The September calendar has been building all month, and this is the weekend it all comes together. Between Friday and Sunday there is so much to do that I have been making my own little itinerary all week. If you are the type who likes a plan, here is how I would spend the next ten days on the Gulf Coast.
The Venice Craft Weekend
It starts in historic downtown Venice. On Friday, September 18, the Venice MainStreet September Sidewalk Sale brings racks and tables out onto the brick walkways of West Venice Avenue, the slow, small-town kind of shopping afternoon that pairs perfectly with a coffee from a corner café.
Then on Saturday, September 19, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., juried artisans fill the downtown for the Venice Art & Craft Expo. Expect jewelry, pottery, paintings and woodworking set up along the walkable streets of the historic district. My favorite way to do it: park near City Hall, wander the booths in the morning, then head to the pier for a sunset that never misses. If you are curious what it is like to live so close to all of this, the Venice neighborhoods are an easy afternoon tour from the expo.
St. Armands Circle Art Festival
The same weekend, the 4th Annual St. Armands Circle Art Festival with Craft Marketplace and Sidewalk Sale fills the Circle on Saturday and Sunday, September 19 and 20, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. More than 175 painters, jewelers, potters and woodworkers line the landscaped roundabout, and admission is free. It is one of the most scenic art shows on the coast, with the Gulf breeze coming off Lido Beach right at your back. For anyone thinking about Bird Key or St. Armands living, a festival weekend is the most honest, lively look at the neighborhood you will get.
Then the Season Really Turns
The following weekend, Saturday, September 26, is a big one. The Sarasota Opera Food & Wine Festival at the historic Opera House on Pineapple Avenue brings food samples and wine tastings to the grand hall, with proceeds supporting the Sarasota Youth Opera. At the same time, the Venice Beach Party at 101 The Esplanade closes out summer with live music, food trucks and a free trolley from Centennial Park.
And the Venice Friday Night Concert Series returns to the Centennial Park gazebo on Friday, September 27, from 7 to 9 p.m., the first of its fall run. It is free, and it is the quintessential Venice evening, all lawn chairs and sunset light.
October Is Already Stacked
Looking further ahead, the social season kicks into high gear in October: Fresh Fridays Downtown returns to Main Street on Friday, October 2, Reggae Nights on the Island and Wellen Park Oktoberfest both land on October 3, ROCKtoberfest fills the downtown bayfront on October 10, and the 53rd Sun Fiesta brings its parade, bed races and festival energy to Centennial Park on October 16 through 18.
It is the kind of stretch that reminds me why I love this corner of Florida. If an event weekend has you wondering what it would be like to live here year-round, reach out and let’s find your spot on the Gulf Coast.