2024 Sarasota Events Calendar

Fun happenings and things to do in Sarasota and around
the Sun Coast for free or inexpensively!

My Sarasota Events Calendar will keep you running and up to date on fun things to do all over the Sun Coast. A sleepy beach side retirement community, you think? NOT QUITE!

If you like the thought of being busy, there's a lot to do here throughout the year...there are things to do in Sarasota almost all the time!

Most Sarasota happenings take place during the fall, winter and spring, as summer, especially after the 4th of July, tends to really wind down from high season and snow bird season.

But not for long, as things really pick up again in September and heading into Autumn.

These pages are updated frequently.

On occasion, new events and updates are added even on the day of the scheduled event, in an attempt to have the best coverage of free or inexpensive fun events and things to do in Sarasota and around the sun coast region.

While Sarasota may once have been that sleepy little seaside community decades ago, it is now known as a hip, hot, fun, happenin' place to be, especially during "season!" Enjoy!

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(*Every effort is made to provide as accurate of information as possible, however dates, times, places and event schedules are subject to change without notice due to weather conditions, last minute changes or cancellations made by event organizers, mistakes, misinformation from sources and/or events beyond anyone's control, etc. We encourage you to check with event organizers to be sure an event is going forward before making plans to attend)

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2024 Sarasota Events by Month

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Here's a snapshot of, and a few tips about, the most favorite Sarasota Events of the year that snowbirds, vacationers and year 'round locals love to attend...

January features the kickoff to another great year of events from outdoor open air arts and crafts shows to the Manatee County Fair, the Circus Ring of Fame Induction Ceremony and the Sarasota Native American Indian Festival, another immensely popular multi-day festival, usually at the Sarasota Fairgrounds.

February... the Sarasota Motorcycle Festival known as "Thunder By The Bay" Music and Motorcycle Festival moved from January to February in 2017. And you don't have to be a biker to enjoy this fest. Plus there are vendors and lots of fun things to take in over the three day fest which includes a “Born To Be Wild” Kickoff Party, live music and the festival portion at the Sarasota County Fairgrounds.

Also with each February comes Valentines Day at The Beach where hundreds of couples like to get remarried or at least renew their vows! This happens on Siesta Key Beach at the beach pavilion and you need a reservation. Read more about it in my February Sarasota Events...Plus there's a big Greek Fest as well as numerous street fairs featuring arts and crafts under the sunny Sarasota skies....

March...Is the time of year for the County Fair, a real live Florida rodeo and St. Paddy's Day. Plus from Spring Fests around the sun coast to the Sarasota Jazz Festival, more arts and crafts shows and the annual Folk Music Festival, make sure to check out the complete list of Sarasota Happenings for March...

April...In the spring it seems like everyone on the sun coast clamors for 2 BIG Sarasota Happenings in April...the Annual Sharks Tooth Festival in Venice at the airport Festival grounds, which brings vendors and collectors of shark teeth from all over....and also in April comes one of the last big festivals of "snowbird" season: "Siesta Fiesta" in Siesta Key Village....what makes both of these April Sarasota Events great is that they are outdoor, open air events at a time of the year when the weather is usually perfect...

May...Early May usually brings out the warm and humid weather for the outdoor arts and crafts shows around the sun coast and May ends with traditional Memorial Day parades, tributes honoring the nation's fallen heroes and the holiday weekend is usually filled with traditional events to herald in the start of summer. 

June...Come summertime most everyone on the sun coast gets revved up for the P1 Suncoast Offshore Racing events which climaxes with race day offshore of Lido Key Beach...thousands come out. It's one of the big events in addition to the Suncoast Summer Festival, both of which usually cross over from late June until early July...check out our June and July Sarasota Events Calendar for specific dates...

July... Along the Sarasota sun coast Fourth of July is about as big as it gets anywhere. With festivals, events, parades and fireworks throughout the region...find out more about our Sarasota Fourth of July events...which usually cover multiple days of fireworks displays in various locations..

October...And of course we have Oktoberfests and Halloween in October and our Sarasota Calendar of Events covers them both including an extensive listing of Sarasota Haunted Houses & Halloween Events each year...

November...With the Fall each year a second sand sculpting competition takes place: The Siesta Key Crystal Classic Master Sand Sculpting Competition in November. This event is for the professionals and it has turned into an international competition over a few short years. You can watch the sculptors work up close on Siesta Key Beach....later in the month the City of Venice traditionally kicks off the holiday season with the area's first holiday parade...

December...And of course each December the official Sarasota Holiday Parade heralds in the start of the Holiday Season in Sarasota with thousands lining the downtown streets. We also cover a multitude of additional holiday events from street parades and boat parades to holiday festivals of music and fun...and of course we cover the closing events of the year as we ring in a new year on New Year's Eve at midnight.

The year is also filled with arts and crafts shows, too many to count, on the streets of Sarasota, St. Armand's Circle and Historic Downtown Venice as well as Anna Maria Island plus there are concerts, outdoor festivals and much, much more.

My Sarasota Events Calendar is your gateway to Sarasota happenings and fun things to do in Sarasota, Florida and throughout the sparkling Sun Coast each year.

Enjoy, have a great time and if you bump into me on the street at one of our great Sarasota events, please stop and say hello.

By the way...There are numerous recurring, fun events to attend throughout the year. Click here for my list of recurring Events in Sarasota!

And, don't forget that no matter what you choose to do from my Sarasota Events Calendar, throughout the year, have a GOOD TIME!

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