Sarasota's The Bay Park holds grand opening with 10 days of free concerts, festivals, more
10 Days at The Bay: Friday-Oct. 23; The Bay Park, 655 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota; free, advance registration required for certain events; 10daysatthebay.org
Downtown Sarasota's The Bay, a public park along Sarasota Bay, will throw a grand opening celebration spanning 10 days of free concerts, festivals and more.
Ten Days at the Bay kicks off Friday and runs through Oct. 23, marking the opening of the first 15 acres to what will be a 53-acre park. Dozens of free events will be offered in total, including 10 "signature events" of particular note.
The signature events will start Saturday including Have a Ball at The Bay, offering a variety of family-friendly games and activities, as well as a homecoming concert by pop-rock band We the Kings, who formed in Bradenton before achieving national success. Other notable events will include food and multicultural festivals and Boo! at the Bay Halloween festivities, closing out Oct. 23 with a "Parktoberfest" Oktoberfest celebration and concert headlined by Grammy-nominated Jamaican reggae singer Etana.
Here is the full schedule of 10 Days at the Bay events. Details are subject to change.
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Friday
Ride & Paddle: Free Guided Kayak Tours: 8 a.m.-10 p.m.
Namaste at the Bay: Jessica DiLorenzo McHugh: 9-10 a.m.
Nature Walking Tour: Magnificent Mangroves: 11 a.m.-noon
Ride & Paddle: Kayak Rentals: Noon-5 p.m.
Best of Sundays at The Bay: Babyl: 6-7 p.m.
Saturday
Sunrise Fun Run & Walk: 7:30 a.m.
The family-friendly run and walk meets at Van Wezel's main entrance and goes along a scenic 1.5-mile route, with the event also featuring DJ Deshawn Murphy and free T-shirts for the first 200 people who sign up.
Ride & Paddle: Free Guided Kayak Tours: 8 a.m.-10 a.m., 10 a.m.-noon
Namaste at the Bay: Kristin Musolino: 9-10 a.m.
Best of CoreSRQ Fitness Classes: 9 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
Zumba at The Bay: 10:30-11:30 a.m.
Nature Walking Tour: Protecting Our Waters: 11 a.m.-noon
Ride & Paddle: Kayak Rentals: Noon-5 p.m.
Have a Ball at The Bay: Noon-5 p.m.
A variety of games and activities will include interactive inflatable games such as basketball and skee-ball, juggling lessons and face-painting from Circus Arts Conservatory, an introduction to pickleball hosted by CoreSRQ, and a Have a Ball kids art project hosted by Art Center Sarasota (The latter two events take place 2-4 p.m. and advance registration is required.)
Walking in Wonder Nature Tour: 2-3 p.m.
Best of Sundays at The Bay: The Barker Project: 6-7 p.m.
Ride & Paddle: Sunset Kayak Tour: 6-7:30 p.m.
We the Kings Free Concert: 8-10 p.m.
The Bradenton-formed pop-rock group rose to fame in the 2000s with songs such as the platinum single "Check Yes Juliet" and the Demi Lovato collaboration "We'll Be a Dream" and remain active today, releasing the new EP "SAGA" last year.
Sunday
Ride & Paddle: Free Guided Kayak Tours: 8-10 a.m., 10 a.m.-noon
Namaste at the Bay: Michelle Roy: 9-10 a.m.
Nature Walking Tour: One Seed: 11 a.m.-Noon
Ride & Paddle: Kayak Rentals: Noon-5 p.m.
Taste of The Bay Food Festival: 1-4 p.m.
Co-hosted with the Sarasota-Manatee Originals, this event features signature dishes from local restaurants to sample along with live music by Shreddie King. $10 gets you 10 tasting tickets, with tickets purchased upon entry.
Walking in Wonder Nature Tour: 2-3 p.m.
Evening Namaste at The Bay: Petra Ratner: 5-6 p.m.
Sundays at The Bay: Amandah Jantzen & Band: 6-7 p.m.
The Long Run Free Concert: 7:30-9:30 p.m.
Billing itself as the “Best Eagles Tribute Band," expect The Long Run to play some of the group's biggest hits.
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Monday
CoreSRQ: Bootcamp: 7:30-8:30 a.m.
Ride & Paddle: Free Guided Kayak Tours: 8-10 a.m.
Namaste at the Bay: Meg Metcalf: 9-10 a.m.
Ride & Paddle: Kayak Rentals: 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
Nature Walking Tour: Meditation: 11 a.m.-noon
Sundays at The Bay: Shindig: 6-7 p.m.
Watch it at The Bay! MLB Divisional Series: 8 p.m.
Tuesday
CoreSRQ: Primetime +: 7:30-8:30 a.m.
Ride & Paddle: Free Guided Kayak Tours: 8-10 a.m.
Namaste at the Bay: Jessica DiLorenzo McHugh: 9-10 a.m.
