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Manatee County Fair, MLK parade: Here are 10 things to do near Bradenton this weekend

Another January is weekend is here, and there’s plenty of local fun on tap to help you enjoy the new year.

Highlights this week include the opening of the Manatee County Fair and the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day Parade.

Still need plans? We’ve got you covered.

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

Manatee County Fair opening weekend

The 107th annual Manatee County Fair opens Thursday, and there’s plenty of fun in store for all ages. The event brings 11 days jam-packed with shows, food, music, midway rides, animals and agricultural displays to the fairgrounds in Palmetto.

  • Details: Jan. 12-22. Ages 13 and up: $10. Ages 6-12: $6. Active military with ID: $6. Children 5 and under: free. Parking: $10.

  • Visit manateecountyfair.com for a full schedule of events.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Parade and events

Palmetto Youth Center’s annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Parade will bring community fun to the streets of downtown Palmetto this Saturday.

The them of this year’s celebration is “Dream It. Plan It. Do It.”

The parade leaves from the parking lot of Lincoln Middle School, 305 17th Street East. The parade will briefly head north on Second Avenue from the school parking lot before heading west down 17th Street.

The parade is part of a weekend of Martin Luther King celebrations in Palmetto. Palmetto You Center will also host:

  • The Dr. MLK Jr. Celebration Weekend Banquet at 6 p.m. Friday. Seymour Sailes Gymnasium at Palmetto Youth Center, 501 17th St. W., Palmetto. Tickets are $100; sponsorships available.

  • The Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Talent Show at 3 p.m. Friday. Seymour Sailes Gymnasium at Palmetto Youth Center, 501 17th St. W., Palmetto. Tickets are $5. Kids 5 and under free.

  • Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Church Service at 6 p.m. Sunday. Seymour Sailes Gymnasium at Palmetto Youth Center, 501 17th St. W., Palmetto.

Sarasota Winter Carnival & Beer and Burger Festival

Carnival rides, games and food will arrive at The Mall at University Town Center this weekend for the fifth annual Sarasota Winter Carnival.

The carnival is free to enter, but guests will need to purchase tickets or wristbands to enjoy the rides.

And on Saturday, the fourth annual Beer and Burger Festival will take place from noon-7 p.m., right next to the carnival. The festival costs $15 to enter and includes 15 burger purveyors (guests get a chance to vote on the best one). Local craft brewery samples, a market of vendors and live music performances are also part of the fun.

  • Details: Sarasota Winter Carnival hours: 5-10 p.m. Thursday, 5-11 p.m. Friday, noon-11 p.m. Saturday, noon-10 p.m. Sunday, noon- 8 p.m. Monday. The Mall at University Town Center, 140 University Town Center Drive. Carnival admission: Free. Beer and Burger Festival: $15.

  • Info: facebook.com/MallatUTC

Anna Maria Winter Arts & Crafts Festival

An arts and crafts festival will bring two days of unique creations on display and for sale, including pottery, clothing, metal art, jewelry, glass and more.

Food vendors will also be on site.

Friendly City Flea

The Friendly City Flea will welcome a “curated gathering of makers, musicians and creatives” to Oscura in downtown Bradenton. The monthly market is now moving to Sundays.

Vendors include crafts, paper goods, home goods, pantry items, food, clothing, jewelry and more.

The market will be held outdoors. Oscura will offer a brunch menu, and a jazz band will provide a sonic backdrop.

Local brewery chili throwdown

“They can brew, but can they cook?”

That question will be answered Saturday when beer-makers from six local breweries go head-to-head in a chili cook-off and brewing competition at 3 Car Garage Brewing.

In addition to the host, Calusa Brewing, Big Top Brewers Collective, Brew Life Brewing, 3 Bridges Brewing and Corporate Ladder Brewing Company will participate.

Admission includes 3 ounce samples of all the chilis and 5 ounce samples of a chile or pepper beer made by each brewery.

Tasting begins at 1 p.m. with a winner announced at 4 p.m. and live music to follow.

Yappy Hour at Motorworks

Motorworks Brewing’s monthly canine extravaganza is back.

Dog owners are invited to sip craft beer and grab a bite from a food truck, shop from local pet supply vendors and let their leashed pets enjoy the beer garden.

Each month’s event benefits a local pet rescue organization and includes a silent auction and raffle items.

Brunch is available from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, and there will also be live music to enjoy in the beer garden from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

  • Details: Yappy Hour happens from 1-4 p.m. Sunday. Motorworks Brewing, 1014 Ninth St. W., Bradenton. No cover.
  • Info: motorworksbrewing.com

Performing arts and shows

West Coast Black Theatre Troupe presents “Flyin’ West”: “In the 1890s, a group of African American women leave the oppressive South and settle in the all-Black town of Nicodemus, Kansas. Their hopes, dreams and determination to survive in a harsh region are tested as they build new lives for themselves and their families. With flashes of humor amid serious themes, “Flyin’ West” sheds new light on a chapter of American history that’s seldom told,” a show preview says.

The Island Players present “The Odd Couple (The Female Version)“: “Audiences first met mismatched roommates Felix and Oscar in 1965. Twenty years later, this revised version made its Broadway debut with Florence Unger and Olive Madison playing Trivial Pursuit (instead of poker) and pursuing the Spanish-born Costazuela Brothers,” a show preview says.

  • Details: 7:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday; 2 p.m. Sunday. Jan. 12-29. $25 at box office; $27 online.
  • Info: theislandplayers.org

“What the Constitution Means to Me” at Florida Studio Theatre: “When Heidi Schreck was 15 years old, she put herself through college by winning debates about The Constitution across the country. In this inspiring new play, the playwright resurrects her teenage self in order to trace the document’s profound impact on four generations of women in her family.” (Florida premiere.)

  • Details: 8 p.m. Thursday and Friday, 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday. Through Feb. 26. Playing at Florida Studio Theatre’s Keating Theatre, 1241 N. Palm Ave., Sarasota,. Starting at $25-$39.

  • Info: floridastudiotheatre.org

Jason Salmon at McCurdy’s Comedy Theatre: Jason Salmon’s credits include appearances in “Red Dead Redemption 2,” “Orange is the New Black,” “Wu Tang,” “30 Rock,” and on Comedy Central, the comedian’s bio says.

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

  • Info: mccurdyscomedy.com

Farmers’ markets

Downtown Bradenton Public Market: This weekly market is a community gathering place that welcomes vendors offering fresh local produce, meat, pantry and home goods, packaged foods, plants, clothing, accessories and more.

Food, drink and dessert vendors make the market a great place to grab a tasty snack.

This year, the market is nearly doubling in size with plans to host about 100 vendors each week, including a core group of businesses and some rotating selections, organizers say.

The market also features live music performances from different regional artists each week. Kid’s activities, special events and cooking demonstrations add to the fun throughout the season.

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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Ryan Ballogg
Bradenton Herald
941-745-7024
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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