SRQ DAILY Mar 5, 2026
Thursday Family and Recreation Edition
"Exercise does a lot for our mental health."
As this story is being written, the Baltimore Orioles are exercising. Some players are in the weight room, others on the ball fields taking batting practice or fielding ground balls. Pitchers are throwing bullpens, catchers are working on their receiving and coaches are checking off rosters, all for Major League Spring Training. In short, exercise is a critical part of being a professional athlete—but it is also crucial to developing the minds and bodies of the area’s youth. Since 2016, the Orioles have hosted the Orioles Health and Fitness Challenge, a five-week program that teaches Sarasota County middle school students to “eat, train and live like the pros.”
Led by Sarasota County physical education teachers, over 4,500 students from sixth to eighth grade participate in a variety of health and fitness activities every Friday. This past Friday, February 27, members of the Orioles came to Booker Middle School to participate in a physical education class—a rigorous circuit of exercises that included flutter kicks, push ups, sit ups and lunges—as the culmination of the Fitness Challenge.
“It is an awesome experience,” says Tony Miller, Director of Athletics for Sarasota County Schools. “They’ve given t-shirts to all of our middle schoolers and camme here on a Friday afternoon to spend time with them and promote exercise. It’s exciting to see the Orioles give back to the community the way that they are.”
For middle schoolers, it’s essential to develop the habit of exercising early on in adolescence. While some students are involved in organized sports, others are not—programs such as the Fitness Challenge and physical education classes keep those students’ bodies and minds in shape. “Exercise does a lot for our mental health,” says Miller, who is a certified CrossFit kids coach. “When you go to study after exercising, your brain is like a sponge. Exercise is like a meal for the brain, it helps you absorb a lot more knowledge. It also helps physically, aiding with bone density, joint health and everything else.” 
Members of the Baltimore Orioles participate in a physical education class at Booker Middle School. Photo by Dylan Campbell.
International student teams braved wind, rain, and cold to compete at the 2026 RoboBoat Competition in Sarasota, Florida. RoboBoat 2026 brought together 37 teams from 10 countries and 11 U.S. states and territories, making it one of the largest international competitions focused on autonomous surface vehicles (ASVs). Managed by RoboNation, RoboBoat challenges the next generation of engineers and innovators to test their ASVs in a demanding real-world environment. Teams spent the week navigating complex autonomous tasks on the water, demonstrating advanced capabilities in perception, navigation, object interaction, and system reliability. After several days of competition, the top teams emerged from an international field representing 10 countries and 11 U.S. states and territories. To learn more about RoboBoat, visit www.roboboat.org. Watch the competition livestream: https://www.youtube.com/live/bjlzhP39J1I?si=M8Qw5KsE_q8esAnn
Each June, Sarasota Youth Opera offers a summer camp experience like no other! Under the direction of Sarasota Opera’s professional artistic and production staff, campers experience and study the many facets of opera, from performing on a stage to working behind the scenes, from music and acting to opera appreciation and production! Designed for all skill levels, our annual camp engages young people in the magic of opera. A typical day includes sessions in singing, acting, physical comedy, sets, props, wigs, make-up, and costumes, all led by industry artists, directors, musicians, and technicians. No audition required! Financial assistance available!
Summer at The Florida Center’s Starfish Academy is a joyful introduction to learning, discovery and confidence for young children. Serving infants through age five, this nationally accredited preschool combines high-quality early education with on-site therapeutic support in a warm, inclusive environment where children of all abilities grow side by side. Summer days are filled with playful discovery: weekly water play, hands-on classroom activities and plenty of laughter. Beneath the fun is a thoughtful approach to early childhood development. Speech, occupational and mental health therapists collaborate with teachers to support communication, motor and social-emotional skills seamlessly within the school day. For many families, the summer program is just the beginning. With campuses in Sarasota and North Port, Starfish Academy offers year-round early learning where small classes, nurturing teachers and purposeful play help children build the confidence and skills that set the stage for lifelong success.
