wcw DEC 2021

out& about
Holiday Fun
Sarasota Farmer’s Market has a
Holiday Night Market on December
21, 5 - 8 p.m. on Lemon Avenue north
of Main Street, extending west onto
First Street in Sarasota.
The Market will be transformed
under the sunset and evening sky, with
twinkling lights and holiday decor
throughout. Stop by to see your favorite
Market Vendors for last-minute
gifts or ingredients and delicious eats
while listening to amazing live music
by popular local bluegrass/Americana
band, Passerine.
The Children’s Garden and Art Center
will be providing a free kids’ craft activity
utilizing recycled materials to celebrate
the Winter Solstice. Additional fun
and festive activities, featured non-profits,
and more are being planned.
Call 941-225-9256 or email ciera@
sarasotafarmersmarket.org for more
information.
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Suncoast Charities For Children
has its 35th Annual Holiday Boat
Parade Of Lights on December 11 at
Marina Jack starting at 6 p.m. New
Year’s Eve Fireworks were on December
31 at Marina Jack at midnight. Info:
suncoastcharitiesforchildren.org.
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Reserve your spot for a special free
holiday tour at the Palmetto Historical
Park & Manatee County Agricultural
Museum. Start your guided
tour in the Palmetto Historical Park’s
Carnegie Library and learn about the
history of the Palmetto then continue
your tour through the park buildings
and the Manatee County Agricultural
Museum which highlights the agricultural
heritage of Manatee County.
There will be many decorations and
festive trees on the tour. The address is
515 10th Ave. West, Palmetto. For more
information, call 941-721-2034.
Tours will be held on December 7,
8, 9, and 10 at 10 a.m., 11 a.m, 1 p.m.,
and 2 p.m.. There will be 6 individual
slots per tour time and reservations are
required for each tour participant. To
make reservations, visit www.palmettohistoricalpark.com.
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Special Events
The Library Foundation of
Sarasota County is celebrating its 10th
Anniversary with its annual Love Our
Libraries Author Luncheon. This year’s
event returns in person on February
3, 2022, at the Sarasota Municipal
Auditorium and will celebrate all the
important ways Sarasota’s local library
system supports our community.
The event will feature Emmy
Award-winning filmmaker, author,
cultural critic and journalist Dr. Henry
Louis Gates, Jr. As host of the popular
PBS series Finding Your Roots, Dr.
Gates has helped to expand America’s
sense of itself, stimulating a national
conversation about identity with humor,
wisdom and compassion.
For information or to purchase
tickets, call 941-404-3139 or visit www.
sarasotalibraryfoundation.org.
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Choral Artists
Bells and Brass: The holidays will
ring and resound with spectacular
brass, organ and handbell arrangements
of such Christmas classics as
“Hark! the Herald Angels Sing,” “Joy to
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the World,” “Hallelujah
Chorus,” and a snazzy
arrangement by the Canadian
Brass of “Twelve
Days of Christmas.”
Held on December
19, 5 p.m., at Church of
the Redeemer, Sarasota.
Tickets: $35; Students
$5. Concert Insight is
December 9, 10 a.m. For
more information, visit
www.ChoralArtistsSarasota.org.
Gardening
UF/IFAS Extension
Sarasota County has
these free classes:
• Florida-Friendly: Attract
Wildlife and Keep
Pests Out. (webinar)
Free. Part 3: Attracting
Wildlife and Managing
Pests Responsibly in
Your Florida-Friendly
Landscape. This is the
third part of a 4-part
series, where they focus
on Florida-Friendly
Landscaping Program
principles.
Register for this event
only at ufsarasotaext.
eventbrite.com rather
than any third party
websites, as they are
not affiliated with their
classes and events.
Instructors Wilma Holley Florida-Friendly
Landscaping Specialist,
Sarasota County and Donna Alese-
Cooke, Residential Horticulture
Agent, Sarasota County.
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• Green Living: Tips for a Sustainable
New Year. (webinar) on January 6.
Free. Learn ways you can live more
sustainably that work best for you.
