- January 1, 2026
-
-
Loading
Loading
The year that closed wasn’t nearly as calamitous as 2024, so it’s back to Sarasota business as usual. Festivals, parades, newsy happenings and more. Through it all, we snapped thousands of photos, the best of which you’ll see here.
Hands on
Tyler Curcio shows Mason Foscolos, 9, how to use a fire hose during a Sarasota County Fire Department open house in May. The department holds the open houses monthly as a chance for the public to gain first-hand experiences at local fire stations.
Lasting legacy
Rick Piccolo spent 30 of his 53-year airport career at Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport. Upon his retirement this past fall, he was succeeded by Pittsburgh International Airport Executive Vice President Paul Hoback Jr.
Sealy business
Matheus Siqueira tends to a seal at the Sarasota County Fair on March 15.
Hop to it
Noah Panica, 4, participates in the potato sack race during Bay Fest, held at The Bay park on March 1. The community, including kids and families, had a chance to learn about caring for estuaries while enjoying the sights of a real estuary through a partnership between Sarasota County and the Sarasota Bay Estuary Program.
'Big time' performance
Maria Cruz dances in the performance by Bomba Yemayá, one of two groups to perform at NocheUnidos at The John & Mable Ringling Museum of Art on Jan. 31. UnidosNow co-founder CJ Czaia said hosting the event, which also featured leaders of two Mardi Gras Indian tribes to celebrate Hispanic heritage, was “big time” for the organization.
Ready for takeoff
In its first significant expansion and first new gates since 1989, Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport opened its new Concourse A in January. Passengers have ground-level views of Allegiant Air jets in the new concourse as they await their departures. Costs for the project, which also included upgrades to Terminal B utilities, restrooms and other enhancements, totaled about $115 million.
Snow day
Ava Glauser, 3, and her sister, Vallen Glauser, 5, enjoy the Snow Day at First Sarasota Church on Jan. 12. During the event, these Florida kids enjoyed a special treat with 17 tons of crushed ice, snow slides and food trucks offering pizza and shaved ice.
Ballet on water
Ella Walker, Abby Duplissey, Patty Foley and Lauren Taylor Nock perform with the Ski-A-Rees ballet team during the troupe’s first show of the 2025 season.
In line
Senior Drum Major Steve McClure marches in the opening ceremony of the Suncoast Scottish Highland Games & Celtic Festival on Feb. 1. It was the second year Suncoast Scots, a nonprofit devoted to preserving Scottish culture, hosted the event. “Two years ago, I personally put $100 in a checking account to start it, and here look at this today, so I am so pleased and happy that we’ve been able to do this,” said President Bob Fair.
Sweet sips
Makai, a thirsty pup, receives a drink from Tina Valentiner during Satchel’s Fifth Annual Get Your Mutt Movin’ 5K Run and Walk on Feb. 22. The event supported the organization, a no-kill animal shelter and sanctuary whose mission is to take in animals with nowhere else to go.
Float on
Sandro Roberto kayaks with Chloe Malott, 5, during Bay Fest, held at The Bay park on March 1. The community, including kids and families, had a chance to learn about caring for estuaries while enjoying the sights of a real estuary through a partnership between Sarasota County and the Sarasota Bay Estuary Program.
No. 1 ... finally!
The Cardinal Mooney girls basketball team cheers as it’s announced as the Class 3A state champion March 1 at RP Funding Center in Lakeland. The Cougars used the motivation of losing four straight times in the state title game to hold off Jacksonville Bolles 64-54. The win was the first state championship in program history for Cardinal Mooney.
Blessed tradition
Alana Duffy, 13, Nolan Duffy, 11, and their mother, Emily Duffy, joined Rabbi Michael Shefrin for the lighting of the candles at Temple Emanu-El’s Passover Seder on April 13.
Custom design
Fifth graders Charlie Cavallaro and Guadalupe Jaraz created a Medieval-themed car for the Remote Control Car Competition at Faulhaber Fab Lab on April 11. The event, now in its 10th year, was the culmination of work by more than 175 young people from more than 30 local schools to showcase creativity and engineering skills.
Cross cultural
Sarasota friends Veronica Muñoz, Maria Veronica Guillen Vasquez and Benito Enriquez, who are from Mexico, and Maria Stephens, who is from Venezuela, dressed to represent their home countries at El Melvin’s Cinco de Mayo Block Party. “I love Mexicans, and I think they’re my brothers and my sisters,” Stephens said.
No rain on this parade
Ty’reyah Williams and Shandrea Williams proceed into Robarts Arena with the other Booker High School graduates on May 31. Rainy weather punctuated graduation weekend, but not the spirits of graduates from local high schools.
Planting for the future
Jason Guillama, 4, prepares to place a plant at the historic Leonard Reid House on June 24. Kids from Girls Inc., Precious Jewels Academy Learning Centers and Star Lab worked on planting the garden in partnership with Sarasota County Butterfly Club and the Sarasota African American Cultural Coalition.
