On November 19, the Sarasota Paradise signed its first international player, Finnish midfielder Maximus Tainio, ahead of the club’s inaugural United Soccer League (USL) League One season in 2026. Although just 24-years-old, Tainio comes to Sarasota with a wealth of experience in professional soccer—the son of former Finland international and Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Teemu Tainio, Maximus signed his first professional contract with Finland’s FC Haka at 18 and most recently played in the Ykkosliiga, the second highest level of Finnish soccer.

“I’ve been playing in Finland for about five years now and have always wanted the opportunity to go back abroad to play football,” says Tainio. “Who doesn’t want to go to a new team and show the fans and city what we’re all about?”

At 5 '10, Tainio is not the largest of midfielders, but what he lacks in size, he makes up for in speed and quickness. Tainio describes himself as an “energetic” player and hopes to parlay his playing style into victories for the Paradise in 2026. “I always make myself available to get the ball, I hardly stand around in the midfield. I love long range shooting and passing—my idol is Andrea Pirlo—so I try to play like him,” says Tainio. “I have this five second rule for myself, where if we don’t have the ball and I’m close to it, I try to win the ball in five seconds so that we don’t have to defend any longer.”

The product of the European professional soccer pipeline, Tainio developed into the player he is today at the prestigious Tottenham Hotspur Academy, where he played from 2017-2020, before signing his first professional contract with FC Haka. “Being away from home at such a young age, it taught me so much and I couldn’t have asked for anything else to start my professional journey,” says Tainio. “When I got there, I wasn’t as good as some of the players they already had, but the coaches had wanted me at the Academy, which gave me the confidence to keep going. I learned the basics—every four or five meter pass had to be on point—and that when you can do the basics right, that’s how you become a good football player.”

From Northern England to Finland and now Florida, Tainio’s professional soccer journey is only getting started. He hopes that his first year in Sarasota can be one of the best yet. “I always want to aim high,” says Tainio in reference to Paradise's chances in 2026. “I don’t quite know what to expect from a new team, but finishing in the top five would be amazing for us. I want to get the city involved as much as possible in our first year and play the type of football that everyone wants to watch.” 

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Wellen Park is spreading the holiday cheer this year with Wellen Wonderland, a multiday celebration featuring beloved holiday traditions and the arrival of Santa Claus. Events take place Thursday, Dec. 4, to Sunday, Dec. 7, in Downtown Wellen and include the community’s annual tree lighting, bicycles and golf carts all aglow, and musical performances by local schoolchildren, the acclaimed American Sirens and more. For full event details, visit wellenpark.com/wellen-wonderland. 

Join The Patterson Foundation and Asolo Repertory Theatre for All is Calm: In Concert at Patriot Plaza on Saturday, Dec. 20 at 3:00 PM at Sarasota National Cemetery, 9810 State Road 72, Sarasota, FL 34241. The concert offers a blend of artistry and history to gather the community for a moment of reflection in the spirit of the holiday season.This one-of-a-kind, family-friendly program will feature highlights from Asolo Repertory Theatre’s nationally acclaimed work, All is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914, created by Producing Artistic Director Peter Rothstein. Based on true accounts of soldiers on the Western Front who laid down their arms on Christmas Eve 1914 to share music, fellowship, and a brief moment of peace, All is Calm has toured across North America, played at The Kennedy Center, and earned a Drama Desk Award off-Broadway. Now, this unifying music and message will be shared in a special community concert at Patriot Plaza. Reserve your seat at PatriotPlazaConcert.org.

The Community Gallery of The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art (The Ringling), is now accepting applications for the 2026–2027 exhibition season. Open to proposals from community groups, nonprofit organizations, schools, and student groups, the Community Gallery is a free space that hosts up to four exhibitions annually, reflecting the museum's core mission: to inspire, educate, and entertain. The Community Gallery collaborates and engages with organizations in the Sarasota and Manatee County communities through this unique opportunity to share what makes them special. More information may be found at: www.ringling.org/community-gallery or by emailing Caitlyn.Shanley@ringling.org. Subject line: Community Gallery at The Ringling, 2026–2027 exhibition proposal. 

Foundry Collective SRQ, a women-owned lifestyle boutique blending Pilates, athleisure and modern wellness, has opened its doors at 1266 N. Palm Ave. The new downtown destination invites the community to explore mindful movement, premium activewear and curated self-care experiences — all designed to help guests move, connect and restore. To celebrate its opening, Foundry Collective SRQ is offering complimentary Pilates mat classes throughout November. Each 50-minute session is beginner- to advanced-friendly and designed to help participants reconnect with movement in an approachable, feel-good way. Sarasota’s wellness scene has grown rapidly in recent years, with residents seeking more mindful, community-driven ways to stay active and connected. “There’s such an inspiring energy here,” said Holly Kuri, founder of Foundry Collective SRQ. “People in Sarasota truly value movement, health and intentional living. It felt like the perfect place to build something that celebrates all of that. 

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The Adult & Community Enrichment (ACE) program at Suncoast Technical College (STC) invites the public to its highly anticipated Holiday Artisan Sale, a one-day celebration of creativity, community, and handcrafted treasures!

Thursday, December 11, 10am-3pm, Conference Center at Suncoast Technical College’s Sarasota campus, 4748 Beneva Road, Sarasota. 

The Fruitville Library will temporarily close Dec. 18 to begin an exciting transformation. The library is scheduled to reopen to the public in summer 2026. Patrons can stay updated on renovation progress, portable library hours and program information by visiting the library website, following Sarasota County Libraries on social media and subscribing to email newsletters. For more information, visit SarasotaCountyLibraries.org or dial 311. 

The season of gratitude is upon us, and we have so much to be thankful for here at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens. Most of all, we are thankful for you—our members, visitors, and supporters who make everything we do possible. As we celebrate this season together, I hope you’ll take a moment to watch my brief message of thanks and see the many ways outlined below that you can make Selby Gardens part of your holiday traditions and help advance our mission. Spend time at either of our campuses (or both!) and enjoy all that our bayfront sanctuaries have to offer. Both campuses will be open on Thanksgiving Day from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. There will be no Lily Pond Night with The Green Orchid on Thursday evening. It may be Black Friday on November 28, but at Selby Gardens, we like to refer to it as "Green Friday," a day to spend time in nature. We'll be open on Friday (and the holiday weekend) during our regular hours of 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

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MITER Brands, a residential window and door manufacturer, announced today that Rod Hershberger, co-founder of PGT Custom Windows and Doors and current MITER Brands board member, was recently recognized with the Lifetime Achievement Award from The Argus Foundation. For the past 23 years, The Argus Foundation’s Lifetime Achievement Awards has been an annual highlight for the organization, honoring business professionals in Sarasota who have made valuable contributions to the community throughout their lives. On the evening of Thursday, November 13, the foundation bestowed the award to Hershberger during its annual Lifetime Achievement Awards. Held at The Ora in Sarasota, attendees enjoyed a welcome speech, an invocation, dinner, and an awards presentation. Hershberger has played an integral role in shaping and enriching Sarasota over the years. In 1980, he co-founded VinylTech, a vinyl porch enclosure manufacturing company, with Paul Hostetler. The duo began producing products in Venice, Florida, with just three employees. By 1987, Hershberger and Hostetler recognized the growing need within the Florida market for a reliable window supplier, and they established a new division, known as Progressive Glass Technology (PGT), to manufacture windows and doors. 

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