Bring your lawn chairs or blankets and enjoy the jazz!

FREE admission and FREE parking

Performing are:

– International Jazz violinist Doug Cameron and the Mike Moran Trio

– Riverview High School Jazz Band

– Pine View Jazz Quartet

Sunday, March 1, 1-4 p.m.       

FREE admission – FREE parking

No registrations needed.

Blooms? Rosemary scrub? Shiny lyonia? Enjoy a leisurely walk on the west side of Manasota Scrub Preserve exploring regions seldom traveled by the regular visitors. Sarasota County volunteer guides, amateur botanists and Florida Native Plant Society members, Denny Girard and Al Squires will show plant detectives where to find the early bloomers thriving within the preserve. You never know what you may discover.

Wednesday, March 4, 9-11 a.m.       

Join respected local birders and Sarasota County volunteers in a sunrise birding adventure that will lead you through pine and scrubby flatwoods with wonderful views of Lemon Bay during your hike. Along the way you may encounter native plants and animals, a variety of shore birds (such as Anhinga’s and Snowy Egrets) and birds of prey (like Bald Eagles and Ospreys).

Wednesday, March 4, 8-10 a.m.

There are many customs and superstitions about the moon. Learn how Native Americans and other cultures considered the moon while sharing folklore and stories with Sarasota County Park Naturalist Brooke Elias for a trail walk lit by the rising full moon. Let the intrigue of Pocono Trail Preserve come alive in the moonlight while enjoying the preserve’s meandering trails through scrub and pine forests.

Thursday, March 5, 7 p.m.

Bring your lunch, a lawn chair or blanket and enjoy the concert!

FREE admission and FREE parking

March 5         The Jerry White Swing Band

March 12       Stephen Ditchfield of the Ditchfield Family Singers

March 19       Tommy Barrett’s Sophisticated Dixieland Festival

March 26       Sophisticated Swing Orchestra & ART SHOW/ SALE,

Art Center Sarasota’s Watercolor Wednesday Painters, 11 a.m.

April 2            Good Time Groove Big Band

Thursdays,  12-1 p.m.       

FREE admission – FREE parking

No registrations needed.

Walk and Talk:

Fascinating Facts about Plants

Did you know that sea purslane has been used to clean stagnant waters? Have you heard the legend that inspired the name of Spanish moss? Join Florida Master Naturalist Tina Sebastian for a leisurely walk while discovering fascinating facts about the plants that grow there.

What’s that?! Plant and Animal ID Hike at Curry Creek Preserve

Join Sarasota County Environmental Specialist and super sleuth, Jeff Weber, as he leads you on an informative fun journey of discovery through pine flatwoods and oak hammocks highlighting both native and non-native plants and animals of the preserve.

What’s that?! Plant and Animal ID Hike at Pocono Trail Preserve

Join super sleuth, Jeff Weber, as he leads you on an informative fun journey of discovery through oak hammocks highlighting native and non-native plants and animals. Enjoy hiking thru the preserve (once the site of the famed Pollyanna Inn in 1922), while catching glimpses of eastern red cedars, cabbage palms, Boston ferns and views of Dona Bay.

Looking for Signs of Spring in the Longleaf Ecosystem

Take a informative journey of discovery, looking for signs of springtime in the longleaf pine flatwoods at Curry Creek Preserve. Longleaf pine habitats once covered more than 90 million acres in the southeastern U.S. but have dwindled to less than 5%. Investigate the wonders of this critically imperiled habitat, learn about the life history of the longleaf pine and discover the wide variety of plants and animals characteristic of this unique ecosystem.

Family Bike Adventures at the Carlton Reserve

In Search of Sky Blue Lupine with Denny and Al

Explore South Venice Lemon Bay Preserve with Denny Girard and Al Squires in a search for Sky blue lupine (Lupinus diffusus), one of Florida’s most beautiful wildflowers. As you hike through scrub, flatwoods, and coastal woodlands that border beautiful Lemon Bay, Denny and Al will share information about spring native vegetation, and the Florida scrub-jay that make their home on this preserve.

Birding Diversity at the Carlton Reserve

Birding at Red Bug Slough Preserve

Grab your binoculars and join local naturalist Bill Lewis as he leads you on a guided hike through the various habitats of Red Bug Slough Preserve searching for spring migrants and resident birds. You may also see common wetland bird species such as Great Egrets, Little Blue Herons, Wood Storks and various ducks associated with the slough. In all, more than 100 species of birds are known to inhabit the area within the preserve during various seasons of the year.

Woodland Stoll on the Pocono

Join Jeff Weber as he leads you on a woodland stroll from upland habitats to the shores of Shakett Creek at Pocono Trail Preserve. Along the way, participants may see a variety of plant and animal species including live oaks, eastern red cedars, cabbage palms, bracken ferns, osprey, wading birds and other wildlife common to the area.

Land Management Challenges in a Suburban Preserve

Join Jeff Weber as he shares tools and techniques used to manage Curry Creek Preserve, a suburban natural area site. You will get a “behind the scenes” glimpse into the decision making processes involved in developing a comprehensive management strategy for this site. Visitors will see firsthand the results of various management practices that have been successfully used at the preserve.