Access is everything
A customer hauls in a catch aboard Capt. AJ Grande’s charter boat. Charter boat captains watched new regulations over boat launches by the Sarasota County Commission in June with trepidation, noting that the county has limited facilities for access to the water.
Santa in July
Amelia Adams, 6, Surfer Santa (Scooter Maloney), and Noah Adams, 4, enjoy Christmas in July at The Bazaar on Apricot & Lime. In addition to special deals, the event also celebrated the halfway mark to Jimmy Buffett’s birthday, with a musician playing his hits.
Dog bar is back
Scooby Doo, a dog who belongs to Mike and Victoria Collins, plays in the foam at the opening of Dog Bar Sarasota on July 19. Previously known as Boo’s Ice House and Dog Bar, the popular location reopened under the owners of Dog Bar St. Pete to welcome supporters — and their pups — back to the space.
Sundays on Siesta
Teala Marie dances with a ribbon on Siesta Key beach during the weekly drum circle on Aug. 17. The drum circle is 30-year tradition, held at sunset every Sunday, rain or shine.
Back to school
Martina Kandrachoff sees off her older sister, Guillermina, for her first day of school at Alta Vista Elementary School on Aug. 11.
A little bit of color
Attendees including Carissa Marsh (foreground) paint the walkway at The Harvest Sarasota on Sept. 14. The church painted the rainbow walkway in response to the pavement art ban by the Florida Department of Transportation, which removed a rainbow crosswalk downtown as well as sidewalk murals on the Avenue of Art.
Go for gold
Kindergartner Leo Biter enters the pep rally during Go Gold Day on Sept. 26 at Southside Elementary. The day promotes awareness and provides support for children with pediatric cancer in honor of Benjamin Gilkey and Avery Rann, two students who died from cancer in 2017.
Farm on display
Farm Manager Kate Traugott speaks while holding a chicken named Napoleon at the ribbon-cutting of The Farm at McIntosh Middle School on Sept. 9. The 30,762-square-foot facility is a place where students can get hands-on agricultural experience.
Shofar, so good
Vivian Masters, 10, blows the shofar at Temple Emanu-El Religious School’s Rosh Hashanah event Sept. 21. The temple began hosting its celebration of the Jewish New Year outdoors during the pandemic, and has continued the tradition at Phillippi Estate Park.
Great scott!
Stella and Kristin Goddard, who came as E.T. and Elliot last year, reprised the concept of an iconic 1980s duo by dressing as Marty McFly and Doc Brown, claiming the first place award at Dog-A-Ween on Oct. 24. The event, hosted each year at the Sarasota Farmers Market by the Sarasota Downtown Merchants Association, benefits the Donte’s Den shelter.
Prost!
Kim Livengood, owner of The Bazaar on Apricot & Lime, introduced the venue’s first Oktoberfest celebration on Oct. 4. The event invited community members to try out yodeling, snack on giant pretzels and test their strength with a stein-holding competition.
The Bay turns 3
Instructors Juan Uribe and Miranda Vidro from Fred Astaire Dance Studios demonstrate some salsa dance moves at The Bay’s third anniversary celebration Oct. 1. It was one of 80 events planned during the month to celebrate.
New beginnings
Crews began demolishing the Bird Key Yacht Club at 301 Bird Key Drive on Nov. 13. The 65-year-old clubhouse was scrapped to make way for a new $20 million facility that will be built to be more resilient on its waterfront location. “It’s disconcerting yet exciting, because you realize one chapter is ending and another is beginning,” Commodore Tony Britt said of seeing the bare grounds.
A little more lip
Angese Rudzite Kirillova works on “Playground” during the Siesta Key Crystal Classic International Sand Sculpting Festival on Nov. 14-16. The annual competition featured 24 individuals from all over the world.
Night of enchantment
Sagan Shinn, 8, enjoys the snow at Selby Five Points Park on Dec. 6. It was the second year for the Downtown Improvement District’s new, larger Christmas tree at the location, and the lighting event was part of the Fresh Fridays Light Up the Night block party.
Community celebration
Mydahlia Glover sets the Unity Cup beside the candles at Kwanzaa Community Celebration on Dec. 4 at the Betty J. Johnson North Sarasota Library. The event serves as preparation for Kwanzaa, which takes place from Dec. 26 to Jan. 1. Although it used to be based at the library exclusively, it is now also brought to library patrons in the community, including those at Sarasota Memorial Hospital, said Lois B. Wilkins, chair of the library’s African American Cultural Resource Center.
Clean machine
Sarasota County cut the ribbon on its $210 million Advanced Wastewater Treatment Conversion and Expansion project on Bee Ridge Road, east of Interstate 75 on Dec. 5. The $210 million project increased the capacity of the facility from 12 million gallons a day to 18 million, while also removing more contaminants for cleaner water that will eventually flow into Sarasota Bay.
