Fall festival season is in full swing across Manatee County, with a busy week of community activities planned from Tuesday, Oct. 6, through Monday, Oct. 12.
The week’s calendar includes National Night Out, educational programs, fall festivals at several local farms and attractions, nonprofit fundraisers, history programs, professional soccer and opportunities to support local families.
Tuesday, Oct. 6
The Bradenton Police Department will host its National Night Out Block Party from 5 to 8 p.m. at 100 10th St. W. in Bradenton. The free, family-friendly event will include touch-a-truck opportunities, demonstrations, food, children’s activities and other activities connecting residents with local law enforcement and community organizations.
The School District of Manatee County will present Parent University from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Central Library, 1301 Barcarrota Blvd. W. in Bradenton. An expert panel will offer practical advice for parents supporting their students’ educational journeys. Students are welcome, and registration is required.
Wednesday, Oct. 7
Manatee Children’s Services will hold Spirit Night from 5 to 8 p.m. at Good Liquid Brewing Co., 8980 U.S. 301 N. in Parrish. Ten percent of the proceeds from the evening will benefit Manatee Children’s Services and its child abuse prevention efforts.
Friday, Oct. 9
The Bradenton YMCA will hold its Fall Festival and Annual Trunk or Treat from 6 to 8 p.m. The family event will transform the YMCA parking lot into a Halloween-themed setting for an evening of fall fun. Fall festival flyer
Saturday, Oct. 10
Saturday offers one of the busiest community calendars of the fall.
Dakin Dairy Farms, 30771 Betts Road in Myakka City, begins its 3rd Annual Harvest Festival, running from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Additional festival weekends are Oct. 17-18 and Oct. 24-25. The festival includes live music, hayrides, vendors, food trucks, bounce houses and a pumpkin cannon. Admission is $20 per person, with children ages 5 and younger admitted free. Parking is free.
Country Critters Animal Adventure Park, 15571 Rutland Road in Parrish, will hold its Fall Festival from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The animal-centered celebration includes reptiles, parrots and livestock along with pumpkin carving, face painting and vendors. Pony rides are available as an add-on. Admission is $15, with children younger than 2 admitted free. The festival returns Oct. 17 and Oct. 24.
Ananda Farm, 579 Ken Hubbard Road on Terra Ceia Island, will continue its Fall Festival, offering a different take on the traditional autumn celebration. The farm experience includes a pumpkin patch, U-pick flowers, tractor rides, children’s play areas, a treehouse, local art, farm-to-table food and live music. The festival runs through Nov. 1, with Saturday hours from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday hours from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Dogs Inc will welcome visitors to its 66-acre Palmetto campus for Discovery Day from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Guests can see puppies in Puppy Academy, watch guide dog, service dog and scent-detection demonstrations, learn about puppy raising and volunteering, see dogs exercising in the Canine Fitness Center and experience the organization’s Beyond the Dark program. Registration is $10. The campus is located at 4210 77th St. E. Pets are not permitted, although guide and service dogs are welcome with some restrictions.
Manatee Village Historical Park, 1404 Manatee Ave. E. in Bradenton, will offer a free guided Cemetery Tour beginning at 10 a.m. Space is limited to the first 30 people and is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Another tour is scheduled for Oct. 24.
Reflections of Manatee will present Ofelia Diaz-Uribe for The Columbian Interchange on a Florida Platter: Spanish, Native, and African Roots from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at 1305 Fourth Ave. E. in Bradenton. The lecture will examine Florida’s role in the Columbian Exchange and its effects on ecosystems, Indigenous societies, foodways, politics and international trade. Light refreshments will be served.
Saturday evening brings several entertainment and fundraising choices.
HOPE Family Services will present A Night of HOPE Under the Stars beginning at 6 p.m. at the Bradenton Area Convention Center, 1 Haben Blvd. in Palmetto. The event supports the organization’s work serving survivors of domestic violence.
At the Renaissance Event Center at Manatee School for the Arts in Palmetto, A Candlelight Tribute to the Greatest Female Artists of All Time begins at 6 p.m., with doors opening at 5:30 p.m. The musical program will span soul, disco, rock, pop, R&B and country. Half of ticket sales are designated for student scholarships for Manatee School for the Arts students through the prepaid Florida scholarship program with Take Stock in Children of Manatee County.
Professional soccer also returns to Lakewood Ranch Saturday night as Sarasota Paradise hosts the Richmond Kickers at 7:30 p.m. at Premier Sports Campus. The match is being held as Pink in Paradise night in recognition of breast cancer awareness.
Sunday, Oct. 11
The annual Stuff the Bus Food Drive will take place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at participating Publix locations throughout Manatee County.
The community-wide drive supports The Food Bank of Manatee, a program of Meals on Wheels PLUS of Manatee. Volunteers and shoppers will help collect food for local residents facing food insecurity. Organizers reported that 162 volunteers helped collect more than 69,000 pounds of food and cash equivalents during last year’s campaign.
Fall festival activities also continue Sunday at Dakin Dairy Farms from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Ananda Farm from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., giving families another opportunity to enjoy seasonal activities without having to fit everything into Saturday.
Monday, Oct. 12
State College of Florida will offer a Bradenton campus tour beginning at 10 a.m. at the Stephen J. Korcheck Student Services Center. The college also has Career Boost resume review opportunities scheduled during the day for participants interested in improving their resumes.
From pumpkins, animals and hayrides to live music, history, community service and professional sports, Manatee County’s Oct. 6-12 calendar offers a wide variety of ways to get out into the community as the fall season gets underway.