Fall events 2023: Pumpkin festivals, Oktoberfests & more in Bradenton, Sarasota

Ryan Ballogg
·9 min read

Autumn is upon us, and Bradenton and Sarasota have lots of fall fun to offer up this year.

Pumpkin festivals, Oktoberfests, farmers markets and outdoor concerts are among the seasonal traditions returning to Southwest Florida in 2023.

There’s something for all ages, including free and family-friendly events.

Here’s a guide to happy harvest times near you.

Pumpkin harvest festivals

Fruitville Grove Farm Market’s 35th annual Pumpkin Festival will feature a free petting zoo, playground, live music, circus performances, craft vendors, decorated photo spots and costume contests. Admission is also free.

Activities in the $1-$10 range include pony rides, a rock-climbing wall, a wildflower maze, a kids fun zone with a zip line and pumpkin painting.

Food trucks and food vendors will be on site every day of the festival.

  • Details: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sept. 30 and Oct. 1, 7-8, 14-15, 21-22 and 28-29. Fruitville Grove, 7410 Fruitville Road, Sarasota. Free admission. $5 parking.

  • Info: fruitvillegrove.com

Festival-goers browse shops and activities during a past Hunsader Farms Pumpkin Festival in east Bradenton. The 32nd annual festival begins Oct. 14, 2023.
Festival-goers browse shops and activities during a past Hunsader Farms Pumpkin Festival in east Bradenton. The 32nd annual festival begins Oct. 14, 2023.

Hunsader Farms’s 32st annual Pumpkin Festival is a family-friendly event offering crafts, entertainment and harvest fun.

Live music and entertainment, juggling shows, chainsaw sculpting displays, hayrides, scarecrow displays, a petting zoo and playground access are included with admission.

Activities available for an additional charge include pumpkin games, a corn maze, train rides, pony rides and arm painting.

There’s also a bounty of food and desserts to try, such as roasted sweet corn, homemade ice cream and pumpkin pie.

  • Details: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Oct. 14, 15, 21, 22, 28 and 29. Hunsader Farms, 5500 County Road 675, Bradenton. Admission: $15. Children 10 and under: Free. Parking: $5. Cash only.

  • Info: hunsaderfarms.com.

Oktoberfests

Parktoberfest at The Bay: This family-friendly Oktoberfest will feature live polka music, chicken dancing, cornhole, craft beer and German food for purchase.

  • Details: 5-7 p.m. Oct. 1. The Bay, 1055 Blvd. of the Arts, Sarasota. Free admission.

  • Info: thebaysarasota.org

Celtoberfest at Motorworks: Motorworks Brewing will put a tartan spin on Oktoberfest celebrations with its eighth annual “Celtoberfest.”

The two-day event will feature a biergarten market of vendors, bagpipers and six live Celtic-inspired bands.

Celebratory food, drink specials and Oktoberfest games are also in the mix.

The party is family and dog-friendly, and kilts, dirndl and lederhosen are highly encouraged.

Details: 4 p.m.-midnight Oct. 13, 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Oct. 14. Motorworks Brewing, 1014 Ninth St. W., Bradenton. $15-$45.

Info: motorworksbrewing.com.

Rocktoberfest: Downtown Sarasota will host a three-day celebration in J.D. Hamel Park that combines elements of a traditional Oktoberfest with a rock music festival.

Vendors will offer a wide variety of German dishes, and there will be an arts and crafts marketplace for shopping between performances.

Admission is free, and the event is family and pet-friendly.

Oktoberfest at Edelweiss: The Edelweiss Restaurant in Old Manatee will host its 11th annual Oktoberfest this year, and the celebration is expanding to five days. Guests can enjoy a beer tent, live stage music, German dancers, a fire spinner, vendors, contests, giveaways and traditional German food and beer.

The event is family-friendly, with face painting and games for kids.

  • Details: Oct. 11-15. Edelweiss Restaurant, 611 Manatee Ave. E., Bradenton. Free admission.

