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Longboat Key | Neighbors

Cantorial sololist Kei Sulhi hands out challah to start the celebration of the Shabbat.
    By
  • Carlin Gillen
  • July 14, 2025
Temple Beth Israel holds Shabbat ... with a twist

The temple's midsummer Shabbat barbecue brought together community and good food.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
Lottie, the four-year-old miniature poodle, rides to victory in a toy car with Magnolia and Goldie Lowry in the "Most Creative" category of the virtual Hot Diggity Dog contest organized by the Rotary Club of Longboat Key.
    By
  • Dana Kampa
  • July 12, 2025
Rotarians award virtual winners of Longboat's Hot Diggity Dog contest

Winners from this year's canine costume contest collected their prizes at Bayfront Park.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
Visitors and volunteers alike took a moment to enjoy the view at Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium before it closed to facilitate a move to East County.
    By
  • Dana Kampa
  • July 9, 2025
Mote's final public days bring forward warm memories

City Island's Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium officially held its final day of being open to the public on July 6 as it prepares for its move to the new Mote Science Education Aquarium facility.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
Emma Bailey Gaddy and Vivienne Hansen carefully line up their potato race car at Bird Key Yacht Club's Fourth of July festivities.
    By
  • Dana Kampa
  • July 7, 2025
Bird Key Yacht Club holds annual potato car races

Bird Key Yacht Club hosted its annual Fourth of July festivities, including the highly anticipated potato car races.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
The Grady family, including Jackson, Drake, Freya and Tina, join the Longboat Key Garden Club's butterfly release for the Fourth of July weekend at Bicentennial Park.
    By
  • Dana Kampa
  • July 7, 2025
July Fourth Longboat Key butterfly release continues post-storm

Freedom Fest might have been canceled, but community members joined in a butterfly release after the Fourth of July.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
Charlie Metzler, Samantha Trotter, Mimi Kruk, JoDene Moneuse, Kelsie Rokicki and 6-month-old puppy Nova held out hope that Freedom Fest and other Fourth of July activities on Longboat Key would continue. However, lightning forced officials to cancel.
    By
  • Dana Kampa
  • July 4, 2025
Lightning on Longboat causes Freedom Fest cancellation

Despite officials' best efforts, poor weather caused them to cancel the 'world's shortest parade' and other Fourth of July activities.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
Outgoing Rotary Club of Longboat Key President Jan Wallace and incoming President Terri Driver crack a smile after Wallace officially passes the gavel on June 24 at Hugo's II.
    By
  • Dana Kampa
  • July 1, 2025
Jan Wallace passes gavel to new Rotary Club of Longboat Key head

Community environmental projects are set to take a front seat under the leadership of new Rotary Club of Longboat Key President Terri Driver.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
Madison VandenBrekel represented Longboat Key in this year's Miss Florida USA pageant.
    By
  • Dana Kampa
  • June 30, 2025
Debut Miss Longboat Key shares experience competing for state title

Madison VandenBrekel, who spent her summers growing up on Longboat Key, said she enjoyed connecting with fellow competitors at her first pageant of this scale.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
The panelists at the June 25 luncheon were David St Pierre, SeaPort Manatee's senior director of public safety and security; Sandra Tapfumaneyi, Sarasota County's chief of emergency management; Abby Elliot, Oysters Rock Hospitality's senior director of operations; and Jodie Fiske, Manatee County's director of public safety. The moderator was Devaney Iglesias, the area manager of Florida Power & Light.
    By
  • Madison Bierl
  • June 30, 2025
Manatee, Sarasota experts share 'lessons from the eye of the storm'

The Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance partnered with Florida Power & Light to shed some light on how best to prepare for hurricane season.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Manager Kate Ruh, Co-owner Michael Garey and Head Chef Sebastian Villaseca.
    By
  • Carlin Gillen
  • June 27, 2025
Lazy Lobster is giving thanks and giving back in more ways than one

Lazy Lobster hosts its annual Thanksgiving in June to a packed restaurant and predicts to fill about three bins worth of food donations.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
Fourth of July 2025 events in Sarasota, Longboat Key and Lakewood Ranch
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • June 26, 2025
Fourth of July 2025 events in Sarasota, Longboat Key and Lakewood Ranch

From parades to the classic fireworks, check out these events to help you celebrate Independence Day right.

  • Arts + Entertainment
  • Things To Do
Visitors to Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium began packing the house this week to pay their final visits before the City Island facility closes to the public, making way for expanded operations in East County.
    By
  • Dana Kampa
  • June 25, 2025
Visitors begin bidding farewell to Sarasota's City Island arm of Mote exhibits

After generations of visitors have enjoyed being entertained and educated at Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium, many took the opportunity to say farewell before operations shift to the new facility near University Town Center.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
Chef José Martinez of Maison Blanche hops in the cab of a fire engine after he and Juan Gomez join the Rotary Club of Longboat Key in preparing a special thank-you lunch to members of Fire Station 2 with Longboat Key Fire Rescue.
    By
  • Dana Kampa
  • June 24, 2025
Maison Blanche continues pandemic-era firehouse tradition

The high-end French restaurant was one of several that joined the Rotary Club of Longboat Key in feeding the island's first responders.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
Artist Darnell “Solo the Artist” Kirkwood shared his series "Discoveries Along the Way" with visitors at Cirque St. Armands Beachside during a pop-up event open to the community.
    By
  • Dana Kampa
  • June 24, 2025
Cirque St. Armands Beachside features pop-up abstract artist

The luxury hotel invited the public to enjoy the pop-up, and leaders said they hope to feature more community events.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
Greg Fiore, Sylvia Day, Maria Ray and Angela Bennick (not pictured) all boosted their brainpower with fun cognitive thinking exercises.
    By
  • Carlin Gillen
  • June 24, 2025
The Paradise Center boosts brainpower with Brain Games

The Longboat Key Paradise Center Brain Games that took place June 17 was filled with laughing, singing and storytelling.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
« 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 »
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Latest in Longboat Key

1
Though homesteaded residents would gain property tax savings if Florida's overhaul proposal gains 60% of support in the November elections, even non-homesteaded property owners would see new protections from sharply rising property assessments.
  • June 11, 2026
Property tax overhaul: What you should know
2
Longboat Key Fire Rescue has two ladder trucks that can reach 75 feet, including this Sutphen engine built in 2020, which serves as the primary engine at Fire Station 92.
  • June 10, 2026
Cost to replace fire trucks continues to rise
3
The home at 5840 Gulf of Mexico Drive sold for $4.5 million. Built in 2022, it has four bedrooms, four-and-two-half baths, a pool and 4,145 square feet of living area.
  • June 10, 2026
Top residential real estate sales for May 25-29 in Longboat, Lido, St. Armands, Bird Key
4
Metal sculptor John Grammer has honed his crafting skills through various stages of his careers in construction and prop work for film. Now, he said he appreciates getting to fine tune the work he presents at shows like last weekend's St. Armands Circle Craft Festival.
  • June 10, 2026
From movies to metal sculpture, local crafter does it all
5
Family and friends helped Out-of-Door Academy graduate Caleb Rodriguez celebrate his academic accomplishments at the May 22 ceremony. Rodriguez will be departing Longboat Key to attend the University of Central Florida to study mechanical engineering.
  • June 10, 2026
Life is a roller coaster, and this graduate wants to engineer it

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