A hometown fall tradition on a working grove. Admission covers the petting zoo, live music, Torres Family Circus shows at noon and 3, and, new this year, Saturday mermaid encounters. Rides and activities run $1 to $10 each, from pony rides and hayrides to pumpkin painting and a haunted house with live actors.
Food trucks, live music, and the nation's largest recreational cornhole league take over the lakefront, plus rotating activities like goat yoga and line dancing.
The Bay opens its 4th anniversary celebrations with a champagne toast at sunset, then hands the night to Bri Rivera & Friends for a Latin dance party on the bayfront. Every beer and wine sale during the event goes back to the park.
Independent artists and makers selling home decor, fashion, art, and food under the lights, with a rotating vendor lineup each month. Live dueling pianos take requests all night.
A regular panelist and writer on FOX's Gutfeld!, with a Dry Bar Comedy special that's pulled over 12 million views. He built the act on New York club stages, and the timing shows.
A bewitching night at the historic, possibly haunted Edson Keith Mansion, with a live DJ, photo booth, vendor market, cash bar and tarot readings. Costume contest categories include Best Dressed Coven. Advance tickets only, and it sells out fast.
A black-tie evening of cocktails, dinner and dancing to a 10-piece band from Noah Grey Music. Proceeds fund scholarships in music, sports and the arts for children affected by domestic violence and at-risk youth, through The Sisterhood Project USA. Presented by Reveal Vitality, it's 18 and up.
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A flamingo-themed beach run on the sand, with proceeds going to people fighting breast cancer in Sarasota County. Pick the timed 5K or the 1-mile frolic, and every finisher gets a flamingo medal. A post-race fiesta follows with food, music and age-group awards.
One of the biggest monthly car meets in Florida, drawing exotics, classics, and everything in between. Free coffee, live music, and a different local charity each month.
Walk two loops of the park in support of mental health programs run by NAMI Sarasota and Manatee Counties. Check-in opens at 8am, the opening ceremony starts at 8:30 and walkers step off at 9.
The Sun Coast Jaguar Club marks 40 years of its concours with antiques, current classics and modified prototypes parked around the circle's park. Cars are judged by class, with club winners announced after 3pm.
Hundreds of toddlers from around the world race balance bikes for the world title, on the same track Olympians will use to qualify for LA28. The championship turns 15 and it's back where it all began. Cheer from the sidelines with pompoms and cowbells, or register a 2-to-5-year-old by Oct 8.
The Benderson Chase regatta sends racing shells sprinting across the lake while the shore side pours fall beers alongside German food, live music, and dancing. Family-friendly, and you can catch the finishes between steins.
Browse artists and craft vendors on the plaza outside the Braves' spring training stadium. Kids 12 and under can compete in a costume contest at noon, followed by a pet costume contest at 1pm, with prizes for the top three. Free kids' activities and free parking.
A curated outdoor market that grew from a one-off in 2020 into a seven-date season. More than 80 local vendors bring apparel, home decor, jewelry, plants and pet goods, with baked treats, specialty coffee and live music while you shop. Pets are welcome too.
A free bayfront tradition from the Sarasota Downtown Merchants, now more than 25 years into running downtown events. Live bands play across from the marina alongside a fall food festival, drinks and local vendors. Bring the kids and the dog.
The stadium turns pink for Breast Cancer Awareness Night in USL League One action. Wear pink and make it count: a portion of every East Stand ticket goes to the Florida Breast Cancer Foundation, and the Mammolink mobile mammography bus offers screenings on site before the gates open.
Admission covers a day on a working dairy farm: a corn maze, Moo Train rides, a hayride out to the cow pasture, live milking demos, a Kid Zone, lawn mower races and live music. Paid extras include calf cuddles, the sunflower U-pick, pony rides and a turn on the pumpkin cannon.
Pick your pumpkin, wander the scarecrow displays and ride the hayrides, with pumpkin pie and farm-roasted sweet corn to keep you going. On Oct 25, kids can enter a costume contest and trick-or-treat across the grounds. For thrills, there is a pumpkin cannon, motorcycle stunt shows and monster truck jumps. Cash only.
