New Year's Eve Top Picks


★ Celebrate New Year's Eve Downtown Sarasota with the pineapple drop! 12pm-1:30am
★ Downtown Bradenton New Year's Eve party 4pm-1am
★ Starlight and Fire Family Party at Historic Spanish Point 6-10pm
★ New Year's Eve with WSLR 7pm-1am
★ New Year's Eve Fireworks on the beach at Sharky's On The Pier
★ New Year's Fireworks at Marina Jack: Sarasota Bayfront 
★ New Year's Eve Fireworks at The BeachHouse Restaurant

Weekend Top Picks

★ Home Depot Kids' Workshop: Learn How to Build a Mini Sled - Sat 9am-12pm
★  Village of the Arts ArtWalk 6-9:30pm - Fri 6-9:30pm & Sat 11am-4pm
★ Family Fun Day/LEGO Club at the Braden River Branch 11am-12:30pm
★ Jr. Chef Class: 52 New Foods: Blender Bar at Williams-Sonoma Sarasota - Sat 10am
★ Publix Aprons Kids Cooking Class: Creative Kid's Kitchen - Sat 11am
★ Mac n Cheese Challenge at the Bradenton Beach Historical Bridge Street Market - Sun 11am-2pm

A few highlights: ★ New Year's Eve ★ Fireworks ★ Legos ★ Art ★ Cooking

Weekend Top Picks

❄ Touch a Truck at the Central Manatee County Public Library Parking Lot - Sat 12-3pm
❄ Foodies & crafts with the kids at the Bradenton Farmers' Market  - Sat 9am-1:30pm
❄ Sidewalk Astronomy at LWR Main Street - Sat Dusk-10pm
❄ Cookie Camp at The Cookie Cottage Florida 10am-Noon (Reservation Required)
❄ Open Play Time at Time 4 Tikes - Fri & Sat 10am-5pm

Visit the Local Market page for Farmers and Open Air Markets.

Light Displays
List of light displays from Ticket Sarasota, the Bradenton Herald, the East County Observer, and the Longboat Key Observer.

❄ Holly Days and Mangrove Lights at Historic Spanish Point 12/26
❄ Holiday Lights Spectacular at Sarasota Jungle Gardens until 12/28
❄ Drive Through Christmas Lights at Grace Church 6-10pm until 12/29
❄ Lights In Bloom at Selby Gardens 6-9p until 12/29
❄ SRQ Trolley Holiday Tour of Lights Tours at 6:30 & 8:30pm
❄ Enander's Winter Wonderland in Nokomis 6-10pm until 1/7


A few highlights: ❄ Touch a Truck ❄ Foodies ❄ Astronomy ❄ Cookies ❄ Light Displays ❄ Farmers Market ❄

Weekend Top Picks
Visit the Holiday Guide and the December Event page for more details on these and other events.

❄ Sarasota Family YMCA Winter Wonderland - Fri 6-8pm
❄ Suncoast Baptist Church Living Nativity - Fri & Sat 6:30-9pm
❄ Jingle 5K Run Lakewood Ranch - Fri 7:00pm
❄ PJ Party Storytime: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer - Fri 7:00pm
❄ PJs and Bedtime Stories Read by Santa at DeSoto Square - Fri 8pm
❄ Manatee County Area Transit Tour of Lights leaves SCF - Fri & Sat at 6:45pm
❄ Winter Wonderland at Sunset Chevrolet Buick GMC 12-2pm
❄ Christmas Story Time for Kids! at Bookstore1Sarasota 10:30am
❄ Gingerbread Man Event at the Sarasota Farmers Market 9am-12pm
❄ Christmas Magic in Myakka - Sat 4-6pm
❄ Holiday Program: “The Grinch” at the Braden River Library (Registration req.) 11am-12pm
❄ Super Secret Holiday Workshop in Longwood Park - Sat 12-4pm
❄ “Frozen” Holiday Party at the South Manatee Library - Sat 10am-1pm
❄ Good Tidings Festival at Geraldson Community Farm - Sat 5-9pm
❄ Hobbit Party at the South Manatee Library - Sat 2pm
❄ A Taste of Chanukah 2014 - Sun 1-5pm

Light Displays


List of light displays from Ticket Sarasota, the Bradenton Herald, the East County Observer, and the Longboat Key Observer.

