Focus on Manatee | Time to celebrate Arts and Humanities Month in the Bradenton area
This October we invite you to experience the Bradenton area’s vibrant arts and culture scene as our community unites to celebrate National Arts and Humanities Month.
It is the perfect opportunity for residents and visitors alike to take advantage of the world-class organizations and activities focused on arts, culture and heritage found in every corner of the county and show their appreciation for our community’s commitment to their continued growth and expansion.
These organizations have served as a beacon of inspiration and a creative outlet for many who have needed a safe escape throughout the pandemic. Thanks to the enduring commitment of the many who worked tirelessly to keep their doors open during adverse times, our destination continues to emerge as one of the top centers for art in the region and to enjoy the economic impact that comes as a result of those who visit to experience it.
Throughout the month, many of our destination’s top organizations will host unique experiences celebrating the Bradenton Area’s diversity, culture and history. There’s no better time to get out, try something new, revisit a favorite stop or just show your appreciation for all that they do.
Florida’s largest live-work art community, better known as The Village of the Arts (VOTA), will be continuing its popular Artwalks on the first Friday night and Saturday afternoon of every month. Artists and visionaries will enliven visitors with live music, incredible food and unique indie art spanning every genre.
VOTA is home to more than 30 businesses, with everything from award-winning restaurants to specialty shops, studios, healing arts, bakeries and Bradenton’s best art galleries — all nestled among colorful historic cottages. With so many stops, you’re bound to find something new to explore every time you visit.
Manatee Performing Arts Center is thrilled to gradually welcome back live-action productions performed by its award-winning cast. The first of multiple shows planned for the remainder of 2021, taking place Oct. 14-24, the Manatee Players will present Mamma Mia, an iconic tale featuring ABBA’s greatest hits which tells the hilarious story of a young woman’s search for her birth father on a Greek island paradise.
Hunsader Farm will host the 30th Annual Pumpkin Festival — the quintessential fall festival of our community — taking place the last three weekends in October. The event offers live shows, pumpkin games, hayrides, pony rides, a chainsaw sculptor, corn maze, scarecrow displays, a rock-climbing wall, petting zoo, train rides and more.
Throughout the month, Manatee Village Historical Park will provide free tours throughout the 1850 burial ground for those looking to experience the Bradenton Area’s unique history firsthand. From local Civil War stories to tales from Old Manatee and more, each tour features storytellers sharing stories from important times in our destination’s past while visiting iconic historical sites.
This list provides only a glimpse into the many distinctive activities our destination has to offer this October. I hope that you will use the month to dive deeper into the arts and culture offerings that set our destination apart and keep our visitors coming back time and time again. If you do, please express your gratitude for all that they do to provide world-class experiences, spread positivity and provide inspiration when we need it most.
Elliott Falcione, executive director of the Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, can be reached at Elliott.Falcione@BACVB.com or 941-729-9177, ext. 3940.
