Seasonal Events

Springtime is perhaps one of the best seasons to enjoy all the Bradenton Area has to offer. From fun outdoor events like food and music festivals, to sporting events like baseball spring training, springtime activities are all about getting outside to enjoy the lovely weather. Take advantage of all the Bradenton Area outdoors has to offer with a variety of fun, family-friendly events and activities.

The Hernando De Soto Seafood Festival is widely recognized as one of Florida’s most outstanding events and features a great lineup of entertainment including the best local musicians, as well as nationally-known recording artists.

Pittsburgh Pirates Spring Training can be found at LECOM Park, and is the perfect place to spend an afternoon watching America’s pastime played by some of the best athletes in the world.

The Downtown Bradenton Public Market is a place where the community meets every Saturday – October through May – to enjoy fresh produce, local art, upbeat music, demonstrations by local chefs, and family activities.

The Beach’N Food Truck & Music Festival is a free, family-friendly festival is a celebration of live music from local artists, tasty treats from some of the area’s favorite food trucks, brilliant works of art from local artists and unique crafts.

The Bradenton Gulf Island Concert Series happens through the Spring months all throughout the destination and brings world renown musical talents right to the Bradenton Area's backyard.

Here, summertime means finding the best ways to enjoy gorgeous sunny days and clear, serene nights. Celebrate summer with fireworks, baseball, adrenaline-pumping outdoor adventures, and endless water activities. Make the most of summer with some of the best events and activities the Bradenton Area has to offer.

4^th of July fireworks displays can be enjoyed at a number of different places and celebrations in the Bradenton Area this summer, both on the mainland and out on the islands. Some of the best locations to watch include the Manatee River, LECOM Park, and pretty much any beach on Anna Maria Island.

Adrenaline Row is a one-mile stretch of land with water on both sides offering insanely unique opportunities to thrill-seekers ready for an action-packed, heart-pounding day of fun on the water.

The Bradenton Marauders are Bradenton’s very own minor league baseball team, and can be seen in action LECOM Park.

The Tampa Bay Rays are Tampa Bay’s local pro-baseball team, playing just 30 minutes north of the Bradenton Area in St. Petersburg, making it an easy day trip to enjoy America’s pastime.

As temperatures begin to cool down in the Bradenton Area, the outdoor events and activities heat up. This fall, celebrate the arts, tour a citrus grove, pick pumpkins, sample the local fare at a food fest, enjoy an enchanting symphony on the sand and so much more. Attend a variety of events designed to get you out and about to enjoy fall in the Bradenton Area.

Bayfest Pine Avenue is the longest-running festival on Anna Maria Island, and it's one of the most popular with music, food, arts and crafts.

The Hunsader Pumpkin Festival features live music, entertaining shows, exciting displays of daring stunts and a huge selection of pumpkins of all shapes and sizes.

Symphony on the Sand offers an elegant evening on picturesque Coquina Beach with three hours of fine food and music provided by the 45-piece Anna Maria Island Concert Chorus & Orchestra.

ArtsHop features live music, great food and the chance to experience some of the very best artwork the area has to offer. 

The Mixon Fruit Farms Harvest Festival takes places throughout November and features great food, a health and business fair and a fun crafts fair.

The Festival of the Skeletons Artwalk, inspired by the Day of the Dead, features shrines and altars throughout the Village dedicated to deceased artists, Mexican food, a memorial fence, skeleton crafts, strolling skeletons and more.

The Tampa Bay Lightning are the local NHL ice hockey team, located just a breezy 45 minutes away at Amalie Arena in Tampa. The team plays 41 home games a year, making it easy to catch an ‘electrifying’ game while you’re in the area!

The world champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers are our NFL football team, located about an hour away at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa. Take a day trip to one of their home games and enjoy a drink on their 103-foot, 43-ton steel-and-concrete replica pirate ship!

What our winters lack in snowball fights and sledding they more than make up for with sunny days and fun-filled activities. This winter, enjoy live music, food fests, artistic events, farmer’s markets, a county fair, a race on the river and more. While everyone else is shoveling snow, those in the Bradenton Area will enjoy fun outdoor activities and events all season.

The Bradenton Blues Festival features an outstanding lineup of talented blues musicians as well as local craft beer, delicious specialty food vendors and more.

The Manatee County Fair is a wholesome January tradition packed with a variety of things to see, do and eat.

The Bradenton Area River Regatta has it all—speed, stars, showmanship—in a free spectacle that will have you holding your breath through every heart-pounding moment. 

The Cortez Fishing Festival celebrates the livelihood of Cortez Village, the commercial fishing industry, with great food, fun games and live music.

ArtSlam invites you to engage in the creative process, experience temporary public art, and watch as teams of students and creatives take art out of the classrooms and studios and onto the streets.

The North Pole Express All aboard! The North Pole Express departs every year from the Florida Railroad Museum in Parrish. This jolly ride transports you to a holiday wonderland in the North Pole. Families can enjoy the lights and decorations, unlimited hot chocolate and cookies, a model train display, and arts and crafts, and more. And no visit to the North Pole would be complete without a visit to Santa himself!