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

This gripping musical journey by Karl Jenkins is widely recognized as the most performed classical work by a living composer. Hear musical traditions and texts from cultures around the world that echo a universal plea for peace. The Armed Man moves audiences from conflict to hope in this unforgettable concert experience presented by Key Chorale, with guest artist Amanda Crider.

First United Methodist Church, 104 S Pineapple Ave., Sarasota

Designed to thrill and inspire listeners of all ages, this free family concert offers a lively and accessible introduction to orchestral music. At the center of this imaginative story is young Tony Stradivarius, who uses a magical book to guide the orchestra on a musical adventure. Along the way, children will discover how the various sections of the orchestra work together, become familiar with the sounds of different instruments and even get an introduction to the art of conducting.

Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, 777 N Tamiami Trl, Sarasota

Opening the fall 2026–spring 2027 season at SPAACES, this exhibit showcases artists who work outside the public eye. Curator Yosnier Miranda brings together artists who maintain dedicated, disciplined studio practices while choosing not to exhibit their work publicly. Bedroom Communities offers a rare opportunity to encounter work that has largely remained unseen despite years of thoughtful and passionate creation.

SPAACES, 2051 Princeton St., Sarasota

Sarasota Opera's DaCapo Society invites Sarasota's younger arts patrons aged 21-45 to go Behind the Seams at the fall season launch party: Cocktails, Costumes and Connections. The evening will include appetizers, an open bar and a behind-the-scenes tour of Sarasota Opera's renowned costume warehouse led by longtime resident costume designer Howard Tsvi Kaplan, highlighting this season's newest designs. DaCapo's launch party will give both current DaCapo members and those interested in learning more about the group a backstage look into the world of opera costuming.

Sarasota Opera Costume Warehouse, 8161 25th Ct. E, Sarasota

Directed by Preston Boyd, this bold new drama explores guilt, redemption and the search for light in a world shattered by violence. A haunted young Latino gang member and an aging rabbi form an unlikely bond inside a crumbling East L.A. synagogue, now used as a community center. Blending humor, poetry, rap and prayer, the performance asks whether broken souls can find a way to heal.

The Sarasota Players, 3501 S Tamiami Trl, Sarasota

Sarasota's forward-looking contemporary chamber ensemble, enSRQ, opens its 11th season with the Sarasota debut of two-time Grammy Award-winning vocal ensemble Roomful of Teeth. The collaboration brings together eight singers and five instrumentalists for a boundary-pushing program exploring the expressive possibilities of the human voice. Hear Peter Shin, Leilehua Lanzilotti, Caroline Shaw and more.

First Congregational Church, 1031 S Euclid Ave., Sarasota

From fiery chemistry and haunted experiments to escape rooms and flying pickles, STEAM Saturdays classes return this fall. Every Saturday, students in grades 2-3, 4-5 and 6-8 are invited to participate in hands-on, project-based activities with themes including Haunted Alchemy, Autumn Escape Room, Fireball Chemistry and a pickle-powered aerospace class. Younger students have the chance to build technical skills, confidence and creativity while learning alongside near-peer role models.

Faulhaber Fab Lab, 4452 S Beneva Rd., Sarasota

A work doesn't have to be monumental to demand our attention. The fifth installment of 502 Gallery's popular annual invitational exhibition, Shopliftable, is a celebration of small-scale works by 20 artists. Each artwork is modest in size but full of possibility, inviting viewers to look closely and discover how much an artist can say within a limited physical space. The opening reception will be held on October 3 from 5-8pm.

502 Gallery, 502 S Pineapple Ave., Sarasota

Drawing on the ephemeral and fragile properties of smoke and mirroring, along with the purity, fragility and apparent permanence of porcelain, the work exposes false narratives, conflicted virtues and fractured identities. Using transience and tension as both visual and material metaphors, figures formed with smoke hover between presence and evasion across pristine porcelain and mirrored, color-shifting grounds. The opening reception will be held on October 3 from 5-8pm.

502 Gallery, 502 S Pineapple Ave., Sarasota

Each Saturday in October at the Arts Advocates Gallery, guests can view Elisabeth Trostli's new exhibition. The artist's work explores artificial intelligence as a provocative tool for expanding the artist's imagination and invites viewers to look beyond the technology itself and consider what it means to create art in an era when the boundaries between imagination, digital tools and artificial intelligence are rapidly changing. Trostli will present a demonstration on October 3 at 3pm.

Art Advocates Gallery, 3501 S Tamiami Trl, Sarasota

Open to ages 5-19, this tournament is an awesome opportunity for young anglers to enjoy some friendly competition. Bring your rod and reel, and arrive by 8am for an 8:30am check-in. The tournament begins at 9am.

Lake Uihlein, 8175 Lakewood Ranch Blvd, Bradenton

Enjoy fresh produce, local art, music and free family activities on Bradenton's Old Main Street every Saturday from October through May. Local farmers, artisans and chefs share their talents, and you'll always be greeted with a smile from the market vendors. 

Old Main Street, 400 12th St. W, Bradenton

In its third year, this Wellen Park festival invites family and friends into a traditional Oktoberfest atmosphere with German dancers, a live polka band, a stein-hoisting competition and plenty of beer and brats. Experience the inaugural keg tapping and hear the DeLeon Family Oktoberfest Band with three generations of accordion players. Food and drink options include Banyan House, La Maison, Pop Dawgs and more. Parking lots and street parking are available along Sunglow Boulevard and Springtide Way.

