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Your Observer | All

Debi and Mike O'Leary take a look at the tree.
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • December 6, 2025
Sarasota annual tree lighting takes place at Selby Five Points

Turnout was high for the event, which combined the Fresh Fridays block party with the lighting of the Christmas tree.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Devin Mignery (center) prepares to take the snap during the FHSAA Class 2A state semifinal between Cardinal Mooney and Cocoa. The senior quarterback was inserted for junior Davin Davidson and helped usher the Cougars into the state championship.
    By
  • Jack Nelson
  • December 6, 2025
Cardinal Mooney football headed to state championship

In a feat of vengeance, the Cougars shut out the Tigers, continuing their hunt for a third state title.

  • Sarasota
  • Sports
Out of 30 free throws, Braylen Bolema made 20, Liam Goutos made 21, Emma Bullock made 15 and Claire Bollock made 19 to win their age divisions of the Elks Hoop Shoot Dec. 5.
    By
  • Madison Bierl
  • December 6, 2025
Kids aim to score big in Elks Hoop Shoot in Lakewood Ranch

The annual event forces the competitors to learn to perform under pressure and allows the to advance all the way to the national level.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
A rendering of Florida Studio Theatre's McGillicuddy Arts Plaza.
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • December 6, 2025
Florida Studio Theatre receives anonymous $1 million gift

FST will use an anonymous $1 million gift to start a matching donation campaign for Phase 2 of its McGillicuddy Arts Plaza expansion.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Sarasota Police on Monday recovered a sunken, capsized boat from Hudson Bayou that had been swamped for more than three years.
    By
  • Eric Garwood
  • December 6, 2025
Long-abandoned boat removed by Sarasota Police

The derelict vessel's owner is now responsible for recovery and demolition costs.

  • Sarasota
  • News
  • By Observer Advertising Content Staff
  • December 5, 2025
Sarasota Concert Association presents the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

Join Sarasota Concert Association on Monday, January 19, 2026 at 7:30 pm at Van Wezel.

  • Arts + Entertainment
  • Spotlight Partners
Sponsored Content
Celia Young, Pat Reinhart, Ina Goldberg and Sherry Wheeler channel their inner flapper style for the Great Gatsby-inspired Poinsettia Luncheon.
    By
  • Janet Combs
  • December 5, 2025
Sarasota Opera Guild rings in holidays at Poinsettia Luncheon

The guild raises money to support the Sarasota Opera while promoting the appreciation of opera in the community and encouraging the next generation of singers.

  • Black Tie
Myakka City 12-year-old Aliyah Burnett helps her neighbor, Corinn Smith of Blissful Goat Yoga, with the goats. She dressed them in Christmas outfits for Ranch Nite Wednesday Dec. 3.
    By
  • Lesley Dwyer
  • December 5, 2025
Goats are another reason to attend Ranch Nite Wednesdays in Lakewood Ranch

The first Wednesday of each month, Waterside Place hosts the goals, and everything else — food trucks, cornhole, music — that makes Ranch Nite Wednesdays so popular.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Brent Piersma and Beverly Sutton fill seed packets for Hope Seeds.
    By
  • Dana Kampa
  • December 5, 2025
Hope Seeds seeks extra hands

Increased need in Caribbean regions means Christ Church of Longboat Key is seeking extra volunteers to pack seeds.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
Sarasota City Attorney Joe Polzak and City Auditor and Clerk Shayla Griggs during a meeting of the Sarasota City Commission.
    By
  • Andrew Warfield
  • December 5, 2025
Sarasota charter official evaluations begin this month

City commissioners evaluated the evaluation process forSarasota's top three officers and instruct the addition of a self-assessment narrative.

  • Sarasota
  • News
  • By Observer Advertising Content Staff
  • December 4, 2025
Forks & Corks Food & Wine Festival

From January 22–26, 2026, this celebration will feature wine dinners, tasting seminars, an online auction, and the iconic Grand Tasting at The Ringling Museum.

  • Arts + Entertainment
  • Spotlight Partners
Sponsored Content
You'd better watch out: Tow-away zones set for Sarasota holiday parade
    By
  • Eric Garwood
  • December 4, 2025
You'd better watch out: Tow-away zones set for Sarasota holiday parade

The Saturday event down Main Street steps off at 7 p.m., but restrictions begin 12 hours earlier.

  • Sarasota
  • News
The moon shines between a pair of "Florida Reindeer."
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • December 4, 2025
Holiday display at Selby Gardens boasts over 2 million lights

Marie Selby Botanical Gardens' "Lights in Bloom" illuminated extravaganza features a tree covered in dragonflies, train decorations and more to explore.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
A satellite image of Hurricane Irma.
    By
  • S.T. Cardinal
  • December 4, 2025
Hurricane season ends without Florida landfall

No hurricanes hit the continental United States in 2025, though the Atlantic hurricane season did see the second most Category 5 storms ever.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
Shane Rawley poses for a photo on Dec. 2 at Shaner's Pizzeria with his three published books. From left: "A February Thaw: A Peter Cobb Adventure," "January Freeze: A Peter Cobb Adventure" and "Peter Cobb: Three Strikes You're Out."
    By
  • Jack Nelson
  • December 4, 2025
Former MLB pitcher and local pizzeria owner is an author

Shane Rawley, the owner of Shaner's Pizzeria since 1991, has published three fiction novels in his "Peter Cobb" series.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
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1
Santa (Steven Trudell of St. Petersburg) gets the runners fired up just before the start of the 2025 Jingle 5K Dec. 12 in Lakewood Ranch.
  • December 13, 2025
More than 500 runners go the distance in Lakewood Ranch's Jingle 5K
2
Longboat Key Police Deputy Chief Frank Rubino (left) accepts a framed display of medals, patches and pins that demonstrate his 45-year career in law enforcement.
  • December 13, 2025
Longboat deputy chief with 45 years of experience to retire
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  • December 12, 2025
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  • December 12, 2025
“Catskills After Dark”
5
Nicholas Savarese, a teacher who has a background in chemical engineering, judges junior Lillian Pevzner-Downer's project on the comparison of conventionally grown crops with chemicals and pesticides versus organically grown crops at the Lakewood Ranch High School Science Fair.
  • December 12, 2025
Lakewood Ranch High revives its science fair

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