Dealers pack Robarts Arena with firearms, ammo, and collectibles both days, with free parking on site. One weekend ticket covers Saturday and Sunday, kids 16 and under get in free, and active military and law enforcement do too.
A curated indoor market from The Local Collective, bringing 30+ independent local brands under one air-conditioned roof with food trucks parked outside. Browse fashion, jewelry, beauty and home goods, and meet the people behind each business. There's a children's storytime during the afternoon too.
Firehouse and first responder teams from across the region face off for Best Firehouse Chili and the People's Choice Award. The Southside Village street party adds live music, raffles and family activities, benefiting the Sarasota Firefighters Benevolent Fund.
The DeLeon Family Band is back with oompah music, and the Chicken Dance is non-negotiable. Compete in the stein-hoisting contest or a game of cornhole, and the Nest Café pours German-inspired and local brews with brats and pretzel sticks.
Rock and soul legend Boz Scaggs brings his Rhythm Review to the Van Wezel, promising an evening of timeless hits from Silk Degrees and beyond. Think Lido Shuffle, Lowdown, and decades of smooth, soulful sound.
Frank Torchio recreates Bobby Darin's 1960 Copacabana set with a 12-piece band behind him, from "Mack the Knife" to "Beyond the Sea." He even does the movie-star impressions Darin worked into the original show. One night only.
Barks & Brews goes Howl-o-ween. Dress your pup up for a costume contest judged by a panel of local celebrities, with prizes for most creative, cutest and spookiest. Live music, craft brew samples and local vendors round out the evening, all benefiting Nate's Honor Animal Rescue Center.
His debut album Baby Daddy went to number one on the iTunes comedy chart, and Jeff Foxworthy and Larry the Cable Guy hand-picked him to open their We've Been Thinking tour. He co-hosts a weekly show on SiriusXM.
Two haunted houses, Virus and Tomb of Terror, anchor this Halloween haunt. Between houses, catch live music and entertainment on the main stage, grab a bite from local food vendors and browse horror merch. Spectator tickets skip the houses, VIP adds a private tent, and it's not recommended for young kids.
The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation's largest national fundraiser, with teams of families, friends and coworkers walking together on the sand. Registration is free and donation driven, and the money goes to CF research.
You don't have to be a society member to bid, so it's an open shot at a rare species or a collector's specimen. Doors open half an hour early to preview the tables, and a food truck is on site.
An outdoor gallery put on by Paragon Festivals, with painting, sculpture, glass, ceramics, fiber art and woodworking from artists across Florida and beyond. The artists staff their own booths, so you can ask how a piece was made.
Howard Alan Events' craft show hits 30 years downtown, with jewelry, ceramics, photography and clothing from crafters around the country. A Green Market on site sells handmade soaps, gourmet spices and fresh kettle corn.
USA Today voted this the #1 festival in the world, and the tour has floated two million lanterns across 175 cities. Gates open at 4:30 with food trucks and live music before the launch across the lake after dark.
A not-so-spooky Halloween night that ends with a sing-along screening of The Nightmare Before Christmas on the lawn. Trick-or-treating, pumpkin decorating and food trucks come first, and the first 1,800 kids get a pumpkin to take home.
Venice's waterfront market gets a Halloween makeover. Browse the vendor booths and food trucks next to Sharky's on the Pier, bring the kids and the dog in costume for the parade, then stay for Rock Candy's arena-rock set at sunset.
Mote's beer-and-wine tasting moves into the new SEA aquarium for the first time. Roam the exhibits after dark with unlimited pours from local breweries, wineries and distilleries, plus a commemorative glass, swag bag and live music. 21+.
Personally endorsed by founding member Mick Fleetwood, this touring tribute channels the band at their late-'70s peak, Rumours era front and center. Billed as the ultimate Fleetwood Mac tribute, and Mick agrees.
