89-535: Sarasota Music Festival is an American classical music festival held annually during the month of June in Sarasota, Florida , under the sponsorship of the Sarasota Orchestra . The festival was founded in 1965 by conductor Paul Wolfe, who remained director of the festival through the summer of 2006. After Wolfe's retirement, conductor and composer Robert D. Levin became the festival's director. In 1984 it
178-466: A Bus rapid transit system called MetroRapid that runs from Downtown Tampa to the University of South Florida . On July 1, 2007, an intermodal transportation authority was created to serve the seven-county Tampa Bay area. The Tampa Bay Area Regional Transportation Authority (TBARTA) was formed to develop bus, rapid transit , and other transportation options for the region. The Tampa Bay area
267-576: A Great Florida Birding Trail site, a program of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission . The Tampa Bay Area is home to three major professional sports teams: the Buccaneers (NFL), Rays (MLB), and Lightning (NHL). The Tampa Bay area also hosts a number of minor-league and college teams. Major League Baseball teams have come to the Tampa Bay area for spring training since
356-527: A commission–manager form of government. There are a total of five city commissioners: two that are elected "at large" and three from single-member districts. The mayor and vice mayor are selected from the five city commissioners. Mayors of Sarasota, Florida include: Sarasota has many musical, dance, theatre, circus and other performing arts venues, including the Sarasota Ballet , Sarasota Opera , Asolo Repertory Theatre , Florida Studio Theatre ,
445-426: A humid subtropical climate (Koppen Cfa ) with hot, humid summers, with daily thunderstorms , drier, predominantly sunny winters, and warm-to-hot springs with a pronounced dry season maximum. On average, two days experience frost per year in the cooler parts of the Tampa Bay area, less than annually in the coastal parts. However, hard freezes (low temperatures below 28 °F/−2 °C) are very rare, occurring only
534-406: A bachelor's degree or higher. In 2020, the median household income was $ 56,093 with a per capita income of $ 43,387. 15.6% of the population lived below the poverty threshold . As of the 2010 United States census , there were 51,917 people, 22,775 households, and 11,603 families residing in the city. Sarasota municipal government was incorporated in 1913, changing from a town type to adopting
623-464: A census and birth registration, an area PTA, and a Red Cross Auxiliary. The Sarasota Woman's Club relocated in 1976 and the building became slated for demolition. Marian McKenna, a patron, and supporter of the arts, did not want to see the building and her memories destroyed. She purchased the building and later sold it to Florida Studio Theatre. In 1985, the Sarasota Woman's Club building
712-650: A county government office building. The adjacent courthouse that he donated to the new county in 1921 has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places . The courthouse complex was designed by Dwight James Baum . Tampa Bay area The Tampa Bay area is a major metropolitan area surrounding Tampa Bay on the Gulf Coast of Florida in the United States. It includes the main cities of Tampa , St. Petersburg , and Clearwater . It
801-601: A crime drama starring Denzel Washington and Eva Mendes used the Blackburn Point Bridge , Boca Grande and Cortez . In 2013, Taylor Hackford 's action movie Parker , with Jason Statham , Jennifer Lopez , Nick Nolte had scenes filmed at Ca' d'Zan in Sarasota. In June 2017, director Kevin Smith shot his 2022 film, KillRoy Was Here , in Sarasota. Sarasota is home to Mote Marine Laboratory ,
890-609: A few times in the last 75 years. The United States Department of Agriculture designates the area as being in hardiness zones 9b and 10a . Coastal parts of the Tampa Bay area closely border a tropical savanna climate ( As ) with many tropical microclimates due to maritime influences of the Gulf of Mexico and the 400-square-mile Tampa Bay . Plant climate-indicator species such as coconut palms and royal palms , as well as other elements of south Florida's native tropical flora, reach their northern limits of reliable culture and native range in
979-763: A marine rescue, research facility, an aquarium, the Marie Selby Botanical Gardens , the Sarasota Jungle Gardens and the Big Cat Habitat & Gulf Coast Sanctuary. Since 1998, the city has hosted the Sarasota Film Festival annually. The festival attracts independent films from around the world. It claims to be one of Florida's largest film festivals. In 2009 the annual Ringling International Arts Festival , held its premier and held its closing event in
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#17327919602341068-535: A myriad of targeted uses including drug delivery, mechanized microsurgery, customized laser microchips , ways to turn sunlight into electricity , purifying water, storing hydrogen in small nanotubes, designing and developing marine sensors using microelectromechanical systems ( MEMS ) and curing cancer . University of Tampa is located in Downtown Tampa, Florida on the Hillsborough River and
