Big sounds coming to 26th Thunder By The Bay Music & Motorcycle Festival at Fairgrounds
The 26th annual Thunder By The Bay Music & Motorcycle Festival returns to the Sarasota Fairgrounds in February and for the first time will feature three headliners: Molly Hatchet (Feb. 16), Grand Funk Railroad (Feb. 17), and Creed Fisher (Feb. 18).
The festival is organized by and benefits Suncoast Charities for Children in support of critical programs and services for children, teens, and adults with special needs. Discounted tickets are now on sale and include free parking.
In addition to the headline acts, Foreigner Experience, Stormbringer, One Night Rodeo, The Lost Boys, Nobody’s Fool, and KJB will be performing classic rock and country music. The festival will include over 100 vendors, a bike show, motocross freestyle demonstrations, Universal Championship Wrestling, activities for the kids, and a food court.
On Feb. 18, a motorcycle charity ride called “Ride So Children Can Thrive” will begin at Adrenaline Harley-Davidson, with stops at several nonprofit agencies that receive support from Suncoast Charities for Children, ending at the festival.
The 2023 festival generated net revenue of $315,000 for Suncoast Charities. Some of the funding allocations included new classroom furniture and assistance packages for preschool children attending Children First; new occupational/speech therapy testing materials and sensory tools for The Florida Center for Early Childhood; seed money to start the first Summer Camp Shriver in Sarasota for Special Olympics athletes; funding for a summer camp for the blind; new safety helmets and uniforms for Venice Challenger Baseball; and the construction of a new outdoor therapeutic area at Loveland Center. A $50,000 grant was also made to the Suncoast Foundation to assist with maintenance and capital expenditures at these agencies.
Additional support for nonprofits
A $25,000 matching grant will again be provided by the James M. Doss Charitable Foundation. Last year, “Their matching grant helped us raise just over $50,000 in support of our mission to serve individuals of all ages with special needs," Suncoast Charities for Children executive director Lucy Nicandri said. "It was also a wonderful way for people to contribute and feel a part of the festival, even if they were unable to attend."
Five additional fundraisers are scheduled in advance of the three-day festival, including the 10th annual Sporting Clay Tournament, a Thunder By The Bay “Rocks The Runway” Fashion Show, “Born To Be Wild” Festival Kickoff Party, a “Whiskey Wind Down” tasting, and a “Taste of Thunder” craft beer tasting experience. Sponsors include Adrenaline Harley-Davidson, FCCI Insurance Group, S&S Motorsports, Sarasota Ford, Sonny’s BBQ, United Rentals, USA Fence, Everglades Equipment, and Budweiser.
For tickets and more information, visi thunderbythebay.org or call 941-487-7904.
Submitted by Lucy Nicandri
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Molly Hatchet, Grand Funk, Creed Fisher headline Thunder by the Bay
