🦎Repticon Bradenton

Saturday, Aug. 22, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., and Sunday, Aug. 23, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Bradenton Area Convention Center, 1 Haben Blvd., Palmetto

This two-day reptile and exotic-animal expo brings live-animal encounters, educational seminars, breeders and vendors selling reptiles, supplies and specialty pet products under one roof. Single-day admission is $12 for adults and $6 for children ages 5-12. Two-day passes are $15 for adults and $6 for children. Ages 4 and younger are admitted free. For more information, click here.

🛶 Incredible 6 Paddle Race

Saturday, Aug. 22, check-in 6:15-6:45 a.m., race begins between 7:15 and 7:30 a.m., Venice Fishing Pier, 1600 Harbor Drive S., Venice

Kayaks, canoes, paddleboards, surf skis and other human-powered vessels tackle a six-mile Gulf course from Venice Fishing Pier to the South Jetty and back. Finishers receive medals before an awards gathering with light bites at Sharky’s on the Pier. Registration is $60 per participant and ends tomorrow at midnight. For more information, click here.

🎸 Will Johns Band

Saturday, Aug. 22, 8-11 p.m., Fogartyville Community Media and Arts Center, 525 Kumquat Court, Sarasota

British guitarist and singer Will Johns brings a contemporary edge to classic blues rock. The son of Led Zeppelin and Rolling Stones producer Andy Johns, Johns has released five albums and was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame Chicago in 2025. Tickets are $25 for members, $30 for nonmembers and $15 for students ages 13 and older. For more information, click here.

🏳️‍🌈 0–99: The Art of a Rainbow Life—Still Here, Still Becoming

Saturday, Aug. 22, 3-8 p.m., 925 Maddox Gallery and LGBTQ+ Center, 925 N. Lime Ave., Sarasota

This intergenerational exhibition explores LGBTQ+ identity, memory, resilience and joy through visual art, storytelling, sound, movement and collaborative installations. The opening celebration includes artist talks, live performances and opportunities to meet participating artists, while the exhibition will remain on display for three months. This event is free. For more information, click here.

😂 Out of Bounds

Saturday, Aug. 22, 7:30-9 p.m., Bowne’s Lab at Florida Studio Theatre, 1265 First St., Sarasota

Two teams of improvisers compete through rapid-fire games, spontaneous scenes and songs created on the spot from audience suggestions. Applause determines the winner, so the crowd has a direct hand in how the comedy showdown ends. Tickets are $18. For more information, click here.

🎨 Art Center Sarasota Opening Reception

Thursday, Aug. 20, 5-7 p.m., Art Center Sarasota, 707 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota

Four exhibitions open across the center’s galleries, pairing Molly Duff-Clarke’s exuberant ceramic interiors and Antoine Williams’ surreal explorations of Black Southern folklore with the historical survey “Shaping Sarasota: A Century of Art” and the juried show “Icons.” This event is free. For more information, click here.

🎶 The Tales of Hoffmann

Sunday, Aug. 23, 1:30 p.m., Sarasota Opera House, 61 N. Pineapple Ave., Sarasota

This high-definition presentation of the Royal Opera’s production follows poet Hoffmann through three increasingly strange romances in which memory, fantasy and diabolical interference become difficult to separate. Juan Diego Flórez sings the title role in Offenbach’s darkly imaginative opera. General admission is $20. For more information, click here.

📻 The Good Old Days: History and Popular Culture of the Roaring ’20s

Monday, Aug. 24, 2-3 p.m., Gulf Gate Library, 7112 Curtiss Ave., Sarasota

Lecturer Marilyn Carminio revisits the decade of jazz, flappers, radio, movies and changing social customs that helped create modern American popular culture. This event is free. For more information, click here.

🚀 Stelliferous: Launch to Legacy—Shuttle

Wednesday, Aug. 26, 7-8 p.m., The Planetarium at The Bishop, 201 10th St. W., Bradenton

A live planetarium presentation traces NASA’s Space Shuttle program, from the engineering behind a spacecraft that launched like a rocket and landed like a glider to its role in international research and the deployment of space telescopes. Preregistration is required. Tickets are $10 for adult members, $3 for members under 17, $15 for adult nonmembers and $5 for nonmembers under 17. For more information, click here.

