Festival will celebrate importance of Sarasota Bay

The second Sarasota Bay Water Festival surfaces Saturday, Nov. 2. The festival, which celebrates the importance of Sarasota Bay, will offer fun for the whole family. Director Randy Moore has worked closely with local private and public sponsors to make this year’s festival as enjoyable and educational as possible. The Water Festival offers guests a free day full of activities that promote support and appreciation for the body of water.

The event will include hours of live music, dragon boat races, four panel discussions and more. Transportation to the festival via water taxi will be available for those who want to spend time on the water. Beginning at 10:30 a.m., guests can take a free water taxi to and from Marina Jack to the Sarasota Sailing Squadron. Rides take 20 minutes and allow guests to enjoy the bay on their way to the event.

One special feature of the festival will be an interactive mural. Guests can contribute to this large piece of art featuring predawn aquatic life. After the festival, the mural will be displayed throughout Manatee and Sarasota counties during 2014.

Moore and his team have included all constituents of the bay, from the bird community to the scuba-diving community. By bringing these different circles together for a common cause, Moore has made it possible for everyone to celebrate the importance of Sarasota Bay to the region’s environment, economy and quality of life. Local artists and wildlife photographers will have their work displayed and on sale; attendees can also vote for a people’s choice winner in the “I Love Sarasota Bay” photo contest. Local non-profit organizations, such as Save Our Seabirds, will also have their own booths to educate and interest guests. In total, there will be more than 80 exhibitors promoting boating, fishing, kayaking, aquatic sports, scuba diving, conservation, protection of wildlife and more.

“We want the bay protected, we want it to thrive, to be healthy and to be respected,” Moore says. “We are bay people.”

IF YOU GO
Sarasota Bay Water Festival
Where: Ken Thompson Park, City Island
When: Outdoor expos run from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with live music from noon to 7 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 2.
Cost: Free admission and free parking
For more information visit www.sarasotabaywaterfestival.com

Contact Harriet Sokmensuer at [email protected]