Sarasota hosts first Age Friendly Festival

Booths lined Robarts Arena, 125 community organizations had set up their displays and local, state and national leaders stood underneath a balloon archway on Oct. 28 for the Age Friendly Festival at the Sarasota County Fairgrounds.

There was just one thing left to do — cut the ribbon on the what Patterson Foundation President and CEO Debra Jacobs called the first festival of its kind nationwide.

However, that proved easier said than done.

After struggling to cut the ribbon with the ceremonial oversized scissors, Patterson Foundation volunteers interceded with a pair of smaller, less impressive, if not more effective scissors.

Community leaders laughed at the minor delay as they walked under the archway for Sarasota’s first-ever Age Friendly Festival.

Sarasota’s age-friendly initiative began in 2015 to encourage active, healthy and engaged living through all ages.

“What age friendly means is if it’s good for one generation, it’s good for all generations,” Jacobs said.

For example, she said, whether you are a parent with a stroller, a teenager with a sports injury or a senior citizen in a wheelchair, navigable sidewalks matter.

“We want people to be able to navigate their home,” Jacobs said. “So there are all sorts of ways, whatever your age is, that you can make your environment age friendly.”

After years of studying Sarasota’s age-friendly features, the Patterson Foundation, along with Sarasota’s age-friendly stakeholders, created a plan. But, Jacobs said, a plan only goes so far.

“You have to have buy in,” she said.

So the Patterson Foundation invited community leaders and organizations to feature their age-friendly programs and products during Sarasota’s first age-friendly festival.

“The Patterson Foundation, as a gift to the community, thought this is a community that likes to learn and engage, so why not through a festival?” Jacobs said.

Jacobs said foundation covered all the expenses for the event, but said she is grateful for those who donated their time and energy to the festival. As for what comes next for the Age Friendly Initiative, Jacobs said she isn’t sure. After all, it isn’t up to her to decide.

“We’re going to let the whole community decide,” Jacobs said. “If we want going to own it let’s own it.”