinecraft Days Arts & Crafts Festival. Amish and Mennonite artists display handmade items of art, woodwork, jewelry, candles, soaps, crafts and more. Der Dutchman and Alma Sue's shopping center, 3737 Bahia Vista St., Sarasota. Free Admission.
