Festival Time in Sarasota

April could be called "Festival Month" in Sarasota and along the west coast of Florida. There are a half dozen festivals, ranging from the Fringe Film Festival and Florida Winefest designed to attract out-of-town visitors and extend the tourist season to Siesta Fiesta which is more for locals.

From April 7 - 11th, we have the Sarasota Fringe Film Festival., where one can screen over 300 films. Over 40 of these films have a local hook, such as the suspense thriller, "Deadly Closure," which was filmed exclusively in Sarasota by Siesta Key resident, Alan Roberts.

Watching movies always works up my appetite, so I’ll make sure not to miss the Sarasota Chili Cook Off on Saturday April 10th at the Sarasota County Fairgrounds. For $10.00 one can sample and vote on over 50 types of chili. There is a $1,500 prize for the winner and the first 500 people get a free beer also. From 11:00 am until 10:00 pm there is a full day of activity here for everyone.

Time for a little exercise after all the movies, chili and beer? Head down to Venice for the 18th annual Venice Shark's Tooth Festival.
This event runs from Friday, April 9 - Sunday, April 11, 2010. The 10K is Saturday at 7:15 AM, details are at http://www.sharkstooth10k.com/. For those who come later in the day, there are fishing presentations, live music and lots of Seafood to enjoy.

For some live entertainment this weekend there is also the Theatre Odyssey's Annual Festival of Short Plays by Sarasota area writers runs today through Saturday. This local event features 10 plays, 10 minutes each for $10.00.

Later this month, from April 22 - 25th is the Florida WineFest & Auction. This is one of my favorites each year, featuring lots of events all with good food and wine. Costs range from $250.00 for the Friday Night Dinner Dance at the Ritz Carlton to $15.00 for a "Taste of Winefest" on Sunday afternoon at Phillippi Park.

Siesta Fiesta is going on for the 32nd year from April 24 -25th. This one is located right in front of our Siesta Key office, booths are actually set up in our front parking lot. This art festival is for locals to reclaim their beaches and restaurants. Lots of craft booths, bands, beer, and the beach all weekend.

Leave a Comment

Blog Navigation

• All Categories
• Sarasota Sights & Events
• Sarasota Real Estate Info
• Local Real Estate News

Blogroll

• Siesta Key Condos

Archives

• November 2010
• July 2010
• June 2010
• May 2010
• April 2010
• March 2010
• February 2010
• October 2009