What was here before the restaurants and condos and Airbnbs? Lots! There’s 50 centuries of history on our site and throughout the Sarasota region, and what came before made us who we are today. Explore our area’s background and we promise it won’t be like school. It’ll be a walk in the park for both you and your family.
A History Day in the Park event will bring the past to life on March 25 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Phillippi Estate Park, 5500 S. Tamiami Trail. Enjoy exhibits in both the mansion and outdoors.
Fifteen minutes after each hour, enjoy 15-minute history snippets by author Richard Cronin in the exhibits area.
The scheduled speakers and performers:
11 a.m. – Kelly Caldwell of Caldwell Trust Company: “The Way it’s Meant to Be” (in the mansion).
1 p.m. – Ronald Kashden and Lorrie Muldowney: “Past, Present, and Future of the Van Wezel” (in the mansion).
1 p.m. – Sarasota Concert Band (in the farmhouse lawn).
1:30 pm – ChuckO the Clown/ Children’s Circle
2 p.m. – Tony Souza, “Ins & Outs of Historic Preservation” (in the mansion).
2 p.m. – Bill Schustik, America’s Troubadour and VGO (at the farmhouse porch).
3 p.m. – Brian Leaver on restoring an 1874 Sarasota house (in the mansion).
4 p.m. – Erin DiFazio, “Preservation’s Power Tool” (in the mansion).
Author: Siesta Sand