WEEKEND BEST BET: Centre Shops Fall Festival

Centre Shops merchants have met nearly every week since August to prepare for Sunday’s Fall Festival, and here’s what they have planned:

Approximately 40 vendors will participate and will sell antiques, art, crafts, fruits, vegetables and more. At least 30 vintage cars will line the parking lot. The event will include a Bavarian tent with wine, beer and hats, along with a hot dog cart, courtesy of Lazy Lobster Longboat Michael Garey’s Sarasota hot dog restaurant, Doggin’ It.

And Centre Shops merchants, nearly all of whom will participate, will showcase their businesses in a variety of ways, including food samples, sales and even flu shots from Dr. Pamela Letts, of the Centre Shops Family Practice and Urgent Care.

The event will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday at the Centre Shops, 5350 to 5390 Gulf of Mexico Drive.

The Fall Festival will be the first of five festivals that will take place this season, each of which will have a theme and raise money for a non-profit. The next festival, for example, scheduled for Sunday, Dec. 9, will have a holiday theme.

Merchants also plan on holding nightly walks from 5 to 8 p.m. the second Thursday of each month between November and May during which many businesses will have extended hours, along with light bites or wine.

Contact Robin Hartill at [email protected].