The 23rd Annual Thunder By The Bay Music & Motorcycle Festival is a three day event held at the Sarasota Fairgrounds to benefit Suncoast Charities for Children. Bring your lawn chair and enjoy continuous live music with featured headliner Molly Hatchet performing Saturday - February 20th.This years Festival included a “United We Ride – America Strong” charity motorcycle ride, 17 Class Bike Show, Stereo “Sound Off” contest, burnout contest, great food, and much more! Dry & full service camping is available on site.

$92M project is groundbreaking in Spring at the Botanicals

Selby Gardens has set a goal of breaking ground on Phase I late this spring. The three-phase plan will take several years to complete. Selby Gardens’ Board of Trustees is spearheading the fundraising campaign that has raised more than 80% of the funds needed to implement Phase I. The three-phase plan is expected to cost $92 million, which breaks down to $72 million for construction and $20 million for endowment and operations. Of the $42.5 million needed to implement the first phase of the master plan, $35 million has been raised.  To see what the animated rendering of the new garden plans will be then proceed to the link below. 

https://youtu.be/u9NqpSs3H40 

23rd Annual Thunder By The Bay Music & Motorcycle Festival | February 19th-21st ,2021 | 5$ Admission | 3000 Ringling Blvd, Sarasota, FL 34237 The 23rd Annual Thunder By The Bay Music & Motorcycle Festival is a three day event held at the Sarasota Fairgrounds to benefit Suncoast Charities for Children. Bring your lawn chair and enjoy continuous live music with featured headliner Molly Hatchet performing Saturday - February 20th. This year's Festival includes a “United We Ride – America Strong” charity motorcycle ride, 17 Class Bike Show, Stereo “Sound Off” contest, burnout contest, great food, and much more! Dry & full service camping is available on site. Daily gate admission is $5 - 12 and under free. For more information visit: thunderbythebay.org

Fine Arts Festival of Manatee County | February 20th 9-4pm | Pavilion & Event Area 452 3rd Ave W, Bradenton, FL

ArtCenter Manatee proudly presents the 20th Annual Fine Arts Festival of Manatee County, a juried two day outdoor festival that takes place in Downtown Bradenton at the beautiful Riverwalk Park on the Manatee River. The Riverwalk park is a 1.5 mile linear park, with an outside gallery of 19 pieces of art created by 5 artists. The show features Regional and National award winning artists, artist demos, shopping, food vendors with seating and more.The festival attracts art lovers of all kinds. Admission and parking are free and open to the public.

Westshore Plaza Carnival | February 17th - 21st, 2021 5pm-10pm | 250 Westshore Plaza, Tampa, FL, 33609

This family-friendly event features midway rides and games and favorite fair food. Admission is free. See website for savings on rides. Hours: 5-10 pm Wednesday - Thursday, 5-11 pm Friday, noon-11 pm Saturday, noon-10 pm Sunday.

Food & Wine Festival | February 20th, 2021 - April 25, 2021 10AM-8PM| Busch Gardens Tampa Bay| 10165 N McKinley Dr, Tampa, FL 33612

A world of taste awaits at the annual Food & Wine Festival. Taste buds will bloom this spring with a delicious menu of dishes and drinks as dynamic and unique as the park’s thrilling roller coaster collection. Guests can take their taste buds on a road trip without leaving Tampa Bay with over 110 items to sample, including 20+ NEW dishes, 50+ wine, beer and seltzers for all tastes, and 20+ refreshing cocktails. Experience a fresh-twist on classic cuisines from around the country every weekend from February 20 to April 25. Return to Live Music with Physically-Distant Concerts Coming Soon to the Festival Stage From nationally recognized bands to local musical talent, safely eat to the beat throughout the open-air festival. Concerts included with theme park admission each Saturday in March and April on the Festival Stage. Concert acts to be announced soon. Food and beverage is not included with park admission and is available for an extra fee. Guests must be 21 years of age or older to consume alcoholic beverages.

Watch Some Polo!

Anniversary Season at the Sarasota Polo Club beginning Sunday December 13th, 2020 thru Sunday April 25th, 2021 | Sunday 1pm-4pm | EVERY WEEK!

