Weekend

8 things to do near Bradenton this weekend: Polish and Haitian festivals, Sarasota Pride

May is here, and there’s plenty of local fun on tap to help you enjoy the upcoming spring weekend. Still need plans? We’ve got you covered.

Here’s a hand-picked guide to good times around Bradenton and Sarasota this weekend, May 13-15, 2022.

Haitian Flag Day Festival in Palmetto

Haitian Flag Day celebrates the culture and heritage of Haiti and the new national flag and identity that rose out of the Haitian Revolution of 1791-1804. The country’s first independent flag was created on May 18, 1803 as the Haitian people, many of them slaves or former slaves, fought to overthrow their French colonizers.

A festival on Saturday in Palmetto will celebrate Haitian Flag Day with live music, food vendors, merchants and a play zone for kids.

A vehicle parade will precede the festival; it will start at noon at the DeSoto Square Mall parking lot, 303 301 Blvd. W., Bradenton, and make its way to Sutton Park in Palmetto.

Performances include pop, hip hop, rap and a live DJ, with headliners J Beatz, Don Luv and Haitian Princezz. The event is hosted by the nonprofit Haitian Connection of Manasota.

  • Details: Vehicle parade from noon-1 p.m.; Festival from 1-5 p.m. Saturday. Sutton Park, 1036 Sixth St. W., Palmetto. Free admission.

  • Info: facebook.com/hcom1804

Florida Festival Polonaise Sarasota

Florida Festival Polonaise will celebrate all things Polish this Saturday at J.D. Hamel Park in Sarasota.

The event promises a big taste of Polish culture. Music, dance, Polish celebrities, food, and beverages, including cold Polish beer, will be on hand.

All day live music includes performances by Polish pop and rock artists and a live DJ. Kids’ activities, games and face-painting are also part of the fun.

  • Details: 3-9 p.m. Saturday. J.D. Hamel Park, 199 Bayfront Dr., Sarasota. Free admission.
  • Info: konevents.com

Pride | Be Fabulous Music & Arts Fest

Previously known as the Harvey Milk Festival, this celebration of Southwest Florida’s LGBTQ+ community returns this weekend to downtown Sarasota.

A “Community Q+ Market” will feature local artisans and nonprofits. And all-day live music will bring performers from around Florida and as far as Detroit, Chicago and Los Angeles to play rock, experimental, pop and more.

The Pride | Be Fabulous Music & Arts Festival festival also includes an art exhibition from 6-10 p.m. Thursday at DreamLarge 600 Central Ave., Sarasota and a dance performance from 7-10 p.m. Friday at The Players Studio, 1400 Boulevard of the Arts #200, Sarasota.

  • Details: Arts & Music Fest from 2:30-11 p.m. Saturday. Festival takes place in downtown Sarasota’s Rosemary District, 531 Central Ave., Sarasota. Free admission.

  • Info: fabaf.org/events

Mini beer fest

Bradenton’s 3 Car Garage Brewing Company will host a mini beer festival this Saturday with live music, food trucks and local vendors.

Dubbed “Triple Trouble Mini Fest,” the celebration will feature beers from 3 Car Garage as well as two visiting breweries: Brew Life Brewing of Sarasota and 3 Bridges Brewing of Venice.

  • Details: Noon-11 p.m. Saturday. 3 Car Garage Brewing, 8405 Heritage Green Way, Bradenton.
  • Info: facebook.com/3CGBrewing

Performing arts and shows

“Titanic the Musical” at Manatee Performing Arts Center: “Based on real people aboard the most legendary ship in the world, Titanic the Musical is a stunning and stirring production focusing on the hopes, dreams and aspirations of her passengers who each boarded with stories and personal ambitions of their own,” a show preview says.

  • Details: 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday. Through May 15. Manatee Performing Arts Center. 502 Third Avenue West, Bradenton. $30-$41.

  • Info: manateeperformingartscenter.com

    • Anna Maria Island Players present “The Psychic”: “Down on his luck and desperate to pay rent, Adam hangs a sign in his window offering discount psychic readings,” a show preview says. “Much to his surprise, the unemployed writer finds himself involved in a string of bizarre and hilarious murders in this 2011 ‘Edgar Allan Poe Awards’ winner.”

