The annual 2016 Manatee Pride Festival in Bradenton held at Bradenton's Riverwalk, pavilion and event area. A steady rain during the start of the festival did not deter about a thousand people from attending the event throughout the afternoon. (March 19, 2016; STAFF PHOTO / THOMAS BENDER)

Sarasota County Fair food or bust!

If  a little rain didn’t dampen your spirits then you likely made it outside. Perhaps you went to the Sarasota County Fair?

First some music to put you in the fair/circus mood:

I present to you, the 80th annual Sarasota County fair!

This guy went and lived to tell about it:

How many tries did it take you to win one of those:

Just saying, but this isn’t how you’re supposed to ride the ferris wheel… kidding, kidding. They were putting the wheel of joy together.

You gotta have a sense of adventure to climb up on top of one of these, much less ride one:

Let me turn the lights out:

I’m not saying pigs are cool or anything, but this was the Race of the Century, according to this guy’s reaction:

This is a sad rain face:

Fair in the rain #supersoaked #sarasotacountyfair A photo posted by Dora Reynolds (@girllovesfilm1869) on

But it might as well have been a reaction to that guy’s cheering for the pigs.

Fair food!

???? Deep Fried Madness #sarasotacountyfair #springbreak #srq #941 #robarts #heartburnfordays

A photo posted by Dawn (@wilkes75) on

This is what makes the fair worthwhile:

And, deep fried cupcakes (seriously, let’s not kid ourselves):

Sweet. #deepfriedcupcake #sarasotacountyfair #fair #food #carnival

A photo posted by Keishen (@keychaine) on

This is why I don’t ride the Tilt-a-Whirl anymore:

It’s a bird, it’s a plane.. it’s things to do in Sarasota!

Something to do to walk off those extra calories from the fair. Two words — Sarasota Walkathon!

Met these cuties at @seguidedogs #SarasotaWalkathon! #HowWeWalk #sarasota #southeasternguidedogs #frenchbulldog #frenchie

A photo posted by Camp Bow Wow Sarasota, FL (@campbowwowsrq) on

Puppies! Puppies! Puppies!

Camo loved cooling off in the pool! #southeasternguidedogs #sarasota #HowWeWalk #SarasotaWalkathon #yellowlab #labrador

A photo posted by Camp Bow Wow Sarasota, FL (@campbowwowsrq) on

@seguidedogs #seguidedogs #SarasotaWalkathon #HowWeWalk #dogphotographer #dogphotography #dogstreet #florida

A photo posted by Kim Longstreet (@dogstreetphoto) on

Manatee Pride Festival! I love those shoes. https://twitter.com/tbenderphoto1/status/711374497107066880 That token sunset photo:

 

It was a quiet weekend — don’t forget to drink water:

meet the writer

Avatar

the latest

Derek occasionally gets homework assignments from daycare. It mostly consists of him learning how to trace his own name, and some very simple math problems – simple if you’re way above the age of 4, that it is. But it’s homework nonetheless. And we want Derek to know the importance of school, especially since he’ll … MORE>>
10. “Rides are always free,” drivers say. “Tips are always appreciated.” 9. Hours are 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. 8. Call 941-444-2585 for an iRide. (Soon there will be a Gotcha app for smartphones.) There are no set routes; you can hail any of the colorful electric vehicles you see on the street. 7. The downtown service area extends … MORE>>
Derek has decided he wants to be a firefighter when he gets older. Keep in mind he’s 4 and he can’t decide what color pajamas he wants to wear to bed. So that may change. But the good thing is I have used this to our advantage. Derek wants to grow and big to become … MORE>>
OMG, OMG, OMG! Fans are finally getting to see the first teaser trailer for the latest Star Wars film. The trailer was officially released at “Star Wars Celebration” in Orlando today. “The Last Jedi” (Episode VIII) will be in theaters on December 15.   The offical poster has also been released.         … MORE>>
Apparently, today is National Beer Day. April 7th is the celebration of when beer became legal again in the United States after the Cullen-Harrison Act was signed into law by President Franklin Roosevelt on March 23, 1933. Sounds like it may have caught on as National Beer Day in 2009, when Justin Smith of Richmond, … MORE>>
Thanks to the city of Sarasota, Lido Beach just got a bright new addition: a cerulean marker displaying how high sea levels are projected to rise in the next 100 years. Here’s the thing–the facts are scary. We said it. To name just a few: In less than 15 years, by 2030, sea levels are … MORE>>
I hate eggs. Hate them. You can scramble them, poach them, make them sunny side up, and then you can go ahead and stuff yourself because I want nothing to do with them. I have a hard time watching people eat eggs. I liked French toast until someone told me it was nothing more than … MORE>>
Ringling College of Art + Design will be showcasing the best work in each major, in the annual Best of Ringling. The outstanding student work was selected by a jury of visiting artists and faculty members. The majors include: Advertising Design 
Business of Art and Design Computer Animation Film Fine Arts 
Game Art Graphic Design … MORE>>
It’s rare to see eight female filmmakers lined up in a row discussing their short film and documentary work–mostly because it’s rare to see eight women filmmakers together in one room at all. But that’s exactly what we saw Saturday evening at the reception for the 18th annual Through Women’s Eyes Film Festival, highlighting women … MORE>>
Tomorrow is April Fools’ Day. I’m sure social media will be a minefield of shenanigans. There are some do’s and don’ts to follow. Do: Make your prank harmless. Don’t: Trust anyone. Good luck. MORE>>