The American Cancer Society's annual 5K walk brings thousands of supporters around the park. Free to join, with teams fundraising in the weeks leading up.
Painters, potters, jewelers, and photographers show original work and are there to talk about it. A separate craft marketplace adds handmade soaps, clothing, and home decor.
The regular-season finale of the club's first pro season, and a thank-you to the supporters who showed up all year. Expect a lively crowd in a 3,000-seat stadium.
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A day on a working dairy farm, with a corn maze, Moo Train rides, and a hayride out to the cow pasture. Calf cuddles and the sunflower U-pick cost extra.
A walk-through light show along an eerily lit path of glowing, botanically themed Halloween decorations. Equal parts campy, creepy, and cute, with food and drinks for sale.
A hometown fall tradition on a working grove, with a petting zoo, Torres Family Circus shows, and new Saturday mermaid encounters. Pony rides, hayrides, and a haunted house cost extra.
A light breakfast with Mote's resident sharks before the aquarium opens, as educators cover the lab's shark research. Aquarium admission is included afterward.
Three instructor-led fitness classes lead into recovery activations at the Finish Tower, with a live DJ. A fresh boxed meal and wellness drinks are included.
Count Dracula hides inside a traveling circus in 19th-century Bohemia, told through acrobatics, cabaret, and illusion. Think Tim Burton by way of Cirque du Soleil.
A candy trail of more than 50 themed booths from local businesses, plus a haunted house in the Finish Tower, live music, and a scavenger hunt with prizes.
Adult trick-or-treating through seven tasting stations inside Main Street shops, pouring 20-plus wines. You keep the tasting glass, and costumes are encouraged.
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.
Trick-or-treating at 20-plus booths, pumpkin painting, and Funky Bonez on the Solis Hall stage. Costume contests cover adults, kids, groups, and even pets.
Games and hands-on activities about bats and birds, then everyone walks out at dusk to watch hundreds of bats pour out of their houses. No registration needed.
The radio station's Halloween party, hosted by WSRZ's David and Meredith, with dancing, food sampling, and a costume contest paying out $1,500 in cash.
A Halloween 5K with a 100m Mini Monster Dash for kids, then a free family fest with trick-or-treating, costume contests, and a puppy pit of therapy dogs.
More than 100 artists line West Venice Avenue with photography, jewelry, ceramics, and sculpture, and commissions are on the table if you find work you love.
Trick-or-treating at shops along Tampa, Venice, and Miami avenues, plus a trunk-or-treat next to Mothers Cupboard with music from DJ Steve. No street parade this year.
Kids in costume trick-or-treat on the Loggia, wander a Lantern Labyrinth in the Courtyard, and catch vintage Halloween shorts inside. The museum suggests the littlest visitors come early.
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.
Shops and restaurants around the Circle hand out candy to costumed trick-or-treaters of every age, with decorated storefronts, games, and spooky characters wandering the sidewalks.
Galleries, businesses, and neighbors across Bradenton's arts district open their doors to costumed trick-or-treaters. Alcover Massage alone is handing out 1,000 pieces of candy.
Four floors of the downtown restaurant go haunted, including a new third-floor vampire nightclub, with DJs, passed bites, themed cocktails, and an expanded rooftop dance floor. 21+.
The finale of the park's fourth-anniversary month brings two stages of local acts, including The White Crowe Band, Rosine, and Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe artists.
A docu-concert from the team behind The Simon & Garfunkel Story, tracing Collins from Genesis through the solo anthems and his Oscar-winning Disney songs.
Three Florida bands take over the courtyard after dark: My Dead Roommate and Beach Terror open for South Florida's The Floridians. Students get in free, as do members.
After last year's debut, Ringling College motion design students return to animate the Palm Avenue Parking Garage, reimagining pieces from the city's public art collection in light.
An international field races the loop around the lake, with an elite start and age-class waves behind it. A 25k, 13k, and untimed Friday 5K round out the options.
The campground's annual weekend honoring veterans brings a fishing tournament, combat-conscious yoga, live music, and a catered dinner. Register through the campground office.
Riverwalk, Summerfield, and Greenbrook residents set up in their driveways on the same morning, so you can treasure hunt street to street. Rain date is Sunday.
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.
