Art & Craft Festivals, Area Events

15th Annual Labor Day Weekend Arts Festival. 31/Aug. – 1/Sept., 2024 Downtown Venice.

September SideWalk Sale – Get great deals downtown and support small, local businesses during this 2-day sidewalk sale! September 20-21, 2024 Downtown Venice District (Miami, Tampa, West Venice avenues) 200 West Venice Avenue, Venice,

2nd Annual St. Armand’s Circle Crafts Festival – 21/Sept. – 22/Sept., 2024 10:00am – 4:00pm 1 St. Armands Cir., Sarasota, FL If you’re planning a trip to Sarasota, you can’t miss this event! Just off the coast of Sarasota lies St. Armands Key, a luxurious escape from the hustle and bustle of mainland life. St. Armands is an enchanting place to get away from all the activity of the mainland with a variety of fine shops and gourmet restaurants. Unique in concept, history and beauty, St. Armands provides an unforgettable experience for visitors. For two days, festival-goers will enjoy works from the states best talent of crafters and long-time festival favorites along with the newest names on the contemporary craft scene. Come see some of America’s best crafters displaying one of a kind jewelry, pottery, plant holders, soaps, and much much more. Also included will be an expansive green market with unique orchids and delicious dips and sauces.

Venice Beach Party – 28/Sept., 2024, 1:00 – 6pm Enjoy live music, food trucks, beer, wine and specialty drinks on the beach! Catch the free trolley running from Centennial Park to Venice Beach, plus free parking and free entry Venice Beach 101 The Esplanade S, Venice, FL.

Benderson Chase Rowing Regatta – 11/Oct. – 13/Oct., 2024 8:00am – 5pm. Nathan Benderson Park, 5851 Nathan Benderson Circle, Sarasota, FL This two-day extravaganza is one of the largest fall rowing regattas in the state, attracting hundreds of spectators and bringing together over 1,100 athletes to battle for gold and glory! As the athletes battle for glory, Regatta Island will transform into a vibrant hub of festivities, where you can indulge in a delightful array of culinary delights, explore our bustling vendor village, and engage in a variety of games and activities that will keep the whole family entertained. Tel: 1-941-358-7275

Downtown Halloween Strut – 31/Oct., 2024 4:30pm – 6:30pm 200 West Venice Ave., Venice, FL. All ages (from little ones to seniors) are invited to show off their costumes in Downtown Venice for the Halloween Strut! Enjoy trick-or-treating at participating locations on Tampa Ave.

Halloween Safe Walk – 31/Oct., 2024 4:30pm – 7:00pm West Dearborn St., Englewood FL. All ages invited to “trick or treat” with their creative costumes. Local business’s along Dearborn St., will have yummy treats for all.

36th Annual Downtown Art Festival – 2/Nov & 3/Nov. – 10am to 5pm Downtown Venice. Settled along West Venice Avenue, the Downtown Venice Art Festival adds to the ambiance of this unique town. More than 100 of the nation’s most notable artists will exhibit their work, ranging in mediums from photography to jewelry, paintings to sculpture, ceramics, glass, mixed media and more during this weekend community festival. Festival patrons and art collectors alike can meet and visit with their favorite artists, view and purchase original works, or commission custom pieces.

Sarasota Chalk Festival – 8/Nov. – 10/Nov., 2024 7:00am – 7:00pm – 540 S. Orange Avenue, Sarasota, FL The International Sarasota Chalk Festival will once again turn the pavement in downtown Sarasota into a “Museum in Motion” as artists create masterpieces and 3D illusions using chalk as their medium and the road surface as their canvas! The last time the festival graced the streets in Sarasota was in 2019. New this year will be Flower Tapestries… a centuries old art form involving large canvases of flowers, sand, and other natural elements.

Englewood Beach Waterfest – 15/Nov. – 17/Nov., 2024 9:00am – 6:00pm Power Boat Racing – Englewood Beach, Englewood, FL.

2024 Siesta Key Crystal Classic – 15/Nov. – 18/Nov. 10:00am – 5:00pm, (Friday, Sunday, Monday) 10:00 – 9pm Saturday. Siesta Key – 948 Beach Road, Sarasota, FL This four-day festival features twenty-four master sand sculptors competing for top prizes in solo and duo categories. Their masterpieces transform the always beautiful Siesta Beach into an amazing outdoor art gallery. And it’s more than just sand…the festival also features live music throughout the event along with a large variety of 90+ shopping and food and drink vendors.

The Mayor’s Hometown Christmas – 29/Nov., 2024 – 5:00pm – 7:00pm Downtown Venice Get ready to kick off the holiday season with The Mayor’s Hometown Christmas in Downtown Venice! Enjoy the Christmas tree lighting as local choirs bring the festive spirit and holiday cheer. Also enjoy time with Santa, shop, dine and explore Historic Downtown Venice businesses. Brought to you by Venice MainStreet! Bring your chairs or blankets!

Venice Holiday Parade – 30/Nov., 2024 6:30pm Floats will proceed on the north side of W. Venice Avenue after crossing over Harbor Drive. From there, the parade turns onto Nokomis Avenue heading south and travels down to Turin Street. City of Venice Holiday Parade route stretches approximately one mile and is viewable from Venice and Nokomis avenues. With pre-parade activities and nearly 100 different floats the City of Venice Holiday Parade is fun for the whole family. Drinks and goodies are offered for sale by high school booster clubs, Boy Scouts and local nonprofit service groups along the parade route.

Venice Florida Christmas Boat Parade – 7/Dec., 2024 Starts at 6:00pm, Rain date is the next day. View from the Intracoastal Waterway. Parade starts above Albee Road Bridge, heading south with turn around just before Circus Bridge Christmas in Venice… Venice, with its miles of intracoastal waterway, offers superb areas for viewing the parade. Because of the close proximity of the spectators to the actual parade boats, we are one of the best viewed parades on the coast. The lights, the palm trees, the waterways. Celebrate the holiday season by joining in the fun!!