1157-584: A partnership between the University of South Florida , University of Central Florida and now including the University of Florida , the Florida High Tech Corridor promotes the growth of the high-tech industry across Central Florida . Academic research is a key component of high-tech growth and a powerful economic engine. The presence of cutting-edge research in the region is vital to technology transfer, which enables innovative ideas discovered in academia to achieve commercialization in
1246-422: A population of 54,842, up from 51,917 at the 2010 census. The Sarasota city limits contain several islands, called keys, including Lido Key , St. Armands Key , Otter Key, Coon Key, Bird Key , and the northern portion of Siesta Key as well as Bay Island. Longboat Key is the largest key separating Sarasota Bay from the Gulf of Mexico but is a separate municipality. The city limits expanded significantly with
1335-735: A professional basketball team. The Orlando Magic are the closest NBA team to the area, 85 miles east. The Toronto Raptors made Tampa their temporary home prior to the 2020–21 NBA season during the COVID-19 pandemic , necessitated by restrictions on travel between Canada and the United States that were in effect. Their "home" games were played at Amalie Arena . The Tampa Bay area had several teams in minor basketball leagues. The Tampa Bay Titans played in The Basketball League (TBL) from 2019-2022. Their home games were played at Pasco–Hernando State College . The St. Pete Tide and
1424-660: A series of public concerts at the Sarasota Opera House and the Beatrice Friedman Symphony Center throughout the month of June. Some of the faculty artists, such as violinist and conductor Joseph Silverstein , have been faculty members at the festival for decades. Former students at the festival who have since become faculty artists include violist Robert Vernon , violinist Ani Kavafian , oboist Allan Vogel , bassoonist Nancy Goeres , and cellist Timothy Eddy , among others. Students at
1513-728: A small town just South of Sarasota. The name Sarasota Chalk Festival remains the same. It is also home to the Fabulous Arts Foundation, formerly the Harvey Milk Festival, an independent music festival in support of civil rights , focusing on the LGBTQ community. It has been celebrated in May annually since 2010 on the weekend closest to Harvey Milk 's birthday. It is currently the largest independent music festival in Sarasota , with thousands of attendees throughout
1602-448: A smaller peninsula jutting out into Tampa Bay. This proximity to large bodies of water both moderates local temperatures and introduces large amounts of humidity into the atmosphere. In general, the communities farthest from the coast have more extreme temperature differences, both during a single day and throughout the seasons of the year. As of July 1, 2019, the largest employers within the Tampa Bay area are: Nearly one in four of
1691-471: A theater that could be adapted for either vaudeville performances or movie screenings. Renowned stripper Sally Rand did her bubble bath and fan dance here. Tommy Dorsey , Will Rogers and Elvis Presley each performed at the Edward Theatre. It is now the Sarasota Opera House . It remains at the intersection of Pineapple Avenue and Second Street, having been restored and used for performances by
1780-492: Is a historic university linked back to Teddy Roosevelt. In 2008 the area's construction based boom was brought to a sudden halt by the financial crisis of 2007–2010 , and by 2009 it was ranked as the fourth worst performing housing market in the United States. Changes in house prices for the area are publicly tracked on a regular basis using the Case–Shiller index ; the statistic is published by Standard & Poor's and
1869-423: Is also a component of S&P's 20-city composite index of the value of the U.S. residential real estate market. The University of South Florida 's Center for Ocean Technology, which has been a leader in microelectromechanical systems research and development and has been using the technology to collect biological and chemical data to monitor water quality , provided underwater technology for port security at
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#17327919602341958-600: Is disputed, with some claiming that it is based on conquistador Hernando de Soto's daughter Sara, and others claiming that it comes from "sara-de-cota," meaning "an area of land easily observed" in the language of the Calusa indigenous tribe. Around 1883 to 1885, The Florida Mortgage and Investment Company of Edinburgh bought 60,000 acres for development in what is now Sarasota. Many Scottish people began to arrive in Sarasota in December 1885. The municipal government of Sarasota
