Announcing a Free 10-Day Grand Opening – October 14-23!

The celebration includes more than 90 FREE events – something for everyone to enjoy – including family fun days, food and cultural festivals, headlining musical acts by We The Kings and Etana, Boo! at The Bay Halloween, Sarasota’s first Parktoberfest and more. 

The Bay announces the official opening of the park on Friday, October 14, 2022, kicking off with 10 Days at The Bay, a ten-day grand opening celebration.

A bayfront public park designed to be “one park for all,” The Bay’s 10 Days at The Bay celebration will provide free, exciting, and diverse programming for the entire community to enjoy. 

Highlights of the opening weekend include a free homecoming concert by We The Kings, a globally-renowned band from Bradenton, a family fun day extravaganza called “Have a Ball at The Bay,” a food festival in partnership with The Sarasota-Manatee Originals, and a free waterfront concert featuring The Long Run, America’s best Eagles tribute band.

The second weekend includes a RADD Night of music, art and food; Boo! at The Bay Halloween festivities; a Multicultural Festival in partnership with UnidosNow, the City of Sarasota and the University of South Florida; an Oktoberfest celebration; and wraps up with a waterfront concert featuring grammy-nominated Etana and local favorite, Jah Movement. 

The entire celebration is intertwined with everyday programming including: daily guided kayak tours in partnership with Ride and Paddle, fitness classes provided by CoreSRQ, free yoga taught by local yogis, guided nature walks, and live music every day around sunset. Throughout the ten days, a number of local performing arts organizations will make an appearance including Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe, Sarasota Orchestra, Sarasota Youth Opera, and more.

 “The Bay represents a world class park on Sarasota Bay, offering a gathering place that will bring our community together and provide one park for all,” says AG Lafley, founding CEO of The Bay Park Conservancy. “This Grand Opening is like no other – completely open and accessible, free and welcoming to everyone in our community. 10 Days at The Bay provides unlimited opportunities for guests to experience and enjoy the breadth of what the park offers.” 

The first phase of the park, which has been in construction since 2019,  includes more than 15 acres of revitalized greenspace, a larger-than-life Ibis playground, Common Ground lawns, the Mangrove Bayou Walkway, an outdoor Reading Room, an ADA-accessible paddle launch, restored and preserved mangroves and shorelines, and spectacular sunset views. Concessions at The Nest will be operated by Venice Pier Group.

10 Days at The Bay is sponsored by One Park Sarasota, Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation, the City of Sarasota, Community Foundation of Sarasota County, DreamLarge, Gulf Coast Community Foundation, Jody Beresford and Bob Mayer, UnidosNow, the Van Wezel Foundation, and generous Friends of The Bay.

For more information about 10 Days at The Bay, visit the website at www.10DaysatTheBay.org.