Fun things to do including a sand-sculpting festival, food and drink fests and more events this weekend in Sarasota and Bradenton, Nov. 14-16.
Pink in Sarasota, surprises restaurant diners with performance
Grammy-winning pop star Pink gave diners at Amore Restaurant in Sarasota a night to remember with a surprise live performance.
This weekend’s lineup of top things to do in the Sarasota area kicks off with one of our biggest annual events, taking place on the world-famous Siesta Beach.
Then, along with a free outdoor art festival in downtown Sarasota, there are numerous notable food and drink events this weekend: one showcasing both sangrias and margaritas, one centered around wine, and one serving soup and bread while simultaneously raising funds for the hungry in our community.
Looking for even more options? Another wine festival, Sertoma Club of Venice Wine Feast, will return for its 20th annual edition 6-9 p.m. tonight at Venice Community Center. Tickets are $85 and benefit Sertoma Club of Venice’s speech clinic.
Vino lovers can also visit downtown Sarasota park The Bay for a free outdoor screening tonight at 7 p.m. of “Sideways,” the 2004 Oscar-winning comedy about two men (Paul Giamatti and Thomas Haden Church) on a trip through California wine country and the women they meet (Virginia Madsen and Sandra Oh.)
And although it may be more of a drive for some readers, Punta Gorda waterfront destination Fishermen’s Village will host its Holiday Lighting of the Village from 5 to 10 p.m. Saturday. It kicks off Holiday Festival of Lights, which runs through Dec. 31 at Fishermen’s Village, and is one of several winter holiday season events in the area.
1. Siesta Key Crystal Classic on Siesta Beach
The sand of Siesta Beach — which was named the best beach in the U.S. by TripAdvisor earlier this year — serves as the material for eye-catching creations at this annual sand-sculpting competition.
Along with the chance to see the creative process and completed works of sand sculptors, the event will feature live music all weekend and a vendor village with retail and food vendors. Saturday will also include Sculptures After Dark, where the creations are illuminated at night by colored lights, and an amateur competition.
10 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday, Sunday and Monday, 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Saturday; Siesta Beach, 948 Beach Road, Sarasota; $20, $18 senior/military, $12 ages 5-17, free ages 4 and under (one-day), $60 (four-day), $55 daily VIP parking pass; siestakeycrystalclassic.com
2. Sarasota Fall Fine Art Festival in downtown Sarasota
Take advantage of the fall weather to visit this annual two-day, free-admission art festival in downtown Sarasota’s J.D. Hamel Park. There, you’ll find local, regional and national artisans working in painting, sculpture, jewelry, photography, glass, ceramics, fiber and wearable art, mixed-media, woodworking and more.
The event is put on by the Lakewood Ranch-based Paragon Festivals, which also hosts a series of popular seafood and music fests, additional art festivals and more throughout Sarasota-Manatee and the greater Tampa Bay area.
10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday; J.D. Hamel Park, 199 Bayfront Drive, Sarasota; free admission; 941-487-8061; paragonfestivals.com
3. Sangarita Showdown in Palmetto
As the ninth annual event’s name suggests, Sangarita Showdown showcases sangrias and margaritas as well as appetizers, with local restaurants, wineries and distilleries competing for the title of serving the best of each.
Attendees can sample as many entries as they like and vote for their favorite. The event will also feature a DJ, photo booth, raffles and silent and live auctions, benefiting Parenting Matters, which provides parenting education and support to Sarasota-Manatee families.
6:45 p.m. doors, 7-10 p.m. event Friday; Manatee County Fairgrounds Veterans Hall, 1402 14th Ave. W., Palmetto; $75 and up (all attendees must be ages 21 or up); 941-756-3007; sangaritashowdown.com
4. Wellen Park Wine Festival in Sarasota County
Sarasota County master-planned community Wellen Park hosts this wine festival, with the main Grand Tasting event taking place Saturday in Downtown Wellen.
There, attendees can sample wines from nearly 40 vintners and small bites from Wellen Park restaurants such as The Banyan House, Aqua Pazza Coastal Kitchen, Villani & Co. and Oak & Stone. There’ll also be a Friday five-course dinner featuring acclaimed vintner Silver Oak and partner winery Twomey, and a Wine Class 101 ahead of the Grand Tasting.
6 p.m. Friday (dinner); 11 a.m. Saturday (class) and 1 p.m. Saturday (Grand Tasting); Solis Hall, 19745 Wellen Park Blvd., Venice (dinner and class) and Downtown Wellen, 19725 Wellen Park Blvd., Venice (Grand Tasting); $175 (dinner), $25 (class), $95 general admission, $135 VIP, $45 designated driver (Grand Tasting); 941-960-7805; wellenpark.com/wine
5. Empty Bowls in Lakewood Ranch
After All Faiths Food Bank held the similar event Bowls of Hope last weekend at Sarasota’s Ed Smith Stadium, Meals on Wheels PLUS of Manatee will host the 25th annual Empty Bowls this weekend on Lakewood Ranch’s Main Street.
Attendees get a meal of soup, bread and dessert provided by local restaurants, then get to take home a handcrafted bowl, a reminder of the many still going hungry in our community. Proceeds benefits the Food Bank of Manatee.
11 a.m.-1 p.m. Friday; Lakewood Ranch Main Street, 8100 Lakewood Main St., Lakewood Ranch; $35 advance, $40 day of (general admission), $50 advance, $60 day of (VIP; includes early bowl selection at 10:30 a.m.), sponsorships also available; lakewoodranch.com
Email entertainment reporter Jimmy Geurts at jimmy.geurts@heraldtribune.com. Support local journalism by subscribing.
