u/No_Green_4775

Thank you to all who've served. Enjoy time with your friends and family, here's what's going on this weekend!

Friday, May 22, 2026

• Remembering Our Fallen Photographic War Memorial: opens 12:00 PM, Donald L. Courtney Monument Park (Bradenton Riverwalk). Free, on display through Sunday May 24.
• Sights + Sounds at Waterside Place: Rise Above Performing Arts: 6:00 PM–7:00 PM, Waterside Place (Lakewood Ranch).
• Music for New Bodies: 7:30 PM, Sarasota Opera House.
• Laser Michael Jackson at The Bishop: 8:00 PM, Bishop Museum of Science and Nature (Bradenton).
• Alan Grant Band Live at Mattison's City Grille: 8:00 PM–11:30 PM, Mattison's City Grille (Downtown Sarasota).
• VOCES: Voices of Adolescence: 8:00 PM–9:30 PM, CreArte Latino Cultural Center. Through Saturday May 23.

Saturday, May 23, 2026

• SRQ VETS 11th Annual Memorial Day Hike: 8:00 AM–12:00 PM, J.D. Hamel Park (199 Bayfront Drive). 5K crosses the Ringling Bridge and returns to the park for a cookout, live music, and family activities. Tickets $10 and up; benefits SRQ VETS.
• Bradenton Public Market: 9:00 AM–2:00 PM, Old Main Street (Downtown Bradenton).
• Memorial Day at Sarasota National Cemetery: 10:00 AM ceremony, Patriot Plaza (Sarasota National Cemetery). Flag placement begins 7:30 AM.
• St. Armands Fine Art Festival: 10:00 AM–5:00 PM, St. Armands Circle Park. Through Sunday May 24.
• Passport to The Bazaar: 10:00 AM–5:00 PM, The Bazaar on Apricot and Lime (Sarasota).
• Venice Brew Bash: 3:00 PM–7:00 PM, Centennial Park (Downtown Venice).
• Laser Queen at The Bishop: 6:00 PM, Bishop Museum of Science and Nature (Bradenton).
• SkynFolks: Lynyrd Skynyrd Tribute: 7:00 PM, Venice Community Center (Venice).
• The Venice Symphony: Star Spangled Spectacular: 7:30 PM, CoolToday Park (Venice).

Sunday, May 24, 2026

• AquaPalooza 2026: 10:00 AM–4:00 PM, New Pass Sandbar at MarineMax Sarasota.
• Sundays at The Bay featuring J Santi and the Vital Groove: 6:00 PM–7:00 PM, The Oval at The Bay.

Monday, May 25, 2026 — Memorial Day

• SUPERCOPA+ Final Day: 8:00 AM–7:00 PM, Premier Sports Campus (Lakewood Ranch).
• Bradenton Memorial Day Service: 9:00 AM, Donald L Courtney Veterans Park (Bradenton Riverwalk, behind Manatee Memorial Hospital).
• Sarasota Memorial Day Parade: 10:00 AM, starts at Main Street + Osprey Avenue, ends near Bayfront Park. Ceremony at J.D. Hamel Park at approximately 11:00 AM.

Starting August 10 the district is moving start times: high schools at 7:30, elementary and K-8 at 8:30, middle schools at 9:30. A bunch of schools are getting slight adjustments, mostly 15 minutes later but Ashton Elementary specifically is shifting 30 minutes later which is the biggest change.

Honestly the 9:30 middle school start is kind of wild, I would have loved that as a kid. The poor high schoolers got the short end of the stick at 7:30 lol.

Just wanted to share what's going on in Sarasota this weekend, feel free to share anything else!

Friday, May 15, 2026

• Big 12 Women's Rowing Championship: 8:00 AM–5:00 PM, Nathan Benderson Park.
• An Evening of Art: 5:00 PM–8:00 PM, Number 33 Gallery (Sarasota).
• Live Music at The Plaza: 6:00 PM–9:00 PM, Waterside Place (Lakewood Ranch).
• Rob Schneider Live: 6:30 PM & 8:50 PM, McCurdy's Comedy Theatre.
• Gravel Road at Mattison's City Grille: 8:00 PM–11:30 PM, Mattison’s City Grille (Downtown Sarasota).
• Bradenton Marauders vs. Fort Myers Mighty Mussels (baseball): First pitch ~6:30 PM, LECOM Park (Bradenton).

Saturday, May 16, 2026

• Bootcamp (The Bay): 8:00 AM–8:45 AM, The Oval (1055 Blvd of the Arts).
• Namaste at The Bay Yoga: 9:00 AM–10:00 AM, Common Ground (1055 Blvd of the Arts).
• Ride and Paddle at The Bay (Guided Tour): 9:00 AM–11:00 AM, Kayak Launch (1055 Blvd of the Arts).
• Alexander Calder: The Nature of Movement (Selby Gardens exhibit): 10:00 AM–5:00 PM, Marie Selby Botanical Gardens (Downtown Sarasota Campus).
• Sarasota Contemporary Dance + WBTT: 2:00 PM & 7:30 PM, Sarasota Contemporary Dance Studio.
• A Meadow's Tale (performance): 5:00 PM, Riverview High School Performing Arts Center.
• Donnie Bostic Band at Mattison's City Grille: 6:00 PM–10:00 PM, Mattison’s City Grille (Bradenton Riverwalk).
• Sarasota Paradise vs. South Georgia Tormenta SC (soccer): 7:30 PM–10:00 PM, Premier Sports Campus (Lakewood Ranch).
• Opera at The Bay Finale: Il Trovatore (rescheduled): 7:00 PM–9:30 PM, The Oval (1055 Blvd of the Arts).
• Sarasota Orchestra Discoveries 3: Unfinished Business: 7:30 PM, Sarasota Opera House.
• Birthday Candles (Florida Studio Theatre): 8:00 PM–9:30 PM, Gompertz Theatre (Florida Studio Theatre).
• Bradenton Marauders vs. Fort Myers Mighty Mussels (baseball): First pitch ~6:30 PM, LECOM Park (Bradenton) — alternative evening option. Star Wars night too!

Sunday, May 17, 2026

• Sarasota Music Conservatory Rising Stars Gala: 5:00 PM–7:00 PM, Holley Hall at the Beatrice Friedman Symphony Center.
• Sundays at The Bay featuring The Wandering Hours: 6:00 PM–7:00 PM, The Oval (1055 Blvd of the Arts).
• Hot Tonic Plays Bacharach: 7:00 PM (doors 6:00 PM), Fogartyville Community Media and Arts Center.
• Birthday Candles (closing performance): 2:00 PM–3:30 PM, Gompertz Theatre (Florida Studio Theatre).

If y'all haven't heard, there's a bill going around (HB 5601) that would shut down USF Sarasota Manatee and merge the campus and 2,000 students into New College of Florida.

The budget session starts tomorrow (May 12) where the final decision will be made, the thing that I'm thinking about is how many people from USF SM end up staying around in the community. Pretty interesting stuff, what do yall think?