Be inspired to set a few New Year’s
resolutions to live more green. This
class will introduce ideas in the
categories of energy, water, waste,
transportation and food, help you
prioritize what will work best for
you and connect you with resources
available in the community to get you
started. Register early for this event
at ufsarasotaext.eventbrite.com.
For questions or further information,
call 941-861-5000 or email sarasota@
ifas.ufl.edu.
At The Van Wezel
Coming up…(this is a partial list)
• George Thorogood and The Destroyers
make their Sarasota debut at the
Van Wezel on December 7. The “Bad
To The Bone” band celebrates 45 years
of rock with their Good to Be Bad Tour.
• Joe Bonamassa will make his Sarasota
debut on December 8 at 8 p.m.
Bonamassa, backed by a stellar band
of legendary musicians, will perform
brand new songs alongside careerspanning
fan favorites.
• Michael Londra’s Celtic Yuletide has
been rescheduled from Dec. 1, 2021,
to March 16, 2023, and will be changing
from a Christmas show to a St.
Patrick’s Day show.
• Salute to Vienna New Year’s Concert
is on January 3 and Renée Fleming
is on January 5.
• Reza’s performance on February
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Elves greeted
visitors in the
Post Office in 2020.
Historic Holiday Tours in Palmetto are back. Reserve your spot
for a special free holiday tour at the Palmetto Historical Park &
Manatee County Agricultural Museum. For more information, call
941-721-2034.
10, 2022, has been canceled due to
scheduling conflicts.
• Dancing with the Stars – LIVE! 2022
Tour is on February 17, 2022. This
year’s all-new production will feature
professional dancers thrilling audiences
with all of the breathtaking dance
styles seen on ABC’s hit show Dancing
with the Stars.
Tickets can be purchased at www.
VanWezel.org, by calling the box office
at 941-263-6799.
Lots of Fun
Outdoor Events
The Palm Avenue First Friday
Walks in downtown Sarasota gives
art lovers a backdoor peek without the
hustle and bustle of the crowds but
with the cool breeze and moonlight
sky the evening brings. The event is
held the first Friday of every month,
running 6-9 p.m.. The next ones are
on December 3 and January 7. Info:
https://palmave.com/
For information, visit https://
starmandscircleassoc.com/sol-ofthe-circle/.
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Start your Saturday with a sunrise
stretch at The Sarasota Farmers Market.
They’ve partnered with Pineapple
Yoga Studio to bring free, weekly Sunrise
Yoga to downtown Sarasota.
Participants meet at the Mermaid
Fountain in Paul Thorpe Park, near the
Intersection of Pineapple and Lemon
Avenues. Starting at 7 am, participants
will enjoy a gentle yoga flow suitable
for all ages and levels. The weekly
45-minute yoga practice will focus on
movements that foster inner and outer
balance.
The practice is led by Claudia Baeza,
a 500 hour Kripalu trained yoga
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instructor and the
owner of Pineapple
Yoga + Cycling Studio,
located nearby in Burns
Court. For information,
call 941-225-9256 or
visit sarasotafarmersmarket.org/yoga.
Morning Paddles
with Mote—Start your
day off right with a
guided kayak tour of
Sarasota Bay. Paddle
across shallow seagrass
beds and take in the
wildlife that depends
on this ecosystem. Soak
up some sun as you look
for dolphins, manatees,
birds and more.
Ages: 12 and older;
any participant under
the age of 18 must be
accompanied by a paying
adult participant.
Time: 8:30-10 a.m.
(check-in at 8:15 a.m.)
for morning paddle.
Dates: December 1,
8, 22.
Full Moon Paddle—
Take a break from the
sun and join in for an
evening paddle as you
explore Florida’s coastal
waters at dusk. Discover
the animals that bring
Sarasota Bay to life at
night while taking a relaxing paddle
on the moonlit water.
Ages: Adults only, 18 years and older.
Time: Varies depending on sunset
and moonrise (check-in is 15 minutes
prior). Dates: December 17, 18.
More info at: https://mote.org/experiences/details/kayaking-with-mote.
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At Benderson Park:
• Jingle Bell Run is on December 4.
This is an Arthritis Foundation event.
More info at events.arthritis.org.