2047-680: Is home to several institutions of higher learning, including the main campus of the University of South Florida in Tampa and its satellite campuses in St. Petersburg and Sarasota . Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, the University of Tampa , Florida College in Temple Terrace , Trinity College in New Port Richey, and New College of Florida in Sarasota all four-year institutions located in
2136-736: Is home to the 6th Air Mobility Wing (6 AMW) of the Air Mobility Command (AMC) and the 927th Air Refueling Wing (927 ARW) of the Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC). Both wings share flight operations of a fleet of KC-135R Stratotanker aircraft and the 6 AMW also operates a fleet of C-37A Gulfstream V aircraft. MacDill AFB also hosts multiple tenant organizations, to include two major combatant commands: United States Central Command (USCENTCOM), which directs military operations in Afghanistan , Iraq , and
2225-587: Is located in Riverview . Hillsborough Community College , St. Petersburg College , Polk State College , Pasco-Hernando State College , and State College of Florida are community colleges serving the area. The Tampa Bay area is home several art museums. Long established communities, particularly those near the bay such as Cuban influenced Ybor City , Old Northeast in St. Petersburg, and Palma Ceia and Hyde Park in Tampa contain historic architecture. Fresh seafood and locally grown produce are available in
2314-676: Is located in Southwest Florida , the southern end of the Greater Tampa Bay Area , and north of Fort Myers and Punta Gorda. Its official limits include Sarasota Bay and several barrier islands between the bay and the Gulf of Mexico . Sarasota is a principal city of the North Port- Bradenton- Sarasota, FL Metropolitan Statistical Area . According to the 2020 U.S. census , Sarasota had
2403-604: Is located in Sarasota. The Circus Ring of Fame is a series of commemorative plaques in St. Armand's Circle , honoring prominent figures in circus history, similar to the Hollywood Walk of Fame . Honorees include Paul Binder , Nik Wallenda , and the King Charles Troupe , among over 150 others. Residents of Sarasota that have been associated with the circus include daredevil and Guinness World Record holder Bello Nock , himself an honoree of
2492-484: Is located on the site of the former Coast Guard Air Station St. Petersburg at Albert Whitted Airport . It is home to Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg and is homeport for the USCGC Resolute (WMEC 620), USCGC Venturous (WMEC 625), and numerous smaller cutters and patrol boats. Primary and secondary education is provided by the school districts of the individual counties making up the region. The area
2581-630: Is one of the largest and most active jazz clubs in the United States and has promoted jazz events in Sarasota for 39 years. Elvis Presley , Tommy Dorsey and Gregg Allman each played concerts in Sarasota. Joe Perry of Aerosmith , Brian Johnson of AC/DC , Dickey Betts of the Allman Brothers Band , Donald Dunn of the Blues Brothers and Graeme Edge of the Moody Blues have all settled in Sarasota. Sarasota and
2670-791: Is provided in Hillsborough County by Hillsborough Area Regional Transit (HART), in Pinellas County by Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA), in Pasco County by Pasco County Public Transportation and in Hernando County by THE Bus . HART and PSTA provide express services between Tampa and Pinellas County, and PSTA provides connections to Pasco County. HART also operates the TECO streetcar between Downtown Tampa and Ybor City . In 2013, HART also began operating
2759-636: Is served by these interstate highways. Hillsborough County is also served by other roadways such as the Lee Roy Selmon Expressway (SR 618) which commutes workers from Brandon into downtown Tampa and the Veterans Expressway / Suncoast Parkway (SR 589) which serves traffic from the Citrus /Hernando County border southward into Tampa. Both of these highways, which are built to limited access freeway standards, are toll roads as
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2848-470: Is the 17th-largest metropolitan area in the United States , with a population of 3,175,275 as of the 2020 U.S. Census . The exact boundaries of the metro area can differ in different contexts. Hillsborough County and Pinellas County (including the cities of Tampa , St. Petersburg , Clearwater , and various smaller communities) make up the most limited definition. This area includes most of
2937-581: Is the connecting junction between the Selmon Expressway and Interstate 4. In Pinellas County, U.S. 19 is the main north–south route through the county, and is being upgraded to freeway standards complete with frontage roads to ease congestion through the north part of the county. Also, the Bayside Bridge allows traffic to go from Clearwater into St. Petersburg without having to use U.S. 19. The Courtney Campbell Causeway (SR 60)