🍝 Make and Eat Fettuccine Pasta Ribbons

Saturday, Aug. 22, 6-8 p.m., VistaCucina at Young Chefs Academy, 3800 S. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota

Chef Riccardo Renna leads a hands-on lesson in making fresh fettuccine, then participants sit down to enjoy the pasta with their choice of tomato or cream sauce. Homemade appetizers and dessert complete the meal, and the class is limited to 12 people. Admission is $100. For more information, click here.

🔎 Great Scallop Search 2026—South Sarasota Bay

Saturday, Aug. 22, 8 a.m.-1 p.m., Sarasota Sailing Squadron, 1717 Ken Thompson Parkway, Sarasota

Sarasota Bay Watch recruits volunteer snorkelers, kayakers, boat captains and crew members to search assigned sections of South Sarasota Bay for scallops, seagrass and other marine life. The resulting observations help researchers assess the health of the bay. Most participants must be prepared to snorkel and provide their own gear. Registration is required. This event is free. For more information, click here.

📼 Pop Culture Antique Museum

Saturday, Aug. 22, 4-8 p.m., The Pop Culture Antique Museum: A Retro Store, 191 S. McCall Road, Englewood

Part museum, part curiosity shop, this Old Englewood Village attraction is packed with vintage Barbie dolls, Star Trek and Star Wars collectibles, old-school video games and other nostalgic finds. Admission is free. For more information, click here.

🤘 Disasterpiece at Encore Live

Friday, Aug. 21, 7-11 p.m., Encore Live, 8341 Lockwood Ridge Road, Sarasota

Disasterpiece turns the clock back to the era of 2000s radio rock with songs associated with Korn, Linkin Park, Limp Bizkit, Papa Roach, Rob Zombie, Disturbed, Godsmack, Metallica and others. Admission is a $10 cover at the door. For more information, click here.

💃 Soul in Motion 2026

Saturday, Aug. 22, 5-7 p.m., Jane B. Cook Theatre at FSU Center for the Performing Arts, 5555 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota

This ’80s-themed dance showcase brings together rising and experienced performers for an evening spanning ballroom, contemporary movement and storytelling, all set to music from the decade. Tickets range from $35 to $55. For more information, click here.

🌱 Master Gardener: Drop-In Plant Clinic

Wednesday, Aug. 26, 10 a.m.-noon, Betty J. Johnson North Sarasota Library, 2801 Newtown Blvd., Sarasota

Bring questions about your lawn, garden, landscaping or troublesome pests to specialists offering research-based guidance through UF/IFAS Extension Sarasota County. No appointment or registration is required. This event is free. For more information, click here.

✂️ Sunday Crafternoon

Sunday, Aug. 23, noon-3 p.m., Bat City Comic Professionals, 915 Manatee Ave. E., Bradenton

Bat City opens its classroom for a relaxed, self-guided afternoon of collage art, coloring sheets, comic-panel pages and a seasonal craft. Supplies are provided and no reservation is needed. This event is free. For more information, click here.

👗 Girls Night Clothing Exchange

Saturday, Aug. 22, 6-10 p.m., Katy’s Cat Cafe, 1490 Blvd. of the Arts, Sarasota

Bring clothing you no longer wear and trade it for new-to-you finds during this social wardrobe swap for women of all ages. Guests can also buy drinks or snacks and visit the cafe’s adoptable cats for a separate admission charge. Proceeds benefit several local nonprofits. Tickets are $23.18, including Eventbrite fees. For more information, click here.

🎨 Art Club at Oscura

Wednesday, Aug. 26, 6-9 p.m., Oscura, 816 Manatee Ave. E., Bradenton

These monthly gathering gives artists, musicians, writers and other local creatives a place to meet, exchange ideas and make art together. The evening includes an artist discussion, informal networking and a hands-on studio session, and all experience levels are welcome. This event is free. For more information, click here.