Children in Starfish Academy's 3- to 4-year-old classroom in North Port enjoy imaginative play that supports early learning and social development. Photo credit: Courtesy of The Florida Center.
Sarasota County Schools is proud to announce that Mr. Russell Dennison has been selected as the district’s overall 2026 School-Related Employee of the Year. Mr. Dennison has served as a Bus Driver for Sarasota County Schools’ Transportation department for the past eight years. Mr. Dennison is the first and the last school district team member that the children on his school bus interact with each day. His kindness has the power to help his students start off the day with strength and a smile. His attention to detail, compassion, and commitment to safety, among other skills, ensures that students have a pleasant and safe ride home to recount the highlights of the school day with their loved ones. As the award recipient for Sarasota County, Mr. Dennison is now eligible for the overall state-level recognition. Please join us in congratulating Mr. Russell Dennison and all of our 2026 School-Related Employees of the Year:
Artist Series Concerts of Sarasota’s 2026 Suncoast Music Scholarship Competition is now open for applications. The competition awards up to $20,000 in music scholarships to ninth through twelfth grade students who reside in Sarasota and Manatee counties and who play any instrument. For more information and the application form, visit ArtistSeriesConcerts.org or call (941) 306-1202.
The State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota (SCF) Disability Resource Center (DRC) has provided support and services to 70 SCF students facing reading challenges and learning disabilities through the Strauss Literacy Initiative. The late Patricia Strauss was diagnosed with dyslexia after years of struggling with reading and writing. She and her husband, Ira, established the Ira and Patricia Strauss Fund for Children’s Literacy. The grant program was established in 2018 in partnership with the Community Foundation of Sarasota County, and helps young learners receive early diagnosis and support to improve their reading proficiency, education and lives. The fund’s services later broadened to include adult learners.
From June 1 through July 31, local music school Music Compound will -- once again -- offer its Music Summer Camp. Groups are divided by age; students can learn a multitude of instruments, test run various musical genres during group performance opportunities, and finish each week with a live concert for family and friends. Registration is now open. For additional information, visit musiccompound.com/camps or call 941-379-9100.
Join us at Poynter Park for the grand opening of Embracing Our Differences, returning for its third year in St. Pete! This free event features 50 billboard-sized works of art, each paired with an inspiring quote.Enjoy an afternoon filled with live music performances, delicious offerings from food trucks, and interactive, family-friendly activities hosted by local community and arts organizations.
Selby Gardens presents the 10th Annual Jean & Alfred Goldstein Exhibition, Alexander Calder: The Nature of Movement. Alexander Calder: The Nature of Movement presents the work of one of the most innovative artists of the 20th century through the lens of nature in a botanical garden setting. The exhibition combines original artworks by Alexander Calder in the galleries of the Richard and Ellen Sandor Museum of Botany & the Arts with Calder-inspired vignettes, designed by Selby Gardens' horticulture team, in the Display Conservatory and throughout the outdoor gardens of the 15-acre Downtown Sarasota campus.
Registration is open for the spring 2026 semester at the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at Ringling College, which offers noncredit educational opportunities for adults to pursue new interests, expand intellectual horizons, and enrich their lives. The semester, which runs March 16-May 8, 2026, features more than 50 classes, events, and programs covering a wide variety of topics, including arts and entertainment, history, music appreciation, health, literature, philosophy, religion, and science. Semester highlights include A Brief History of the Civil Rights Movement in Sarasota with Judge Charles E. Williams; The Other Italy: A Journey Through Italy’s Hidden Treasures with Robert Gaglio; Jazz Appreciation; The Role of Islam in a Divided America; Pollinator Paradise: Designing Gardens That Attract Butterflies;Financial Wellness: Foundations, Life Transitions, and Fraud Prevention; and Current Controversies Before the Court. OLLI at Ringling College is located in the Sarasota Art Museum of Ringling College of Art and Design, 1001 S. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota. To register, or for information about becoming an OLLI member, visit OLLIatRinglingCollege.org or call 941-309-5111.
