5 Things To Do In Sarasota This Weekend

SARASOTA, FL -- The weekend's here. If you're looking for something to do, here's some ideas:

Hoops for Hope

Emerge Sarasota and the Sarasota Manatee Basketball organization will host the inaugural Hoops for Hope Celebrity Basketball Tournament Saturday, April 28 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Booker High School Gymnasium, 3201 N. Orange Ave., Sarasota.

Hoops for Hope aims to raise awareness for Child Abuse Prevention Month (April) and ignite a deeper dialogue about abused and neglected youth in the area.

Hoops for Hope will feature the Sarasota Manatee professional basketball team going head-to-head for regulation games against local athletes and dignitaries. Participants include the Sarasota Police Department Athletic League, Manatee Sheriff’s Office Athletic League and other prominent local basketball coaches and sports professionals.

There also will be live music, entertainment, food vendors and local health and human services agencies.

Doctor Idol 2018

Eight bands featuring local physicians will battle for the title of Doctor Idol 2018 Saturday, April 28, from 6 to 10 p.m. at the White Buffalo Saloon, 5377 McIntosh Road, Sarasota.

Performing will be:

Doc and the Ear-iginals featuring Dr. Herbert Silverstein

The Grand Poo-Bahs featuring Dr. Robert Felman

Good Lovin’ Doctor featuring Dr. Robert Koser

NU Jazz featuring Dr. Melvin Price

Mid-Life Crisis featuring Dr. Michael Gordon, Dr. Kevin Dunn, Dr. Joel Gerber, Dr. Jonathan Hoffberger and Dr. Scott Perrin

The Soul Sensations featuring Dr. Randall Morgan

Cochlear Connections featuring Dr. Jack Wazen, Dr. Laura Wazen and friends

And the Dr. Ari Zelig Band.

Proceeds benefit the Ear Research Foundation of Florida.

Siesta Key Rum Tour

Drum Circle Distilling will host the Siesta Key Rum Tour Saturday, April 28 at 3 p.m.

All ages are welcome to come in and see how the award-winning Siesta Key Rum is made. You must be 21 to sample the rum. Dogs are welcome as long as they’re friendly.

The tour is free. It takes about 60 minutes and includes an explanation of the equipment and the rum-making process.

At the end of the tour those 21 and up can try samples of the rums in the tasting room/gift shop. The samples are free in plastic cups or a shot glass of Siesta Key Rum will be available for $2. There will be samples of Gold, Spiced, Silver and Toasted Coconut rums.

Drum Circle Distilling is located at 2212 Industrial Blvd., Sarasota.

Air Fair

The 2018 Air Fair and Giant Fly-In sponsored by the Golden Eagle Squadron will feature radio-controlled airplanes Saturday and Sunday, April 28-29 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

It is a free fly-in for all to attend with plenty of free parking, handicapped parking and is a wheelchair-friendly flying field. Sun shelters are available with ceiling fans. Bring your own chairs and sunscreen.

Concessions at the Runaway Café include cold soft drinks and grilled hamburger and hot dogs. The field is located three miles east on Bee Ridge Road (at the east end of Bee Ridge Road) in the Sarasota County Rothenback Park. Here's more on the Air Fair.

Siesta Fiesta

The 40th annual Siesta Fiesta will take place in Siesta Key Village Saturday and Sunday, April 28-29 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. This is a farewell party for Sarasota's snowbird friends who spend the winter in Sarasota.

There will be hundreds of arts and crafts vendors, merchants, food stands and live musicians jam-packed into Siesta Key Village.

Image via Artfestival.com