We kick off our picks for the top events this weekend in March with the return of a popular free Friday street party in downtown Sarasota, which also hosts a Parisian-inspired outdoor marketplace Saturday.
Those in Manatee County have plenty of options as well, including an early way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in Lakewood Ranch, a mural festival in Bradenton’s Village of the Arts, and a parade and chili cookoff in Parrish.
Looking for even more options? Lakewood Ranch will hold its own free monthly block party, Music on Main, 6-9 p.m. Friday, and Lakewood Ranch Fine Art Festival 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, both at 8100 Lakewood Main St.
Skyport Aviation will host Venice Airport Day 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, while downtown Sarasota park The Bay will showcase our local waterways with Bay Fest 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday. All four events mentioned above are free.
Through Women’s Eyes International Film Festival: Reel Equals, the 27th annual film festival centered on advancing gender equality, will take place Friday-Sunday in person at various Sarasota venues and Thursday-Tuesday streaming. Costs range from $15 for a individual ticket to $145 all-access in-theater or online viewing.
1. Fresh Fridays in downtown Sarasota
The popular free downtown Sarasota street party series Fresh Fridays will return in March with a Downtown Social on Main Street-themed edition.
This month’s musical act will be the Foreman’s 5, who played Fresh Fridays last March as well. Attendees can also stroll along Main Street, enjoy bites from local vendors, strike up conversations and enjoy an upbeat and relaxing atmosphere.
7-10 p.m. Friday; Main Street, Sarasota; free; downtownsarasotadid.com/fresh-fridays
2. Le Marché in downtown Sarasota
After partying at Fresh Fridays, attendees can head back to downtown Sarasota for Le Marché on Saturday morning and afternoon at Selby Five Points Park.
The Parisian-inspired outdoor marketplace (Le Marché is French for “the market”) features a curated selection of unique gifts, artisanal goods and festive treats for sale. Want to shop and stroll even more? The popular Sarasota Farmers Market, featuring artisan vendors and food and beverages, takes place 7 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturdays on nearby Lemon Avenue.
10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday; Selby Five Points Park, 1 Central Ave., Sarasota; free; destinationdowntownsarasota.com
3. Irish Celtic Festival in Lakewood Ranch
Most St. Patrick’s Day celebrations won’t take place until next weekend, or March 17 proper (a Tuesday this year), yet you can celebrate the holiday early at the Irish Celtic Festival in Lakewood Ranch.
The annual festival will feature Irish food, beer and whiskey, stage performances, a kids’ corner and a Lucky Dog Parade — because who could be luckier than someone getting to see a slew of cute dogs?
11:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday; Greenbrook Adventure Park, 13010 Adventure Place, Bradenton; free, $5 parking; lakewoodranch.com
4. WonderWall Mural Fest in Bradenton’s Village of the Arts
Bradenton’s already-colorful Village of the Arts neighborhood will get even more colorful at the WonderWall Mural Fest, presented in partnership with local muralists and Boys & Girls Clubs of Manatee County.
Permanent murals are scheduled for completion during the festival at sites such as the rear wall of Federal Discount Beverages, Bits & Pieces, Jerk Dog Records and Embodied Health. Along with live art and music, there’ll be food and drinks, including from Flamingo Bay Brewing and Birdrock Taco Shack, which closed its brick-and-mortar restaurant.
10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday; Village of the Arts, 1227 12th St. W., Bradenton; facebook.com/villageofthearts
5. Parrish Heritage Parade, Festival and Chili Cook-Off
The annual celebration will kick off with a parade on Fort Hamer Road at 10 a.m., followed by a family-friendly festival with a chili cook-off starting at 11 a.m. at Florida Railroad Museum.
Chili sampling is included in the admission cost to the festival, which will also feature craft and vendor tents, food and beer trucks, kids activity and play areas, and live music from Black Thorn Rose.
10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, Florida Railroad Museum, 12210 83rd St. E., Parrish; free (parade), $10, free ages 12 and younger (festival); parrishcivicassociation.com
Email entertainment reporter Jimmy Geurts at jimmy.geurts@heraldtribune.com. Support local journalism by subscribing.
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Top 5 things to do in Sarasota area this weekend include street party
Reporting by Jimmy Geurts, Sarasota Herald-Tribune / Sarasota Herald-Tribune
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