  • 941-748-3838. facebook.com/edelweiss941

Fall festivals

Fall Festival of Music: State College of Florida’s annual Fall Festival of Music will celebrate student music-makers with a showcase of talent.

Hear from SCF’s concert choir, chamber choir, guitar ensemble, jazz big band and jazz combo all in one evening.

Fall Fête Holiday Market & Food Truck Rally: This two-day event hosted by Scavenger’s Marketplace in Palmetto will bring over 100 local merchants and artists to the Manatee County Fairgrounds for an indoor/outdoor marketplace.

Shop gifts, home decor, furniture, art, collectibles, architectural salvage items and handcrafted goods.

Also included: food trucks, live music, a pumpkin patch, a petting zoo and an early appearance by Santa Claus.

  • Details: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Oct. 14 and 15. Manatee County Fairgrounds, 1402 14th Ave. W., Palmetto. $6 admission. Kids 12 and under free.

  • Info: fallfeteholidaymarket.com.

Fall Festival at University Town Center: The third annual fall festival at The MALL at UTC will include carnival rides, a pumpkin patch, a pet costume contest, live entertainment, food trucks, beer and fall-themed photo ops and activities.

There will be a trunk or treat event on Oct. 22 from 4-6 p.m.

  • Details: 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Oct. 21 and 22. The Mall at University Town Center, 140 University Town Center Dr., Sarasota. Free admission.

  • Info: floridapenguinproductions.com

More family-friendly events

Music on Main in Lakewood Ranch: Music on Main brings family-friendly fun to the heart of Lakewood Ranch on the first Friday of every month.

Food vendors, beer trucks, booths and kids activities will line the street.

Each month’s event benefits a different local charity.

Guests are welcome to bring chairs and dogs on short leashes.

  • Details: 6-9 p.m. Oct. 6, Nov. 3, Dec. 1. 8100 Lakewood Main St., Lakewood Ranch. Free.

  • Info: lakewoodranch.com

The Downtown Bradenton Public Market (formerly the Bradenton Farmers Market) returns to Old Main Street October through May with a bounty of food, arts, shopping and fun to enjoy.
The Downtown Bradenton Public Market (formerly the Bradenton Farmers Market) returns to Old Main Street October through May with a bounty of food, arts, shopping and fun to enjoy.

Bradenton Public Market will return for its 2023-24 season on Oct. 7.

The weekly market is a community gathering place that welcomes vendors offering fresh local produce, meat, pantry and home goods, packaged foods, plants, clothing, accessories and more.

Food, drink and dessert vendors make the market a great place to grab a tasty snack.

The market hosts about 100 vendors each week, including a core group of businesses and some rotating selections.

The market also features live music by different regional artists each week. Kid’s activities, special events and cooking demonstrations add to the fun throughout the season.

Also returning for the season is the Meadows Farmers Market in North Sarasota.

The Farmers’ Market at Lakewood Ranch and the Sarasota Farmers Market run all year round.

Downtown Sarasota Craft Festival: The 27th annual Downtown Sarasota Craft Festival will bring a display of handmade jewelry, pottery, ceramics, photography, painting, clothing and more to Five Points Park in downtown Sarasota. Items will range from $15 to $3,000.

A “Green Market” will feature plants, orchids, exotic flora, handmade soaps, gourmet spices and kettle corn.

In July 2018, the first Back to Angola festival celebrated the historic connection between Mineral Springs in Bradenton and the Bahamas.
In July 2018, the first Back to Angola festival celebrated the historic connection between Mineral Springs in Bradenton and the Bahamas.

Back to Angola Festival: This festival will celebrate the Angola settlement, a community of escaped slaves that was established in Manatee County in the early 1800s.

“In 1821 when the site was raided, they fled and there were those who found refuge in Red Bays, Andros, The Bahamas, Cape Florida on Key Biscayne and among the Seminoles communities at Peace River,” organizers say.

“Come and enjoy lively discussions with the historians, archaeologists and the descendants themselves about this place, which was a place of freedom.”

Planned events include panel discussions, basket weaving and wood carving demonstrations and traditional Bahamian Junkanoo music and costume. Bahamian food will be for sale.

