It's a bit of a smaller fair but has all the rides and fair food you need. The arts and crafts…read moredepartment is amazing and my favorite part to visit. Shoutout to the people running the cookie kitchen. I wish there were more vendors in Veteran's Hall.

The Manatee County Fair is a charming hometown favorite with so much to offer. There are plenty of…read morerides, a fun petting zoo where you can hold a baby monkey or kangaroo, and even enjoy a capybara experience. The Arts & Crafts building is filled with beautiful artwork, handmade crafts, quilts, and photography exhibits, along with a fair store, a cookie kitchen, and tons of great photo ops. The cookies are not only delicious but also very affordable! Veterans Hall features a variety of exhibits and freebies, and the Harllee Barn showcases fascinating Manatee County history--definitely worth stepping inside. We love this fair and make it a point to visit multiple times every year!

We took the kids (3- and 6-year old) to the renaissance Faire yesterday. They opened at 10am, but…read morewe ended up leaving SWFL around then, and arrived around 11:30am. The traffic wasn't too bad at all for a Saturday, and the fair itself wasn't as packed as I expected it. The fair was behind the big Robarts building , in the back fields. Fortunately, a nice gentleman spotted the kids' costumes and pointed us in the right direction. Parking was free, in the roped off fields. You walk towards the entrance, and they have bag checks. Then, there are the ticket booths, or you can go straight to the entrance with your emailed tickets, where they scan them with an iPad. Upon entering, there was a character there who sung a song our kids, pertaining to their knight and princess costumes. This was a pleasant start to get our kids in the "mood." Looking around, the site was very open and grassy (tennis shoes or comfy walking shoes recommended). There were many vendors selling clothing, handmade soaps, jewelry, etc. There were at least three food vendors (one with breakfast foods/coffee, one with steak tips/mashed potatoes/onions/peppers for $12, and one with chicken tenders, fries, etc. The turkey legs were $17. Lemonade were $6.) There were at least two "pubs" that had festive characters playing music for entertainment under big white tents. A pony ride was available for kids under 80lbs, for $7 a kid. An elephant ride was also available for $10/kid and $20/adult. They had many shows at different sections and different times throughout the property. For example, jousting, archery, storybook telling for kids, a cat/rat "circus," singers, plays, etc. There was also a Knight Training Class for kids, where the kids were paired up with trainers, then performed their skills for the prince. The prince then knighted them each, and even gave our daughter a little ring. They had a royal court that mingled with us "commoners" and ate in the regular picnic table section amongst others, while still acting their characters out. The jousting consisted of 2 rivals showing their skills catching rings and knocking over cans with their swords. They then tagged each other on their shields in a 3 round joust. There was a really cool presentation of a man performing on his 35 bronze bells. He played many tunes along with the music from the GOT and Harry Potter Theme songs. He was amazing! The last thing we did before leaving was watch the Colombian pirate show. It was going to be really cool with the acrobatics, but storm clouds rolled in and it started pouring rain, so it was postponed, while all fair goers ran under the cover of the tents. We spent about 2.5 hours there, and didn't interact with every vendor and show, but I felt like we got a good taste of the fair overall. I feel like one day was good enough with the kids, and not too long to make them distracted and tired. We enjoyed ourselves very much. I docked a star just because I felt like there could've been more food vendors, more interactive activities, and map/signs to point you in the direction of the specific shows you wanted to watch. It was a fun outing either way, and the kids liked seeing other people in costumes (not just the employees/actors).

Beautiful spot. Lots of peaceful places for contemplation…read moreincluding a butterfly garden and bayfront observation spots Can't wait to go back

There is no diversity of plants, it is no better than just walking through the woods or a…read moreneighborhood park. Then we went to the north campus thinking it might be better, but they did not accept our receipt for the south campus even though it was on the same day. $40 down the drain...so disappointing

I love this farm! It's a KOA, but you can also visit to get your fresh fruits and veggies or to pet…read morethe animals. It's a fun place to scape the busy days and get to enjoy the nature a little bit :)

First time here. It was ok, people were friendly. We didn't really feel $15 each for adults and…read morekids was worth it. I'm glad we were able to help support a small family business... but prob wouldn't come again.