Sunday Polo matches are open to the public every Sunday at 1pm beginning December 13th, 2020 through April 25th, 2021. Gates open at 10am. Fieldside general admission tailgating, reserved midfield premium seating or VIP midfield boxes are available for Sunday Polo. Children 12 and under are free, (general admission tailgating). Exciting polo action, opening parade, live national anthem, theme weeks, half-time entertainment, food, drinks, and divot-stomping. Dress comfortably and for the weather. Remember, you will be walking on the grass. Well socialized dogs are welcome on a leash.

Olympic Rowing Trials Set for Feb 22nd-26th at Nathan Benderson Park

More than 120 athletes in 93 boats are scheduled to race

in Sarasota from Feb. 22-26. More than 120

athletes in 93 boats are scheduled to race in Sarasota

during the five-day U.S. rowing Olympic trials event

scheduled for Feb. 22-26. Racing will open with time

trials today and heats will take place on Tuesday,

with repechages taking place on Wednesday. Thursday

will feature semifinals, with finals taking place on

Friday. Racing is scheduled to start at 8 a.m. each day. Due to Covid-19, there will be no spectators

allowed on the island at Nathan Benderson Park. Semifinals and finals will be streamed live on

NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app. The 2020 Olympic Games will be held in Tokyo from July 23-

Aug. 9, with rowing events slated to start on the morning of July 23. The Paralympic Games are scheduled

to take place in Tokyo from Aug. 24-Sept. 5, with paralympic rowing events starting Aug. 27.

Sarasota Native American Art & Music Festival | FEB 12th -14th at the Sarasota Fairgrounds, 3000 Ringling Blvd.

The Red Boys are back for another year! These guys bring in the fire and hold the next few generations of Native American drum music, as they pass it onto their children. It's exciting to have them back this year! The guest artist, Lowery Begay from the Dine’ (Navajo) Nation learned the traditional Navajo ways from his grandparents and has been dancing his entire life. As a world champion hoop dancer and Northern Style Fancy dancer, Lowery has been a cultural educator, storyteller and drum maker while playing the Native Flute professionally for over 15 years.

Saturday & Sunday, February 13th-14th 10:00am to 5:00pm - 33rd Downtown Festival of the Arts | 1817 Main Street, Sarasota, FL - FREE ADMISSION! - THIS IS THE BIG ONE!

Downtown Sarasota Main Street see’s numerous events, fairs, festivals and fundraisers each year. Few, however, could boast the tenure or the stature of the Sarasota Festival of the Arts. The Festival will fill Main Street starting at Orange Avenue and heading east to Links Avenue. The overwhelming success of the Festival each year led to expanding and covering more than five city blocks with over 250 national and regional artists. The high level of artistic quality, the accessibility of the free, outdoor festival and the diversity of art has led to the Festival of the Arts' consecutive rankings among the top 100 art festivals in the nation, according to Sunshine Artist Magazine

Hot Works’ Sarasota Open Air Fine Art Show, February 13 & 14, 2021 | $25 FEE

Outside at Phillippi Estate Park, 5500 S Tamiami Trail Sarasota, Florida. Held outdoors at the very popular Phillippi Estate Park, located off of US-41 in south Sarasota; on the shores of Phillippi Creek, 60-acre natural area park south of downtown Sarasota and east of Siesta Key.  The art show is held 100% outdoors with high visibility from US-41/Tamiami Trail – and has plenty of room for booths to be 6’ apart for social distancing, face coverings are recommended and other COVID safety precautions in place.  

Here on Main Street Lakewood Ranch!

Sunday, February 14th @ 5:00PM - 7:00PM

Main Street at Lakewood Ranch is offering FREE romantic horse-drawn carriage rides this Valentine’s Day. First come, First serve. Horses pick up and drop off by the fountain.Rides will be limited to two adults or one family at a time. Seats and carriage will be disinfected after each ride. Social distance will be in effect while waiting.

This Valentines Day 2021 - Watch Some Polo!

Anniversary Season at the Sarasota Polo Club beginning Sunday December 13th, 2020 thru Sunday April 25th, 2021 | Sunday 1pm-4pm | This Valentines Day 2021

Sunday Polo matches are open to the public every Sunday at 1pm beginning December 13th, 2020 through April 25th, 2021. Gates open at 10am. Field side general admission tailgating, reserved midfield premium seating or VIP midfield boxes are available for Sunday Polo. Children 12 and under are free, (general admission tailgating). Exciting polo action, opening parade, live national anthem, theme weeks, half-time entertainment, food, drinks, and divot-stomping. Dress comfortably and for the weather. Remember, you will be walking on the grass. Well socialized dogs are welcome on a leash.

