Tenth annual Anna Maria Island artsHOP starts this weekend

It started as a gallery walk in Holmes Beach

Now, the Anna Maria Island artsHOP is a 10-day event that celebrates the visual and performing arts not just in Holmes Beach but in Bradenton Beach and Anna Maria as well.

This year’s artsHOP gets going Friday, and includes events all over the rustic seven-mile island.

Among the biggest events this year is a production of “Murderers,” a comedy by Jeffery Hatcher that Island Players is producing. Hatcher’s play has been a hit for Island Players before, so they’re bringing it back for this year’s 10th annual artsHOP. “Murderers,” which is set in Florida, is a comic murder mystery, with the twist that three charming murderers freely admit their guilt.

For the past three years, the Anna Maris Island Concert Chorus and Orchestra’s “Symphony on the Sand” has been one of the centerpieces of artsHOP. The outdoor concert of classical and pop music is set for Saturday night, ad this year for the first time the stage on Coquina Beach will also feature concerts on Friday night (country star John Michael Montgomery) and Sunday (“The Stranger: The Ultimate Billy Joel Experience.”)

Gallery walks are still a big part of artsHOP, and this year all three cities on the island will host walks. The Holmes Beach Art Walk runs 5:30-8 p.m. Friday around Marina and Gulf drives. The Anna Maria Art Walk is 5:30-8 p.m. Nov. 18, on Pine Avenue and Gulf Drive, and the Bradenton Beach Art Walk is noon-5 p.m. Sunday. on Bridge Street.

Details: Nov. 11-20, locations around Anna Maria Island. Free, except for some ticketed events. islandartshop.com.

This story was originally published November 9, 2016 at 5:16 PM with the headline "Tenth annual Anna Maria Island artsHOP starts this weekend."