I like fall festivals.  So I thought I’d write about what’s happening around town this weekend: Halloween weekend.  There seem to haunted houses set up everywhere you look and I’ve mentioned them in past posts so lets move on to the more family friendly events:

Remember…Siesta Key has their annual Trick or Treat event in the Village on Friday.  It starts at 3pm and ends at 6pm.  Apparently all the merchants with balloons by their doors are handing out candy to young ones.  Our neighbors are taking their boys to the Siesta Cove neighborhood across Midnight Pass from the Catholic Church.  I was told the neighborhood has their own celebration and in previous years the streets have been packed with trick or treaters of all ages. 

Get up early and drive around for yard/garage/estate sales.  They seem to be the thing this time of year.  I never get there early enough so I miss out on the “good stuff”.   I did pass by one in the spring that was just getting underway on a Friday and got a double-tiered end table for $2.  One leg was wobbly so I folded up a match book cover (with out the dangerous stuff attached) and slid it into the gap.  It doesn’t wobble any more.  I’m proud of that find.

Jungle Gardens has a “Creatures of the Night” party on Friday from 6-9pm.  Check out their website: www.sarasotajunglegardens.com. 

The Sarasota Blues Festival is Saturday Nov 1 at Ed Smith Stadium starting at 11am.  www.sarasotabluesfest.com

On Saturday, Nov 1, Sunnyside Village, located at 5201 Bahia Vista St., will hold its Holiday Bazaar from 10am-3pm.  My boys’ 4H club will be holding their bake sale at the Bazaar.  Hope ya’ll make an effort to come out and support us.  We’re new to this club (since we’ve only lived here a year), but I understand the pumpkin bread goes really fast.  Our young bakers are making extra this year hoping it will still be available to afternoon shoppers.  We’ve baked Tollhouse cookies.  Yum!  We have the afternoon shift so if you come out ask for me.  I’d love to meet my readers.  The phone number for directions is 941-371-2750.

Farmers’ Markets: Sarasota on Saturday, Siesta Key on Sunday.

Artists’ Market: Starting Nov and running every Saturday through May, this market will be held at the corner of PIneapple Ave and Laurel Street in downtown Sarasota from 10am-4:30pm.

If you’re a Florida resident and have proof (like a driver’s license) you can get into Historic Spanish Point FREE this weekend.  Call 966-5214 for more info.

Feel like driving to Venice?  Then try the Art Fest, both Saturday and Sunday from 10am-5pm.  Admission is FREE and it’s located in the historic part of town.

And, there’s always the beach.  We have some friends coming to town for the weekend to celebrate their son’s birthday so we’ll be on the beach Sunday.  Happy Birthday, Tomas!

Have fun and thanks for reading my blog.