    “The Legend of Georgia McBride” at Florida Studio Theatre: “Casey is struggling with his gig as an Elvis impersonator in a run-down, small-town Florida bar,” a show description says. “When the bar owner brings in a B-level drag show to replace his act, Casey finds that he has a whole lot to learn about show business — and himself.”

    Matt Holt at McCurdy’s Comedy Theatre: Touring comic Matt Holt’s quick, casual and conversational style has placed him on the stage with notable comedians around the U.S.

    • Details: 7 p.m. Thursday, 6:30 and and 8:50 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 7 p.m. Sunday. McCurdy’s Comedy Theatre, 1923 Ringling Blvd., Sarasota. $25.

    • Info: mccurdyscomedy.com
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    Farmers’ markets

    Downtown Bradenton Public Market: Formerly the Bradenton Farmers Market, this weekly community gathering is back on Saturdays with a fresh name. But you’ll still find a bounty of produce, food, handcrafted goods, arts, music, cooking demonstrations and more along Old Main Street. The market offers more than 40 vendors.

    The Beach Market at Coquina Beach offers fresh produce, arts and crafts, jewelry and apparel, health and beauty items, music and more on Anna Maria Island. The market will be held on Wednesdays and Sundays December through March.

    The Farmers’ Market at Lakewood Ranch welcomes more than 90 regional vendors to Waterside Place each Sunday. Offerings include produce, meat and seafood, prepared foods and breads, crafts, jewelry, plants and pet treats. Live music from a rotation of local musicians and yoga sessions are another regular feature at the market.

    Oneco Farmers Market is open seven days a week. The permanent market boasts more than 100 vendors in one location, including meats and seafood, fresh produce, sweets and treats. There are also restaurants and arts and crafts vendors to check out, and the market frequently hosts free community events.

    • Details: Open 7 a.m.-8 p.m. daily. Oneco Farmers Market, 5108 15th St. E., Bradenton.
    • Info: onecofarmersmarket.com

    Sarasota Farmers Market brings vendors selling arts and crafts, goods and services, produce, food, plants and more to downtown Sarasota. There’s also live music to enjoy.

    Newtown Sarasota Farmers Market offers local produce, fresh-baked goods and other items twice a week in the Newtown neighborhood. The market also hosts community gatherings including events for kids and food festivals.

    • Details: 10 a.m.-5p.m. Friday and Saturday. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Park, 2523 Cocoanut Ave., Sarasota.
    • Info: newtownfarmersmarketsrq.org

    Meadows Farmers Market: Started in Oct. 2021, the Meadows Farmers Market promises organic fruits and vegetables straight from local farmers. Other attractions include artisans, food vendors and live music. Events at the market include yoga, tai chi, wellness talks and holiday celebrations.

    Red Barn Flea Market combines the best of a farmers market, a flea market and a food court in one stop. At Red Barn, you’ll find permanent storefronts, vendor booths, fresh produce, local food offerings, live entertainment and more.

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    See a movie

    Whether you’re interested in Hollywood blockbusters, independent film or an old-timey drive-in movie experience, there’s a theater nearby that can satisfy. Here are your local movie options:

    Ruskin Family Drive-In: In operation since 1952, this drive-in plays classic flicks, family favorites and new movies with showings Wed.-Sun.

    There are two options for audio: bring a portable radio or leave your car radio turned on during the film. You can also bring folding chairs to set up outside of the vehicle (bug repellent is recommended if you go this route).

    ▪ “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” (PG-13): 8:15 p.m. Fri.-Sun.

    ▪ “Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore” (PG-13): 10:20 p.m. Fri.-Sun.

    • Details: 5011 U.S. 41 N., Ruskin. Ages 9 and up: $6. Ages 5-8: $1. Cash only. $5 fee for bringing your own food. Alcohol not permitted.
    • Info: ruskinfamilydrivein.com

    Sarasota Film Society: Sarasota Film Society’s Lakewood Ranch and Sarasota theaters are a great place to catch a weekend flick. Screenings include independent and art films as well as blockbusters. Check the society’s website for the current lineup of movies.

