Sarasota Holiday Parade 2015: What You Need to Know

Tampa Bay area residents hoping to take in the 20th annual Downtown Sarasota Holiday Parade need to know a few things before they head out to Saturday’s event.

Here are just a few important details to keep in mind:

Route, Start Times

The parade steps off form the corner of Main Street and U.S. 301 at 7 p.m. sharp. The parade will travel west on Main Street with an end point at J.D. Hamel Park, on the corner of Main and Gulfstream Avenue.

Parade organizers recommend arriving early and using the Palm Avenue Parking Garage, if at all possible.

Street Closings/Tow Away Zones

The Sarasota Police Department has announced a number of planned street closings to accommodate the event. Here are those closings:

• Starting at noon – Main from U.S. 301 to School Avenue
• Starting at 2 p.m. – Main from Orange Avenue to U.S. 41 and Osprey to U.S. 301
• Starting at 5 p.m. – Gulfstream Avenue from U.S. 41 to Church of the Redeemer, 222 S. Palm Ave.
• Starting at 5:30 p.m. – Main form U.S. 301 to U.S. 41 and U.S. 301 from Fruitville Road and Ringling Boulevard
• 6 p.m. – The Hollywood 20 garage will close and Main Street will shut down entirely

The police department says roads will reopen to traffic once the parade’s end reaches a two-block distance from each closure.

Starting at 5:30 p.m. towing will begin, the city noted. Vehicles not removed by posted times will be towed at their owners’ expense. Should a vehicle be towed, call Upman’s Towing at 941-365-7084 for retrieval information.

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