Guest reviewer: The Wife This museum 100% lives up to its…read morename. Every piece of art at the museum--from the paintings, to the sculptures, to the rest rooms, to the walls themselves--is a study in creative whimsy. Before entering the building, visitors are treated to the sight of giant flamingo statues adorned in fancy headwear and bow ties. What I think delighted me the most about walking around this space was the understanding that the world of art is so much broader than what I learned about at university. The indoor spaces featured both paintings and smaller pieces of sculpture in many different styles, while the outdoor sculpture garden brought the awe of childish whimsy everywhere I looked. Don't forget to check out the men's bathroom near the entrance to the museum!

My mouth hung open in awe from the moment I entered the property. I love this museum. I have…read morebrought many of my friends here. Every piece of painted art is amazing. I am a whimsey painter and I always leave here so inspired I can't wait to start another project. This is a MUST see for Florida visitors. Even if you aren't artistic You will be inspired by this whimsical magical amazing museum of art. Mary, the owner shares her collection of whimsical art on this property and in these buildings. Again, this is a must see in Florida.

This little theater was fantastic. Very intimate. But don't let the size fool you! The sound…read moretranscends. It was a great space with not a bad seat in the house. The sound and lighting effects are phenomenal here. We popped in to visit a friend who had flown down from Broadway and we were treated to the sights and sounds of an amazing production: Lucky Stiff! Will be planning a trip back to the Sarasota area and will have to catch another show when we return. The prices were very reasonable for such an equity cast. Brava!

December 2025 - Been going here as annual supporters/members since 2021 when we moved. Had been at…read moreWalnut Street Theater in Philly for two decades and then in Long Island and on Broadway for 16 years. FST ------- WE LOVE IT!! Of course no pictures BUT we did get a little snake the other day and since I usually do only food reviews on Yelp....... here is one for the FST. Banana Ice Cream Sandwich (new) is fantastic!!! And the Pecan Pie with vanilla Ice cream is very good (in truth the pie is pecan covered on top but the pie filling is just a sugary gelatinous filling and could be improved....but it was slightly warmed and was very nice. (see pictures) We don't go here for the food, but a lite snack and drinks are awesome and convenient and fairly priced!!!

Please list the movies and times for Burns Court Cinema. Your faithful patrons can easily walk to…read morethe theater. We love the film selections, and the lemonade is delicious.

We are members now, and stopped in for our first film - See How They Run - a takeoff of an Agatha…read moreChristie whodunit. An annual membership for two is $50. The theater is small, running three films, but everything about this is like stepping back twenty years in time. Ok, it's not recliner seating and massive screens with state of the art sound systems. Save those IMAX and cinematic blockbusters for the multiplex theaters. But come here for drama, comedy and documentary films. They also run themed reruns - like Heroes - which run the gamut from A Few Good Men to Stripes. Free membership appreciation films. Meet the filmmaker night. A true community theater. Start with the cost for a weekday afternoon -$6 per seat, a drink and popcorn included! Friendly staff, clean theater seats, a huge selection of treats and snacks priced at half of what the chains now charge. Drinks, including wine, beer and mixed cocktails for sale. A unique popcorn flavor station tops off the list of things that make this theater, and its twin in Lakewood Ranch, a neighborhood gem!

Great movie watching experience. The seats were comfortable and spacious. The picture quality was…read moregreat, even close to the screen. Theater was clean and service was good.

I have been finding myself coming to this theater almost every two weeks now. Even though I live…read moreoff of US 41, the location is still fairly close and there are places to dine and drink in the area too. Nights and weekends the tickets here are $2.50, which is a nice break from the $8-10 prices that are at most theaters in Florida. This theater takes you back to the 80's, with the arcade games and décor that are offered. The places looks old and busted, but there is charm in that. The movies played here are often still in wide release and they also offer at least one foreign film at a time, which is a stretch for this area, if you want to watch on a full size screen (not a TV screen). The popcorn is really good too!