3026-552: Is the largest MSA in the United States not to belong to one. Other definitions of the Tampa Bay area include: This wider area may also be known as West Central Florida as part of Central Florida . When the Spanish first arrived in the area of Tampa Bay, they encountered people of the Safety Harbor culture . About 20 sites with temple mounds have been found around Tampa Bay, with several in Pinellas County. Best known of
3115-452: Is water. The Gulf Intracoastal Waterway is the name given to the many natural deep water sections as well as humanmade channels, canals, and cuts that link the entire Sarasota Bay system. As of the 2020 United States census , there were 54,842 people, 25,209 households, and 12,474 families residing in the city. Of that population in 2020, 3.9% were under 5 years old, 14.6% were under 18 years old, and 28.0% were 65 years and older. 52.5% of
3204-520: The Bauhaus and Frank Lloyd Wright 's "organic" architecture. The style developed as an adaptation to the area's sub-tropical climate and used newly emerging materials that were manufactured or implemented following World War II. By the end of the twentieth century, many of Sarasota's more modest historical structures were demolished. Recently, two historic buildings, the Crocker Church and
3293-459: The Chicago Cubs trained at Tampa's Plant Field in 1913 and the St. Louis Browns trained at St. Petersburg's Coffee Pot Park in 1914. Grapefruit League games are still a favorite pastime for both residents and tourists alike every March. The following five Major League Baseball teams play spring training games in the Tampa Bay area: Minor League baseball has also been a constant in
3382-683: The Circus Museum and the Tibbals Learning Center , established in 1948. Sarasota is also home to The Circus Arts Conservatory, which is responsible for the tent show Circus Sarasota and the "oldest youth circus", Sailor Circus. In 2017, The Circus Arts Conservatory took part in the Smithsonian Folk Festival. The Showfolks Club, a social organization that also puts on an annual circus performance billed as "Sarasota’s longest running circus event",
3471-795: The Cleveland Orchestra , the Chicago Symphony , the Philadelphia Orchestra , the Boston Symphony Orchestra , and the Los Angeles Philharmonic . Likewise, former festival students are now on the faculty at most of the major conservatories and music schools throughout the United States. Each year the festival hires roughly 40 guest artists to not only provide training to the students at the festival but also to perform in
3560-787: The Juilliard School in New York City , the Shepherd School of Music of Rice University , and the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York . However, less than 60 students are chosen to participate in the program each year. Since the festival's debut 45 years ago, dozens of former festival students have gone on to join such prestigious American orchestras as the New York Philharmonic ,
3649-640: The Sarasota Opera and others. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places . In the early 1950s, the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art purchased a historic Italian theater, the "Asolo" (now called the Historic Asolo Theater). This theatre was originally built for Queen Caterina of Cyprus' palace in Asolo, Italy in 1798 but was dismantled in 1931. A. Everett "Chick" Austin,
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3738-418: The festival are also given the opportunity to perform for the public as part of the festival's orchestra and in chamber music concerts. 27°20′35″N 82°32′54″W / 27.343096°N 82.548420°W / 27.343096; -82.548420 Sarasota, Florida Sarasota ( / ˌ s ær ə ˈ s oʊ t ə / ) is a city in and the county seat of Sarasota County, Florida , United States. It
3827-543: The "Going Vertical" project, and although it sometimes coincides with the chalk festival, it is distinct from it and often continues throughout the year. Except for a few commissioned on public property in the Palm Avenue Parking Garage, the murals are on private property and are in many sections of Sarasota and Manatee County. As of 2014 the Sarasota Chalk festival has relocated to Venice, FL,
3916-466: The 2000 U.S. Census, the Tampa–St. Petersburg–Clearwater MSA consists of the following ethnic demographics: The Tampa Bay area is located along Tampa Bay which it is named for. Pinellas County and St. Petersburg, Florida lies on a peninsula between Tampa Bay and the Gulf of Mexico , and much of the city of Tampa, Florida lies on a smaller peninsula jutting out into Tampa Bay. The Tampa Bay area has
4005-456: The 2004 Republican National Convention . USF's Center for Robot-Assisted Search and Rescue used its miniature robots to assist rescue teams at Ground Zero following the September 11 terrorist attacks . Tampa Bay is also the location of three major military installations, MacDill Air Force Base , Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater and Coast Guard Station St. Petersburg . MacDill AFB
