When Hurricane Helene made landfall last week, it brought with it 130 mph winds, huge storm surges, power outages and immense flooding throughout Florida’s Gulf Coast and the entire Southeast. In Sarasota and Manatee Counties, residential and commercial areas alike have seen damages in the hundreds of millions of dollars. Businesses have been forced to close doors, homes have been evacuated and thousands in the area have been left adrift, wondering what to do in the aftermath of the natural disaster.

This Friday marks a step toward recovery and potential rehabilitation after the storm. To kick off their fourth season of Fresh Fridays, a first Friday outdoor event series produced by Next-Mark, LLC in collaboration with the City of Sarasota and the Downtown Improvement District, Next-Mark will host October-Fresh, a special edition of the series that will raise money for Hurricane Helene relief efforts. The event, which will take place in downtown Sarasota on Main Street from 7 to 10 p.m. on Friday night, looks to both entertain Sarasotans by taking their mind off things with a night of fun music, local vendors and family activities while also providing a space for attendees to donate to the ongoing relief efforts. During the event, a representative from All Faiths Food Bank will be present in the Fresh Fridays Welcome Tent, where attendees can scan a unique QR code to make their donations.

“The original plan was to have our season four kickoff to Fresh Fridays be Octoberfresh. When the storm came through, however, we pivoted and wanted to turn this into a fundraiser event for those impacted by the storm. We actually did this in 2022 as well when Hurricane Ian came through,” says Travis Cornwell, Clients Experience and Development Manager at Next-Mark. “Helene affected everyone in our area and it’s just good for the city to come together and help those in need. The event’s still going to have the same feel as Fresh Fridays with the talent that we have, local vendors and all that sort of stuff but just a little twist for people to donate.”

Performing at October-Fresh will be the local favorite Society Hill, a dynamic six-piece band that plays a range of different genres. A 20 x 40 foot corn maze will also be set up at the event and local vendors will be available to purchase food.

October 4, 7 pm- 10pm., Main Street, Sarasota. To make a donation, visit: allfaithsfoodbank.org/?form=FUNNAAXWSRK. 

Pictured: Paint the Town Fresh event, October 2023. Photo courtesy of Next-Mark, LLC.

To learn more, visit.

Ongoing efforts continue for Hurricane Helene recovery. Please see below for updates on community news and restaurant status. 

Visit: www.scgov.net/government/emergency-services/storm for additional updates.

FEMA Disaster Assistance Business Recovery Center is open at Sarasota Christian Church, 2923 Ashton Road, Monday - Saturday 9 am - 7 pm.

The restaurants listed below are  now reopened:

Evies on Spanish Point.
Shore's upstairs restaurant, St. Armands Circle.
Mojo Risin Coffee in Siesta Key Village.
Dry Dock Waterfront Grill.
Daiquiri Deck locations: Venice open 10 am - 10 pm; St Armands open 10 am - 10 pm; South Siesta open 10 am - 10 pm; Siesta Village open 10 am - 10 pm; Bradenton Beach is closed and will reopen as soon as possible.
Blase's patio in Siesta Key Village.
Siesta Key Oyster Bar. 

As our community recovers from the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene, the University Town Center District will host a very special event this Saturday, October 5, from 6 to 9 p.m., to raise money for victims of Hurricane Helene right here on the Suncoast. iHeart Radio and Benderson Development are joining forces with Suncoast Charities for Children for a free night of music as seven area rock bands jam out at seven locations around the UTC District. Sponsors include ABC7, SRQ Trolley, and Aqua. Admission is free, and ages 21+ are recommended. Trolley service will run between venues from 6 pm -9 pm. Stop by The Green for your all-access pass to ride the trolley tour, receive special offers at each participating location, and have the opportunity to register to win passes to Welcome To Rockville, America’s largest rock festival held at Daytona International Speedway. Suncoast Charities for Children’s Executive Director, Lucy Nicandri, shared: “ROCKtoberfest has been planned for months as a fundraiser for Suncoast Charities for Children. Immediately after Hurricane Helene, we knew many residents along the Suncoast were impacted, so we quickly shifted the event's focus to help with relief efforts. We are proud to be able to work with such great partners and make a positive impact at such a critical time when so many families here in our local community need assistance right away.” QR codes will be available at all seven locations where you can make online donations. A large donation box will also be at The Green at the iHeart Media tent. All donations will assist in funding vital services for individuals impacted by Hurricane Helene within the Sarasota/Bradenton area. Those who cannot attend the event and want to donate may do so online via this link:https://suncoastcharitiesforchildren.harnessgiving.org/campaigns/16169. Donations may also be mailed, and checks may be made payable to: Suncoast Charities for Children, 5317 Fruitville Road, Suite 43, Sarasota, FL 34232. Please include “Hurricane Relief Fund” in the memo line.