Billed by critics as the world's top ABBA tribute, the touring production runs through Dancing Queen, Waterloo, Mamma Mia, and the rest of the songbook in full costume. Singing along is encouraged.
An Arts Advocates docent walks you through the Florida art collection on the walls, with works by Ben Stahl, Thornton Utz and Dean Mitchell. Then it's backstage to the fly ropes, the movable orchestra pit and the dressing rooms.
Yoga teacher and sound healer Petra Ratner leads an hour of guided meditation and healing vibrations, layering planetary gong, crystal singing bowls, Tibetan bowls and Tingsha bells as the sun sets over the bay.
Costumes and dance moves are the whole point of this all-ages party on the lawn near Rocco's Tacos. Expect music, live entertainment and drinks for two hours.
Two indoor days of vintage hunting with pickers, makers, collectors, and artisans filling the arena floor. One ticket covers both days, and kids under 16 get in free. Free parking on site.
The park's half-mile walking trail turns into a Halloween carnival, with games, treats and spooky surprises along the path for all ages. Dogs get their own fun at the annual Bark-O-Ween contest, with costume categories, themed treat booths, photo stops and friendly ghouls and goblins along the way. Drop in anytime.
A brand-new, adults-only Halloween stroll. A wristband gets you 1-ounce seasonal beer and cider samples at participating businesses, a scavenger hunt and a costume contest hosted by Daiquiri Deck. Pick up wristbands at the Centennial Park kiosk from 4pm.
Swim through a floating pumpkin patch in the pool, pick your favorite, then carve or decorate it poolside with the craft supplies and carving tools provided. It's a splashy twist on pumpkin picking for families, with one pumpkin per ticket to take home. Registration is required, and kids must be supervised by an adult.
The American Cancer Society's annual 5K walk brings thousands of supporters around the park, plus ceremonies and activities on the grounds. Free to join, and teams fundraise in the weeks leading up.
Guide and service dog demonstrations, local puppy raisers to meet, and interactive activities throughout the brand-new campus. A first look at how the guide-dog nonprofit trains its four-legged graduates, and admission is free with no registration.
Artists from across the region fill the park at the center of the circle for a two-day outdoor show. Browse booth after booth of original, handcrafted pieces, with plenty of gift-worthy finds for the holidays ahead.
The regular-season finale of the club's first professional season doubles as Fan Appreciation Night, a thank-you to the supporters who showed up all year in USL League One. Expect a lively crowd, food, music and family activities in an intimate 3,000-seat stadium with no bad seats in the house.
Three decades in, this Halloween blowout is bigger and badder than ever in the new space. The famous costume contests award $5,000 in total cash prizes, so come dressed to win.
Sarasota-Manatee Originals brings a lineup of local restaurants to the waterfront, each serving small plates you buy with $5 food tickets. Kettle of Fish plays through the afternoon. Tickets are sold only at a table on the day.
Get into the aquarium before it opens for a light continental breakfast with Mote's resident sharks. Educators cover the lab's shark research and take every question you've got, and your ticket includes aquarium admission afterward.
A morning built around moving, recharging and connecting at the park's Finish Tower. Three instructor-led fitness classes lead into glow and restore wellness activations, with a live DJ keeping the energy up. Admission includes a fresh boxed meal and wellness drinks, and local vendors round it out.
A 90-minute blend of circus, cabaret, and theater with international performers doing acrobatics, dance, comedy, and illusion. Set in 19th-century Bohemia, where Count Dracula hides inside a traveling circus. Think Tim Burton by way of Cirque du Soleil.
Local businesses and community groups decorate more than 50 themed booths along the candy trail. Beyond the trick-or-treating there's a haunted trail, bounce houses, live music and dance performances, plus a pumpkin scavenger hunt with prizes.
Three headliners on one bill instead of the usual single act: Bob Phillips, Andrea Marie and Tim Slagle. Producer Ron Feingold is filming the whole thing for release, so the sets get recorded as you watch.