An afternoon honoring local veterans, active-duty military, and first responders, with floats, food, and kids' activities from 2pm. The parade steps off at 4.
Billed as Florida's biggest Hungarian festival. Come hungry for Hungarian cooking, beer and wine, then stay for the live music, folk dancing, and falconry demos.
A non-competitive one-to-three-mile loop around the lake, with an opening ceremony, resource tables, and honor beads for every walker. The walk starts at 9.
More than 550 local families consign kids' clothes, toys, baby gear, and furniture, all sorted for easy shopping. On the last two days, undotted tags drop to half price.
Bourbon and whiskey tastings raise money for Scouting America's Southwest Florida Council. Wear your best bowtie for the contest, then bid on the Wheelbarrow of Whiskey.
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.
Meals on Wheels PLUS fills the street with soup from local restaurants, and every ticket comes with a handcrafted bowl. Proceeds go to The Food Bank of Manatee.
An Oberlin- and Juilliard-trained jazz vocalist who has played Dizzy's Club and appears in George Clooney's Broadway staging of Good Night, and Good Luck.
Master sand sculptors from around the world carve towering works out of Siesta's powder-white sand. Saturday night the sculptures glow under colored lights.
Athletes take on 14 challenges, from rope climbs to atlas stones, live inside the arena, while the Forge Wellness Festival spreads 75-plus wellness vendors around it.
The Alzheimer's Association's flagship fundraiser, with each walker carrying a flower for their own connection to the disease. Choose a 3-mile or 1-mile route.
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.
More than 70 local vendors bring apparel, home decor, plants, and pet goods, with specialty coffee and live music while you shop. Pets are welcome too.
Giant balloons, floats, and marching bands roll down Cattlemen Road, with FMX riders from Nik Wallenda's Wonderland Circus, a 50-foot tree lighting, fireworks, and an after-party concert.
A 16-time Grammy-winning producer behind hits for Whitney Houston and Celine Dion, and a singer known from American Idol, Smash, and Waitress, together for an intimate show.
Up to 60 local businesses share senior services, housing, and health information, with free bingo, raffles, and prize giveaways. Aimed at the 55+ crowd and their families.
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.
Holiday lights, seasonal sips and treats, and dozens of local makers fill The Green, with Lost in Paris playing live and a light show every 30 minutes.
A book-themed market inside the historic Edson Keith Mansion. Meet local authors and browse bookish gifts, handmade art, and candles from specialty vendors.
An outdoor gallery of original painting, sculpture, jewelry, and metalwork from artists across the country. Meet the makers and take home a one-of-a-kind piece.
The Junior League's first evening walkathon: a lap around the lake, then food, entertainment, and family activities. 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 through sunset. Bring a blanket or a chair.
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.
A light breakfast with Mote's resident sharks before the aquarium opens, as educators cover the lab's shark research. Aquarium admission is included afterward.
Mustangs from 1964½ originals to new Shelbys line the street for an outside-judged charity show, with raffle proceeds benefiting local veterans and student scholarships.
A musical send-up of the holiday-movie formula, as overworked exec Holly returns home to save Christmas amid an old flame, a cookie contest conspiracy, and a moose on the loose.
Nearly 4,500 runners and walkers kick off Thanksgiving with this 5K around the lake. Every finisher gets a medal, a race shirt, and an after-party spread.
Downtown Venice lights its Christmas tree, with carols from local choirs including the Venice Chorale and visits with Santa. Bring chairs and stay to explore the shops.
All-4-One, Sheena Easton, Ruben Studdard, and Lindsey Webster share one stage, mixing holiday favorites with their biggest hits, from "I Swear" to "Morning Train."
Downtown shops stay open late along Venice, Miami, and Tampa avenues, with live music and the street trees lit up. Get a head start on holiday shopping.
Saxophonist Dave Koz and guest performers give seasonal standards a smooth-jazz spin. Koz has nine Grammy nominations and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
More than 30 trees decorated by local charities fill a winter wonderland. Vote for favorites and bid in the silent auction, with every dollar going to each tree's charity.
Main Street turns into an outdoor gallery of paintings, sculpture, jewelry, and wearable art from artisans across the country. Meet the makers or commission a custom piece.
