- April 4, 2025
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Lakewood Ranch resident Lesalynn Richardson gets a closer look at a manatee skull.
Photo by Lesley DwyerBradenton resident Bradli Dauteuil takes a look at her "Finding Nemo" face painting.
Photo by Lesley DwyerLakewood Ranch resident Frances Kozma does a headstand with a little help from her dad, Abe.
Photo by Lesley DwyerGrace Church members Paula Case, Peter Petrovich, Sue and Charlie Morse, Grace Makowske and Wyatt Williams. The church is an event sponsor.
Photo by Lesley DwyerBounce houses entertained the kids before the movie started.
Photo by Lesley DwyerBradenton resident Anthony Farias lasts nine seconds on the bull.
Photo by Lesley DwyerFamilies settle in for movie night at Waterside Place.
Photo by Lesley DwyerCartwheels keep the kids busy before the movie starts.
Photo by Lesley DwyerPalmer Ranch resident Kyle Tomlin eats cotton candy before checking out the Mote exhibit.
Photo by Lesley DwyerBenjamin Craig ends up double-fisted with ice pops after his kids didn't like the strawberry cheesecake flavor.
Photo by Lesley DwyerSarasota resident Liam Rielmann enjoys a coconut cream ice pop.
Photo by Lesley DwyerStella Marek, Mason Miller and Stevie Martinez use the buddy system to walk around the park.
Photo by Lesley Dwyer"Finding Nemo" plays at Waterside Park for "Movie in the Park."
Photo by Lesley DwyerIt might be summer, but Waterside Place just keeps swimming along with events. “Finding Nemo” played on the big screen for a big crowd on Friday night.
“It’s a good turnout tonight,” said Peter Petrovich of Grace Church, which is a sponsor of the event. “But in the winter, we’d have twice this many people.”
The event, which also is a mini carnival, is held every second Friday of the month and includes bounce houses, cotton candy and a mechanical bull.
Bradenton resident Anthony Farias had never ridden a bull before. He said some of the little kids did better, but he hung onto the spinning bull for about nine seconds.
Each Movie in the Park event is themed around that month’s movie. The kids had their faces painted with characters from the movie, and Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium set up a table with underwater findings.
Lakewood Ranch resident Lesalynn Richardson was particularly taken by the manatee skull and learned that manatees love to eat lettuce because they have no front teeth.
Bay Landing resident Benjamin Craig frequents Waterside Place with his wife, Lauren, and their two kids. He highly recommends the breakfast tamales at Forked and the strawberry cheesecake ice pops his kids wouldn’t eat.
The first 300 guests were given tickets for free ice pops, but the Craigs arrived too late to pick their favorite flavors.
“My children wouldn’t eat these, but I’m glad,” Craig said. “It’s how I ended up double-fisted.”
