Sports

Are you ready to rumble? That's the question Suncoast Offshore Grand Prix fans are asking themselves this month, as the weeklong fest heats up. The World's Largest Offshore Party is set for July 3 at the Hyatt, followed by those famous Bed Races and the Parade of Boats downtown on the Fourth. You can check into Powerboats by the Bay at Centennial Park July 5, and then get out your binoculars for the Grand Prix itself, running from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. July 6 in the Gulf. For more info call 371-2827 or go to www.suncoastoffshore.org.

Theater

It's always good to find an Arthur Miller play onstage locally, and this summer offers us one we've not seen here before, The Price, about two brothers brought together-not exactly willingly-over their dead father's estate. It's a Banyan Theater offering at New College's Sainer Pavilion, and it's up Aug. 8-24, with sometime Asolo actors David S. Howard and Stephen Johnson among the cast members and Russian director Jonas Jurasas at the helm. Call 358-5330 for ticket info.

Art

Tampa Museum of Art. Ending on July 6: Modern Art in Florida, an exhibition focusing on artists who traveled between the Hamptons and Sarasota. Opening July 20 to run through Oct. 19: Voices from Our Communities: Highlights from El Museo del Barrio's Permanent Collection, which spans from pre-Columbian artifacts to contemporary Latino works. Information: (813) 274-8130.

Selby Gallery. Multiple Visions IV: The History of Art Making in Sarasota continues through July 25, focusing on art produced here between 1975 and today. Information: 359-7563.

Art Center Sarasota. The Dog Daze of Summer all-media juried exhibition continues through July 23. From Sept. 11 through Oct. 11, the Art Center and the Celebrate Sarasota Art & Memorabilia Committee offer two exhibitions: a juried photography competition titled City Life and Its Buildings, and artworks of the 1940s and 1950s (scenes of Sarasota) from private collections, both to celebrate Sarasota's centennial. Information: 365-2032.

A Step Above Gallery. Seattle glass artist Cliff Goodman's works are featured through August. Information: 955-4477.

Ringling Museum of Art. Continuing through Aug. 10 in the West Galleries is Sacred Treasures: Early Italian Paintings from Southern Collections, including works by Botticelli, Fra Angelico and Rossini. Information: 359-5700.

Unity Gallery. Watercolors, acrylics, collages and photography by Pat Cook and photographs by husband Bob fill this Cocoanut Avenue space through Sept. 4. Information: 951-6017.

Galleria Silecchia. On view this summer in the gallery at 12 S. Palm: works in bronze by Glenna Goodacre, new works in hand-painted chandeliers by Ulla Darni, and oils on canvas by William Berra. At 20 S. Palm: new works by sculptor David Gerstein, glass works by Nick Mount, and oils by Yuri Gorbachev. Information: 365-7414.

Galleries des Artes. The Main Street space presents a group showing of limited edition prints by Warhol, Wesselman, Lichtenstein, Frankenthaler and others, through September. Information: 954-5475.

Apple & Carpenter Galleries. The summer exhibition offers American and Euopean paintings from 1850-1950, July 1-Aug. 30. Information: 951-2314.

Palm Avenue Gallery. Colorful hand-blown glass bowls and vases by Rich Fizer are on view all during July, followed by wire mesh sculpture of the human form by Eric Boyer, Aug. 1-31. Coming up Sept. 1-30: abstract oils by Carole Connely. Information: 953-5757.

Miscellaneous

South Florida Museum. Continuing through Aug. 31 in the museum's East Gallery is Paul Rudolph: The Florida Houses, an exhibition of the famous architect's residential designs in Sarasota and the region. Information: 746-4131.

Fourth of July Celebrations. You can catch the fireworks along downtown's bayfront, from Siesta Key's beaches, or, if you want to include a cookout, music and games for the Fourth, at Selby Gardens. For info on the latter, call 366-5731.

St. Armands Boat Show. Boats galore to admire and acquire, from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. July 5 in St. Armands Circle Park. Information: 388-1554.

Music

Boney James. Jazz saxophonist-keyboardist-composer James returns to the Van Wezel, at 8 p.m. July 11. Information: 953-3368.

Sarasota Folk Club. The club presents Old Time Folk Jams at 7:30 p.m. July 17, Aug. 21 and Sept. 18 at 1625 Vereda Verde. Monthly Sailing Squadron concerts are set for July 28, Aug. 25 and Sept. 29. Information: 377-9256.