Deck your bike out in lights for a family night ride around Downtown Wellen with Bicycles International. Helmets are required, and riders under 16 need a parent.
A metaphysical, wellness, and crystal expo with 85 booths, from psychic readers to pet communicators and aura photography. Speakers run all day, included with admission.
Israeli singer Yoel Sharabi headlines the menorah lighting, with a latke bar, kosher BBQ, and falafel. Kids get a dreidel moonbounce and doughnut decorating.
Charlotte bandleader Josh Daniel and friends dig into Bobby Weir's catalog, from Kingfish to the Grateful Dead songbook, with special guests sitting in.
A docent walks you through the hall's Florida art collection, including Ben Stahl and Dean Mitchell, then takes you backstage to the fly ropes and dressing rooms.
The offbeat holiday craft show running since 2006, with original art, vintage clothing, mid-century decor, and ornaments, all handmade and nothing you'd find in a big box store.
A chip-timed 5K on hard-packed sand that counts toward the Manasota Track Club series, plus a 1-mile fun run. Stay for music, raffle prizes, and a costume contest.
More than 70 local vendors bring apparel, home decor, plants, and pet goods, with specialty coffee and live music while you shop. Pets are welcome too.
A night ride on lit-up bikes with music and a post-ride party, raising money for The Haven, Special Olympics athletes, and youth sports. Party-only tickets too.
Sarasota Contemporary Dance brings seven WWII heroines to the stage, from Josephine Baker to spy Virginia Hall. Eight choreographers, original music by Warren "Slim" Williams, and projections tell their stories.
Grace Community Church turns Main Street into a free Christmas party with rides, games, and Santa. Each evening closes with a candlelight service at 7pm.
Circus acts set to holiday music. This year's all-new production pairs acrobatics and aerial performances with familiar seasonal songs in a winter wonderland staging.
Performers from Wicked, The Phantom of the Opera, and The Book of Mormon sing Christmas songs from Broadway and beyond, backed by a live band and dancers.
A light breakfast with Mote's resident sharks before the aquarium opens, as educators cover the lab's shark research. Aquarium admission is included afterward.
Billed as the largest Nutcracker production in North America. An international cast dances Tchaikovsky's score with acrobatics, elaborate costumes, and towering puppets. Presented by Talmi Entertainment.
Emmy-winning Ellen writer Adam Yenser plays two shows: an early set that gets you out before midnight, or a late one with party favors and a champagne toast.
Two Guys Shows brings its Sarasota gun show back for the weekend. Active military and law enforcement get in free with ID, and veterans take a dollar off.
The two-time Grammy nominee, best known as Dave Matthews' longtime guitarist and collaborator, plays a stripped-down solo acoustic set, presented with WhiteLeaf Private Concert Club.
The 1988 rom-com that launched Julia Roberts becomes a new jukebox musical, following three working-class friends at a small-town pizza joint to hits like "Girls Just Want to Have Fun."
Robarts Arena Fri–Sat: 10am-7pm, Sun: 10am-5pm Free with online pass ($10 at door)
Meet and compare home improvement pros under one roof, whether you're planning a small refresh or a full remodel. Register online for a free pass that covers your whole group.
More than 70 local vendors bring apparel, home decor, plants, and pet goods, with specialty coffee and live music while you shop. Pets are welcome too.
A docent leads you past works by Florida artists like Ben Stahl and Thornton Utz, then a stage guide shows off the fly ropes, orchestra pit, and loading dock.
The Drivin N Cryin founder, a Georgia Music Hall of Fame inductee who has recorded with Peter Buck of R.E.M., plays a stripped-down acoustic set up close.
Hand-picked by George Harrison's late sister Louise, this Grammy-nominated tribute traces The Beatles from the early hits through the psychedelic studio years, with video narration she created.
The longtime Tonight Show host, now behind Jay Leno's Garage and You Bet Your Life, still tours stand-up across the country between car projects and TV tapings.
Pinecraft's Amish and Mennonite community auctions handmade quilts and furniture for Haiti relief, kicking off Friday with a catfish and BBQ chicken dinner and Saturday with breakfast.
The Texas-born, NYC-based comic has performed for troops from Afghanistan to South America, and his special Biscuits and Gravity is streaming on YouTube now.
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