Schedule:

▪ Oct. 20, 6-8 p.m.: Meet & Greet, Welcome the Descendants

▪ Oct. 21, 1-8 p.m.: Panel Discussions, Workshops, Food, Junkanoo

▪ Oct. 22, 1-4 p.m.: Fellowship, Music & Food

On the third weekend of October, BayFest draws crowds to Pine Avenue in Anna Maria for live music, food, drink and fun.
On the third weekend of October, BayFest draws crowds to Pine Avenue in Anna Maria for live music, food, drink and fun.

Anna Maria Island’s BayFest: Billed as Anna Maria Island’s “largest and longest-running festival,” BayFest features a day of live music from local rock and blues acts.

A food court and arts and crafts vendors are part of the party, and a classic car show is planned from 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

  • Details: 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Oct. 21. Festival takes place on Pine Avenue in Anna Maria. Free admission.

  • Info: facebook.com/amichamber

Sarasota Pride: This Sarasota tradition is back in 2023 with a downtown celebration of arts, culture and LGBTQ+ community.

This year’s pride will feature live entertainment, a food and drink village, arts and crafts vendors and a community resource fair.

On the main stage, LGBTQ+ artists, local talent and drag queens will perform, including an appearance by past “RuPaul’s Drag Race” contestant Thorgy Thor.

A Community Pride Bike Rally will take place down Main Street.

  • Details: Noon-5 p.m. Oct. 25. Boulevard of the Arts and Florida Avenue, downtown Sarasota. Free admission.

  • Info: ppsrq.org

Water Lantern Festival: At the Water Lantern Festival, thousands of illuminated, floating lanterns will make for a memorable display on the lake at Nathan Benderson Park in Sarasota.

Entry includes a kit to create your own water lantern and customize it with a personal message.

Food trucks and live music are also part of the festival.

11/14/21—A member of New Riders of the Golden Age performs War Games at the Sarasota Medieval Fair in Myakka.
11/14/21—A member of New Riders of the Golden Age performs War Games at the Sarasota Medieval Fair in Myakka.

Sarasota Medieval Fair: Step back into the Middle Ages and partake in a day of medieval merriment at the 19th annual Sarasota Medieval Fair.

Walk among peasants and royalty, sup on turkey legs and other delights, peruse the offerings of ancient vendors and enjoy entertainment like jousting, comedy, rides, games and period music. Don’t forget to dress the part.

This is the fair’s third year at its new home in the “Woods of Mallaranny,” a 47-acre festival grounds in Myakka City.

The 2023 event will have a 15th century French vs. English theme.

  • Details: 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Nov. 4, 5, 11, 12, 18, 19, 25 and 26. Rain or shine. 29847 S.R. 70 E., Myakka City. Ages 4-10: $12.95. Students, seniors and military with I.D.: $20.95. Adults: $23.95. Multi-day passes and add-ons available.

  • Info: 888-303-3247. sarasotamedievalfair.com.

Guests await the beginning of A Symphony on the Sand performance in 2016 at Coquina Beach on Anna Maria Island.
Guests await the beginning of A Symphony on the Sand performance in 2016 at Coquina Beach on Anna Maria Island.

Symphony on the Sand: This unique musical experience offers a chance to hear live classical music with the beach as a concert venue.

The 45-piece Anna Maria Island Concert Chorus & Orchestra will perform international and American compositions, Broadway hits, movie favorites and patriotic classics in a salute to Veterans Day.

There will be a live auction and an auction for an orchestra baton. The winner of the baton gets to conduct a piece.

Premium and VIP ticket offerings include complimentary drinks, small plates or dinner provided by local restaurants.

This will be the first time the event is held since before the COVID-19 pandemic.

  • Details: 4:30-7:30 p.m. Nov. 11. Coquina Gulfside Park, 2650 Gulf Dr. South, Bradenton Beach. $30-$250 (VIP options available).

  • Info: amicco.org/symphony-on-the-sand

Did we miss a local fall event? Send an email with details to rballogg@bradenton.com.