wcw APRIL 2022

out &about
Special Events
The Sarasota County Democratic
Party has its annual Kennedy-King
Dinner on Sunday, April 3. U.S. Congresswoman
Val Demings will be the
keynote speaker and will also receive
the Champion Award for her efforts to
improve public safety and civil rights
for all Americans. Also addressing
attendees will be the three Democratic
gubernatorial candidates: U.S.
Congressman Charlie Crist, Florida’s
Commissioner of Agriculture and
Consumer Services Nikki Fried and
State Senator Annette Taddeo.
The Kennedy-King Dinner will
be held at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in
Sarasota, 5:30-9 p.m. Cost is $150. To
register, call the Sarasota County Democratic
Party headquarters at 941-320-
8825 or go to www.sarasotadems.org .
t
SPARCCle on the Links golf tournament
will once again take place at
Plantation Golf and Country Club in
Venice on April 21. The event offers
lots of prizes and all proceeds support
the free and confidential programs
and services that Safe Place
and Rape Crisis Center (SPARCC)
offers to survivors of domestic and
sexual violence.
Players can also participate in a hole
in one, longest drive, closest to pin,
putting contest, cannon launcher and
a gift auction. Registration begins at
11.00 am with a shotgun start at 12:30
p.m. Golfers will have a box lunch and
snacks. Cash prizes will be awarded at
the end of the tournament.
For more information, visit www.
sparcc.net/events or call 941-365-
0208 ext. 124.
t
Make a difference in the life of
someone with dementia when you
support ArtCenter Manatee’s biennial
fundraising event: Snatch It, art and
more for grabs. On April 9 from 6-10
p.m., join ArtCenter Manatee in Downtown
Bradenton for its biggest fundraiser
of the year. It’s your chance to
grab a prize with a value of at least $250
all while supporting children’s art education
programs and Arts & Healing for
adults with dementia.
Prizes include original art, jewelry,
golf packages, gourmet dinners,
sports tickets and lots more. Don’t
miss the fun and your chance to win
big. Food, music, open bar, and a
great prize, all for $125.
Or watch the fun and help build
the excitement for $45 as a “Cheerer”
while you enjoy food, music and
the open bar. Deanne King, a news
channel 8 reporter, is the emcee.
Get tickets by calling 941-746-2862
or at https://artcentermanatee.org/
snatch-it-art-more-for-grabs/
t
After a two-year hiatus, the Hats &
Heels & Bow Ties Luncheon, benefiting
Turning Points, is back.
Hats & Heels & Bow Ties is on
May 20, 11:30am-1:30pm at GROVE
Restaurant, Patio and Ballroom. This
annual event was canceled in 2020 and
2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Hats & Heels & Bow Ties centers
around a friendly interactive competition
between the guests. Celebrity
judges score the guests on several categories
regarding the guests’ hats or
fascinator, and/or heels or flats and/or
bow ties. Guests attend the luncheon
wearing a hat or fascinator of their
creation or purchased. They can also
wear special or unique heels or flats.
t
And lastly they can
also wear a special
or unique bow tie.
Prizes are awarded
to the winners.
Tickets are $60
and included is a
glass of prosecco/
champagne, a
sit down lunch,
dessert and photo
booth pictures.
Guests arrive
early to enjoy and
shop all of the raffle
prizes. Go to
https://tpmanatee.org/events/
for more information
and to purchase
tickets.
The Sarasota
Cuban Ballet
School is celebrating
its
10th Anniversary
with two
events. Join them
on April 12 for
the Sarasota
Cuban Ballet
School’s 10th Anniversary Gala
Performance featuring guest artists
from the Washington Ballet and their
award-winning pre-professional
dancers. The program includes highlights
from Swan Lake Acts 2 and 3,
plus other classical and contemporary
works. The gala performance will
take place at 7:30 pm at the Manatee
Performing Arts Center, 502 Third
Avenue West, Bradenton.
