September 20, 2024 - two attending - Even after 75 years the magic must still be in the air and the…read morearea!!! The main theatre was ravaged and destroyed in Hurricane IAN so they are trying to rebuild and get back to normal - so while you buy tickets and attending you are helping out as well. (If you are not local i am sure they will take a check or card for no seat!! Give 'em a call) https://mailchi.mp/venicetheatre/opening-weekend-tickets-available?e=64b049ba14 REALLY enjoyed this clever & witty play with some very comical and talented characters and actors! Giving it 5 stars here but also a ZERO on the Daddy Z Meter. That is the best score since I did NOT nod off or fall asleep once because this was engaging throughout and really kept my attention and had me laughing!! BRAVO! (cross posting Yelp, Google, etc etc)

I love this place but their projectors' for the movies are very very dim. The stair lights may be…read morebrighter

Sailor Circus Academy started in 1949 and is now a top circus training program. The venue is very…read morenice, the inside of the building really gives you a circus tent feeling. 3 times a year they have a show. The spring show we visited was called "Victorious " and it was super. Lights, music, 2 very good announcers made it a spectacular show. It was 2 hours of fun and excitement. I will let the pictures tell the rest of the story.

I last went to the Sailor Circus about 50 years ago. It was great to get to go again. There are…read moreperformances only 3 days, Thursday and Friday at 7 p.m. and a matinee and evening performance on Saturday. The circus performers are kids! Their ages range from 6-18. It is truly amazing what these youngsters are capable of doing. Not only are they doing many of the typical acts one associates with the circus(tightrope walking, juggling, aerials, unicycle and bicycling feats, high flying on trapezes), but they are incredibly strong. Both the boys and the girls are able to swing from trapeze bars and hold on to other performers who spin and twirl high above the circus floor or catch a performer flying through the air. The boy who pedaled the bike was strong enough to carry 5 other performers who did handstands while in motion. It's a wonderful show put on by school children. Bright costumes and great music! The show is 2 1/2 hours, including a brief intermission.

A beautiful auditorium with wonderful lighting & sound system. Have been to a couple of shows here…read more& enjoyed everyone of them. Seats are comfortable & there is not a bad seat anywhere. They have a refreshment bar with assortment of wines, beer & cocktails. Would definitely recommend to a friend

Nice local non-profit "serving Charlotte County since 1961 with over 12,000 different happenings…read morefor the young and young at heart." Lots of things going on most of the time - except summer when things slow a bit - check out their calendar for current events. Many hand crafted goods by locals available in their gift shop.

Came back this year to celebrate the holidays at UTC. We…read moredecided to watch and Holiday movie under the stars which was how the Grinch stole Christmas. Parking was a bit tricky we had to park on the opposite side and walk over. And then, of course it took some time to find a spot on the grass to sit and watch the movie. We got there a little before the movie started so if you plan to go just get there early for better seating. The quality of the movie was good and so was the audio. We decided to get pizza from blaze for dinner to enjoy while we watched the movie. It was a really good time. After the movie was over, we brought all our stuff back to the car and walked around a bit to check out the Christmas trees and also view the Christmas lights. They do such a fantastic job every year it gets better and better.

UTC in Sarasota festival of lights is really an awesome light show synchronized with music. It runs…read morethroughout the Christmas season. We were only there for the light show today. On some Friday's they have a firework display at 9:00 pm. I highly recommend you checking out all the events UTC has for the Christmas season.

This is my first opera since moving down here from NYC 11 years ago. In tonight's case, we have…read moretickets for Il Trovatore (Giuseppe Verdi). Even though downtown Sarasota is a total conglomeration of small and poorly laid out streets, it was easy to get here. I lucked out and found a spot on Central Ave right around the corner. Just $2 to park until 8pm, after which it's "free parking," to borrow a phrase from Monopoly. They refurbished this place not so long ago so it's quite nice in the auditorium itself. It kinda has a Spanish colonial feel both inside and outside. When I hear "opera house," I think of the Metropolitan Opera House and Lincoln Center. This place is quite small and more closely resembles a theatre where one would expect to see "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" or "Hello Dolly." I purchased orchestra box seats, which come 4 to a box, two rows per box. No one right near us but two couples front of us in the next box forward. I'm tall enough to have seen over Madame Blue Hair, so I had to switch seats with my dear Queen Bee. Sight lines could be better, IMHO. Meantime, I even received a personalized thank you letter from the Opera House "Powers That Be" upon entering our "box." Two free drinks were ours for the taking..."does not include spirits." Still a nice touch though. Free Diet Pepsi/Coke awaits us in the future! Woo Hoo!! Acoustics seemed okay rather than too loud, too muffled or too tinny. As I said above, sight lines are rather mediocre but at least one isn't totally packed in like a tin of sardines. Both our seats (stand alone moveable chairs) and standard row seating seem comfortable enough.