❄ Manatee County Area Transit Tour of Lights leaves SCF Bradenton
❄ Holly Days and Mangrove Lights at Historic Spanish Point
❄ Holiday Lights Spectacular at Sarasota Jungle Gardens
❄ Drive Through Christmas Lights at Grace Church
❄ Lights In Bloom at Selby Gardens 6-9p
❄ SRQ Trolley Holiday Tour of Lights Tours at 6:30 & 8:30pm
❄ Enander's Winter Wonderland in Nokomis 6-10pm

Breakfast/Brunch/Lunch with Santa

12/20 Breakfast with Santa - Polo Grill & Bar 8:30-10:30am
12/20 Breakfast with Santa in Newtown Estates Park 9am-12pm
12/21 Breakfast with Santa on the Bay at the Ritz Carlton 9-11am
12/21 Brunch with Santa at The Ranch Grill & Bar 11am-1pm
12/21 Lunch with Santa at Main Street Trattoria 12-2pm

A few highlights: ❅ Nativity ❅ Christmas ❅ Hanukkah ❅ Lights ❅ Frozen ❅ 5K ❅ Festival ❅ Library ❅ Story Time ❅ Winter Wonderland ❅ Santa ❄ Breakfast with Santa ❄ Arts & Crafts ❄  

Weekend Top Picks
Visit the December Event page for more details on these and other events.

● Kids' Astronomy at Risen Savior Evangelical Lutheran Church - Fri 6:30-8:15pm
● Kids Archery at Rye Preserve - Sat (ages 6-12) 9-11am & (ages 13+) 1-3pm
● Whole Kids Club - Make a Candle Holder at Whole Foods Sarasota - Sat 10-11:30am
● Build a snowman Play Day at Children's World - Sat 10am-4pm
● Healthy Living Organic & Natural Market's 1st Anniversary Celebration - Sat 10am-5pm
● Anna Maria Art League Winterfest - Sat & Sun 10am-4:30pm

Winter & Holiday Event Top Picks
Visit the Holiday Guide for more details on these and other events.

● The Living Nativity at The Tabernacle Sarasota - Thurs-Sun
● Sledding with Santa at the LWR YMCA - Fri 5:30-8pm 
● Holidays Around the Ranch on Lakewood Ranch Main Street - Fri 6-9pm
● Anna Maria Island Privateers Parade - Sat 10am
● Christmas on Bridge Street - Sat 4-8pm
● Venice Area Beautification, Inc. Holiday Tree Lighting - Sat 5-7pm
● North Port's Poinsettia Parade - Sat 5pm
● Downtown Bradenton Sounds of the Season - Sat 5-10pm
● Sarasota Holiday Boat Parade of Lights - Sat 6pm
● 1914 Cracker Christmas at the Manatee Village Historical Park - Sun 11am-4pm

A few highlights: ❅ Parades ❅ Boat Parades ❅ History ❅ Christmas ❅ Chanukah ❅ Horses ❅ Lights  ❅ 5K ❅ Arts & Crafts ❅ Art ❅ Archery ❅ Sledding ❅ Snow ❅ Concert ❅ Ballet ❅ Nativity ❅ Astronomy 

Weekend Top Picks
Visit the December Event page for more details on these and other events.

● Music on Main on Lakewood Ranch Main Street - Fri 6-9pm
● Little Sprouts’ Club: Scrub Pines & Pinelands at Selby Gardens - Sat 10:30-11:30am
● Princess Party at Toys "R" Us - Sat 12-4pm
● Sarasota Ford Grand Re-Opening - Sat 3-7pm
● Family Night at the South Florida Museum History Comes Alive - Sat 4-8pm
● Family Fun Day with Legos at the Braden River Library - Sat 11am-12:30pm
● Bradenton Blues Festival - Sat 11am-8pm

Winter & Holiday Event Top Picks

● Christmas in the Park at the Palmetto Historical Park - Fri 5-9pm
● Christmas movies in the park at Buffalo Creek & LWR Parks- Fri 6-8pm
● Walk Through Bethlehem at Samoset First Baptist - Sat & Sun 5-8:3pm
● Olde Fashioned Village Christmas ArtWalk at Village of the Arts - Fri 6-9:30pm & Sat 11am-4pm
● Santa is visiting Children's World - Sat 10am-4pm
● A Night Before Christmas at G.T. Bray Park - Sat 4-7:30pm
● Venice Christmas Boat Parade - Sat 6:00pm
● Night in Bethlehem at Living Lord Lutheran Church - Sat 6:30-8:30pm
● Christmas on the Braden River Boat Parade - Sat Begins at Dusk
● Sarasota Holiday Parade - Sat 7-9pm
● Toys For Tots Donation Party at the Manatee Fish Camp - Sun 1-6pm
● Santa is coming to Learning Express Toys University Park - Sun 3:30-6pm

 
A few highlights: ● Parade ● Boat Parades ● Nativities ● Santa ● Christmas ● Toys For Tots Cookies ● Crafts ● Art ● Princess ● Nik Wallenda Walk ● History ● Legos ● Blues ● Music ●