Adult trick-or-treating, hosted by Fine Wine & Tastings. Work through seven tasting stations tucked inside Main Street shops, pouring 20-plus wines with small bites at many stops. You keep the Govino tasting glass, and costumes are encouraged.
An annual evening of games, candy and decorated car trunks in Newtown. Kids can enter the costume contest for prizes, while volunteers who deck out their trunks compete for a best-decorated prize of their own. Come in costume and bring the whole family.
Strap on wireless headphones while DJ Benny spins a sunset set over the bay, courtesy of Silent Events, the company that first brought silent discos to the US. The Nest Cafe pours drinks to keep you moving.
The 1984 original plays on a big HD screen while a live orchestra performs Elmer Bernstein's score in sync beneath it. A different way to watch a movie you already know by heart.
A four-day fall festival put on by Florida Penguin Productions, with Dreamland Amusements running the carnival rides and games from Thursday evening. Food trucks, crafters and vendors join in on Friday. Entry is free for all ages, and the midway runs until 11pm most nights.
The 2nd annual Halloween bash brings trick-or-treating at more than 20 booths, pumpkin painting, a DJ set from DJ Dax and live music from Funky Bonez on the Solis Hall stage. Costume contests cover adults, kids, groups and even pets, and shops and booths compete for best decorated.
Trick-or-treat along Main Street with local vendors and merchants, plus a kids' zone with inflatables, a mad scientist show, and a magic show. First 1,500 kids get a free pumpkin tote.
County naturalists, Venice Area Audubon and UF/IFAS set up games, crafts and hands-on activities about bats and birds. Then the whole group walks out at dusk to watch hundreds of bats pour out of their houses. No registration needed.
The Child Protection Center's first annual Halloween 5K, with a 100m Mini Monster Dash for kids and a free family fest to follow: trick-or-treating, pumpkin painting, age-based costume contests, food trucks, and a puppy pit of PAWS therapy dogs.
Tidewell Foundation's annual walk around the lake in memory of a loved one. Registration opens at 8am with the walk stepping off at 9, and a Full Life Fair, live music and fundraising awards fill out the morning.
Juried artists from around the country line the bayfront with original painting, sculpture, glass, ceramics, and jewelry, every piece sold by the person who made it. A youth art competition runs alongside the main show.
More than 100 artists set up along West Venice Avenue with photography, jewelry, ceramics, glass and sculpture. Commissions are on the table if you find someone whose work you love. Put on by Howard Alan Events with Venice MainStreet.
The touring parody catches up with Sophia out on bail, Blanche and Rose running a seniors dating app, and Dorothy holding it together. Presented by Murray & Peter, and firmly 18 and up.
Trick-or-treating at shops along Tampa, Venice and Miami avenues, plus a trunk-or-treat in the lot next to Mothers Cupboard with kid-friendly music from DJ Steve. All ages turn out in costume. No street parade this year.
The Gator Club closes Lemon Avenue between Main and Pineapple for its annual Halloween block party, with live music, food and drinks outside the downtown landmark until midnight. Costumes encouraged.
Mote's black-tie gala lands on Halloween this year, so guests turn up in formalwear or costume. Expect dinner, cocktails and live entertainment, with the night's proceeds going to the lab's ocean research and conservation work.
The finale of the park's fourth-anniversary month: an all-day music festival across two stages. The White Crowe Band, Rosine, Rockefellers, Speak Easy and Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe artists rotate through the afternoon, with food trucks going from 12:30.
A docu-concert from the team behind The Simon & Garfunkel Story, tracing Phil Collins from the Genesis years through the solo anthems and the Oscar-winning Disney songs. Built for singing along.
The first-Friday market along the Arlington Park trail returns with local vendors selling handmade goods, crafts, plants and gifts, plus food and drink trucks. Shop, stroll the park and make a morning of it.
Food trucks line up at the beach park for a Friday evening by the water, with live entertainment and lawn games while the sun goes down over the Gulf. Part of the county's Food Truck Rally Series.