4094-644: The Bidwell-Wood House (the oldest remaining structure in the city), first restored by Veronica Morgan and members of the Sarasota Alliance for Historic Preservation that she founded, became city property. These structures were relocated to this park, despite protests from residents who objected to the loss of park area. In the late 1970s, Sarasota County purchased the Terrace Hotel that Charles Ringling built and renovated it for use as
4183-740: The Circus Ring of Fame, as well as aerialist and circus proprietor Dolly Jacobs , who cofounded The Circus Arts Conservatory. In 1952, Cecil B. DeMille filmed and premiered The Greatest Show on Earth (with James Stewart , Charlton Heston , Betty Hutton ) in Sarasota. In 1998, two studio films were filmed in Sarasota: Alfonso Cuaron 's Great Expectations , with Ethan Hawke , Gwyneth Paltrow , Hank Azaria , Anne Bancroft and Robert De Niro ; and Volker Schlondorff 's Palmetto , starring Woody Harrelson , Elisabeth Shue , and Gina Gershon . Out of Time (2003),
4272-653: The Cultural Coast are home to fine art, film-making, circus history and performance, and decorative arts. The Sarasota Art Museum and the Ringling Museum are both in Sarasota. One of Sarasota's nicknames is "Circus City", or alternatively "The Circus Capital of the World", owing in part to John Ringling's decision to move the winter quarters of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus to Sarasota in 1927. The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art houses
4361-767: The Middle East; and United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM), which has responsibility for all special operations forces in the U.S. Armed Forces. CGAS Clearwater is located at the St. Petersburg–Clearwater International Airport . It is the largest air station in the United States Coast Guard , operating HC-130H Hercules aircraft and MH-60T Jayhawk helicopters with principal missions focused on search and rescue, counternarcotics interdiction, and homeland security. The HC-130 aircraft are slated to be replaced by new HC-27J Spartan aircraft beginning in 2017. Coast Guard Station St. Petersburg
4450-431: The Palm Tree Playhouse in 1951. The Playhouse closed again in the 1960s. In the mid-1970s, Asolo Theatre purchased the space for production purposes and their Stage Two Theatre program. It was subsequently sold to Anita Katzman and reoccupied by Siesta Key Actors Theatre and Theatre Works in the 1980s. The building was acquired by Florida Studio Theatre and renamed the Gompertz Theatre in honor of Mrs. Leila Gompertz, who made
4539-462: The Players Centre for Performing Arts, Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe, Urbanite Theatre, Sarasota Contemporary Dance, Sarasota Orchestra, La Musica, Jazz Club of Sarasota, Sarasota Youth Opera, Circus Arts Conservatory and many others. Theatrical venues include Florida Studio Theatre , Asolo Repertory Theatre , Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall , The Players Theatre, Urbanite Theatre, and the Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe. In 1925, A. B. Edwards built
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#17327919602344628-411: The Safety Harbor people was the chiefdom of Tocobaga , which was likely located at the Safety Harbor site in Philippe Park in northern Pinellas County. The population of the Tampa Bay MSA is 3,175,275 people as of the 2020 United States census . The Office of Management and Budget now divides the MSA into the Tampa Metropolitan Division, consisting of Hillsborough, Pasco and Hernando counties, and
4717-434: The Saint Petersburg-Clearwater-Largo Metropolitan Division, consisting of Pinellas County. The following is a list of important cities and unincorporated communities , including census-designated places (CDPs), located in the Tampa–St. Petersburg–Clearwater MSA based on the 2010 U.S. Census : Incorporated municipalities and Census-designated places in the Tampa Bay area with more than 10,000 population. According to
4806-459: The Sarasota Woman's Club, is amongst the oldest surviving buildings in Sarasota. Founded in 1903, the Sarasota Woman's Club eventually set out to create a meeting place to house social events, activities, and forums. On January 1, 1915, the cornerstone was laid at the corner of Palm Avenue and Park Street (now Cocoanut). It served as the town's first library and hosted numerous clubs and public committee gatherings. The Woman's Club also maintained
4895-498: The Tampa Bay area for over a century. The Tampa Smokers , St. Petersburg Saints , Lakeland Highlanders , and Bradenton Growers were charter members of the original Florida State League , which began play in 1919 and is now a Class A league. Current local teams of the FSL include: The area is also home to several affiliates of the Florida Complex League , a rookie league in which young players gain their first experience in professional baseball. The Tampa Bay area does not have
4984-421: The Tampa Bay bayfront, aside from the far southern portion which lies in Manatee County . The U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) defines the Tampa–St. Petersburg–Clearwater Metropolitan Statistical Area ( MSA ) as including Hillsborough and Pinellas Counties as well as Hernando and Pasco Counties to the north; and it is the 18th-most populous MSA in the country. The MSA was first defined in 1950 as
