Community
Latest reporting from the Community desk.
Community
Latest reporting from the Community desk.
Community
Latest reporting from the Community desk.
Community
Sarasota's Fruitville Library reopens Oct. 15 after $28M renovation
Sarasota County's Fruitville Library reopens Thursday, Oct. 15, after a nearly $28 million renovation, with full services available but several new spaces and a 30,000-square-foot History Center still under construction.
Community
Diverse Fest expands across Harvest campus for fourth year
Sarasota's fourth annual Diverse Fest expands to both buildings at the Harvest campus on Saturday, Oct. 10, with more than 50 vendors, food trucks, live music, new workshops and free family activities after drawing about 1,500 attendees last year.
Sarasota, FL
83°F
Sunny
Feels like 87° · 0% rain
TueSunny88°F0%
WedSunny89°F0%
ThuSunny90°F22%
FriSunny88°F41%
SatIsolated Showers And Thunderstorms85°F45%
SunIsolated Showers And Thunderstorms83°F42%
MonIsolated Showers And Thunderstorms84°F32%
Community
Sarasota's Fruitville Library reopens Oct. 15 after $28M renovation
Sarasota County's Fruitville Library reopens Thursday, Oct. 15, after a nearly $28 million renovation, with full services available but several new spaces and a 30,000-square-foot History Center still under construction.
Sarasota, FL
83°F
Sunny
Feels like 87° · 0% rain
TueSunny88°F0%
WedSunny89°F0%
ThuSunny90°F22%
FriSunny88°F41%
SatIsolated Showers And Thunderstorms85°F45%
SunIsolated Showers And Thunderstorms83°F42%
MonIsolated Showers And Thunderstorms84°F32%
Community
Sarasota's Fruitville Library reopens Oct. 15 after $28M renovation
Sarasota County's Fruitville Library reopens Thursday, Oct. 15, after a nearly $28 million renovation, with full services available but several new spaces and a 30,000-square-foot History Center still under construction.
Sarasota, FL
83°F
Sunny
Feels like 87° · 0% rain
TueSunny88°F0%
WedSunny89°F0%
ThuSunny90°F22%
FriSunny88°F41%
SatIsolated Showers And Thunderstorms85°F45%
SunIsolated Showers And Thunderstorms83°F42%
MonIsolated Showers And Thunderstorms84°F32%
Community
Sarasota marks 9/11's 25th anniversary at Patriot Plaza
A free ceremony at Patriot Plaza on Sept. 11 will feature Sarasota County's sheriff, a Ground Zero first responder, a letter from President George W. Bush and a program inviting attendees to honor one of the 2,977 victims by name.
Community
Van Wezel unveils nearly 60 shows for 2026-27 Sarasota season
Sarasota's Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall announced its full 2026-27 season on Aug. 30, with nearly 60 shows including headliners John Mulaney, Ron White and Boz Scaggs, a 10-show Broadway lineup and 14 holiday performances.
Community
Dolly Parton honored by Van Wezel, Sarasota book program
Sarasota institutions mourn Dolly Parton after her death Aug. 25, 2026, at age 80, with the Van Wezel recalling her sold-out 2011 concert and the Library Foundation for Sarasota County continuing her Imagination Library book program for local children.
Community
Mote team produces 1.5 million coral embryos in Keys restoration
Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium and 11 partner organizations produced more than 1.5 million coral embryos during an assisted-spawning effort in early August 2026, a landmark step toward restoring Florida's reef after the 2023 heat wave devastated remaining branching coral populations.
Community
Anti-DEI law puts $2.1M in Sarasota County arts grants at risk
All 34 arts organizations in Sarasota County's $2.1 million tourism grant pool must sign a DEI compliance pledge under Florida's SB 1134 before the County Commission votes Aug. 26, with any resident able to sue the county if public funds are found to support DEI programming.
Community
Bay Park faces rezoning vote amid $2M donor push
The Bay Park's $2 million challenge match seeks donors ahead of a Wednesday, Aug. 19 Development Review Committee hearing on a first-of-its-kind rezoning for 44 acres of the downtown Sarasota bayfront project.
Community
Second Heart Homes opens 14th house, targets three new homes a year
Sarasota nonprofit Second Heart Homes opened its 14th house in early August 2026 and is raising $2.2 million to fund a goal of three new homes per year for homeless adults with mental illness.
Community
Cancer survivors and veterans find healing on the water at Nathan Benderson Park
Nathan Benderson Park's 150-member dragon boat program is sending breast cancer survivors to compete in the French Alps in August while its veterans team, founded by disabled Army retiree Rickard Jensen, marks five years of growth from five paddlers to 25.
Community
Sarasota County Libraries names five finalists for 2027 One Book program
Sarasota County Libraries announced five finalists for its 2027 One Book, One Community program, inviting residents to read the titles and join book clubs before the winning author visits in March 2027.
Community
Urbanite Theatre forfeits $40,000 county grant rather than sign Florida's anti-DEI pledge
Urbanite Theatre forfeited $40,230 in Sarasota County tourist-development grant money rather than sign a compliance acknowledgment under Florida's new anti-DEI law, while the Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe reluctantly signed to preserve more than $100,000 in funding ahead of the County Commission's Aug. 26 vote on the full $2.1 million arts grant slate.
Community
Handcrafted 'Birdhouse Village' on display at Shannon Staub Library through Aug. 31
Local artists Sheri Simon and Trisha Williamson spent six months handcrafting one-of-a-kind birdhouses now on display and for sale at Shannon Staub Library in North Port through Aug. 31, with all proceeds supporting library programs.
Community
Bubbles, rain and mud: Selby Gardens wraps summer family series
Families packed Marie Selby Botanical Gardens on Saturday, Aug. 1, for the final Bubbles Under the Banyans summer show, where performer Blaise Ryndes kept blowing Guinness-level bubbles through rain while kids played in the mud.
©2026 The Sarasota Record
Powered by Surround Sound Media
©2026 The Sarasota Record
Powered by Surround Sound Media
©2026 The Sarasota Record
Powered by Surround Sound Media