Sixth year for the BONT marathon, which draws an international field to the loop around the lake, with a world-class elite start and age-class waves behind it. A 25k, a 13k and an untimed Friday-evening 5K round out the weekend.
The campground's eighth annual weekend honoring veterans packs in a fishing tournament, combat-conscious yoga, live music and a catered dinner on Siesta Key. Register through the campground office by email or phone.
A Parisian-style street market that hands downtown over to local artists and makers for the day. Original art, handmade goods and specialty treats, with the makers themselves behind every table.
Main Street closes down for an afternoon honoring local veterans, active-duty military and first responders. Patriotic entertainment, floats, food and kids' activities run from 2pm, and the parade steps off at 4. Presented by Veteran Air.
The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention's community walk loops the lake on a non-competitive route of one to three miles, with an opening ceremony, resource tables and honor beads for every walker. Check-in is at 8am, walk at 9.
Forty years of folk, roots rock and country blues from an underground Georgia legend who has played with the Indigo Girls, Gregg Allman and the Atlanta Symphony. Direct writing and a big voice.
Two straight hours of 1970s rock and roll, from the arena bands to the birth of new wave. Expect Elton John, Fleetwood Mac, Queen, Springsteen, Pink Floyd and the Stones, plus a run of one-hit wonders.
Meals on Wheels PLUS fills the street with soup and bread from local restaurants, and every ticket comes with a handcrafted bowl to take home. Proceeds go to The Food Bank of Manatee.
A live run through the whole catalogue, from the early country records to the stadium era. Built for Swifties who want to sing every word, though the hits carry it either way.
Master sand sculptors from around the world spend four days carving Siesta's powder-white sand into towering works of art, with an amateur contest, live music and a vendor village alongside. Saturday night the sculptures glow under colored lights.
The Alzheimer's Association's flagship fundraiser, with each walker carrying a flower for their own connection to the disease. Pick the 3-mile route or the 1-mile turnaround. Opening ceremony at 8:45am and the walk steps off at 9.
A curated outdoor market that grew from a one-off in 2020 into a seven-date season. More than 80 local vendors bring apparel, home decor, jewelry, plants and pet goods, with baked treats, specialty coffee and live music while you shop. Pets are welcome too.
UTC kicks off the holiday season with a parade down North Cattlemen Road featuring giant balloons, fantastical floats, marching bands and live entertainment, capped by a fireworks display. This year's theme is Home for the Holidays.
A 16-time Grammy-winning producer and a singer known from American Idol, Smash and Waitress, on the road together for an intimate show. Foster's catalogue runs through Whitney Houston, Celine Dion, Josh Groban and Chicago.
A docent walks you through the paintings and sculptures hanging in the lobby, all on loan from Arts Advocates and made by noted Florida artists: Robert Chase, Ben Stahl, Thornton Utz, Dean Mitchell and others.
A Boston trio reviving traditional blues with vintage gear and live off-the-floor recording, drawing on Otis Rush, Howlin' Wolf and Hound Dog Taylor. Three #1 Billboard blues records and four Boston Music Awards for Best Blues Act.
Up to 60 local businesses set up with senior services, housing and health information, plus complimentary bingo games, raffles and prize giveaways. Aimed at the 55+ crowd and their families, with free parking.
A Pink Floyd tribute built as an immersive experience rather than a note-for-note recreation, running through Wish You Were Here, Comfortably Numb, Time and Another Brick in the Wall.
Food trucks line up at the beach park for a Friday evening by the water, with live entertainment and lawn games while the sun goes down over the Gulf. Part of the county's Food Truck Rally Series.
An outdoor gallery of original painting, sculpture, jewelry, glass, ceramics and metalwork from artists across Florida and the country. Meet the makers, hear about their techniques, and take home a one-of-a-kind piece.
The Junior League of Sarasota's first-ever evening walkathon: a lap around the lake followed by a celebration with food, entertainment and family activities. Kids 5 and under are free, and proceeds support women's leadership programs.