Sarasota Jewish Theatre (SJT) is pleased to honor Carole Kleinberg, founder and artistic director, on March 31, 11:30 a.m., during a luncheon at Michael’s On East in Sarasota. This special event will bring together friends, colleagues, family, and community members to celebrate Kleinberg’s impact on Sarasota’s theater scene as she heads toward retirement on August 31. To purchase tickets (by March 20), which begin at $100, and for more information, visit SarasotaJewishTheatre.org.
Who’s your Paddy? The Watershed Hospitality Concepts family of restaurants has you covered from the Rosemary District to Siesta Key Village for St. Paddy's Day. Cask & Ale will serve a St. Patrick's day Irish Platter and Shepherds Pie, prepared with traditional corned beef & cabbage. Cask will be open all day and serve specialty cocktails during the block party on the weekend before and the 17th. Lefty's Oyster & Seafood Bar will be serving Irish Point Oysters flown in fresh from the cold, nutrient-rich, tidal waters of Rustico, Prince Edward Island, Canada. Pie On Main and Blase Martini Bar in Siesta Key Village offers their Shamrock Expresso Martini for those who want to enjoy the luck o' the Irish.
The summer 2026 exhibition at Selby Gardens will celebrate the creative collaboration between two legendary figures and longtime friends, photographer Lynn Goldsmith and singer-songwriter Patti Smith, who is Selby Gardens’ artist in residence. The exhibition will feature Goldsmith’s photographs of Smith, past and present, in the Museum of Botany & the Arts. The images will offer an intimate portrait of an iconic artist over the course of her remarkable career.
Selby Gardens, 1534 Mound St, Sarasota, FL 34236
Juana Romani (1867–1924) was one of the most fascinating and successful painters in late-nineteenth-century Paris. Born in Italy, Juana—whose given name was Giovanna Carlesimo—moved to Paris with her mother and stepfather at the age of ten. She took up painting, studying under the well-known painters Jean-Jacques Henner (1829–1905) and Ferdinand Roybet (1840–1920). Romani quickly earned both critical praise and significant fame for her deftly painted, richly colorful depictions of strong, sensual women adorned in lavish textiles.
Ringling Museum, 5401 Bay Shore Rd, Sarasota, FL 34243
Mayer explores the impact of technology on the human body through this interactive sculpture series. Slumpies invites viewers to sit and slump on these sculptures, much like furniture, and find a place of comfort while using their technological devices.
Sarasota Art Museum, 1001 S Tamiami Trl, Sarasota, FL 34236
This long-term installation in Gallery 10 of the Museum of Art showcases five outstanding examples of 17th-century Dutch painting on loan from the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Featuring a dramatic seascape, an expansive landscape, and captivating portraits set in detailed interiors, this exhibition offers a window into the vibrant artistic production of the Netherlands as the small nation rose to global prominence in the 17th century. The five exceptional paintings from the collections of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, complement The Ringling's holdings of Dutch art and provide additional perspective on the artistry, historical significance, and continuing appeal of Dutch painting from this period.
Ringling Museum, 5401 Bay Shore Rd, Sarasota
Café on St. Armands is introducing Prime Rib Sundays, a new weekly dining feature available every Sunday beginning at 11 AM. Guests are invited to enjoy a classic prime rib dinner, thoughtfully prepared and served as part of Café’s elevated all-day dining experience. The featured Prime Rib entrée includes chianti herb and Dijon-crusted prime rib, garlic confit mashed potatoes, roasted Brussels sprouts, rich au jus, and creamy horseradish. The dish is available for $46.
Cafe on St. Armands, 431 St. Armands Circle, Sarasota, FL
Poetry, poverty, and passion in 1830s Bohemian Paris. Puccini’s most beloved opera and one of the most performed in the repertoire, La Bohème takes us through the streets of the Latin Quarter in 19th century Paris when the poor embroideress Mimì has a fateful chance encounter with the poet Rodolfo. Laugh and cry as a group of friends struggle and celebrate through the Bohemian lifestyle and experience the heartbreak of a lover’s impending demise.