They’ll continue the 10th Anniversary
Celebration at an open house on
April 16 from 2-4 p.m. at their new
home at 4740 Cattlemen Road in
Sarasota. All are invited to tour the
space and enjoy light refreshments and
informal performances by the students.
https://tickets.flculturalgroup.org/
TheatreManager/1/tmEvent/tmEvent1152.html
t
Founders Day Luncheon, Sarasota-Manatee
Alumnae Chapter of
Sigma Sigma Sigma, is a national
sorority and all Tri Sigma sisters are
welcome to attend on April 9 at Tara
Golf and Country Club, Bradenton,
11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. They’re celebrating
their 25th anniversary as a
local chapter. For more info and to
RSVP, go to http://sarasotamanatee.
trisigma.org/founders-da.
t
The Sarasota Tiger Bay Club will
welcome David Brooks, Author, The
Second Mountain, The Road to Character
and The Social Animal, New
York Times Columnist and major
political and social analyst to the
May 5 luncheon at Michael’s On East.
Brooks holds several positions as a
commentator: Bi-weekly Op-Ed columnist
for the New York Times, Regular
analyst on PBS NewsHour and
NPR’s All Things Considered.
For ticket information, go to www.
sarasotatigerbay.com. Doors open at
11:30. Program runs noon to 1 p.m.
with book signing until 1:30. Info:
941-925-2970 or email SarasotaTiger-
BayClub@gmail.com.
t
At Mote
t
Art Uptown Gallery will feature the work of Sarasota painter Evelyn McCorristin
Peters in an exhibit entitled “The Art of Losing.”
Mote Aquarium has a new exhibit
from National Geographic. SHARKS:
On Assignment with Brian Skerry
includes large-scale images that
highlight the work of National Geographic
Explorer and award-winning
photojournalist, Brian Skerry.
The exhibit runs through Aug. 7,
2022. The exhibition strives to raise
awareness about the status of sharks
around the world. Visitors can dive
into the ocean depths to swim alongside
tiger sharks, great whites, oceanic
whitetips and shortfin makos while
learning about each species’ habitat
and threats they face. Additionally,
they’ll get a glimpse into National Geographic’s
ocean conservation efforts.
National Geographic Explorer and
award-winning photojournalist Brian
Skerry has spent more than 10,000
hours underwater exploring the
world’s oceans with a camera to show
why sharks need to be protected
and appreciated as integral species
within the ecosystem. The exhibition
will include large-scale images and
videos—all highlighting Skerry’s passion,
skill and life-long commitment
to conservation of the world’s oceans.
Musica Sacra
of Sarasota, Inc
Ludwig van Beethoven composed
the Mass in C major, Op. 86,
to a commission from Prince Nikolaus
Esterházy II in 1807. The mass,
scored for four vocal soloists, choir
and orchestra, was premiered that
year by the Prince’s musical forces in
Eisenstadt.
Although overshadowed by Beethoven’s
immense Missa Solemnis,
it has an emotional impact and directness
that the latter work lacks.
It will be performed on April 25 at
7 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church
Sarasota.For information, call (941)
374-0940 or visit https://www.musicasacrasarasota.org/beethovenmass-in-c-major.
t
Choral Artists
t
Listen to the Earth is on Sunday,
April 24 at 5 p.m. at Sarasota Opera
House. The Earth is speaking loud and
clear. Choral Artists celebrates Earth
Day with a world premiere of a spectacular
new work by James Grant, featuring
baritone
soloist Marcus
DeLoach, The
Women’s Ensemble
from Parrish
Community High
School and the
Choral Artists
singers with a full
orchestra.
The program
also includes a
setting by Ola
Ojeilo of Walt
Whitman’s
poem, Song
of the Universal
and a stunning
instrumental
work by
Ralph Vaughan
Williams, The
Lark Ascending
with violinist
Daniel Jordan,
concertmaster of
the Sarasota Orchestra.
Program:
• James
Grant Earth –
Poem of Thanks
to Our Common Home
• Ralph Vaughan Williams The Lark
Ascending – Daniel Jordan, violin
soloist
• Ola Ojeilo Song of the Universal
• James Grant Listen to the Earth
– World premiere
For more information, visit www.
ChoralArtistsSarasota.org.
At The Van Wezel
Coming up:
• An Officer and a Gentleman (April 6-7)
• Terry Fator: Who’s The Dummy
Now? (April 10)
• Mansion Of Dreams Starring Illusionist
Rick Thomas (April 11)
• Johnny Mathis: The Voice of Romance
Tour (April 12)
• South Pacific (April 14-15)
• Fiddler on the Roof (April 19-21)
• Il Divo: Greatest Hits Tour (April 22)
• Diana Krall (April 23)
• Motown with a Twist (April 26)
• Boz Scaggs: Out of the Blues Tour
2022 (May 4)
• One Night of Queen starring Gary
Mullen and the Works (May 7)
Tickets can be purchased at www.