5073-408: The Tampa Bay has an abundance of top-rated health care facilities for children and adults. The region also has a wealth of well-trained medical professionals—nearly 53,000 nurses and more than 9,200 physicians (including physician assistants)—provide care to Tampa Bay residents and visitors every year. Tampa Bay serves as the gateway to the Florida High Tech Corridor which spans 23 counties. Created as
5162-438: The Tampa Gunners played in the Florida Basketball Association (FBA). The Tide's home games were played at St. Petersburg Catholic High School , and the Gunners were a travel team. Tampa International Airport is the largest airport in the region. In addition, St. Pete–Clearwater International Airport and Sarasota–Bradenton International Airport provide access to commercial airliners , and smaller charter craft. Throughout
5251-467: The Tampa-St. Petersburg, Florida Standard Metropolitan Area, and included Hillsborough and Pinellas counties. Pasco County was added to the MSA in 1973. In 1983, Hernando County was added to the MSA and Clearwater was added to the MSA name. The OMB has designated Tampa, St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Largo , and Pinellas Park as the principal cities of the MSA. Unlike most large metropolitan areas, Tampa does not belong to any combined statistical area and
5340-522: The United States of America. Celebrating the sixteenth-century performance art of Italian street painting, the festival hosted Maestro Madonnaro Edgar Mueller from Germany, who created the first street painting that changed images from day to night. The festival has a different theme each year and has introduced new techniques in street art. Other applications of street art such as murals and "cellograff graffiti" have become companion events also produced by Avenida de Colores, Inc. The murals are part of
5429-409: The airport, fire departments, property and ad valorem taxes, voting, the health department, extension services, stormwater control, mosquito control, the courts, and the jail. The municipal government of Sarasota was established when it was incorporated as a town on October 14, 1902. Sarasota was then reincorporated as a city on May 13, 1913. Since its incorporation, Sarasota has been governed by
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#17327919602345518-444: The area are general aviation airports. Amtrak provides passenger rail service from Union Station in Tampa. CSX provides freight rail service for the region. The Cross-Bay Ferry has connected Tampa's Channelside District to Downtown St. Petersburg since 2016. The Pirate Water Taxi, also operating since 2016, has several stops along the waterways in the vicinity of Tampa's downtown area and Channelside District. Bus service
5607-419: The area. Highs usually range between 65 and 95 °F (18 and 35 °C) year-round. Tampa's official high has never reached 100 °F (38 °C)—the all-time record high temperature is 99 °F (37 °C). St. Petersburg's all-time record high is exactly 100 °F (38 °C). Pinellas County lies on a peninsula between Tampa Bay and the Gulf of Mexico , and much of the city of Tampa lies on
5696-406: The area. Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University and Troy University also maintain satellite education centers at MacDill AFB. Nova Southeastern University also has a regional campus in Clearwater . There are two law schools in the area, Stetson University College of Law and Thomas M. Cooley Law School. Stetson University has campuses in Gulfport and Tampa , while Thomas M. Cooley Law school
5785-403: The beaches all along the coast all attract a vibrant nightlife. Hillsborough River State Park in Thonotosassa is one of Florida's eight original state parks, and Honeymoon Island State Park , near Dunedin, is Florida's most visited state park. Pinellas County is home to the Pinellas Trail , a 37-mile rail trail connecting Tarpon Springs to St. Petersburg. Skyway Fishing Pier State Park ,
5874-454: The beaches in this area, Fort De Soto's North Beach (2005), Caladesi Island (2008), and Sarasota's Siesta Key (2011) have been named by Dr. Beach as America's Top Beach. The 15th IIFA Awards would be held at Tampa Bay Area in April 2014. Sports attractions, in addition to the teams listed below, include professional quality golf courses, tennis courts, and pools. Ybor and the Channel District in Tampa, downtown St. Petersburg, and
5963-448: The ceremonial positions of "mayor" and "vice-mayor", as chosen by the commission every April. Two at-large commissioners are elected by all voters and the city is divided into three districts for which the residents of each elect one district representative to the five member commission. Many aspects of the city are overseen by the county government ranging from the schools, the libraries, the bay, major waterways, county-designated roads,
