Season comes with its pros and cons. On one hand, traffic reaches near-apocalyptic conditions, and certain snowbird drivers can ... try your patience. And, depending on your line of work, you might be praying for May, so you can breathe again. But, on the other hand, the number and variety of weekly events is at its prime. We'll take it.
So, if you're brave enough to get behind the wheel this weekend, here are our best bets:
- Ronny Cox, live — takes place at 8 p.m. Friday, Jan. 31, at the Fogartyville Community Media and Arts Center. Ronny Cox, of "Deliverance" fame will perform in Sarasota. Bring your banjo. On second thought, maybe don't ... Cost is $17.
- "This Miserable Kingdom" — takes from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, Jan. 31 at State College of Florida. Steven Katzman's photography exhibit explores the lives of the people of the Pojoaque Pueblo in New Mexico. The Sarasota photographer will host a Q&A at the reception, and the exhibit will run through April 2 in the Fine Art Gallery, 5840 26th St. W., Bradenton.
- The Guy Expo — takes place from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 1, at the Bradenton Area Convention Center. Urology Partners is making it pretty hard to find an excuse not to take care of your health. With a variety of attractions, including Tampa Bay Lightning players, an F-16 flight simulator, poker, a virtual shooting range and much more, you just might forget the focus is on your health.
- TAPE: A play about sexual assault — takes place at 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 1, at the Fogartyville Community Media and Arts Center. SOURCE Productions presents this play, which tells the story of three friends who explore a high-school incident that happened 10 years before, which changed each of their lives. Cost is $12.
- SIRSY — takes place at 9 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 1, at Cock & Bull Pub. Rock duo, SIRSY, brings its big sound to Cock & Bull this Saturday for a free show.
- The Neighborhood Super Bowl Party — takes place at 5 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 2, at the Shamrock Pub. Happy hour specials run throughout the entire game at everyone's favorite local watering hole, featuring beers from Washington and Colorado and food from Lovin' Spoonful. Enjoy the big game at the bar where everyone knows your name.