Friday Fest on the Bay. The Van Wezel continues its series of music and refreshments on the bayfront, from 5 to 9 p.m. July 18 (Jennifer & the Venturas), Aug. 15 (Allon Sams & Friends) and Sept. 12 (Rick the Trickster). Information: 953-3366.

Boogie on the Bayou. A Cajun festival on the shores of Sarasota Bay, featuring music, food and more, from 5 to 9 p.m. Aug. 20 at Selby Gardens. Information: 366-5731.

Sports

Sarasota Red Sox. Florida Stage League baseball at Ed Smith Stadium continues throughout the summer. Information: 365-4460.

Tater Porter's Bull Riding Event. Ready, set, go for the bulls, starting around 2 p.m. July 4 at the Arcadia Arena. Gates open at 11 a.m., and there'll also be a parade downtown that day. Information: (800) 749-7633.

Manasota Track Club. Run for fun and to benefit the Sarasota Firefighters Benevolent Fund on Sept. 11. The second annual 5K for Freedom begins at the Siesta Key Beach Main Pavilion-free one-mile fun run at 6:30 p.m., the 5K beach run/race at 7 p.m. For complete info visit www.manasotatrackclub.org.

Talks

SmARTalk. Architecture is the focus of July's Arts Council event, specifically, A Shining City through the Eyes of Young Artists." At Northern Trust July 22; call 365-5118.

Theater

Hedda Gabler. Ibsen's classic about unhappy Hedda and the people in her orbit continues through July 13 in a Banyan Theater Company production at Sainer Pavilion on the New College campus. Information: 358-5330.

On Golden Pond. Join Ethel, Norman and Chelsea Thayer for a dip into Ernest Thompson's sentimental play, onstage at the Lemon Bay Playhouse through July 13. Information: 475-6756.

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Joseph's back in that colorful coat in this early Andrew Lloyd Webber-Tim Rice hit, onstage July 1 through Aug. 31 at the Golden Apple in Sarasota. Information: 366-5454.

The Play's The Thing. The Players of Sarasota offer the third season of this play reading festival of new works by national and local playwrights, at 7:30 p.m. July 7-12. And a full production of the year's previous winner, David Smith's Grace, will be onstage July 18, 19 and 20. Information: 365-2494.

Rose. Martin Sherman's look at the journey of one woman from Russia to the Warsaw ghettos to Miami. Onstage at Florida Studio Theatre July 8-26. Information: 366-9000.

Venice Little Theatre Cabaret. VLT's Stage II offers summer cabaret entertainment, July 11 and 12, 18 and 19, and 25 and 26. Information: 488-1115.

Theatre in a Blender. Another VLT offering-free theater, freely conceived and produced primarily by VLT actors. A different show each weekend, July 9 and 10, 16 and 17, 23 and 24, and 30 and 31. The Blender performances continue in August; call 488-1115 for more details.

Mere Mortals and Other Plays. Six short plays by David Ives that American Stage promises to be "hilarious, fresh and thought-provoking." At the St. Pete theater July 11-Aug. 3. Information: (727) 823-PLAY.

Cats. Those T.S. Eliot felines are back, July 15-20 at the Tampa Bay Center for the Performing Arts. Information: (800) 955-1045.

Rough Crossing. This Tom Stoppard play about shipboard shenanigans involving theater folk gets its area premiere in a Banyan Theater offering, July 18 through Aug. 3 at the Sainer Pavilion. Information: 358-5330.

Lobby Hero. A New York security guard suddenly gets the goods on his boss and two New York City cops-can he do the right thing? And what exactly would that be? Onstage Aug. 5-23 at Florida Studio Theatre. Information: 366-9000.

The Price. A Banyan Theater production at Sainer Pavilion, Aug. 8-24. Information: 358-5330.

Grease. Journey to Rydell High once more in this ever-popular musical about the '50s. Sept. 19-21 at the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center. Information: (800) 955-1045.

Nunsense II. The Golden Apple Dinner Theatre in Sarasota kicks off its fall season with this sequel to the first Dan Goggin hit about those Little Sisters of Hoboken, Sept. 23-Nov. 9. Information: 366-5454.