SRQ DAILY Aug 4, 2025
Monday Business Edition
"As the temperatures up north are getting colder and colder in the fall and early winter, we want visitors to know that Sarasota is that place where the sunshine doesn't stop, and they'll be able to go outside and tee up for some golf or go shopping in one of our many districts."
This summer, Visit Sarasota County has launched its newest marketing campaign, spotlighting golf and shopping districts as top draws for fall visitors. Running from July 1 through August 30, the campaign is designed to boost off-season tourism before Sarasota’s peak travel months begin.
“We wanted to ensure visitors that they could feel at ease in Sarasota County,” Director of Community Relations & Partnership Hunter Carpenter says. “As the temperatures up north are getting colder and colder in the fall and early winter, we want visitors to know that Sarasota is that place where the sunshine doesn't stop shining, and they'll be able to go outside and tee up for some golf or go shopping in one of our many districts.”
Each season, Visit Sarasota County curates a targeted campaign highlighting different aspects of the region. This fall, golf and retail experiences are front and center. The department works with more than 500 local partners and uses seasonal campaigns to showcase businesses beyond the beaches that the area is known for. “We have a myriad of different partners that we can choose to focus on in any given season. Part of our role is to make sure that business is spreading beyond the beaches too, that visitors are going inland to our downtown areas and municipalities,” Carpenter says.
This fall’s outreach is focused on both regional and national audiences. Through a mix of social media storytelling and digital and print advertising, Visit Sarasota County is targeting potential visitors from nearby locations such as Atlanta, Tampa Bay, Orlando, Miami and Naples, as well as visitors from northern cities like Boston, New York, Chicago, Cleveland and Washington DC—all with direct flights to SRQ Airport.
Because Visit Sarasota County runs its marketing campaigns ahead of each season, Carpenter hopes to see the full impact of this fall campaign in September, October and November. He hopes that residents and visitors alike can benefit from increased tourism in the area. “When you build a place people want to visit, you also build a place people want to move to, work in and invest in,” Carpenter says. “Tourists’ investments in local businesses trickle down to keeping doors open and people employed, and their stays further contribute to community well-being through investments that the county makes. It's important to remember that tourism does help drive quality of life for our community.” 
Pictured: Spotlighting Sarasota's many golf and shopping opportunities, the campaign aims to draw more visitors during the quiet season. Photo courtesy Visit Sarasota County.
A palatial Gulf-front estate has set a new residential sales record in Longboat Key, closing at an unprecedented $30.3 million—nearly $10 million more than the previous high. The property, which last sold in 2020 for $16.5 million, was on the market for just 25 days before closing. Judy Kepecz-Hays of Coldwell Banker Realty represented the buyer. It was an all-cash deal. The previous record for Longboat Key was set in 2024 with the $21 million sale of a St. Regis resort condominium. Located behind the exclusive gates of the Longboat Key Club at 845 Longboat Club Road, the 19,300-square-foot mansion blends Venetian grandeur with coastal luxury. Built in 2005, the estate boasts six bedrooms, six full and two half bathrooms, a 12-car garage, and 145 feet of private beach frontage.
Lakewood Ranch Medical Center (LWRMC) is proud to announce that it has once again been recognized as a Blue Distinction® Center+ for Spine surgeries and a Blue Distinction Center for Knee and Hip Replacements by Florida Blue, an Independent Licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association. This prestigious designation has been renewed for 2025, highlighting the hospital’s continued commitment to delivering high-quality, cost-effective care for patients undergoing knee and hip replacement surgeries.The Blue Distinction® Centers for Specialty Care program is a national initiative that identifies healthcare facilities demonstrating expertise in delivering improved patient safety and better health outcomes, based on objective measures developed with input from the medical community.
Michael Saunders & Company, the Gulf Coast’s leading independent real estate brokerage, is proud to announce the opening of its newest real estate office on Sanibel Island, further expanding its Gulf Coast footprint to 18 offices stretching from Anna Maria Island to Sanibel. Michael Saunders & Company’s arrival on the island has attracted many local, experienced agents who will be working from its new office, serving Sanibel, Captiva, and the surrounding market area. Located at 1560 Periwinkle Way, the office is situated in the former home of VIP Realty Sanibel-Captiva. A number of that office’s longstanding, seasoned agents have chosen to continue their careers with Michael Saunders & Company, joining the firm known for its collaborative culture, hands-on leadership support, extensive training and resources, global reach, and deep ties to the Gulf Coast communities they serve.
Manatee Memorial Hospital has been named among U.S. News & World Report’s 2025-2026 Best Hospitals edition as a High Performing hospital for Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair, Gynecological Cancer, Heart Arrhythmia, and Pacemaker Implantation. This is the highest distinction a hospital can earn as part of U.S. News’ Best Hospitals Procedures & Conditions ratings. U.S. News’ annual Procedures & Conditions ratings are designed to assist patients and their health care providers in making informed decisions about where to receive care for challenging health conditions or elective procedures.
