Deadline for Sarasota Bay Water Festival Exhibitor Applications is Oct. 10

SARASOTA – October 10 is the final deadline for exhibitor applications to the inaugural Sarasota Bay Water Festival set for Saturday, November 17 at Ken Thompson Park in Sarasota. The free regional event celebrates the importance of Sarasota Bay to the region’s environment and economy.

Prospective exhibitors should complete the online application form posted on the Exhibitors page at sarasotabaywaterfestival.com. Exhibitors include local businesses, non-profits, private clubs, and other groups focused on water and outdoor recreation, wildlife photography and other creative arts, and the welfare of aquatic life, birds, and other species that depend on a healthy Bay ecosystem.

The theme of the festival is Enjoy the Bay and activities are being organized around three areas: Bay Recreation, Bay Creative Arts, and Bay Science & Education. Festival highlights include a Creative Arts Tent showcasing a dozen of the area’s top wildlife photographers selling art related items, live music on the main stage, local food vendors, the I Love Sarasota Bay Photo Contest, and exhibits promoting boating, fishing, paddle board sports, scuba diving, birding, and other fun activities.

Florida’s first “iceberg” will be unveiled thanks to the creativity of Rick Herzog, a Sculpting Professor at New College of Florida. The Sarasota Ski-A-Rees Water Ski Show Team will perform at 4pm. Event guests can also gain free admission to the popular Mote Aquarium which is open from 10am to 5pm. The free admission requires obtaining a stamp at the festival.

The Sarasota Bay Estuary Program (SBEP) is the host sponsor and Triple 3 Marketing (T3M) is managing the event. SBEP is one of the 28 National Estuary Programs in the U.S. T3M produced the E-Fest Green Living Music & Arts Festival in 2007 and 2008.