Fireworks and more: Things to do around Bradenton this Fourth of July weekend
Fourth of July festivities are sadly fewer and farther between this year.
The largest Independence Day celebration in Manatee County, Palmetto’s Fourth Fest, has been canceled, and the annual fireworks show over the Manatee River is postponed until the Labor Day weekend.
Luckily, backyard barbecues and beach hangouts are still on the table. But the fun doesn’t have to stop there.
There is still a chance to see a professional fireworks display with your own eyes; Nathan Benderson Park in Sarasota will host a drive-in spectacular this year.
And there are some other options for socially-distanced fun this holiday weekend around Bradenton.
Fireworks at NBP
Nathan Benderson Park’s annual “Fireworks on the Lake” event has been converted to a drive-in format this year to comply with social distancing guidelines.
Guests are encouraged to watch the pyrotechnics display from inside of their cars, but they can also watch from directly outside of their vehicles while wearing a mask, organizers say.
The event is ticketed, and a choice of spaces will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. It’s also the only major fireworks display in the Tampa Bay area that hasn’t been canceled, and tickets are selling fast.
For those that would rather watch from home, the show will be recorded and broadcast the following day during a Fourth of July special on WWSB ABC 7 at 8 p.m. Saturday.
Details: Gates open at 7 p.m Friday. Entry stops at 8:30 p.m. and fireworks begin at 9 p.m., weather permitting. $15 a vehicle. Limited parking available for RVs at $40 a vehicle.
Info: nathanbendersonpark.org.
Beaches open
With sunsets like ours, who needs fireworks?
Public beaches on Anna Maria Island will be open this weekend for socially-distanced fun in the sand and surf.
Water sports rentals are in full swing on the island and offer a chance to get farther away from the crowds.
Though bars have been ordered to shut down again, many restaurants are open at partial capacity for beach-side dining.
Those heading to the cities of Holmes Beach and Anna Maria should go prepared with a mask; they are now required inside public buildings, and businesses and violators can face hefty fines.
Details: Public beaches on Anna Maria Island are open from sunrise to 10 p.m.
Beach music bash
The Sandbar Restaurant in Anna Maria typically sponsors an Independence Day firework show off of the beach. This year, no fireworks are planned, but the restaurant will host live, local bands all weekend.
Rock band The Benders will play Friday; Motown, soul and disco group Act III will follow on Saturday; and reggae fusion band I-Ruption will perform Sunday.
In addition to a menu of surf ‘n’ turf specialties, red-white-and -blue cocktails and spiked freeze pops (or non-alcoholic pops for the kiddos) will help make the occasion more festive.
Tables will be socially distanced and other safety measures are in place, according to the restaurant’s website. Note: guests will be required to wear masks when not seated at a table.
Details: 3-7 p.m. Friday through Sunday. The Sandbar Restaurant, 100 Spring Ave., Anna Maria.
Info: sandbardining.com/july-music.
Parks, preserves and gardens
If you can stand a little summer heat, the great outdoors continue to offer respite from the woes of COVID-19.
Most Manatee County parks and preserves are open. Other local options for fresh air include the Palma Sola Botanical Gardens, DeSoto National Memorial and Myakka River State Park. A Salvador Dalí exhibit at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens in Sarasota is ongoing through July 26.
July Art Walk
Artisans of the Village in the Arts in Bradenton will open their businesses this weekend for a display of crafts, goods, healing arts, food music and more.
The theme for July’s Art Walk is the mythical mermaid.
If you go, bring a mask.
“All businesses are independently owned and will have their own individual guidelines for COVID-19 precautions,” organizers said on Facebook.
Details: 6-9:30 p.m. Friday and 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday. Village of the Arts, downtown Bradenton.
Info: villageofthearts.com.
Blast off at The Planetarium
The Bishop Museum of Science and Nature reopened last month with a timed ticketing system and other safety measures in place, but some areas were still closed.
One of the museum’s main attractions, The Planetarium, reopens this week with upgraded technology.
The new projection system for astronomy adventures is one-and-a-half times brighter than the previous one and provides four times as much contrast, according to the Bishop.
“We’re able to give them an even better experience because the combination of our new system and the size of our dome enables us to recreate a dark sky natural environment,” Planetarium manager Howard Hochhalter said in a press release. “And one of the most exciting things is that now we’ll actually be able to show them how black holes affect the objects around them, including how they bend light in surprising ways.”
The Planetarium experience is included with museum admission.
Details: The Planetarium reopens July 1. Museum hours are currently 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday with timed entry on the hour. The Bishop Museum of Science and Nature, 201 10th St. W., Bradenton. Ages 18-64: $20. Ages 65 and up: $19. Ages 12-17 and college students with ID: $16. Ages 5-11: $12. Ages 4 and under: Free with paying adult.
Info: 941-746-4131. bishopscience.org.
Drive-in movie
In what could be considered a timely tribute to Fourth of July weekends gone wrong, Ruskin Family drive-in will play summer classic “Jaws,” this weekend. Alternatively, escape the confines of time and space with “Back to the Future.”
July 3 through July 5:
▪ Back to the Future: 8:45 p.m. nightly.
▪ Jaws: 10:45 p.m. nightly.
Masks are required for customers entering restrooms or the snack bar.
Details: 5011 U.S. 41 N., Ruskin. Ages 9 and up: $6. Ages 5-8: $1. Cash only. $5 fee to bring your own food. Alcohol not permitted.
Info: ruskinfamilydrivein.com.
This story was originally published July 1, 2020 at 8:46 AM.