Lakewood Ranch is made up of more than 20 unique villages. Each offers distinctive homes & amenities, so we offer something for every size family and every stage of life. Some have golf courses, some are gated, some are 55-plus. All are close to our town centers and A-rated schools. The Ranch is really the size of a town. At 50 square miles, it’s filled with shopping, dining, arts, entertainment, nature, recreation- as well as all the new home choices you can imagine. Just outside our backyard you can enjoy Sarasota’s white sand beaches, world-class shopping and dining, and a wealth of cultural attractions including the Ringling Museum of Art, Asolo Theater, Sarasota Ballet and Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall. Wherever you'd like to go in the world, getting there is easy when you live near four major airports offering domestic and international routes, with many nonstop flights. For more information on Lakewood Ranch and the Sarasota area please visit www.SoldByNold.com or call us at 941.400.6877 or 941.773.9599. We will make sure to help you find the right property at the right price!

POSSIBLE BOAT PARADE THIS WEEK?!?..  

TAMPA, Fla. — Your Tampa Bay Buccaneers are Super Bowl LV champions! The Bucs and Super Bowl MVP Tom Brady made history not only as the first team to play the big game at their home stadium but also the first to win at home.The city of Tampa says it’s working on hosting a Super Bowl parade for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and while it’s still not clear when it will happen, FOX 13's Kevin O'Donnell reports that the Lombardi Trophy will sail down the Hillsborough River like Lord Stanley's Cup did. Tampa Mayor Jane Castor stated on Monday with the exact date expected to be made official soon.

Big Game Light Show | Friday, February 5th @ 8:55-9:55pm |Tampa Convention Center | 333 S.Franklin Street, Tampa, 33602 

See some lights in preparation for the Superbowl this WEEKEND!

Saturday Bar Crawl in Tampa! February 6th @ 1pm

Park & Rec Tampa -Tampa’s Bud Light Super Bowl LV Bar Crawl #2

Participants : Maloney’s Local Irish Pub Downtown Tampa, Paddywagon Irish Pub Downtown Tampa, District Tampa, GenX Tavern, Yeoman’s Cask & Lion, La La’s Sangria Bar, Strandhill Public| W Palm Ave

It is Super Bowl Week in Tampa Bay and we are starting the weekend off with back 2 back Super Bowl Crawls. We have 9 outstanding bars ready and waiting to hopefully cheer on our favorite home team, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Sunday, February 7th | The Sarasota Modern, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel | 1290 Boulevard of the Arts is Hosting A SUPERBOWL PARTY! Starts @ 3pm

Specials like $10 for a Bucket of Beers, ½ off bottle wine specials, Burgers & hotdogs on the grill, Raffle Prizes all night

Sunday Farmers Market in Lakewood Ranch | 10AM-2PM | EVERY Sunday | 8330 Lakewood Ranch Blvd

Sundays start fresh at the Farmers’ Market at Lakewood Ranch, located in the parking lot of Lakewood Ranch Medical Center. Come experience this curated gathering of the best flavors in the region, including organic produce, meat, poultry, eggs, artisanal bread, and prepared foods from 40+ vendors. 

Super Bowl Sunday - Sarasota Polo Club | Sunday January 17th, 2021 | 1pm-4pm

8201 Polo Club Lane, Sarasota, FL 34240

Sunday Polo. Children 12 and under are free, (general admission tailgating). Exciting polo action, opening parade, live national anthem, theme weeks, half-time entertainment, food, drinks and divot-stomping. Dress comfortably and for the weather. Remember, you will be walking on grass. Well socialized dogs are welcome on a leash.

The property taxes and taxation in the northern states have been on a steady increase, and civil unrest in some states have scared homeowners. This summer and fall, a spike in interest from out-of-town buyers and near-zero interest rates have fueled a dramatic real estate turnaround for an industry that was shaken in the spring by the pandemic. People have stormed into the Sarasota area from places like Chicago, New York, New Jersey and Connecticut—dense communities that were either hard hit by the pandemic or underwent strict lockdowns to fight the disease. Inventory in Sarasota is at dramatic lows and prices have spiked to their highest point in at least a decade, making for a hot seller’s market.