    Some of the society’s movie offerings can be streamed virtually from home.

    • Details: Lakewood Ranch Cinemas, 10715 Rodeo Drive 8, Sarasota and Burns Court Cinemas, 506 Burns Lane, Sarasota. Online streaming available any time.
    • Info: filmsociety.org or 941-955-3456

    Other Bradenton area movie theaters:

    • AMC Bradenton 20, 2507 53rd Ave. E., Bradenton. amctheatres.com. 941-752-3796

    • AMC Sarasota 12, 8201 S. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota. amctheatres.com. 941-922-4900

    • CMX CinéBistro Siesta Key, 3501 S. Tamiami Trail #1100, Sarasota. cmxcinemas.com. 941-361-2456

    • Regal Oakmont, 4801 Cortez Rd. W., Bradenton. regmovies.com. 844-462-7342

    • Regal Hollywood, 1993 Main St., Sarasota. regmovies.com. 844-462-7342

    Fun at the museum

    The Bishop Museum of Science and Nature: Explore the past, present and future of the natural world with interactive displays and exhibits, stellar shows in the famed Planetarium, an indoor manatee habitat, the Mosaic Backyard Universe for kids and more at The Bishop in downtown Bradenton.

    • Details: Open Tue.-Sat. The Bishop Museum of Science and Nature, 201 10th St. W., Bradenton. Ages 18-64: $25. Ages 65 and up: $23. College students with ID: $19. Ages 5-17: $16. Ages 4 and under: Free with paying adult.

    • Info: bishopscience.org or 941-746-4131

    Florida Maritime Museum: Florida Maritime Museum documents the age-old relationship between Floridians and the water. Visitors will find marine life displays, historical photos and documents, revolving exhibits and a gift shop.

    On the second and fourth Saturday of each month, the museum hosts a “Music on the Porch” outdoor jam session. From 2-4 p.m., local pickers and players come together to share tunes and singalongs with the crowd.

    Masks are currently required inside museum buildings.

    • Details: Open 9 a.m.-noon and 1-4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Florida Maritime Museum, 4415 119th St. W., Cortez. Free.
    • Info: floridamaritimemuseum.org or 941-708-6120

    Manatee County Agricultural Museum: Explore Manatee County’s rich agricultural past and present at the Manatee County County Agricultural Museum. Permanent exhibits include displays of authentic farm tools and equipment and highlights of various crops and industries that have taken root in Manatee County over the decades. There’s also a revolving lineup of special exhibits to check out.

    • Details: Open 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and on the first and third Saturday of each month. Manatee County Agricultural Museum, 1015 Sixth St. W., Palmetto. Free. Donations accepted.

    • Info: manateecountyagmuseum.com or 941-721-2034

    Sarasota Art Museum: Operated by Ringling College of Art and Design, the Sarasota Art Museum displays revolving exhibits of contemporary artwork.

    The museum is housed in the former Sarasota High School building and offers 15,000 square feet of gallery space to showcase paint, sculpture, photography, furniture making, experimental art and more.

    Events at the museum include curator and artist talks, live jazz every second Thursday of the month and free entry and family fun on the second Sunday of each month.

    Visitors can also enjoy a gift shop and a bistro.

    • Details: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Saturday; 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday. Sarasota Art Museum, 1001 South Tamiami Trail,

      Sarasota. Ages 17 and up: $15. Ages 0-16: Free with paying adult. Veterans and active military: Free with ID.

    • Info: sarasotaartmuseum.org.
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    This story was originally published May 12, 2022 at 5:50 AM.

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    Ryan Ballogg
    Bradenton Herald
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    Ryan Ballogg is a local news and environment reporter and features writer at the Bradenton Herald. His work has received awards from the Florida Society of News Editors and the Florida Press Club. Ryan is a Florida native and graduate of USF St. Petersburg. Support my work with a digital subscription
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