Pictured L to R: John LaCivita, President and CEO of Willis Smith Construction and Board Chair of Visit Sarasota County, Maestro Victor DeRenzi, the 2026 Voice of Sarasota County Award recipient, and Erin Duggan. Provided photo.

Every destination is on a journey to define itself. A task that’s easier said than done when you think about it. Finding and distilling the authentic spirit that makes up and differentiates a community is a delicate job, and the most successful do not invent a feeling: they discover it.

Visitors and residents have long been drawn to our shores by a rare concentration of creativity and cultural richness. But this culture does not end with a performance or a walk through the museum, it radiates beyond as the full expression of our region—how we gather, how we create, how we welcome, and even how we share a meal together.

Which is why three decades ago, our team at Visit Sarasota County curated a term that turned into a trademark— Florida’s Cultural Coast® —to capture this defining sense of who we are. While our bureau’s role is to compel people to choose us for their vacation or corporate meeting through this cultural branding, it’s the artistic leadership at our local experiences that validates its meaning.

Someone who truly embodies this is our 2026 Voice of Sarasota, Maestro Victor DeRenzi of the Sarasota Opera. Each year, our Board of Directors recognizes an individual whose leadership has furthered Sarasota County as a tourism destination on the world stage—and sometimes, their efforts even strengthen our reputation as Florida’s Cultural Coast®. This year’s honoree has uniquely done both in their more than 40 years at the Sarasota Opera.

Within those decades of enshrining the Opera’s global acclaim, Maestro DeRenzi oversaw no less than 1,550 opera performances and 222 productions spanning 123 different works. Under Maestro DeRenzi’s leadership, Sarasota Opera became the only company in the world to complete the full canon of Giuseppe Verdi’s work in 2016, making him the only conductor to have led every opera in the composer’s body of work.

Even as the longest-serving Artistic Director of any opera company in the nation, Maestro DeRenzi maintained an active conducting career across the United States and abroad. And in 2015, he was awarded the title of Cavaliere dell’Ordine della Stella d’Italia (Knight of the Order of the Star of Italy) by the Italian Republic for his role in advancing Italian culture internationally.

Earlier this week, hundreds of industry leaders celebrated Maestro DeRenzi at our National Travel & Tourism Week Celebration held in the iconic courtyard of the John and Mable Museum of Art. It was an evening defined by milestones, and perfectly in tune with Maestro’s recognition, as we raised a glass to several centennials including the Sarasota Opera House.

I shared earlier that culture is defined less by place and more by feeling. When we led our marketing efforts with Florida’s Cultural Coast®, the arts remain center stage. However, that same spirit of craftsmanship can be found within the buzzing kitchens of our restaurants, where chefs interpret our region’s charm with the same intentionality artists bring to the stage.

Because culture can be performed just as much as it can be plated. And there’s no better time to rediscover the flavor of our region than through Savor Sarasota, which is entering its 21st year in less than a month—from June 1 through June 14.

More than 50 restaurants have signed up to participate, offering pre-fixe menus for lunch and dinner, often elevated wine and drink pairings. I’ve heard some locals even put together spreadsheets to map out their full two weeks of dining out, and I’m tempted to do the same—referencing our free digital Flavor Trail pass!—to make the most of this most delicious time of the year.

Savor Sarasota continues to showcase the incredible chefs and culinary stories of our community and, like most of our campaigns, harkens back to our cultural throughlines. But just as critical, Savor drives business during a need period to local restaurants to ensure their creations keep nourishing our visitors and local economy.

Standing ovations and dining reservations. Two experiences that are seemingly separate but integrally tied together by occasion and Sarasota County’s distinct artistic character. I invite you to experience this feeling and let it stay with you from curtain call to last call—because that’s the true allure of visiting and living along Florida’s Cultural Coast.

Erin Duggan, CDME, is President and CEO of Visit Sarasota County.

Pictured L to R: John LaCivita, President and CEO of Willis Smith Construction and Board Chair of Visit Sarasota County, Maestro Victor DeRenzi, the 2026 Voice of Sarasota County Award recipient, and Erin Duggan. Provided photo.