The boom is being caused in part by a major shift in how Americans work. As the pandemic has killed more than 242,000 Americans and sickened millions more, dozens of major corporations and many small businesses have made the decision to shutter offices and permit or even require some employees to work from home. That has allowed some workers to move to places like the Sarasota area, where, like Sherman, they can work from afar with tools such as zoom. The trend isn’t just for people who are working remotely. Buyers near retirement age are making faster decisions about their futures. This pandemic has sped up people’s plans for the future, ultimately deciding to retire early. Even buying the home before even stepping foot in it has been the decision for some people moving in the area because they are too afraid of losing the opportunity. With the growing interest and low inventory the best time for the unsure seller is NOW. 

Many Live Music Events!

Saturday Night January 30th @ 7pm

Big Top Brewing Company | 6111 B Porter Way, Sarasota, FL

Join us for a free show under the Big Top! Bobby has played alongside the likes of Aerosmith and Slash. This will be a rock show you don't want to miss!

Bobby Schneck & Friends live!

Saturday Live Music by The Shift | January 30th 6:00pm-8:00pm

Cafe BarBosso 5501 Palmer Crossing Circle, Sarasota, Fl

Every Saturday (weather permitting), from 6:00-8:00, the SHIFT CHANGE BAND will be performing Live outdoors at Cafe BarBosso. Relax on our new patio, tailgate in the parking lot or enjoy the music from your car while picking up Take-Out. Call for a Reservation to be seated on our Screened Patio or Outdoor Patio. Dining Room & Indoor Bar are also open. For Chef's Table seating - advanced reservations are a MUST - as it fills up fast.

A virtual tip jar will be available at PayPal.me/shiftchangeband

Saturday, January 20th 12:00PM - 3:00PM

Tyler Vaden @ The Bazaar on Apricot & Lime

821 Apricot Avenue, Sarasota, FL 

Live music event in Sarasota. This incredibly unique indie market located near downtown sarasota. Great Opportunity to support local businesses and listen to some chill music! Tyler Vaden is a coastal folk singer-songwriter creating music that explores his relationship with people and the planet. His authentic and personal lyrics explore lessons learned from life as an environmental enthusiast, young father, musician, and mindfulness advocate. He has honed his craft from humble beginnings busking out on the streets.

Boris Road to Sundown Sounds Cruise Rooftop Getaway

Sunday January 31, 12pm - 9pm @ The Art Ovation Hotel 

1255 North Palm Ave, Sarasota, FL 34236

Capital beats We R promotions & Sundown sounds cruise team up to bring you the

 Sunday Jan 31st pack your bags, grab your room package & head out of town to Sarasota to check in to the amazing Art ovation Autograph collection hotel. From distinctive artwork and culinary experiences to live performances, this boutique hotel inspires creativity.

Room packages & general admission tickets available. How about unlimited Mimosas on the rooftop right after check in? | Headlining - Boris (Transmit recordings) |  Support Nati-pitch, Lee-0VIP inquiries please contact Jason Mccarther - 240-543-5757 | Set times TBA | 21 & up to enter

Sunday Farmers Market in Lakewood Ranch | 10AM-2PM | EVERY Sunday | 8330 Lakewood Ranch Blvd

Sundays start fresh at the Farmers’ Market at Lakewood Ranch, located in the parking lot of Lakewood Ranch Medical Center. Come experience this curated gathering of the best flavors in the region, including organic produce, meat, poultry, eggs, artisanal bread, and prepared foods from 40+ vendors. 

Sarasota Polo Club | Sunday January 17th, 2021 | 1pm-4pm

8201 Polo Club Lane, Sarasota, FL 34240

Sunday Polo matches are open to the public every Sunday at 1pm beginning December 13th, 2020 through April 25th, 2021. Gates open at 10am. Field side general admission tail gating, reserved midfield premium seating or VIP midfield boxes are available for Sunday Polo. Children 12 and under are free, (general admission tailgating). Exciting polo action, opening parade, live national anthem, theme weeks, half-time entertainment, food, drinks and divot-stomping. Dress comfortably and for the weather. Remember, you will be walking on grass. Well socialized dogs are welcome on a leash.