Sarasota Opera House, 61 N Pineapple Ave, Sarasota, FL 34236
The Big Top returns to Nathan Benderson Park with an all-new international circus cast. From edge-of-your-seat stunts to timeless circus classics, Circus Sarasota brings the world’s best right to your backyard.
Big Top at UTC, 195 University Town Center Dr, Sarasota, FL 34243
SPAACES is pleased to present Subterranean Voices, a five-week artist residency and exhibition by Sabrina Small that transforms the gallery into an immersive, hybrid space—part living studio, part evolving installation. Visitors are invited to engage with Small’s completed works and her active creative process, encountering an environment rich with personal objects, vinyl records, and works-in-progress. Subterranean Voices explores the tension between outward persona and inner consciousness through hand-stitched and drawn works that celebrate slowness, tactility, and imperfection.
SPAACES, 2051 Princeton St, Sarasota, FL 34237
Our Tapas Cooking Classes are designed as a cultural and gastronomic experience, not just a cooking class. Guests will learn how tapas are enjoyed in Spain, the history and traditions behind them, and take part in a hands-on cooking experience preparing several classic Spanish tapas. The evening also includes tasting, wine, and written recipes to take home.
Taste of Spain, 2767 Mall Dr, Sarasota, FL 34231
Step into the spotlight with One Hit Wonders, a toe-tapping celebration of those unforgettable songs that lit up the charts and became part of our lives. From the epic storytelling of “American Pie” to the carefree whistle of “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” this show celebrates the artists who gave us a single great hit.
Florida Studio Theatre, 1241 N Palm Ave, Sarasota, FL 34236
Crabapalooza is back at Anna Maria Oyster Bar, arriving just in time for Valentine’s Day and bringing a seasonal celebration of crab to the table. While oysters may be for lovers, crab is for romantics, and this limited-time menu is designed for sharing, cracking, and savoring together. The Crabapalooza lineup features three signature highlights, including a show-stopping Seafood Tower, a drool-worthy Seafood Boil, and a Maryland-style Crabcake Salad. Each dish is crafted to spotlight premium ingredients, generous portions, and the kind of hands-on dining that turns a meal into a memorable night out. To round out the experience, Crabapalooza also introduces a curated lineup of featured drinks, including the Mai Oh Mai Tai, Paloma, and Passionfruit Aperol Spritz, along with a featured wine, Maddalena Chardonnay, selected to pair beautifully with the bold, coastal flavors of the menu.
Anna Maria Oyster Bar
Calder’s work is a great source of interest to the team at Selby Gardens. His fascination with energy and motion, coupled with his exploration of suspension and equilibrium, provides creative inspiration for the dynamic display of epiphytes, or air plants. Selby Gardens is a leading center for the study of air plants and is home to the best scientifically documented collections of living epiphytic orchids and bromeliads in the world. The Calder exhibition at Selby Gardens will highlight the artist’s use of abstract forms rooted in nature and emphasize his interest in science and engineering. The exhibition will also explore Calder’s enchantment with the circus, stemming from his studies of performers and animals at the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus in 1925.
Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, 1534 Mound St, Sarasota, FL 34236
Argentine Tango composer Astor Pantaleon Piazzolla, renowned harpist Ann Hobson Pilot and choreographer Leymis Bolaños Wilmott collaborate for the third time for this milestone season. SCD brings visual and emotional accompaniment to Pilot’s inspired arrangement by the music of Piazzolla for harp, violin and bandoneon, reflecting the composer’s melodies, a contemporary mix of tango music with jazz and classical influences.
FSU Center for the Performing Arts, 5555 N Tamiami Trl, Sarasota, FL 34243
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 |
Powered by Sarasota Web Design | Unsubscribe
