1. Before Nik Wallenda walks by the Sarasota Bayfront, he'll start to command the Big Top off of 12th Street for his Circus Sarasota show. The show runs from Friday, Jan. 25 to Friday, Feb. 15 under the Big Top across from Ed Smith Stadium.  The show includes Wallenda's family performing trademark Wallenda acts, legendary aerialist Dolly Jacobs, a juggling married couple and a ventriloquist. For more information, visit circussarasota.org. 2. The Big Cat Habitat Animal Extravaganza features more than lions and tigers. Come out for a petting zoo or hop on an elephant, came or pony for a ride. …

1. Greed and capitalism takes the stage at Asolo Rep this weekend with Glengarry Glen Ross. The show opens Friday at 8 p.m. and is directed by Carl Forsman, dean of the University of North Carolina School for the Arts. The show runs through Feb. 28.  The play contains strong language and 30 minutes before each performance, Asolo staff members will host a talk on the mezzanine about the language the playwright employs and aims to put the language in perspective for audiences. The next show after Friday's opener is a 2 p.m. matinee on Jan. 20. Tickets range from $20 to $72. For more, call 941-…

It's time again to hop on a Harley and party for a good cause. The 15th annual Thunder By The Bay motorcycle festival returns this weekend through Sunday, Jan. 6 throughout downtown Sarasota to raise money for Suncoast Charities for Children, which serves children who have special needs. All events are held rain or shine. Parking is available throughout downtown and a designated bike area will be provided at the Palm Avenue Parking Garage. The Marshall Tucker Band will headline this year's festival when they take the stage at 4:30 pm on Sunday.  "This year's festival will offer two new events…

For an up-close and personal glimpse of some of the most talented young musicians in the world, you need look no further than the Celebration Concert at the Sarasota Opera House on Saturday, Jan. 5. In this presentation of The Perlman Music Program (PMP)/Suncoast, 36 gifted music students will perform a collection of musical pieces under the direction of classical musician Itzhak Perlman. The concert itself is the culmination of a two-week residency program in which the students undergo intense training and rehearsals with Perlman and other staff members. According to Elizabeth Power, …

For its Holiday Spectacular show this year, the Sarasota Sailor Circus will bring to life one of the most beloved Christmas stories of all time. From Thursday, Dec. 27 until Sunday, Dec. 30, the youthful performers will present their adaptation of Chris Van Allsburg’s popular children’s book “The Polar Express” in circus form. The annual holiday show is one of the highlights of the Sailor Circus season and is the culmination of four months of rehearsals and training—all done after the regular school day is over. “These performers practice about 20 hours a week,” said Susan Loeffler, program …

1. Wynonna Judd will bring her country rockin' hits to Sarasota for her Rockin' Christmas tour stop. Wynonna's concerts include her hits as well as her holiday favorites backed by her band the Big Noise. The show starts at 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 22 at the Van Wezel. Tickets are priced from $30-$80. For more information, call the Box Office at 941-953-3368, or toll free 800-826-9303, or visit www.VanWezel.org. 2. The Van Wezel will also be host to A Christmas Carol at 7 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 23. The Broadway-style rpduction by Nebraska Theater Caravan brings the timeless story to life. Tickets are …

1. Sarasota Ballet will present John Ringling's The Nutcracker at the Van Wezel on Friday and Saturday.  This circus-themed version is set to the traditional Tchaikovsky score and brings the fairy tale to audience in a very Sarasota fashion.  Performances are 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and both shows include a pre-show dinner at 6:30 p.m. A Saturday 2 p.m. matinee also features a 11:30 a.m. circus-themed family lunch. Pricing and ticket information can be found online at www.sarasotaballet.org  or call The Sarasota Ballet box office at (941) 359-0099 x101.  2. Let it snow, let it snow, let it…

The Festival of the Lights is getting laser treatment in Sarasota this year. The third annual Taste of Chanukah will feature a laser light show, a beer tent and plenty of live entertainment at its new location, Phillippi Estate Park, 5550 S. Tamiami Trail. The fun begins at 3 p.m. on Sunday. The Chabad of Sarasota event and parking are both free. The event was formerly held in Selby Five Points Park. Sarasota's circus heritage will be brought into the mix as family acrobats and a master ballon sculptor will build a giant menorah. Stilt walkers, balloon twisters and Chanukah hula dancers will …

1. If you ever wanted your sweet tea as sugary as it can be, head over to the Sugarcane Harvest on Saturday at Crowley Natural & Cultural History Center, 16405 Myakka Road, Sarasota. The free event with Crowley admission lasts 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, includes sugar cane grinding, syrup making, taffy pulling, crafting, storytelling, barbecue and live music. A $2 donation for parking benefiting the Sarasota Military Academy is suggested. Bands include Gordon Mac Martin, Dunn Deal, Camille Dupree & Broken Fetters, The Stone Family, Ernie Evans & The Florida State Bluegrass Band, Bradley & …

Sarasota has so much going on this weekend, we can't keep it to just five for this edition of Weekend Things. 1. Santa Claus is coming to town on Saturday for Sarasota's annual Holiday Parade. The parade starts at 7 p.m. Saturday at Main Street and U.S. 301 and travel west on Main Street to Bayfront Drive. The parade route will be closed to traffic at 5 p.m. and is expected to reopen by 10 p.m. Spread the holiday cheer by posting your photos of the parade to our Pics and Clips gallery. 2. Tell me how am I supposed to live without you? Receive the answer tonight when Michael Bolton takes the …

