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Where to Celebrate New Year's Eve 2011 in Sarasota

By Megan McDonald December 27, 2011

Back in early December, the Sarasota Herald-Tribune reported that downtown Sarasota’s New Year’s Eve block party—a popular event that drew thousands of people downtown for street-style festivities and the famous pineapple drop—had officially been cancelled. The reason? Concerns about partygoers’ safety—and fighting among the festival’s organizers.

In lieu of the Main Street festivities, this year there will be live music and a midnight fireworks show at Marina Jack, and the pineapple is expected to make its return in 2012 (without backing from the Downtown Sarasota Alliance, which previously sponsored the event).

Still, we're curious: If you’d previously been planning to watch the pineapple drop, what will you be doing instead? And if your organization is hosting a fête, let us know by leaving a comment here: We’ll update this post with a list of New Year’s Eve events throughout the week.

Downtown Bradenton Live music, vendors, special drink sales by Stella Artois and a ball drop at midnight. The event also is a charity drive to collect coats, blankets and dog “outerwear” for the poor in Manatee County. Rocket Angel Italian Greyhound Rescue will have a booth set up at the event to talk to people about adopting an Italian greyhound. (941) 812-3850

Marina Jack Live music and midnight fireworks show over the bayfront.

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marinajacks.com/events.html

Mattison's Bayside at the Van Wezel Dinner-dance party with casino games, a giant TV to watch the ball drop in NYC's Times Square and midnight fireworks over the bay. mattisons.com/store/events