The Board of Governors of Leadership Manatee is proud to announce the selection of the 2025–2026 Leadership Manatee Class. A program of the Manatee Chamber Foundation in partnership with Bradenton Kiwanis, Leadership Manatee has served as the region’s premier leadership development program since 1982. Participants are selected through a competitive application process. A key criterion for acceptance is a demonstrated commitment to community involvement and the potential for long-term impact. The 2025–2026 program will begin on Monday, August 25, and culminate with a graduation celebration on the evening of Wednesday, March 4, 2026.
Sarasota Memorial Health Care System (SMH) ranks among the top 3% of “America’s Best Employers for Women 2025,” according to a report released today by Forbes and Statista. SMH was also highlighted as a featured company in the report. Sarasota County’s only community-owned hospital, SMH ranked #22 out of 700 companies spotlighted in Forbes’ 2025 list of “America’s Best Employers for Women.” Sarasota Memorial CEO David Verinder noted that women, in particular, have played a foundational role in the creation of the county’s first hospital in 1925, and have continued to influence the extensive scope and high quality of care SMH has delivered through the decades. From the grassroots efforts of local women’s groups who championed its founding and expansion, to the leadership of female healthcare professionals, administrators, and volunteers, women have been instrumental in shaping SMH into the nationally recognized institution it is today.
The figure is one of the oldest records of our existence as a species capable of storytelling; depictions of the human body constitute some of the oldest subjects in art. EMBODIED expands on the definition of the human figure by bringing together varied representations in painting, sculpture, fiber, video, and mixed media by some of the most exciting artists working in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries.
Ringling Museum, 5401 Bay Shore Rd, Sarasota
Every Wednesdat at 6 pm a 5k Fun Run starts and ends at 99 Bottles. Course runs through Downtown Sarasota and along the Bayfront, all skill levels, all fun. Each time you finish a run, you must get yout card punched to get an attendance credit and receive 99 bottles prizes. All runners are expected to obey all traffic laws, be courteous to other runners, pedestrians, cyclists, animals, etc.on the route and to know your limits - running and/or drinking!
99 Bottles, 1445 2nd St Sarasota, FL 34236
The Ringling Museum of Art hosts a significant collection of Creative Prints produced by Japanese artists who believed in the practice of self-designing, self-carving, and self-printing their own work. The Creative Print movement was inspired by early 20th-century European prints that called attention to self-expression and artistic exploration through the medium of woodblock prints.
Ringling Museum, 5401 Bay Shore Rd, Sarasota
A bi-monthly open jam session for professional and non-professional musicians in the Geldbart Auditorium at the downtown Selby Library. The jam begins at 5:30 pm until 7:30 pm. Event is free and open to all. A viewing audience is welcome and encouraged. Piano, bass and drum are on site. A fun, social and entertaining event. Come, sign up to play or sing, or just come out to watch and enjoy.
Selby Library, 1331 1st St, Sarasota
This promises to be a memorable evening of music that speaks to the heart, the mind and maybe even your feet! Doors open 6:30 pm for dinner and beverage service.
Florida Studio Theatre, 1265 First Street at Cocoanut Ave, Sarasota
The Sarasota Art Museum partners with the Jazz Club of Sarasota to present live jazz on the second Thursday of every month on the Marcy and Michael Klein Plaza. Enjoy a beverage or food in the Bistro and extended hours in the galleries and shops! Concert begins 5:30 pm.
Sarasota Art Museum, 1001 S Tamiami Trl, Sarasota
Students in grades 3-12, come discover the joy of acting in this one-day workshop, which is a part of Wellen Park's Solis Hall Summer Series. This "test-drive" class is for students who are new to the world of acting.
Solis Hall, 19745 Wellen Pk Blvd, Venice
Join us for a weekly guided tour of the night sky in our state-of-the-art planetarium. As Earth moves around the sun, different objects come into view. We'll not only discuss what you can see this season, we'll fly you there!
Bishop Museum of Science and Nature, 201 10th St W, Bradenton
Back by popular demand! Roger Bean's new show is a nostalgic tribute to golden oldie TV show melodies in a wild musical gameshow within a gameshow format. You'll be sure to find yourself humming and playing along!
Venice Theatre, 140 Tampa Ave. W, Venice
Come test drive an acting class with Venice Theatre's lead instructor Brad Wages, and discover the joy of acting! For students who are new to the world of acting. This workshop is a part of Wellen Park's Solis Hall Summer Series.
Solis Hall, 19745 Wellen Pk Blvd, Venice
SRQ DAILY is a daily e-newsletter produced by SRQ MEDIA. Note: The views and opinions expressed in the Saturday Perspectives Edition and the Letters department of SRQ DAILY are those of the author(s) and do not imply endorsement by SRQ Media. The views expressed by individuals are their own, and their appearance in this section does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. SRQ DAILY includes content excerpted from news releases as a public service. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by SRQ DAILY. For rates on SRQ DAILY banner advertising and sponsored content opportunities, please contact Robinson Valverde at 941-365-7702 x703 or via email |
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