• NBP Race Day: Dec. 5. This is a
friendly scrimmage between participants
in the NBP Paddling Program.
It begins at 8 a.m., and includes races
in kayaks, stand-up paddleboards
and outrigger canoes. The paddling
program is known for its dragon boat
teams — including the NBP Survivors
In Sync breast-cancer-survivors
team, the new NBP Veterans team
and the NBP Dragons community
teams — but also deploys smaller
vessels to train.
• Sarasota Christmas Glow Run
5K: Dec. 18. Break out your wearable
lights for this fun run, which begins
and ends at the finish tower and goes
down and back on the west shore of
Cooper Creek Lake. Previous years’
runs have included a snow machine
and a DJ, and a parade of flashing
lights from the starting chute to the
finish. More info at https://www.
runeliteevents.com/sarasota-christmas-glow-run-5k.html.
• Florida West Coast Half Marathon
and 5K: Dec. 19. This event brings
competitors from across the southeast
for a great road race on a relatively
flat course that uses the park
(for the 5K and the half) and nearby
neighborhoods (for the half). It is
one of the rare occasions the floating
wave attenuation system on Cooper
Creek Lake is used for the final mile
of the run. More info at https://www.
westcoasthalf.com/
• NBP/Spirit Of America Premier
Youth Boating Education
Camp: Dec. 11-12, 19 and 27-30. This
camp will teach youths ages 9-14 the
lifelong skills of safe sailing, paddling
and powerboating, with the ability
to confidently teach others. Children
ages 14 and older will be able earn
their Florida boating license, while all
children will take the test and may get
their license when they come of age to
do so. Conducted in partnership with
Spirit Of America Foundation (www.
spiritofamerica95.org), which offers
a comprehensive program that also
instills confidence and positive, lifelong
ambitions, and fosters the spirit
of teamwork in youths. This camp has
mandatory classroom time.
• Dec. 11-12, a mandatory water
safety class Dec. 19, and a parents
meeting Dec. 11 or 12 (TBA). The
Dec. 27-30 dates are on-the-water
education days in sailboats, paddle
craft and power craft. The fee is $175,
but no child will be turned away
because of an inability to afford the
experience. REGISTRATION: An
announcement about registration is
forthcoming. NOTE: This was listed
before as an NBP Minicamp, but it is
a very different sort of camp and curriculum
from our day camps.
• Alpha Win Triathlon: Jan. 9. Three
races — Alpha Sprint, Alpha Olympic
and Alpha 70.3. More info at https://
alpha.win/event/sarasota-fl/
• Gator Roundup Regatta (RC sailboats):
Jan. 21-23 , on the NBP west
lake (which is along Athletes Drive,
off Honore Avenue).
• Big Bill Big 5K: Jan. 29. Benefits the
Big Bill Foundation, which provides
scholarships to youths who have
battled childhood cancer or other
life-threatening conditions. This is
the second annual Big 5K, in memory
of Bill Robinson, the original chairman
of NBP’s nonprofit who, with his
son Parks, founded Fit2Run, The Runner’s
Superstore. More info at https://
raceroster.com/events/2022/50111/
the-big-bill-foundation-big-5k
• Bridge A Life Superhero 5K: Feb. 5.
This is a foster care awareness event.
Start and finish are near the intersection
of Athletes Drive and World
Championship Drive on the park’s
south end. More info at https://runsignup.com/Race/FL/Sarasota/BridgealifeSuperhero5KandFunRun.
EcoWalk: Meditation in the Parks
- Red Bug Slough by UF/IFAS Extension
Sarasota County on December
14, 9-10 a.m. Free Join in for an exploration
of finding peace within nature
along a mostly silent walk. You must
be registered to attend.
They will draw upon many traditions
and cultures for a non-denominational
approach to connecting with ourselves
and nature and get healthier along the
way. Register through ufsarasotaext.
eventbrite.com.
Recent scientific research has
shown that Shinrin yoku (a form of
“forest bathing” practiced in Japan)
decreases levels of cortisol - a stress
hormone, lowers pulse rate and
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DECEMBER 2021 WEST COAST WOMAN 7