Stopped into this hundred year-old historic Opera House in the arts district of Sarasota. The…read moreSarasota Opera House is a historic, beautifully renovated 1,119-seat theater in downtown Sarasota, known for hosting opera, ballet, concerts & film festivals. Originally opened in 1926 as the Edwards Theatre, it features a restored auditorium with excellent acoustics and is part of a larger complex that includes a pavilion for events. The venue is on the National Register of Historic Places and offers a variety of performance and event spaces.

Amazing house in Nokomis South of Sarasota…read more They are already amazing bc of the big huge free parking beside their property with lit up path bc it is pitch black. It's also free for this beautiful spectacle. There are chairs for people to sit through out. I love the swing to sit and view the dragon. The benches also spread out are helpful. The ground is wide spread for when it gets crowded. We went on their last day and it was beautiful as ever and comfortable To see and nice to see after Xmas and New Years has passed. Thank you for this wonderful Christmas light show. It's always one to remember!

Fabulous.. so many lights, scenes, music, and all FREE!! A…read morewalk through experience. They even have a parking lot which is also FREE! What a wonderful family and experience.

It was the last perfect outside day of spring-and it was a Saturday. I couldn't stay inside-so off…read moreto Marie Shelby Gardens we went. It had been on my wish list since way before social media-and I'm so glad it got off the list and into my memories. Ariel W's review contains a wonderful history of the Selby. I'll direct you here way, for all that great info. I can confirm: it's right there, just south of downtown, on Sarasota Bay, with a gorgeous view and a large parking garage. There's an indoor plant area, full of orchids and other delicate blooms-and a building upfront that hosts exhibits. I was so in love with the weather that day, I had just had to get back outside. I promised myself I'll go back and spend more time inside. But this was one of those days where you feel like you're blinking sunshine-breathing flowers. It was just sublime. (Thanks, Ken) I couldn't get enough of it. We wandered the entire grounds, which include a rain forest area, a big treehouse for all ages, flowers, plants and trees of all kinds, a kids activity area, a huge open green area, to stroll or run out your angst or energy and benches in certain areas, to just sit and take it all in. It's the prettiest way to clear your head-escape the grind-find your zen. You could spend a couple hours or a whole morning/afternoon here. I believe there's a restaurant or two on the property or adjacent to it (check me on that). I cant wait to come back at Christmastime. We're so lucky to have these beautiful gardens nearby.

We parked for free in their large multi level parking garage and paid $28 pp admission. We were…read moregiven maps and information about the Calder exhibit. It was a beautiful day, just perfect to wander around outdoors.We were directed to start at the mansion which was filled with information and drawings from Alexander Calder. We then followed the path around the gardens. Every flower and every shrub had an identifying name. The gardens were spectacular with lots of places to sit, clean bathrooms, and a café along the way. Most of the visitors that we passed were over 80 & were eager to share what cold location they were visiting from. We wandered through the desert, tropical gardens, through the children's rainforest ... admiring statues and moving Calder mobiles on the way. The paths, flora, statues & mobiles were well marked. I understand that the vegetables, fruit and herbs serve served in the restaurant. Restaurant and Cafe are all grown on the rooftop garden.i took so many beautiful photographs here! Selby Gardens is a tropical, urban oasis of over 45 acres of bayfront sanctuaries, connecting people with native flora and regional history. The gardens include the Downtown Campus on Sarasota Bay & the only botanical garden in the world dedicated to the display and study of orchids, bromeliads, gesneriads, and ferns. The Historic Spanish Point (HSP) Campus is located less than 10 miles south along Little Sarasota Bay, one of the largest preserves showcasing native Florida plants.

The Sarasota Jungle Gardens is a hidden gem. There's so much to do and it's one of the places in…read morethe world that you can feed flamingos. They have so many animals from turtles, parrots to baby alligators. This place is family friendly for all ages. Don't forget to see the bird show! There's free on site parking available.

Ok, not great. If you want to pay $25 to hand feed a…read moreflamingo, this is the place for you. The live bird show at noon was good. The cafe is still closed, so there is only one small restroom at the gift shop for the whole park! The animals in cages looked sad. While walking on the main path, I saw a rat! Another lady said she saw many.