Sarasota Seafood & Music Festival

*FREE TO ATTEND*

Time to get back outdoors and enjoy a weekend of pure relaxation full of great food and wonderful live music. January 26th-28th, 2024 in JD Hamel Park – the 8th annual Sarasota Seafood & Music Festival. Fun, food, festivities and relaxation begin Friday evening 4-10pm, continuing Saturday 11-10 and Sunday 11-6. The event is produced by Paragon Festivals, hosted by the Downtown Sarasota Enrichment Association with the Humane Society of Sarasota County the event’s Special Guest. General admission is FREE!!!

This seafood & music festival is created like a great meal, incorporating and blending the finest ingredients. Choose entrees (seafood, meat and vegetarian) cooked fresh onsite. Select from a diversity of side dishes, alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks and of course – scrumptious desserts!

Relax to live musical performances by some of Florida’s top musical talents in such genres as R&B, blues, jazz, rock, soul and more. Scheduled performances last year were from Christal Shawanda, Dirty Byrd, Kara Nally, Randy Stephens & the Grove Makers, Kettle of fish, Twinkle, K-Luv and United Funk Foundation, One Night Radio, Sarasota Steel Pan Band, JP Soars & The Red Hots, and Gas House Gorilla.

The final ‘seasoning’ to the event is a marketplace of arts and crafts (e.g., painting, jewelry, ceramics, woodworking) along with gourmet food items and specialty products. Enjoy shopping during the breaks between band performances!

There you have it. What is there not to love!!! Treat yourself to fun and relaxation. We will lay the feast – do come enjoy!

No outside food or drinks permitted.

Driving Directions:
GPS Address: JD Hamel Park, Gulfstream and Main Street, Sarasota, FL

Driving Directions

1) from St. Armands Circle: take John Ringling Blvd (SR-789) across Rt. 41 to the intersection of Cocoanut and Gulfstream (~4 minutes / 2.33 miles). The seafood & music festival is directly ahead of you starting at Main Street.

2) from North or South of downtown Sarasota: take Rt. 41 toward Marina Plaza/Main Street. Turn east on Main Street and continue to Gulfstream. The seafood & music festival is on your right.

Parking Information:
The Palm Avenue Garage (1289 Palm Avenue)

Garage parking is available at the award-winning Palm Avenue Garage, located one block from Main Street on North Palm Avenue, only steps away from Five Points intersection in downtown Sarasota. The Palm Avenue Garage is a newly designed and LEED Certified facility utilizing the latest technology in equipment and design. The garage has spaces for 729 vehicles with handicap parking located on each floor close to the elevators. The city provides four reserved electric car-charging stations on the ground floor. The Palm Avenue parking garage is a perfect location to park short- or long-term visits to downtown Sarasota.

State Street Garage (1538 State Street)

The parking garage bi-lateral entrance and exit points will provide excellent access from both State Street and Ringling Blvd. Parking spaces are located on levels 2 through 6, with motorcycle, bicycle and handicap van access on the ground floor. With downtown parking demands so high, parking time limits will ensure there is always a parking space available in either the 2-hour parking “shopper zone”, or the 4-hour time restricted area on levels 4 through 6.

2nd Street Garage (1400 Block of 2nd Street)

The 2nd Street Garage is located between First and Second streets, directly across from Whole Foods. Ground floor parking is intended for customers of Whole Foods, while the second and third levels of the garage are open to the public (except where posted). The public parking access ramp is located on Second Street, near the corner of Central Avenue. There are time restrictions in the facility that are monitored by the City Parking Division and for which citations are issued for time violations. The time restrictions are as follows:

Ground level: 2 hours Levels 2 and 3: 4 hours