More than 50 vendors set up on the waterfront next to Sharky's on the Pier, with food trucks and local bands playing through sunset. Bring a blanket or a chair and settle in for the music.
The original cirque holiday spectacular wraps a Broadway-style production around gravity-defying circus arts. Reimagined for 2026 with original music, holiday favorites sung live, new sets and dazzling costumes.
Mustangs from 1964½ originals to new Shelbys line the street for the Mustang Club of West Central Florida's outside-judged charity show. Free to browse, with raffle proceeds benefiting local veterans and student scholarships.
The original ROCKY plays on the big screen while a full symphony orchestra performs Bill Conti's score live, Gonna Fly Now included. A TCG Entertainment production celebrating the three-time Academy Award-winning franchise.
A musical send-up of the holiday-movie formula: overworked exec Holly returns to her quirky hometown to save Christmas, juggling an old flame, a cookie contest conspiracy and a moose on the loose. Original pop songs included.
Nearly 4,500 runners, joggers and walkers kick off Thanksgiving with this 5K tradition around the lake, plus a kids dash. All finishers get a medal, race shirt and an after-party spread of pastries and treats. Benefits the park conservancy and the Big Bill Foundation.
Downtown Venice kicks off the season with the Christmas tree lighting, carols from local choirs including the Venice Chorale, and visits with Santa. Bring chairs or a blanket and stick around to explore the shops. Put on by Venice MainStreet.
All-4-One, two-time Grammy winner Sheena Easton, American Idol champion Ruben Studdard and jazz vocalist Lindsey Webster share one stage, mixing holiday favorites with their biggest hits, from "I Swear" to "Morning Train."
The smash-hit musical based on the Whitney Houston and Kevin Costner film follows a former Secret Service agent falling for the superstar he's hired to protect. Packed with "I Will Always Love You," "Queen of the Night" and "I Wanna Dance with Somebody."
Downtown's shops stay open late along Venice, Miami and Tampa avenues while live music plays and the trees light up along the street. Stroll the decorated storefront windows, pick up a treat and get a head start on holiday shopping.
Saxophonist Dave Koz's holiday tour rolls in with a lineup of guest performers playing seasonal standards with a smooth-jazz spin. Koz has nine Grammy nominations, 11 chart-topping contemporary jazz albums and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
An Austin-based Comedy Mothership regular by way of Toronto. Bankas sold out rooms across Canada before doing the same in the States, and he's shared bills with Tony Hinchcliffe and Andrew Schulz. His podcast is a regular stop for Kill Tony comics.
Main Street turns into an outdoor gallery for the weekend, with paintings, sculpture, jewelry, photography, ceramics and wearable art from artisans across the country. Meet the makers, commission a custom piece and knock out some holiday shopping.
Chabad of Bradenton & Lakewood Ranch lights the menorah with Israeli singer Yoel Sharabi headlining. Work through the latke bar, kosher BBQ and Yoav's falafel station while the kids hit the dreidel moonbounce, doughnut decorating and fire juggling.
Charlotte bandleader Josh Daniel and friends dig into Bobby Weir's catalog, from Kingfish and Bobby & The Midnites to the Grateful Dead songbook, with special guests sitting in. Daniel has shared stages with Warren Haynes, Billy Strings and Sam Bush.
An Arts Advocates docent walks you through the Florida art collection on the walls, with works by Ben Stahl, Thornton Utz and Dean Mitchell. Then it's backstage to the fly ropes, the movable orchestra pit and the dressing rooms.
A curated outdoor market that grew from a one-off in 2020 into a seven-date season. More than 80 local vendors bring apparel, home decor, jewelry, plants and pet goods, with baked treats, specialty coffee and live music while you shop. Pets are welcome too.
Juried artists bring original sculpture, glass, jewelry, and handmade home decor to the bayfront the weekend before Christmas, which makes it a solid shot at a gift nobody else will be giving. A youth art competition runs alongside.
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