Page 55 - Travel Guide to Florida 2020

Sarasota arguably holds the loftiest The complex’s Asolo Repertory Theatre
reputation for the arts in these parts, contributes to Sarasota’s rich theatrical ANNUAL EVENTS
stemming from the influence of the tradition, which ranges from new plays at
Ringling family, whose circus wintered the Florida Studio Theatre to Broadway
JANUARY
here. The Ringlings exerted an Italianate shows at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Forks & Corks Food & Wine Festival, Sarasota
influence on local architecture and the arts, Hall, designed by the Frank Lloyd Wright Mullet Festival, Goodland
culminating in the Ca’ d’Zan mansion on Foundation to resemble a scallop shell.
FEBRUARY
The Ringling grounds. Seeded with John Taking up residence in a restored high
Bradenton Area River Regatta
Ringling’s own collection of Rubens and school, the Ringling College of Art + Design’s
Cortez Fishing Festival
baroque art, The Ringling’s art museum Sarasota Art Museum opened in 2018. For a Edison Festival of Light, Fort Myers
collection covers 500 years of European art driving tour of other architectural gems, Everglades Seafood Festival, Everglades City
and specializes in late-medieval and including examples of the vaunted Sarasota Swamp Cabbage Festival, Labelle
Renaissance Italian works. It will debut an School of Architecture, pick up a copy of the
MARCH
exhibition in June, Skyway: A Contemporary Tour Sarasota Architecture guide at visitors’
Clewiston Sugar Festival
Collaboration, celebrating the Tampa Bay centers. Galleries fill the Sarasota– Fort Myers Beach Shrimp Festival
region, in partnership with four institu- Bradenton area, which boasts two artists’ Marco Island Seafood & Music Festival
tions: the Museum of Fine Arts, St. Peters- colonies—Towles Court near downtown Peace River National Art Festival, Punta Gorda
burg; The John and Mable Ringling Museum Sarasota and Village of the Arts in
MARCH–APRIL
of Art, Sarasota; the Tampa Museum of Art; Bradenton. The colonies and downtown
Sarasota Film Festival
and the University of South Florida Contem- Sarasota schedule monthly gallery walks
porary Art Museum, Tampa. where you can meet the artists. APRIL
De Soto Heritage Festival, Bradenton
De Soto Seafood Festival, Bradenton
SARASOTA BALLET • VISIT SARASOTA
Shark’s Tooth Festival, Venice
APRIL–MAY
Stay in May Festival, Naples

MAY
Blues, Brews and BBQ, Anna Maria Island
Harvey Milk Festival, Sarasota
JUNE
Sarasota Music Festival
Spammy Jammy, Goodland
JUNE–JULY
Suncoast Powerboat Grand Prix, Sarasota
SEPTEMBER
Island Hopper Songwriter Fest, Fort Myers
Beach and Captiva Island

OCTOBER
“Ding” Darling Days, Sanibel Island
Naples International Film Festival
Ringling International Arts Festival, Sarasota
Sarasota Pride Festival
Stone Crab Festival, Naples
NOVEMBER
American Sand Sculpting Championship,
Fort Myers Beach
Florida Panther Festival, Naples
Sarasota Chalk Festival, Venice
DECEMBER
Bradenton Blues Festival

2020 TRAVEL GUIDE TO FLORIDA 53