6052-465: The city type of local government found in the United States and the title of its government changed to "City of Sarasota". Sarasota later was designated as the county seat when Sarasota County was carved out of Manatee County in 1921 during the creation of several new counties . In 1945 the commission-manager government form was adopted for the city and it is governed by a five-person commission elected by popular vote, two members of which serve in
6141-406: The country and worldwide. The Festival has become a destination event, drawing thousands across Florida and beyond. Past performers have come from as far as Mexico, Canada, Spain, France, and the United Kingdom to perform on Florida's Gulf Coast. In 2010, the Sarasota Chalk Festival that is held yearly in the historic area of Burns Square became the first international street painting festival in
6230-459: The economic impact of the cultural institutions in the Tampa Bay area was $ 521.3 million, according to a PricewaterhouseCoopers study. In 2004, 5.6 million people attended plays, musical performances, museum exhibits, and other cultural institutions in Tampa Bay, supporting 7,800 jobs. The Tampa Bay area is noted for its beaches, with the warm, blue gulf waters and nearly 70 miles of barrier islands from North Pinellas south to Venice . Three of
6319-416: The festival was designated by the Florida state legislature as the "Official Teaching and Performing Festival of the State of Florida". Every year the festival receives hundreds of applications from students in America's best music schools, such as the Colburn School of Music in Los Angeles , the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia , the New England Conservatory , the Oberlin Conservatory in Ohio,
6408-562: The free, public, multi-day event that also includes gallery showings, film, and other live performances. A large number of homes and buildings are designed in the Italian style. Italian architecture and culture are present in the area including at the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art. Ringling's home, Cà d'Zan , was mostly modeled on the Venetian. Examples of those more typically seen in
6497-475: The historic Asolo theater, which had been moved and rebuilt again. The historic Venetian theater now is housed in the reception building for the museum where it is used for special events as well as performances, informative purposes, and another seasonal film series hosted by the museum. Florida Studio Theatre produces the annual Sarasota Improv Festival. Founded in 2009 by Rebecca Hopkins, FST's annual Sarasota Improv Festival brings together improvisers from across
6586-582: The lead gift enabling the purchase. Sarasota is the home of the Sarasota Orchestra , which was founded by Ruth Cotton Butler in 1949 and known for years as the Florida West Coast Symphony . It holds a three-week Sarasota Music Festival that is recognized internationally and boasts it attracts renowned teachers and the finest students of chamber music. Sarasota also boasts a symphonic chorus, Key Chorale, and professional vocal ensemble, Choral Artists of Sarasota. The Jazz Club of Sarasota
6675-507: The marketplace. Tampa Bay has several powerhouse research centers that are engaged in both pure scientific research and aggressively pursuing technology transfer to enrich people's lives. Researchers at the University of South Florida 's Nanomaterials and Nanomanufacturing Research Center (NNRC), H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and the Center for Ocean Technology at USF's College of Marine Science are researching how to use nanotechnology for
6764-656: The museum's first director, arranged the purchase and reassembly of the theater for performances of plays and opera. In the 1960s philanthropists Lewis and Eugenia Van Wezel enabled the city to build a performing arts hall on the bayfront. The auditorium, the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall , was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright 's successor firm, Taliesin Associated Architects team under the direction of William Wesley Peters . Wright's widow, Olgivanna Lloyd Wright , who participated in
6853-425: The population were female persons. As of 2020, 4,056 veterans lived in the city and 16.7% of the population were foreign born persons. In 2020, the median gross rent was $ 1,177. 92.5% of the households had a computer and 84.2% of the households had a broadband internet subscription. In 2020, 90.0% of the population over 25 years had completed a high school education, and 37.2% of the population over 25 years had
6942-577: The project, selected its purple color. In 1989, Stuart Barger, a local architect, designed and oversaw the construction of another Asolo Theater, housed in the Florida State University Center for the Performing Arts . It is a multi-theater complex, located farther east on the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art property, being placed between Bay Shore Road and Tamiami Trail, and facing south toward Ringling Plaza. It