ROCKtoberfest Lineup: One Eyed Jack’s - Playing The Green at UTC where you can pick up your souvenir lanyard; Vitamin G – Playing at Bar George, hosted by Maverick and Lulu from CTQ on 92.1 and 103.1; Ellipsis Band - Playing at Ford’s Garage, hosted by Jones and Company from 107.9 WSRZ
Jane Bond Band - Playing at Kona Grill, hosted by Queen B and DJ Shizm from 106.5 The BEAT; JJ & The Bad Habits - Playing at Oak & Stone; The Meeps - Playing at Origin Craft Beer & Pizza Cafe; Nobody’s Fool - Playing at PopStroke, hosted by Frank the Tank from Z105. 

Ladies and gentlemen, children of all ages, step right up to the Sarasota Opera House, at 7:30 p.m., Friday, Oct.18. The film The Greatest Show on Earth is returning to where it premiered in 1952. It was produced and directed by Cecil B. DeMille, filmed in Technicolor and released by Paramount Pictures. The film premiered at the Florida Theater, formerly A.B. Edwards Theater, and now known as the Sarasota Opera House. The film was shot in Sarasota, which was home at that time to the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. The movie stars Betty Hutton and Cornel Wilde as trapeze artists competing for the center ring and Charlton Heston as the circus manager. James Stewart also stars as a clown who never removes his makeup, and Dorothy Lamour and Gloria Grahame play supporting roles.Besides the actors, the 1951 troupe of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey’s Circus, 1,400 people, hundreds of animals and 60 railroad cars of equipment and tents, appears in the film. The film features about 85 Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus acts, including famous clowns Emmett Kelly and Lou Jacobs. (Jacobs was the father of aerialist Dolly Jacobs, who currently appears with the Circus Arts Conservatory in Sarasota.) John Ringling North plays himself as the owner of the circus.The film includes several cameo appearances including Bob Hope and Bing Crosby, Lamour's costars in the Road to ... films; William Boyd, star of the television series,  Hopalong Cassidy; Danny Thomas; and Van Heflin. Cecil B. DeMille, although not credited, is the film’s narrator. The film won two Academy Awards for Best Picture and Best Story. It was nominated for Best Costume Design, Best Director and Best Film Editing. It also won Golden Globe Awards for Best Cinematography, Best Director and Best Motion Picture – Drama. Tickets to The Greatest Show on Earth, at $12 each, are on sale now at the Sarasota Opera Box Office, by phone at (941) 328-1300, in person at 61 N. Pineapple Ave., Sarasota, or online at https://tickets.sarasotaopera.org. 

Artist Series Concerts of Sarasota presents the Yamazalde Trio on November 2 at Church of the Palms, Winner’s Circle on November 7 at Sarasota Yacht Club, PROJECT Trio on November 19 at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, and Excelsis Percussion Quartet on November 24 at First Presbyterian Church. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit ArtistSeriesConcerts.org or call (941) 306-1202. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit ArtistSeriesConcerts.org or call (941) 306-1202. 

Almost 300 Sarasota Christian School community members and guests will gather on Saturday, October 5th, 2024 at The Westin Sarasota for the much-anticipated annual Inspire Gala which will “Celebrate the SCS Difference.” The evening’s festivities will include a silent auction, gourmet dinner, and student, parent and teacher guest speakers. Silent auction highlights will include tickets to the Master’s, trips to Italy and Mexico, boating and hunting outings and much more. Even those who did not get a ticket to attend the sold out event, will be able to participate via online bidding. The emcee for the evening’s festivities will be Julie Henry. Ms. Henry is a professional speaker, executive coach and author of Wisdom from the Wild and coming in 2025, Wisdom from the Wild for Youth which she co-authored with her teenagers, Tasman and Kepler Henry. All proceeds from the evening’s event will go toward expanding the impact of SCS for Christ. 

New College has been recognized by the Heritage Foundation as a “great option” for students seeking a university that promotes freedom, opportunity, and upward mobility, while fostering free expression and open academic inquiry. The study conducted by the Heritage Foundation evaluated hundreds of schools from around the U.S., sorting them into categories of “great options,” “worth considering,” and “not recommended.” New College was one of only two schools in Florida to receive the top evaluation, and only a select few public universities across the country joined New College on the list. Among the traits the project’s research team noted were the prioritization of maintaining an atmosphere conducive to free expression, while offering both academic excellence and ideological balance. The recognition was lauded by New College President Richard Corcoran as evidence the College is succeeding in creating an atmosphere focused on free speech and civil discourse. “New College is grateful to receive this recognition, and we’ve worked hard to earn it by creating a dynamic educational experience filled with critical thinking and devoid of indoctrination. Free expression and civil discourse are demonstrated on a daily basis in our classrooms, around our campus, and in our public events, most notably the Socratic Stage Dialogue Series.” While New College was one of the highlights for public higher education, Florida also received the top grade on the Heritage Foundation’s K-12 report card, demonstrating the state’s overall commitment to educational freedom. The recognition from the Heritage Foundation is the latest in a string of recent accolades bestowed on New College, including recognition as a “Best Value College” by The Princeton Review and the top slot among public universities in Washington Monthly’s ranking of top liberal arts schools. 

The Makery DIY Pottery and Art in Sarasota is a haven for art, community and connection, October 2024.

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