If Gasparilla's your thing, go crazy. If crowds and drunks aren't, well, then, I feel your pain.
And if I do, here's how you can get away from the drunken revelry this weekend: Head to Sarasota.
10. Forks and Corks.
OK, so this is gonna bring its own kinda crowd, but the odds of a drunk shirtless guy with a large sunburned belly screaming something about beads at you is pretty much next to nothing. Forks and Corks, an annual Sarasota celebration of wine, food and more wine has several different events, like…
Saturday afternoon, $25 gets you a taste of oh, 100 wines. Did we mention you should either get a Lyft or get a hotel (and get a Lyft there, too)?
Saturday night has more than one or two that aren't sold out, and check out the menus — smoked lobster salad, or perhaps zucchini and goat cheese-stuffed Arctic char? Don't mind if I do. Prices vary, but so worth it.
This was supposed to be held at the Ringling, but since weather's predicted to make that a non-starter, taste to your heart's content at Feld Entertainment Studios. This is a sold-out event, but on the off chance some folks decide to skip it (weather, change of venue, massive hangover from Saturday…) it doesn't hurt to check and see if you can score some tickets.
Totally not wine-related (except for what they sell in the lobby), Urbanite's latest production deals with a trapped miner and a newbie first responder — or does it? With Urbanite, you never know. Read our review here.
Sarasota has layers — like an onion. Or, for Shrek fans, like an ogre. Check out a walking tour to learn a little history, explore a little culture, and get an local's take on the city. Think tours are for rubes? Check out this cool Slate article on why they're not.
Over 150 artists head to St. Armand's circle to offer art patrons a chance to purchase their work. This is not your average Friday night artwalk, guys. Sat.-Sun., 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Sample Jewish food and enjoy the fest at Temple Sinai. Think: matzo, latke, kugel, gefilte fish, challah… Sun., 9:30 a.m.-3 p.m.
2. The Sarasota Highland Games
Hey, guys in kilts throwing large logs. What could be better? Also, haggis. Please, god, let there be haggis. All day Sat., 3000 Ringling Blvd., Sarasota.
1. Sarasolo
It's a festival devoted to solo artists and small-cast plays. Think of it as Fringe, Sarasota style, because they look to highlight the new and the small. Sat.-Sun., times vary — also next weekend.
This article appears in Jan 25 – Feb 1, 2018.