🍦 Stars, Stripes & Savor Sarasota

Best Things To Do in SRQ

Author

Carson B
May 19, 2026

Happy Tuesday!

This week has a little of everything — hopeful crocodile news at Jungle Gardens, a Monopoly board taking nominations from locals, a Memorial Day weekend lineup, and Savor Sarasota teed up to take over the back half of the month. Plenty to chew on.

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In today’s edition of the Sarasota Scoop:

Thanks for reading,

Carson

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📰 Local Headline Roundup

The Peace River Reservoir Is Down to Half Capacity

Southwest Florida is in the middle of its worst water shortage in nearly a decade, and the big regional reservoir on the Peace River is sitting at about 3 billion of its 6-billion-gallon capacity. The good news: officials say drinking water supply is secure and summer rains should refill things, but it is a fair reminder that we are still a few weeks out from the rainy season actually kicking in.

Sarasota County Is Getting Its Own Monopoly Edition

Top Trumps USA is producing a Sarasota County edition of Monopoly for 2027, and nominations are open right now for the businesses, nonprofits, and landmarks that should land on a square. If you have always wanted to put your favorite neighborhood spot on a board, this is the moment to put it in writing.

Sarasota Jungle Gardens Is Hoping for Baby Crocodiles

Dominic and Kananga, the gardens' resident American crocodiles, were observed mating back in January after a slow introduction, and the staff is hopeful the pair will produce offspring. Crocodiles are a vulnerable species, so any little ones would be a real win for one of Sarasota's most under-the-radar institutions.

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 🔦 Spotlight: Savor Sarasota Restaurant Week

If you have been waiting for an excuse to plan a couple of nice nights out, here it is. Savor Sarasota is back for its 21st year from June 1 through June 14, and more than 55 restaurants are in on it.

The deal is simple and stays the same every year: $25 two-course lunches and $45 three-course dinners, prix fixe, no games. It started in 2005 as a way to keep kitchens busy after the snowbirds flew north, and over the years locals have quietly turned it into a season of their own — two weeks of trying the room you have been meaning to get to, or going back to your usual spot and ordering things you would not normally splurge on.

The participating restaurant list is still growing through the back half of May, so the lineup will keep filling out, but Visit Sarasota maintains the official menus and reservation page and that is the spot to check before you book. Popular Friday and Saturday slots at the bigger names go fast — if you are picky about where, set a reminder to look the morning the lineup posts.

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Your contributions go toward keeping the Scoop going so we can have more fun and build more community. I appreciate any and all support! — Carson

Thursday, May 21

Cinema at The Bay: The Big Lebowski

📍 The Oval at The Bay
🕦 7:30 PM — 9:30 PM
🔗 The Bay Sarasota

Lindsay Beth Harper with Joshua Reilly

📍 Fogartyville Community Media and Arts Center
🕦 7:00 PM (doors 6:00 PM)
🔗 Sarasota Arts

Aloha Sharks Live at Mattison's City Grille

📍 Mattison's City Grille, Downtown Sarasota
🕦 7:30 PM — 10:30 PM
🔗 Mattison's

World Series of Comedy

📍 McCurdy's Comedy Theatre
🕦 7:00 PM (through Sat May 23)
🔗 McCurdy's Comedy Theatre

Pinky's Players: Movies from the Heart

📍 Venice Theatre — Raymond Center
🕦 7:30 PM — 9:30 PM (through Sun May 24)
🔗 Sarasota Arts

Friday, May 22

Remembering Our Fallen Photographic War Memorial

📍 Donald L. Courtney Monument Park, Bradenton Riverwalk
🕦 Opens 12:00 PM (free, on display through Sun May 24)
🔗 Veterans For Unification

Sights + Sounds at Waterside Place: Rise Above Performing Arts

📍 Waterside Place, Lakewood Ranch
🕦 6:00 PM — 7:00 PM
🔗 Lakewood Ranch

Music for New Bodies

📍 Sarasota Opera House
🕦 7:30 PM
🔗 Sarasota Arts

Laser Michael Jackson at The Bishop

📍 Bishop Museum of Science and Nature, Bradenton
🕦 8:00 PM
🔗 The Bishop

Alan Grant Band Live at Mattison's City Grille

📍 Mattison's City Grille, Downtown Sarasota
🕦 8:00 PM — 11:30 PM
🔗 Mattison's

VOCES: Voices of Adolescence

📍 CreArte Latino Cultural Center
🕦 8:00 PM — 9:30 PM (through Sat May 23)
🔗 Sarasota Arts

Saturday, May 23

11th Annual SRQ Vets Memorial 5K Hike

📍 J.D. Hamel Park, Sarasota
🕦 Check-in 8:00 AM, step-off 9:15 AM
🔗 SRQ Vets

Bradenton Public Market

📍 Old Main Street, Downtown Bradenton
🕦 9:00 AM — 2:00 PM
🔗 Realize Bradenton

Memorial Day at Sarasota National Cemetery

📍 Patriot Plaza, Sarasota National Cemetery
🕦 10:00 AM ceremony (flag placement begins 7:30 AM)
🔗 Sarasota Wreaths

St. Armands Fine Art Festival

📍 St. Armands Circle Park
🕦 10:00 AM — 5:00 PM (through Sun May 24)
🔗 Paragon Festivals

Passport to The Bazaar

📍 The Bazaar on Apricot and Lime, Sarasota
🕦 10:00 AM — 5:00 PM
🔗 The Bazaar

Venice Brew Bash

📍 Centennial Park, Downtown Venice
🕦 3:00 PM — 7:00 PM
🔗 Venice Brew Bash

Laser Queen at The Bishop

📍 Bishop Museum of Science and Nature, Bradenton
🕦 6:00 PM
🔗 The Bishop

SkynFolks: Lynyrd Skynyrd Tribute

📍 Venice Community Center, Venice
🕦 7:00 PM
🔗 Venice Community Center

The Venice Symphony: Star Spangled Spectacular

📍 CoolToday Park, Venice
🕦 7:30 PM
🔗 Ticketmaster

Sunday, May 24

AquaPalooza 2026

📍 New Pass Sandbar, MarineMax Sarasota
🕦 10:00 AM — 4:00 PM
🔗 Eventbrite

Sundays at The Bay featuring J Santi and the Vital Groove

📍 The Oval at The Bay
🕦 6:00 PM — 7:00 PM
🔗 The Bay Sarasota

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