Complied by Jaye Clements 
Sarasota is the Florida "Cultural Coast" for many reasons… SRQ offers a collection of performing arts including a ballet, performing arts halls, theaters, operas, orchestras and a variety of galleries, art centers, and many music & art festivals. We boast many outdoor art exhibitions, some include beautiful gardens. Many parks, including our Bayfront are dotted with amazing works. If you have a few extra days to spend fill it with some of our Arts! Here are a few highlights for December…
December 1 at 10:30am – Collecting Recollections: William "Bill" Taggart, Circus Historian at the Ringling Museum. https://www.ringling.org/events/collecting-recollections-william-bill-taggart-circus-historian
December 2 at 8pm – Hall & Oates at the Van Wezel – Hall of Famers and number 1 Duo in music history coming to Sarasota. http://www.vanwezel.org/boxOffice/event.cfm?eveID=1578#.Vkzo62-FNMs
December 3 from 6pm to 8 – Wine, Dine & Pine at Selby Gardens. http://selby.org/events/event/wine-dine-pine/
December 3 at 8pm – Kenny G an Award-winning saxophonist, at the Van Wezel http://www.vanwezel.org/boxOffice/event.cfm?eveID=1584#.VkzpzG-FNMs
December 3 from 5pm to 8 – Downtown Christmas Walk in Venice http://www.venicemainstreet.com/index.php/what-to-do/event-calendar
December 3 from 5:30 to 9 – Holiday Splendor at the Ringling Museum – bring an unwrapped toy to benefit Toys for Tots! https://www.ringling.org/events/holiday-splendor
Dec 3, 10, 17 from 5pm to 8 – Holiday Nights at Ca' d'Zan at the Ringling Museum https://www.ringling.org/events/holiday-nights-ca-dzan
December 4 at 7:30 Downtown Abbey at the Sarasota Opera House – free preview screening of the first hour of Downton Abbey Season 6, with special guest Alastair Bruce, host of The Manners of Downton Abbey. An award-winning hit drama returns for a sixth and final season of interlaced stories centered on an English country estate. http://tickets.sarasotaopera.org/single/EventDetail.aspx?p=2144
December 4 – Holly Holiday Party Dec 4 5 to 8pm T Spanish Point – every Thursday & Friday they will be open until 8pm for lights, decorations and music. http://www.historicspanishpoint.org/
December 4 from 6pm to 9pm – Yesterdayze perform for Music on Main! Free concert at Lakewood Ranch. http://www.lakewoodranch.com/musiconmain
December 5, The Bradenton Blues Festival takes place at Riverwalk by the Manatee River in Bradenton. The Line up:
11am to 11:40 – Girls with Guitars
11:55am to 12:55 – Super Chilkan and the Fighting Cocks
1:10pm to 2:10 – Larry Garner
2:25pm to 3:25 – Mike Zito and The Wheel
3:40pm to 4:40 – Joanna Connor
4:55pm to 6:05 – Rick Estrin and the Nightcats
6:20pm to 7:35 – Janiva Magness
In between Acts – In Laymen Terms
http://www.bradentonbluesfestival.org/
December 5 & 6 – Circus Art Classes open to Adult & ages 16 & up… Silks – beginner – $20/class & FLYING TRAPEZE – open level… beginners welcome – open $40/class. Acrobatics, Jugging, wire walking are among the ongoing classes, with varying levels. Call for more information or view online. http://circusarts.org/
Circus Arts Classes, Call (941) 556-5486. SAILOR CIRCUS ARENA located at 2075 Bahia Vista Street Sarasota, FL 34239
December 5 & 6 – Quartetto Gelato “Exotic Flavors” at the Historic Asolo Theatre – presented by the Artist Series Concerts. http://artistseriesconcerts.org/event/quartetto-gelato/all/
December 10 at 8pm – Women of Ireland – Celtic Angels – Christmas themes with a Celtic twist. http://www.vanwezel.org/boxOffice/event.cfm?eveID=1585#.VkzyFG-FNMs
December 11 & 20 from 7pm to 9 – Free Friday Night Concert in Venice at the Gazebo! Lady Katt & The Howlin' Doggs… http://www.venicemainstreet.com/index.php/what-to-do/event-calendar
December 20 at 7:30 – Holiday Brass and Voices at the Asolo. http://artistseriesconcerts.org/event/holiday-brass-and-voices-2015-12-20-2/
Dec 26 to 29 – Sailor Circus Holiday Celebration – Sailor Circus Arena. https://circusarts.secure.force.com/ticket/#details_a0So00000029JuiEAE
December 18 & 19 – Sarasota Ballet presents John Ringling’s Circus Nutcracker at the Van Wezel. https://www.sarasotaballet.org/events/john-ringling%E2%80%99s-circus-nutcracker
December 18 to 30 from 6pm to 9 – Lights in Bloom at Selby. http://selby.org/events/event/lights-in-bloom/
December 23 at 7:30 – Charles Dickens – A Christmas Card at the Van Wezel. http://www.vanwezel.org/boxOffice/event.cfm?eveID=1588#.VkzycW-FNMs
Dec 28 – Moscow Ballet: Great Russian Nutcracker at the Van Wezel. http://www.vanwezel.org/boxOffice/event.cfm?eveID=1463#.VkzrR2-FNMs
Author: Siesta Sand