VanWezel.org, by calling the box office
at 941-263-6799.
t
Lots of Fun
Outdoor Events
The Palm Avenue First Friday
Walks in downtown Sarasota gives
art lovers a backdoor peek without
the hustle and bustle of the crowds
but with the cool breeze and moonlight
sky the evening brings. The
event is held the first Friday of every
month, running 6-9 p.m. The next
ones are on April 1and May 6. Info:
https://palmave.com/
t
Start your Saturday with a sunrise
stretch at The Sarasota Farmers Market.
They’ve partnered with Pineapple
Yoga Studio to bring free, weekly
sunrise yoga to downtown Sarasota.
Participants meet at the Mermaid
Fountain in Paul Thorpe Park, near
the Intersection of Pineapple and
Lemon Avenues. Starting at 7 am,
participants will enjoy a gentle yoga
flow suitable for all ages and levels.
t
The weekly 45-minute yoga practice
will focus on movements that foster
inner and outer balance.
The practice is led by Claudia Baeza,
a Kripalu trained yoga instructor and
the owner of Pineapple Yoga + Cycling
Studio, located nearby in Burns
Court. For information, call 941-225-
9256 or visit sarasotafarmersmarket.
org/yoga
Morning Paddles with Mote—Start
your day off right with a guided kayak
tour of Sarasota Bay. Paddle across
shallow seagrass beds and take in the
wildlife that depends on this ecosystem.
Soak up some sun as you look for
dolphins, manatees, birds and more.
Offered on April 3, 17 and May 1.
More info at: https://mote.org/experiences/details/kayaking-with-mote.
t
On the Lawn: Bay Park Yoga is
held every Saturday morning 9-10
a.m. on the lawn outside of the Van
Wezel. Relax, stretch and enjoy a
fulfilling yoga session on the Sarasota’s
scenic bayfront while instructor
Erin Hurter guides you. Participants
should bring their own yoga mat.
t
Nia is a body-mind-spirit fitness
program for any age. Practiced barefoot
to music, Nia combines martial
arts, healing arts and dance to create
a workout that is whole body conditioning.
Classes available Tuesdays
and Thursdays at 9:30am on Siesta
Key Public Beach near the yellow lifeguard
chair, 948 Beach Rd, Sarasota.
Bring towel for final stretch and
water to hydrate. This is a donation-based
class; $5 suggested donation
or class cards 10/$120. https://
kathyoravec.com/nia/
t
Arts Advocates has walking tours.
Here’s their schedule:
• April 7, 10:30 - noon: Downtown
Cocoanut Avenue Area Walking Tour
• April 14, 10:30 am -noon: Sarasota
City Hall Area Walking Tour
• April 21, 11 a.m.-noon: The Architecture
of Mote’s New Aquarium
• May 11, 11 am -noon: Manatee Performing
Arts Center Backstage Tour
The Arts Advocates walking tours,
organized and led by art lovers and
docents Judy Levine, Stephenie Frasher
and Nanette Crist, offer participants
an opportunity to learn about Sarasota’s
public art legacy, individual works,
and the artists who created them.
Reservations required: $28 per tour
for Arts Advocates members, $30 per
tour for non-members. To register for
a tour, learn more about Arts Advocates,
visit ArtsAdvocates.org.
t
Marie Selby
Botanical Gardens
Robert Mapplethorpe and
Patti Smith: Flowers, Poetry, and
Light presents the creative work
of two contemporary icons in dialogue
with nature throughout Selby
Gardens’ Downtown Sarasota campus.
The immersive, multi-sensory
exhibition includes original photographs
of flowers by Mapplethorpe,
excerpts of poetry, lyrics, and music
by Smith, and new horticultural displays
inspired by their work. It marks
the sixth annual Goldstein Exhibition,
which examines major artists
through the lens of their connection
to nature. The exhibit runs to June
26 at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens,
t
continued on page 8
APRIL 2022 WEST COAST WOMAN 7