Ride & Paddle: Kayak Rentals: 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
Nature Walking Tour: Flora of The Bay: 11 a.m.-noon
Zumba with Ya’el Campbell: 5-6 p.m.
Sundays at The Bay: Five Points Quartet & Darcie Allen: 6-7 p.m.
Watch it at The Bay! MLB Divisional Series: 8 p.m.
Wednesday
Ride & Paddle: Free Guided Kayak Tours: 8-10 a.m.
CoreSRQ: Tai Chi: 8-9 a.m.
CoreSRQ: Introduction to Pickleball: 9-11 a.m.
Namaste at the Bay: Kristin Musolino: 9-10 a.m.
Ride & Paddle: Kayak Rentals: 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
Nature Walking Tour: Coastal Resiliency: 11 a.m.-noon
¡Bailando at The Bay! - Salsa: 6:30-9 p.m.
Thursday, Oct. 20
CoreSRQ: Primetime +: 7:30-8:30 a.m.
Ride & Paddle: Free Guided Kayak Tours: 8-10 a.m.
Namaste at the Bay: Kara Saunders: 9-10 a.m.
Ride & Paddle: Kayak Rentals: 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
Nature Walking Tour: Sarasota Bay, Our Estuary: 11 a.m.-noon
RADD Night at The Bay: 5-9 p.m.
RADD (Rosemary Art & Design District) Night heads to The Bay for a special night with local vendors, live music by the Kara Nally Band, artists and food trucks.
Best of Sundays at The Bay presented by Sarasota Orchestra: Sarasota Brass Quintet: 6-7 p.m.
Oct. 21
Ride & Paddle: Free Guided Kayak Tours: 8-10 a.m.
Namaste at the Bay: Petra Ratner: 9-10 a.m.
Ride & Paddle: Kayak Rentals: 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
Nature Walking Tour: Composting: 11 a.m.-noon
Boo! at the Bay (Sensory Friendly Hour): 5-6 p.m.
This sensory-friendly version of the Halloween event (see below) will offer the same fun, but with reduced crowds, noises and surprises.
Best of Sundays at The Bay: Lisa & The Island Hoppers: 6-7 p.m.
Boo! at the Bay: 6-10 p.m.
This not-too-scary Halloween event will feature trick-or-treating, pumpkin picking, yard games, food trucks, face painting and special experiences. Those include a pumpkin art project (5-7 p.m.), Spooky Moonlight in the Mangroves Tour (6:30-8 p.m.; advance registration required) and family movie night screening of the 1993 Disney film "Hocus Pocus." (7:30-9:30 p.m.; advance registration encouraged.)
Oct. 22
Ride & Paddle: Free Guided Kayak Tours: 8-10 a.m., 10 a.m.-noon
Namaste at the Bay: Jessica Amaya: 9-10 a.m.
Zumba with Ya’el Campbell: 10:30-11:30 a.m.
Walking in Wonder Nature Tour: 11 a.m.-noon, 2-3 p.m.
Ride & Paddle: Kayak Rentals: Noon-5 p.m.
Multicultural Day at The Bay: Noon-7 p.m.
The day celebrating the diversity of our community will feature a wide range of ethnicities and backgrounds represented through food, art and performance, including Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe, Bollywood dancers, Kuumba dancers, CreArte Latino, Sarasota Youth Opera and more.
Best of Sundays at The Bay: Jaleo & Flamenco Dancers: 6-7 p.m.
Ride & Paddle: Sunset Kayak Tour: 6-7:30 p.m.
Astronomy at The Bay: 7:30 p.m.
Learn more about the planets, stars and galaxy through a telescopic experience provided by Suncoast Stargazers and Sidewalk Science Center.
Oct. 23
Ride & Paddle: Free Guided Kayak Tours: 8-10 a.m.,10 a.m.-noon
Namaste at the Bay: Emma Hollingsworth: 9-10 a.m.
Walking in Wonder Nature Tour: 11 a.m.-noon, 2-3 p.m.
Ride & Paddle: Kayak Rentals: Noon-5 p.m.
Parktoberfest at The Bay: Noon-5 p.m.
This family-friendly Oktoberfest celebration will feature German cuisine and beer, take-home caricature drawings and games such as stein hosting, cornhole and lawn bowling.
Evening Namaste at the Bay: Claudia Baeza: 5-6 p.m.
Etana, Jah Movement and Ariella Free Concert: 6-9:30 p.m.
Jamaican singer Etana, a two-time Grammy nominee in the Best Reggae Album category, headlines this closing concert that will also include local reggae favorites Jah Movement and Ariella, featuring Ariella McManus, formerly of Ari & the Alibis.
Email entertainment reporter Jimmy Geurts at jimmy.geurts@heraldtribune.com. Support local journalism by subscribing.
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Sarasota's The Bay Park free concerts festivals Halloween, Oktoberfest
