Weekend's best bets: Friday, April 24

By Nick Friedman
| 4:19 p.m. April 24, 2015

Arts + Entertainment
Things To Do

FRIDAY, APRIL 24

+ Hail Dale Pale Ale Release and Poker Tournament — takes place at 6:30 p.m. at Mr. Beery’s. Free.

Local southern rock trio Hail Dale will release another batch of its JDub’s-brewed beer, HDPA (formerly known as Hail Dale Pale Ale) at Mr. Beery’s in Gulf Gate.

To celebrate, the boys will play a live show and are inviting the audience to stick around afterward for a good old-fashioned poker tournament, complete with prizes. Sure to be a night of vice, debauchery and rock ’n’ roll.

SATURDAY, APRIL 25

+ World of Beer Main Street Grand Opening— takes place at noon at World of Beer Main Street, 1888 Main St.

The long-awaited downtown World of Beer celebrates its opening with a party featuring live music, food and, of course, beer.

Local band SowFlo will kick the day off, followed by Anthony Parsons and TorQue and AC/DC tribute band Highway to Hell.

+ Suncoast Blues Festival — takes place at 11 a.m. at the Sarasota Fairgrounds. $30.

This celebration of blues music features acts including Bobby Rush, Eden Brent, Smokin' Joe Kubek and Bnois King, Zav Harmon and more.

Head on down to the fairgrounds and get your fill of roots and blues music.

+ Jacos vs. Autism II — takes place at 1 p.m. at Jaco's Boxing, 5708 Lawton Dr. Free.

This 24-hour boxing marathon will benefit Sarasota's ABA Academy to support autism research.

$100 for a 30-minute training session. All proceeds will benefit the charity. Event will conclude Saturday with a party featuring raffles and other prizes.

+ Blue Eyed Bettys, John Denver's Ghost and Lesa Silvermore — takes place at 9:30 p.m. at the Starlite Room. $10.

Catch theatrical bluegrass Americana trio, The Blue Eyed Bettys, along with acoustic Southern rock duo, John Denver's Ghost and acoustic singer/songwriter Lesa Silvermore.

All the action takes place at the Starlite Room.

SUNDAY, APRIL 26

+ ‘Chicken Shop’ — takes place at 2 p.m. at Urbanite Theatre. 1487 Second St. $20. $5 for students.

Catch the preview performance of the U.S. debut production of “Chicken Shop,” at Sarasota’s newest black-box theater.

Written by Anna Jordan, “Chicken Shop,” is the coming-of-age story of Hendrix, a young gay man struggling to prove his masculinity who befriends a girl with an unbearable life in a sordid room above a fried chicken shop. Runs through May 3.