Fun Things to Do and See in Sarasota!
April 2025

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MARK YOUR CALENDAR

April 1 | April Fool’s Day

April 20 | Easter Sunday

April 22 | Earth Day

April 4 - 13

Sarasota Film Festival

The Sarasota Film Festival showcases over 200 films, including features, documentaries, shorts, and family-friendly selections. The event celebrates cinematic excellence through screenings, programs, and special events, attracting filmmakers and audiences to engage with diverse storytelling.

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April 4

Music on Main Street, Lakewood Ranch

Music on Main brings a free concert and block party to Lakewood Ranch Main Street from 6 p.m. – 9 p.m. Enjoy a Fleetwood Mac tribute by Sweet Fleet, plus food vendors, beer trucks, sponsor booths, and family-friendly activities. Proceeds benefit the MVP Feel Good Fund and other local nonprofits.

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April 5

Dressage at TerraNova

VIP guests at Dressage at TerraNova on Saturday, April 5, will enjoy a premier viewing experience of top-ranked dressage pairs competing in this refined equestrian sport. Often described as ballet on horseback, the event features gourmet brunch and exclusive pavilion seating, offering an elegant and immersive experience.

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April 5

Run for the Turtles - Siesta Key Beach

The 39th Annual Run/Walk for the Turtles, hosted by Mote Marine, takes place on Siesta Key Public Beach. Participants can join a 1-mile fun run or a 5K race, supporting sea turtle conservation. The event includes a t-shirt, food, and family-friendly activities. Registration opens at 6:30 a.m.

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April 5

BAM!Fest (Bradenton Art & Music)

BAM!Fest is a vibrant community event featuring live music across multiple stages, pop-up performances along the Riverwalk, student showcases, large-scale visual art creations, interactive projects, and local art for sale. Attendees can also enjoy culinary delights from local vendors, making it a dynamic celebration of arts and culture.

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April 5 & 6

Spirit Fest Sarasota Fairgrounds

Spirit Fest, a Metaphysical and Holistic Fair, features over 90 booths with vendors, practitioners, and artists offering crystals, jewelry, divination tools, and holistic health products. Enjoy live demonstrations, guest speakers, workshops, and a special Mediumship Gallery. Free parking and on-site food. Tickets: $12–$18. Held at Robarts Arena, Sarasota.

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April 6

Classic Car Show - Venice Community Center

The 21st Annual "Building to a Cure" Benefit Classic Car Show showcases vintage vehicles from the pre-1950s to the 1990s. Attendees can enjoy close-up views of classic cars as participants compete for 28 trophies. Proceeds benefit Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital. Free admission. 9 a.m.– 1 p.m.

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April 8 - 13

Les Miserables - Van Wezel

Cameron Mackintosh presents Les Misérables, the Tony Award-winning musical phenomenon by Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg. Set in 19th-century France, this acclaimed production tells a powerful story of passion, sacrifice, and redemption. Featuring iconic songs like I Dreamed a Dream and One Day More, it remains one of theater’s greatest masterpieces.

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April 11

PAWS 2025: Mission Pawssible

The Humane Society of Sarasota County hosts PAWS 2025: Mission Pawssible on April 11 at The Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota. Guests will enjoy live entertainment, heartwarming stories, and interactive experiences with adoptable animals—all to support HSSC’s lifesaving work for over 3,000 homeless pets annually. Puppies and kittens included.

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April 11 - 13

Sarasota Bradenton Home Show

The Sarasota Bradenton Home Show showcases experts in kitchens, baths, landscaping, pools, solar, and home improvement. Whether gathering ideas or finding the right professionals, attendees can explore a variety of services. Free admission with online registration or $10 at the door. Free parking available.

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April 12 & 13

Venice Sharks Tooth Festival

The Venice Sharks Tooth Festival at Centennial Park offers a fun, family-friendly experience with fossil hunting, food trucks, arts and crafts, live music, and children’s activities. Celebrate Venice’s title as the “Shark Tooth Capital of the World.” Free admission. Saturday: 10 a.m.–8 p.m., Sunday: 10 a.m.–5 p.m.

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April 18

Easter Egg-Stravaganza - Mall at UTC

The Easter Egg-Stravaganza at The Mall at UTC offers loads of family fun. Enjoy a 40,000+ egg hunt, bounce houses, a Kids Safety Expo, live entertainment, face painting, and more. The first 500 kids (12 & under) receive a free tote bag. Free entry.

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April 19

2025 Eggstravaganza - Venice

Families are invited to free Easter fun at Centennial Park. Children 12 and under can meet the Easter Bunny and enjoy an egg hunt by the Gazebo. An adult must accompany children. Sponsored by Venice MainStreet in partnership with the Venice Lions Club.

