Patch Giveaway: Tickets to Yo Gabba Gabba! Show at Van Wezel

Tell us how much you love Yo Gabba Gabba! and you could win a pair of tickets to the show in Sarasota!

Yo Gabba Gabba! says he's just a friend, but Biz Markie has become a staple of the children's group ever since the pilot of the popular series, and will join the band on tour in Sarasota.  The band, along with Biz, will stop at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall for the Yo Gabba Gabba! Live!: Get the Sillies Out! tour (and plenty more ! included). Two shows are set for 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. on Thursday, March 21, and Sarasota Patch wants to send you and your kid to the concert!  Post a comment below telling us how much you and your kid love Yo Gabba Gabba! We are giving away a pair of tickets to the show at Van Wezel! The contest ends March 19 at 5 p.m. Tickets are still available for the shows and can be purchased on VanWezel.org. Tickets …

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Bryan Adams To Play Van Wezel May 18

Canadian singer-songwriter to bring hit acoustic tour to Sarasota

Bryan Adams will bring it to Van Wezel straight from the heart when he plays an acoustic set May 18.  Adams has switched gears in the last couple years and has a solo acoustic tour creating an intimate setting with audience, playing his hits and sharing stories arching his career. Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday, March 8 at VanWezel.org at at the box office. Bryan Adams has sold more than 65 million record and his catchy, timeless hits include, "Cuts Like A Knife", "Summer of '69", "Kids Wanna Rock", "Please Forgive Me", "Heaven," "Run To You,"(Everything I Do) I Do It For You", and most recently "Thought I'd Seen Everything."

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Ex-Secretary of Defense Gates Warns Against Budget Cuts During Sarasota Talk

Former U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates spoke at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall on Tuesday as part of the Ringling College Library Association Town Hall Lecture Series.

Forced budget cuts would harm national security and "hollow out the military," former U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates warned Tuesday during an appearance in Sarasota, according to WTSP 10 News. Gates, speaking at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, said sequestration, or a series of automatic budget cuts set to take effect next month, "would be the height of irresponsibility on the part of Congress," WTSP reports. Gates appeared before a sold-out crowd as part of the Ringling College Library Association Town Hall Lecture Series. He said military leaders need more flexibility to make their own budget decisions, as YourObserver.com reports: “…It’s the dumbest of all possible cuts because it’s across the board. No accounts are exempted…

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Crosby, Stills, Nash Just Announced For Van Wezel Show

The legendary rock trio will perform in Sarasota on May 8.

Legendary folk rockers David Crosby, Stephen Stills and Graham Nash are coming to Sarasota. Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall just announced today that Crosy, Stills & Nash will perform in Sarasota on May 8 as part of their 2013 tour. Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m., Friday, Jan. 18.  Tickets are priced from $75-$130. For more information, call the Box Office at 941-953-3368, or toll free 800-826-9303, or visit www.VanWezel.org The trio first appeared at Woodstock and never looked back, and at one time joined up with Neil Young. Each member has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice. The second time for the Crosby, Stills and Nash was with The Byrds, Buffalo Springfield, and The Hollies, respectively.  What's your favorite …

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Weekend Things To Do

Van Wezel Hosts Wynonna's Rockin Christmas

Weekend Events: Wynonna Rockin' Christmas | Christmas Carol | Snowfest Sarasota | Puppy Hugs With Santa | Santa Claus At The Ritz

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 priced from $10-$50. For more information, call the Box Office at 941-953-3368, or toll free 800-826-9303, or visit www.VanWezel.org 3. Let it snow, …

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Friendship Bridge Links Students, Spans Differences

The Friendship Bridge was officially dedicated on the grounds of Oak Park and Lakeview Elementary schools.

Story By Deb Flessner | Photos By Lisa Burns A metaphoric bridge intended to span and embrace the differences between young students became a literal one, as The Friendship Bridge was officially dedicated on the grounds of Oak Park and Lakeview Elementary schools. The two side-by-side Sarasota County schools have always had a mostly unused bridge between them. Over the years, it had fallen into neglect and was pretty much forgotten—until Brenda Smoak, National Very Special Arts (VSA) Teaching Artist Fellow and Teaching Artist with the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, stepped in. The program "Building Bridges between the School and Community" was funded by a John F. Kennedy Center VSA/MetLife Foundation grant, Smoak said. "Sarasota was one …

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Brenda Smoak

10:06 am on Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Clarification: This project, entitled Building Bridges between the School and Community, was funded by a John F. Kennedy Center VSA/MetLife Foundation grant. Sarasota was one of the cities chosen by the Kennedy Center and the grant went to the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall. I was lucky enough to be asked to work with Van Wezel to meet the grant stipulations: to integrate students living with …   more ›

Cathy Rigby's Peter Pan Cancels Van Wezel, Florida Tour

Cathy Rigby's Peter Pan was unable to find another tour stop in Florida forcing the Van Wezel cancellation.

Van Wezel is faced with another cancellation of a marquee show that was out of their control. Cathy Rigby's Peter Pan set for Feb. 19 and 20, 2013 canceled its stop at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall because the show couldn't secure a second stop in its Florida tour after losing original dates for later that week in Florida. The show was booked through Avid Touring, which is the same booking agency for John Lithgow's one-man show that had to cancel last week due to conflicting dates booked. Ticket sales for the Sarasota dates were strong, according to Van Wezel officials, who expressed their disappointment for the cancellation. “We are extremely disappointed with the show’s decision, as it was one of the highlights of the season,” Mary …

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Friendship Bridge Unites Oak Park, Lakeview Elementary Schools

The Friendship Bridge, waterfalls and gardens are the result of a Kennedy Center/MetLife grant.

A metaphoric bridge intended to span and embrace the differences between young students became a literal one, as The Friendship Bridge was officially dedicated on the grounds of Oak Park and Lakeview Elementary schools. The two side-by-side Sarasota County schools have always had a mostly unused bridge between them. Over the years, it had fallen into neglect and was pretty much forgotten—until Brenda Smoak, National Very Special Arts (VSA) Teaching Artist Fellow and Teaching Artist with the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, stepped in. “The students learned about each other and happily helped one another accomplish various tasks,” said Smoak, who is an occassional Patch contributor. “Having students work together like this at such a young …

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John Lithgow Cancels Sarasota Tour Stop

Lithgow's one-man show was due to perform Feb. 4, 2013 at the Van Wezel.

Actor John Lithgow has canceled his tour stop scheduled for Feb. 4, 2013, at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall. The actor's one-man show Stories By Heart was canceled due to conflicting schedules, according to the Van Wezel. The arts hall said that they hope to reschedule Lithgow to come back for the 2013-14 season. Refunds are available through Van Wezel's box office by calling 941-953-3368.

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Van Wezel Gets New LED Lights For Parking Lot

Florida Power and Light is helping the city-owned Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall with energy efficient lighting.

You might notice a different type of lighting the next time you walk to your car after a show at the Van Wezel. Florida Power and Light installed 25 new LED lights Tuesday outside the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall in Sarasota as part of a pilot test program for streetlights. FPL is working to monitor and evaluate how these new LED lights perform over the next several years and installed the lights at no charge at the Van Wezel, according to the power company.  FPL owns and maintains more than 680,000 outdoor light fixtures – using primarily traditional sodium vapor technology – throughout its service territory.

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