Downtown Wellen Park, 19745 Wellen Park Blvd, Venice

Based on the novel by Bram Stoker and adapted by Ren Pearson, The Players Studio Black Box invites audiences into the shadows with one of the most iconic Gothic tales ever written. Mysterious, thrilling, romantic and terrifying, Dracula will explore fear, obsession and the darkness that lives just beneath the surface.

The Players Studio Black Box, 1400 Blvd. of the Arts, Sarasota

Fresh Fridays is back, and season 6 is shaping up to be the freshest yet. This event series returns on Main Street, between First Watch and Clasico, with Sunset Soundwaves: A Yacht Rock Experience. See a live performance by Yacht-A-Rock, a band dedicated to bringing the signature sounds of the yacht rock era to the stage. Guests can expect a high-energy performance featuring familiar favorite artists, including Michael McDonald, Steely Dan, Chicago, Jackson Browne and more.

Downtown Sarasota, Main Street, Sarasota

In its 21st season titled Raices y Vuelos, Sarasota Contemporary Dance partners with acclaimed bassist Johnnie Barker and The Barker Project for a high-energy collaboration that fuses live music and contemporary dance into an electrifying shared experience. Known for its signature combination of jazz, funk, blues, rock and gospel, The Barker Project brings a fluid, improvisational sound world that meets SCD's dynamic movement language in real time.

Manatee Performing Arts Center, 502 3rd Ave. W, Bradenton

The popular Halloween-inspired light show returns to Selby Gardens' Historic Spanish Point! The campus is transformed into Spooky Point where you can follow an eerily lit path and encounter fantastic creations and boo-tanically-themed decorations along the way. Equal parts campy, creepy and cute, this walk-through show is fun for all ages. Tickets go on sale August 24.

Historic Spanish Point Campus, 401 N Tamiami Trl, Osprey

This spirited musical ghost trolley tour with an historic bent returns for its 8th year with tour times at 7pm or 8:30pm. Talented cast members Kaylene McCaw and MariAnne Hernandez alternate as Lady Melody, the tour's ghost hostess, and tell stories of haunted buildings as they welcome aboard mystery spirits played by David Springer, Michael De Mocko, Olivia Turpening and Sarah Van Keuren. Prizes are awarded for best costume each night. Tickets include complimentary beer or wine before boarding and free parking.

Discover Sarasota Tours, 1826 4th St., Sarasota

Set sail with the smooth sounds of the '70s and '80s in this feel-good celebration of Yacht Rock and beyond. Featuring favorites like Sailing, Margaritaville, Brandy, Escape (The Piña Colada Song), Arthur's Theme and more, this breezy musical revue charts a course through the songs that became the soundtrack to romance, adventure, heartbreak and endless summer nights. Written by Richard Hopkins and Rebecca Hopkins; directed by Catherine Randazzo; music arrangements by Jim Prosser.

Court Cabaret, 1265 1st St., Sarasota

The Sarasota Orchestra Harmony Gallery collaborates with the Sarasota African American Cultural Coalition, the presenters of Voices of Color. This exhibit features the work of Jamaican-born artist Alicia Brown who works from her studio at SPAACES. Greg Cruz is a multidisciplinary artist and educator whose work bridges urban nostalgia and themes of healing and human connection. Ronnique Hawkins's work spans and supports peace initiatives, vulnerable communities and awareness of prostate and breast cancer. A reception will be held on October 7, and a meet-and-greet is scheduled for October 15.

Beatrice Friedman Symphony Center, 709 N Tamiami Trl, Sarasota

Wish upon a star and follow Pinocchio on an unforgettable adventure! From curious encounters to daring escapades, this beloved tale springs to life with laughter and plenty of magic. As Pinocchio learns that honesty matters more than anything else, audiences of all ages will delight in this enchanting retelling of a timeless classic. The play runs 50 minutes with no intermission.

Keating Theatre, 1241 N Palm Ave., Sarasota

A pioneering artist, world traveler and champion of women in the arts, Yoshida Fujio was one of the first Japanese women to receive formal training in Western-style painting and build an international career. Yoshida Fujio: Secret Gardens is the first exhibition in the southeastern United States devoted to this remarkable artist. It brings together a selection of woodblock prints and one painting spanning key moments in Fujio's long career, from her early naturalistic works to the striking abstractions of her later decades.

The Ringling Museum of Art, 5401 Bay Shore Rd., Sarasota

More than 30 Creative Liberties artists come together for a group exhibition showcasing the range of talent, styles and perspectives within the Creative Liberties community. An opening reception will be held on September 16 from 5pm-7pm.

Creative Liberties at ARCOS, 340 Central Ave., Sarasota

Enjoy a delicious brunch offered every Sunday at Tripletail Seafood and Spirits on the beautiful covered patio or casual dining room. The menu features a variety of dishes created by Chef Cesareo Cardenas, including his decadent creme brulee French toast, steak and eggs, lobster benedict, crab and shrimp omelet and the Tripletail brunch burger. Guests will receive a complimentary Bloody Mary or mimosa with the purchase of any entree.

Tripletail Seafood and Spirits, 4870 S Tamiami Trl, Sarasota

Every Saturday and Sunday, Cask and Ale on Main Street lifts a toast and taps a toe to a delicious brunch with a diverse chef-prepared menu. Try the rotating chef's special menu, bottomless mimosas and a wide selection of craft cocktails. On Sundays, hear live jazz music from 12pm-4pm.

Cask and Ale, 1548 Main St., Sarasota