If you're looking for vintage wallpaper Mod Podged on a piece of wood, the Sarasota Craft Show isn't for you. The 20th annual show features high-end works by artists all over the country, including nine Sarasota artists, displaying their ceramics, glass, fibers, handmade jewelry and more. "We'll be exhibiting the best collection of one-of-a-kind jewelry ever presented in Florida," said Richard Rothbard in a statement. Rothbard manages the show with his wife Joanna. The New York-based artist also manages The Berkshires Arts Festival and several American Craftsman Galleries. The show will …

1. The Sarasota Ballet’s second program of the season will reveal all of their hard work on an intriguing performance with various dances. Featuring Sir Frederick Ashton’s prized Symphonic Variations, Christopher Wheeldon’s There Where She Loves and Paul Taylor’s Company B, program two offers three unique styles of dance that are centered around one common theme – the many emotions within human relationships. Shows are 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday at the Sarasota Opera House and 2 p.m. Saturday.  Tickets can be purchased by calling 941-359-0099, ext. 101. or visit www.sarasotaballet.org. 2. The…

Every fall in Sarasota, families have the chance to be transported back into history and interact with kings and queens, peasants and farm workers—and it doesn’t even require a time machine. Welcome to the ninth annual Sarasota Medieval Fair, where you can enjoy the games, food, drink, battles and atmosphere of Ireland, from the year 999. “The scenario this year takes place in Ireland, where it’s the Leinster revolt of 999-1000 against the King of Munster, Brian Boru,” said Shannon Bowden, Medieval Fair marketing director. “The festival will prepare you for what will be quite a journey and …

1. Beautiful professional sand sculptures will grace Siesta Key Beach Thursday through Monday for the annual Siesta Key Crystal Classic Master Sand Sculpting Competition. Admission is $5 per day and the venue is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. Proceeds benefit Mote Marine Laboratory's sea turtle research and conservation programs. Shuttles are being offered from Phillippi Estate Park to Siesta Beach, $5 per vehicle, per day. Attendees might recognize one of the artists at this year's event: Rusty Croft. He's the host of Travel Channel's Sand Masters and had filmed Sand Wars on Siesta Key…

1. This is the 2012 Sarasota Chalk Festival's big weekend with a bit of the big top. This year's theme is Circus City USA, and Sarasota's own King Of The Highwire Nik Wallenda will walk across a 3-D version of a tightrope walk at 3 p.m. Thursday on South Pineapple Avenue. The Festival happens through Nov. 6 in  Burns Square where international artists will converge side-by-side with kids to chalk up the neighborhood. One of the biggest draws will be Kurt Wenner, a Baltimore-based 3-D street painting artist known worldwide for his work.   More murals are on the way, too, as the "Going Vertical…

Find all of our Halloween Events on our Halloween page. Safe Sex Halloween Bash 'Deadtime Stories' — Michael's On East 9 p.m. Saturday This year’s theme is “Deadtime Stories” and guests are invited to take a terrifying trip through the land of twisted fairy tale fun with stops along “what’s under the bed” and “who’s in the closet.” The event will feature an open bar (event is for ages 21+ only), delicious late-night bites, DJ Imminent and dancing, live entertainment – including a star turn by “Safe Sex Fairy” Beneva Fruitville, themed photo booth by noted local photographer Cat Pennenga, …

Celebrating Halloween is in full swing in Sarasota. Here are some events for you to check out this weekend to satisfy your ghoulish desires. This weekend in Halloween ... Zombie Town: A Documentary Play — Backstage at Players Theatre Plays Thursday-Sunday, Oct. 18-21; 8 p.m. with 2 p.m. matinee on Oct. 21 This play is a "parody of eyewitness-theater which tells the story of a San Francisco actors’ collective traveling to a small Texas town to interview the survivors of a horrific zombie attack. The cultural clash between the earnest black clad thespians and the Lone Star state’s down home …

The Ringling International Arts Festival (RIAF), an artistic collaboration between the New York City-based Baryshnikov Arts Center and Sarasota’s own The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, will start its fourth year of performances beginning today. All of the performances will take place on the grounds of the beautiful Ringling estate, in and around the museums and performance galleries through Saturday. One of the hallmarks of the internationally-known festival is its ability to appeal to the tastes of a wide variety of aficionados of music, theatre, dance and film. “As an emerging …

Animal lovers will not want to miss a free event at Big Cat Habitat and Gulf Coast Sanctuary on Thursday. The rescue organization will celebrate World Animal Day from 3 to 7 p.m. at Big Cat Habitat, 7101 Palmer Blvd., where dozens of exotic animals will be on display, elephant and pony rides will be offered and more. Donated will be accepted and distributed equally to participating nonprofits. Visitors also may tour the facility for an up-close experience with the habitat’s residents, including tigers, lions, cougars, leopards bears, primates, birds, coatimundies, and many more animals, as …

If listening to the blues is what makes you happy, then there’s no better place to be than Ed Smith Stadium on Saturday. The 22nd annual Sarasota Blues and Music Festival is scheduled to get underway at noon, and festival producer Three Zebras Entertainment promises a day full of family fun and an agenda packed with blues sensations. “Ensuring families have a great time from the moment they enter the gates is a big part of how we approached the festival this year,” said Bill Haggett, general manager of the festival, “and continuing the tradition of bringing the best of the blues to Sarasota …