7031-407: The real estate rush of the early twentieth century, reaching almost 70 square miles (180 km ). The speculation boom began to crash in 1926 and the city limits began to contract, shrinking to less than a quarter of that area. The area known today as Sarasota appeared on a sheepskin Spanish map from 1763 with the word Zarazote over present-day Sarasota and Bradenton . The origin of the name
7120-455: The region's restaurants and farmers' markets . Yuengling , the largest American-owned brewer, operates a brewery in Tampa, as does craft brewer Cigar City Brewing . The area is also known for its influence on heavy metal music , specifically death metal . Within both the Florida death metal scene and broader genre Tampa Bay became known as the "capital of death metal." In a single year,
7209-567: The remnants of the approaches to the original Sunshine Skyway Bridge , forms the world's largest fishing pier in Pinellas and Manatee counties. The shallow waters and mangrove islands of the bay and gulf make the area popular with kayakers . The gulf is also home to natural and artificial coral reefs that are popular for fishing and scuba diving . Away from the coast, Circle B Bar Reserve in Lakeland ( Polk county) has been designated as
7298-530: The same style are the residences of Edith Ringling and of Hester Ringling Lancaster Sanford, that also are among the structures in the Caples–Ringling Estates Historic District . Italian inspired statues are also common and the copy of Michelangelo's David at the museum is used as the symbol of Sarasota. The Sarasota School of Architecture developed as a variant of mid-century modernist architecture. It incorporates elements of both
7387-538: The state's business and information services firms resides in Tampa Bay. These firms range from financial services firms to information technology providers to professional services organizations such as law firms , accounting firms, engineering firms, consulting and more. As a gateway to the Florida High Tech Corridor, Tampa Bay is home to many information technology firms along with many business services providers. Financial services firms: With more than 50 hospitals, dozens of clinics and ambulatory care centers,
7476-415: The summer regularly push the heat index over 100 °F (38 °C). There are distinct rainy and dry seasons, with the rainy season lasting from March to November and the dry season from December to February. According to the U.S. Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 24.08 square miles (62.4 km ), of which 14.70 sq mi (38.07 km ) is land and 9.39 sq mi (24.3 km )
7565-694: Was added to the National Register of Historic Places. After completing more renovations to the historic building in 2003, the theatre was renamed the Keating Theatre in honor of Ed and Elaine Keating, and in 2004, additional lobby space was built in the theatre - the Bea Friedman Room. FST's Keating Theatre now seats 173 and remains a cultural center of Sarasota. In 2003, FST purchased the Gompertz Theatre. The building
7654-672: Was built around a rococo , historic Scottish theater previously called the Dunfermline Opera House , which had been shipped to Florida. The complex provides venues and facilities for students of Florida State University 's MFA Acting program, the FSU/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training . This was the administrative home of the Sarasota French Film Festival for several years. Florida Studio Theatre 's Keating Theatre, formerly
7743-925: Was designated by the Florida State Legislature as the "Official Teaching and Performing Festival of the State of Florida." In 2016 Jeffrey Kahane was appointed the festival's Music Director. Like the Aspen Music Festival and School and the Tanglewood Music Festival , the Sarasota Music Festival not only presents concerts by established artists but also consists of a summer music academy in which emerging professional musicians participate in performances, master classes and workshops designed to provide an intense training and networking experience. In 1984
7832-414: Was established when it was incorporated as a town on October 14, 1902. John Hamilton Gillespie was the first Mayor of the town government. When reincorporated with a city form of government on May 13, 1913, A. B. Edwards became the first mayor of the city government. Sarasota has a humid subtropical climate with hot, humid summers and cooler, milder winters. The high temperatures and high humidity in
7921-740: Was originally the Park-Seventh Movie House in the 1920s. Due to the Depression, the movie house shut its doors and became an empty venue. During its predominantly vacant period in the 1940s, the theatre hosted a variety of roadshows and performers, including Tom Mix and his Wonder Horse and the All Girls' Orchestra. During this time it was known as the Garden Theater, and later the Art Theater, before becoming known as
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