2017 schedule off to thunderous start

Festivals, parades, circus acts and, of course, wine. When it comes to providing entertainment, the East County area offers a little something for everyone.

That will be obvious again in 2017, as entertainment choices dot the schedule throughout the year.

It all starts with a motorcycle festival, brand new to Lakewood Ranch, which is expected to draw more than 40,000 visitors over two days. Before you know it, the schedule comes around again to Holidays Around the Ranch 2017 in December.

Here are 10 can’t-miss entertainment opportunities you will want to write down on your calendar.

1. Rockin’ and Ridin’   at the Ranch

Jan. 7 to Jan. 8, at Premier Sports Campus at Lakewood Ranch

Lakewood Ranch-based Suncoast Charities for Children has moved its longtime Thunder by the Bay event, tagged as “Rockin’ and Ridin’ at The Ranch” this year, from downtown Sarasota to Lakewood Ranch.

The festival will not only be a hub for motorcycle enthusiasts, but for the public as well with music by headliner Blue Oyster Cult and tribute bands.

Blue Oyster Cult, slated for a free show Jan. 8 beginning at 4 p.m., is famed for its hits “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper,” “Burnin’ for You” and “Then Came the Last Days of May,” among others.

This year’s festival will include new events — motorcycle stunt performances, a tent with beer and food for purchase, and a Taste of Thunder, a tent with special craft, beer and spirit tastings.

“The festival footprint is going to be twice the size of what it was downtown,” said Lucy Nicandri, executive director for Suncoast Charities for Children, the nonprofit that organizes the festival and supports children, teens and adults with special needs through grants. “We can now expand and grow the event and add things we couldn’t have downtown.”

“I think it’s going to have a substantial economic impact on the businesses here,” said Heather Kasten, executive director of the Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance. “It’s another data point for putting Lakewood Ranch and this region on the map.”

2. Circus Sarasota: Synergy

Feb. 10 to March 5, at Nathan Benderson Park

As Circus Sarasota celebrates 20 years as Florida’s nonprofit circus, a visit to the Sarasota-based Circus Arts

Conservatory’s “Synergy” show should rate high. This year’s circus will feature acts such as high-wire walker Nik Wallenda and his troupe; Russian hula hoop artist Alesya Gulavich; Cuban acrobatic artists Leosvel and Diosmani on a Chinese pole; and a horse-riding and vaulting act by Lev Gigolaev, among others. For information, visit circusarts.org.

3. Greek Glendi

Feb. 9 to Feb. 12, at St. Barbara Greek Orthodox Church

If you like a bit of culture with your cuisine, St. Barbara Greek Orthodox Church’s annual Greek Glendi is a must-do in 2017. The church’s 33rd annual Glendi is a Greek festival that evokes the sights, sounds and tastes that define the traditional Greek way of life. Enjoy Greek music and dancing demonstrations, vendors, tours of the church, family activities and, of course, plenty of delicious food. For information, visit bradentonorthodox.com.

4. Chalk the Park

March 5, at Nathan Benderson Park

Sarasota County will host this first-time event, Chalk the Park, and is hopeful it will be a success. An amateur chalk drawing contest that is free to the public is one of the main draws. The event is meant to introduce rowing and the upcoming World Rowing Championships, as well. There will be face painting, games, popcorn, hot dogs and snow cones. Food vendors will offer specialty items. There will be a “learn to row and paddle board” offering. For information, call 861-5884.

5. Tribute to Heroes Parade

May 28, at Lakewood Ranch Main Street

Lakewood Ranch presents its annual parade to honor its military heroes and first responders. Each year, the sidewalks of Lakewood Ranch Main Street are lined with spectators as Boys Scouts, military veterans, politicians and everyday folks who simply want to have a float in the parade march. For information, visit lwrcac.com.

6. World Rowing Championship

Sept. 23 to Oct. 1, at Nathan Benderson Park

For the past two years, officials of Sarasota County and Suncoast Aquatic Nature Center Associates have been rowing in the same direction — to prepare for the World Rowing Championships, which will attract athletes from across the globe. Starting Sept. 23, rowers will converge at Nathan Benderson Park. The event also is what triggered, in part, construction of a finish tower, permanent restrooms and other facilities at the park, as well as an advanced timeline for the reconfiguring the intersection of University Parkway and Interstate 75, making it the culmination of a multi-county effort to improve the area’s infrastructure and transportation network. For information, visit wrch2017.com.

7. Boo Fest

Oct. 27, at Lakewood Ranch Main Street

It’s a ghoulish time of year, and Lakewood Ranch Main Street hosts Boo Fest, an annual event that rises to the occasion. The event, organized by Lakewood Ranch Community Activities, proves the perfect Halloween social for families, with trick-or-treating at Main Street stores, a costume parade and other spook-tacular fun. For information, visit lwrcac.com.

8. Making Strides Against Breast Cancer

Oct. 28, at Nathan Benderson Park

Few events conjure a sense of purpose like the American Cancer Society’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk. 

This year’s event will be at a new venue, Nathan Benderson Park. “While the Sarasota Polo Club has been a fantastic host for our event, we are growing, and we made the decision to move to a venue that can continue to grow with us,” said Cathy Vallianatos, senior manager for community events for the American Cancer Society. “Our volunteer committee made the decision.”

The 2016 event had more than 13,000 participants and 257 teams together raising more than $285,000, including sponsorships, to fight cancer through research and patient services. For information, visit cancer.org.

9. Suncoast Food
and Wine Festival

Nov. 11, at the Sarasota Polo Club

The 16th annual Suncoast Food and Wine Festival will return with flavorful purpose. The annual event, presented by the Rotary Club of Lakewood Ranch, will feature dozens of restaurants offering up samples of their finest appetizers, entrees and desserts, as well as hundreds of national and international wines and craft beers. Live music and other festivities make this day at the Sarasota Polo Club one to remember. Each year, the club doles out about $100,000 to an average of 30 charities through a grant process. Over the past 15 years, Rotary has awarded more than $1.4 million to charities. For information, visit suncoastfoodandwinefest.com.

10. Holidays Around the Ranch

Dec. 8, at Lakewood Ranch Main Street

Santa comes to Lakewood Ranch during the community’s annual Holidays Around the Ranch event. Santa trades his reindeer and sleigh for horses and a carriage as he leads a parade down Lakewood Ranch Main Street to kick off this holiday celebration, organized by Lakewood Ranch Community Activities. The event includes holiday favorites, including skating on an acrylic rink, sugar cookie decorating, music and dance performances and treats like hot cocoa and egg nog offered by vendors. The event is so popular that shuttles from off-site parking have been set up. For information about the event, visit lwrcac.com.