If you don’t have any set plans for your 2024 summer vacation to Anna Maria Island, it can be difficult to narrow down your dates to just one perfect week. Do you want to visit the first week after school lets out, or is a July 4th vacation a great idea, or maybe, you want to wait until the end of summer, offering up one last big blast before the drudgery of real life begins again. We at Anna Maria Life Vacation Rentals understand the complexity of this most important decision and as such, we thought we would create this guide to the top summer events on Anna Maria Island, helping you find the perfect dates for your Florida vacation.
Turtle Tracks and Shorebird Facts, Holmes Beach City Hall, Tuesdays, May Through August
Although this first activity may not help you narrow down your time of arrival, as it happens every Tuesday from May through August, it does cover a topic that is near and dear to our hearts, Turtle Tracks and Shorebird Facts is a weekly talk that explores the natural beauty of our island home, taking place in the midst of sea turtle nesting season. Learn about what we can do to protect these beautiful creatures from the very real danger of becoming extinct and explore the varieties of shorebirds that make their lives at water’s edge and come home with a greater appreciation of all of Mother Nature’s accomplishments.
Sarasota Music Festival, June 2- June 22, Various Venues
Summer is made for music and for 60 years, June has been made for the Sarasota Music Festival. Located just 20 miles off Anna Maria Island, the town of Sarasota is a larger city and the festivals and events they engage in are often some of our favorites, with this stunning example being one of our favorites. Sponsored by the Sarasota Orchestra, this year’s theme is design to bring the past, the present, and the future together, offering musical performances from some of the most talented people in the world. Starting with a night titled New Beginnings, held on June 2 at Holley Hall and ending with Passion and Pride on June 22nd, if classical music is your passion, this is a festival that keeps on giving and should not be missed.
4th of July on Anna Maria Island
The small island charms of an all-American celebration begin with a free parade, something that has seemed to fallen out of popularity with larger towns and cities but remains one of our biggest draws. Starting at Coquina Beach at 10 AM and ending at noon at the City Pier, there will be beads, floats, and water gun (cannon?) blasts that will chill and thrill the watching crowds! This fun parade is followed by a picnic celebration, held at City Pier Park and offering food and entertainment that the entire family will love. Anna Maria Island doesn’t sponsor any fireworks shows, but there will be many shows going on around us, all within driving distance. On July 3rd, the Bradenton Marauders (our local baseball farm team) offers a celebration with free tee-shirts, a game, and a fireworks spectacular that you will never forget. The Sarasota Bay July 4th show is another popular fireworks show as is the Siesta Beach fireworks show on Siesta Key.
SarasotaCon 2024, August 10, Carlisle Conference Center
Although not as large as other Con events in the nation, SarasotaCon offers a 1 day chance to explore the world of pop culture, including meet and greets with actors from your favorite movies, voice actors from your favorite cartoons, and memorabilia and collectors items that will enhance your collection at home. The Cosplay Contest is always our favorite part, offering prizes for the best in 5 different categories, which also includes a youth category and is open to store bought or homemade costumes, so if you are traveling with children (Free admission for kids under 11) this might be the perfect last hoorah of summer. Tickets for 12 and over are $20 per person, ensuring this activity will fit into any budget.
Movie Nights, Family Barbecues, and Naps Galore
The thing that we have discovered over the years is that the events on Anna Maria Island that often bring the most pleasure to our guests are the ones they can engage in at home in our Anna Maria Life Vacation Rentals summer sanctuaries. Our state of the art televisions encourage movie nights, complete with all the popcorn you can pop in the microwaves of our fully equipped kitchens and community or private barbecues offer the ideal opportunity to enjoy a family barbecue, perhaps even one that is conducted poolside to help you stay cool. And yes, we consider Napping the most important of all events, especially as they aren’t able to be taken as often as we would like in real life, so our sofas are super soft for your napping pleasure. Reserve your favorite summer sanctuary today!
