The Bay Turns Four

The Bay opened in October 2022, and this month the city is throwing it a birthday party: more than 70 events running through Nov. 1 under the banner "One Park FOUR All." In four years, the 53-acre park on Sarasota Bay has logged more than 1.2 million visits.

It's easy to forget what that waterfront used to be. Most of the land was a parking lot before the first 10-acre phase opened. A 14-acre second phase is on track to finish in 2027, and the full vision is an 8-to-10-year build across four or more phases. The guiding idea is right there in the name: a park that's open to everyone.

That's what makes The Bay matter beyond the lawn chairs and kayak launches. Downtown Sarasota spent years with an expanse of asphalt between it and the water, and now there's a place where a family, a food festival, and an outdoor movie night can all share the same shoreline.

You've got two good chances to join the party this week. Thursday night, Cinema at The Bay screens Rocky for its 50th anniversary. Then on Sunday from noon to 3 p.m., Taste of The Bay brings signature dishes from locally owned restaurants, presented by Sarasota-Manatee Originals. The anniversary wraps up Sunday, Nov. 1, with the all-day Best of The Bay Music Fest.

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