10 events in '16

Here are 10 events we have circled on our calendars for peak season. Cheers to an eventful 2016!

Historical Society Lecture Program

The Longboat Key Historical Society’s lecture program will feature three speakers.

The series kicks off Jan. 21 with Buddy Powell, who will speak about environmental problems facing manatees and what is being done to protect them.

On Feb. 18, Amara Nash will speak about the Florida Maritime Museum and the history of Cortez Village.

In the final lecture on March 17, Deborah Walk, curator of the Ringling Circus Museum, will speak about the circus and its Sarasota history.

Visit longboatkeyhistory.com.

When: 7 p.m. Thursdays Jan. 21, Feb. 18 and March 17

Where: Christ Church of Longboat Key, Presbyterian, 6400 Gulf of Mexico Drive

Cost: Free

Taste of the Keys and Fashion Show

Food, fashion and fun galore. That's what you'll find at the Taste of the Keys and Fashion Show.

Munch on food from more than 16 restaurants on Longboat and surrounding keys, and watch a fashion show by J.McLaughlin.

This year will feature several Longboat “celebrities” bartending, including Mayor Jack Duncan and author Terry Griffin.

The grand prize of this year’s raffle will be a trip for two to New York Fashion Week.

The Longboat Key Garden Club organizes the event to raise money for environmental grants and scholarships. Former Garden Club scholarship recipients will model.

Tickets are tax-deductible and include unlimited food and two glasses of wine or soft drinks.

For more information, contact Phyllis Black, 383-2567 or [email protected], or Lyn Haycock, [email protected].

When: 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 27

Where: Longboat Key Club Harbourside Dining Room, 3100 Harbourside Drive.

Cost: $50 for admission tickets; $100 for raffle tickets

Save Our Seabirds Sunset Soiree

The fifth annual Sunset Soiree will help Save Our Seabirds continue its mission of helping injured and sick seabirds.

The soiree is one of Save Our Seabirds’ major annual fundraisers and will include dinner, drinks, music and a silent auction.

For reservations, call 388-3010 or visit saveourseabirds.org/events.

When: 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday, March 10

Where: Mote Marine Aquarium, 1600 Ken Thompson Parkway

Cost: $100

St. Mary, Star of the Sea, Catholic Church Royal Rummage Sale

From jewelry to furniture and everything in between, stock up on items at this year’s Royal Rummage Sale.

The sale is organized by the church’s Women’s Guild, and all proceeds benefit local charities.

The event annually draws more than 500 people and raises around $30,000.

A preview sale of the event will cost $5 and will take place from noon to 4 p.m. Friday, March 4.

Call 383-1255.

When: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, March 5

Where: St. Mary, Star of the Sea, Catholic Church, 4280 Gulf of Mexico Drive

Cost: Free

Longboat Key Garden Club Home & Garden Tour

This year’s Home & Garden Tour marks its 40th year and will feature six unique homes from around the Key.

One home this year has recently been redone to resemble a home from the 1950s, and another is the house of a former dancer, who tried to bring elements of the sea into her home.

The event raises money for the Garden Club’s programs and scholarships.

Tickets are tax-deductible and are available at various locations throughout the Key and at each home the day of the event.

When: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, March 5

Where: Various Key homes

Cost: $25

Longboat Key Center for the Arts Community Juried Exhibition

Celebrate local talent at the annual Community Juried Exhibition, which features work from artists in the area.

The exhibition annually features more than 200 pieces of work, including paintings, glasswork, papier-mâché, jewelry and photography.

A private preview will be held at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, March 5. Cost for the preview will be $75 at the door; $65 in advance and for ‘Friends of LBKCA.’

Call 383-2345.

When: 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 9

Where: Longboat Key Center for the Arts, 6860 Longboat Drive S.

Cost: Free

Longboat Key Education Center 30th Anniversary Celebration

The Longboat Key Education Center will celebrate 30 years of operation with an evening at the Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe.

The event will begin with a happy hour and music from Nate Jacobs and His Soul Crooners, Guests will then enjoy a dinner catered by Nancy’s Bar-B-Q and a production of “The Sam Cooke Story.”

Call 383-8811, or email [email protected].

When: 6 p.m. Wednesday, March 16

Where: Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe, 1646 10th Way, Sarasota

Cost: Open seating is $100 for members; $115 for nonmembers. Front-row sponsor seating is $200 for members; $130 for nonmembers.

Lynches St. Patrick’s Day Celebration

Although Lynches Pub & Grub has new owners this year, the restaurant will still continue its tradition of being the area’s biggest St. Patrick’s Day celebration.

The event, which attracts 1,000 visitors annually, will feature bagpipers, Irish dancers and traditional Irish food.

Call 388-5550.

When: Thursday, March 17

Where: Lynches Pub & Grub, 19B N. Blvd. of Presidents

Dinner & A Movie

The second joint fundraising event between Longboat Key Kiwanis Club and Garden Club will feature the movie “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.”

Attendees will be provided with golf carts in this drive-in movie event. There will be a horseshoe-throwing contest, food and prizes.

When: 6:30 p.m. Saturday, April 30

Where: Longboat Key Club Islandside Driving Range, 361 Gulf of Mexico Drive

Cost: $65

Mote’s ‘Otters & Their Waters’

Mote Marine Aquarium’s newest exhibit will educate visitors on North American river otters.

The exhibit will feature unreleasable orphaned otters and follows Mote’s “Oh Baby!” which was supposed to run from February to September but was made permanent due to its popularity. It will open early this year.

Call 388-4441.

When: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. beginning in early 2016

Where: Mote Marine Aquarium 1600 Ken Thompson Parkway

Cost: Included in the cost of a Mote admission ticket