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April 19

Easter Egg Hunt - Siesta Key Chapel

The Siesta Key Easter Egg Hunt, hosted by the Siesta Key Chamber and Siesta Key Chapel, offers a fun-filled morning for children on the chapel’s shaded grounds. Limited to 200 participants, children should bring a bag or basket for collecting eggs. Registration required.

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April 20

Easter Brunch - Selby Gardens

Easter Brunch returns to the Downtown Sarasota campus, featuring a brunch buffet and dessert bar by Michael’s On East. Kids can enjoy an Easter egg hunt and balloon twisting. Tickets include full campus access before or after brunch, making it a perfect holiday celebration for the whole family.

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April 25 - 27

Suncoast Boat Show - Bayfront Marina

The Suncoast Boat Show returns to Sarasota’s Bayfront Marina, showcasing hundreds of boats and yachts alongside marine products and accessories. Explore cruisers, sportfishers, center consoles, motor yachts, inflatables, and more. Enjoy food, drinks, and live music.

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April 27

April Showers and Serenade - LWR

The Lakewood Ranch Wind Ensemble presents its season finale at 2 p.m., featuring acclaimed local soprano Johanna Davis. Audiences will enjoy works by Puccini, Schubert and The Sound of Music while discovering the region’s premier wind ensemble based in one of Southwest Florida’s most vibrant cultural communities.

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April 27

Sharky’s Ride the Beaches - Venice

The 21st Annual Sharky’s Ride the Beaches cycling event takes place Sunday, April 27, in Venice, Florida. Riders can choose from 15-, 35- or 70-mile coastal routes. The event benefits Team Tony Cancer Foundation, LIVESTRONG and Friends of The Legacy Trail. Registration includes breakfast and lunch at Sharky’s.

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LIVE

Local Theatre

Urbanite Theatre

Running through April 29, No One Is Forgotten. Held captive in a grim cement cell, U.S. citizens Lali and Beng struggle with uncertainty—where they are, how much time has passed, and whether the world knows their fate. Inspired by true events, No One Is Forgotten explores resilience, sacrifice, and the deep bonds that sustain survival.

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Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe

Running through April 6, Five Guys Named Moe. An electrifying tribute to rhythm and blues legend Louis Jordan, Five Guys Named Moe follows Nomax, a down-and-out man whose radio springs to life with five Moes offering musical wisdom. Featuring high-energy dance and Jordan’s iconic score, this Tony-nominated hit is an unforgettable celebration of music, love, and second chances.

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Florida Studio Theatre

Running through May 25, Jersey Boys. Experience the story of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, from their New Jersey beginnings to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. This electrifying show highlights their signature sound, rise to stardom, and personal struggles, offering an inside look at the journey that continues to captivate audiences worldwide.

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Players Centre for Performing Arts

Opening April 10, Into the Woods follows a Baker and his wife seeking to break a Witch’s curse, Cinderella longing for the King’s Festival, and Jack hoping for his cow to give milk. Wishes come true, but with unexpected consequences. Featuring a book by James Lapine and music by Stephen Sondheim.

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Asolo Repertory Theatre

Beginning April 4, Good Night, Oscar. The show explores the genius and chaos of Oscar Levant, the famed pianist, actor, and sharp-witted truth-teller. As he battles network executives during a pivotal 1958 Tonight Show appearance, his brilliance and struggles collide. Fresh from Broadway, Entertainment Weekly calls it “a gold mine of witticisms.”

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Venice Theatre

April 21 for one night only – Simply Clapton, A Tribute to Slowhand. Simply Clapton delivers a captivating tribute to the legendary career of Eric Clapton, spanning his work with John Mayall’s Blues Breakers, Cream, Derek & The Dominos, and his solo years. This special performance features British blues artist Will Johns, Clapton’s nephew, an acclaimed songwriter and performer mentored by Clapton himself.

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Lemon Bay Playhouse

Beginning April 23, The Puzzle with the Piazza. A septuagenarian faces a race against time to complete a long-unfinished 3,000-piece puzzle before leaving her home due to poor health. As she prepares to move in with her sister—without her puzzles—this poignant play explores family, friendship, and the connections that shape life’s final chapters.

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Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall

April 22 – 27, Beetlejuice. The ghost-with-the-most arrives in Sarasota. Based on Tim Burton’s cult classic, Beetlejuice follows Lydia Deetz, a teenager whose life changes after meeting a mischievous demon and a ghostly couple. With a dazzling set and an irreverent score, Variety calls it “SCREAMINGLY GOOD FUN!”

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McCurdy’s Comedy Theatre

April 27, Drag Queen Bingo. Enjoy a dazzling variety show featuring Tamiami Trails and special guest stars. This glamorous cabaret showcases live performances by the area’s most fabulous drag queens, with three rounds of bingo called throughout the night. Laugh, celebrate, and let loose in an evening of entertainment and prizes.

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