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A Big Night Out in Sarasota

The Opera House, McCurdy's Comedy, laser shows, outdoor music, and social nights, with August 18 to September 1 first.

By the editors of Vibing Sarasota · Updated September 2026

The two-week going-out map

From August 18 to September 1, start with a movie, comedy set, laser show, outdoor concert, game, or dance floor. Current dates come first, followed by useful venue notes for tickets, parking, and a reason to stay out.

Sarasota Opera closes its summer film run with two Friday classics at $12. McCurdy's moves from Kevin McCaffrey to Carlos Mencia, with its free 18+ Thursday open mic between the headliners.

Each listing goes to the organizer or venue that published it. Check the linked page again on show day for the latest ticket and schedule details.

Going out, August 18 to September 1

A two-week calendar built from official venue and organizer pages. Use the direct links for current availability, weather notes, and exact performance times.

Sarasota Opera House Sarasota Opera

Sarasota Opera House

61 N. Pineapple Ave, downtown Sarasota

The restored Opera House becomes a summer movie palace on Fridays. The Classic Movies series continues into September.

  • 21 Aug
    The Greatest Show on Earth The 1952 circus drama in the downtown movie palaceFriday, August 21, 7:00 p.m.
    Tickets →
  • 28 Aug
    Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory The 1971 classic closes the August movie seriesFriday, August 28, 7:00 p.m.
    Tickets →
Full season at Sarasota Opera →
McCurdy's Comedy Theatre McCurdy's Comedy Theatre

McCurdy's Comedy Theatre

1923 Ringling Blvd, downtown Sarasota

McCurdy's carries the downtown comedy lane through three headliners, with a free 18+ open mic every Thursday at 9 p.m.

  • 19 Aug
    Kevin McCaffrey Five-night headliner runWednesday, August 19 to Sunday, August 23
    Tickets →
  • 20 Aug
    Open Mic Night Free, 18-plus, no drink minimumThursday, August 20, 9:00 p.m.
    Tickets →
  • 27 Aug
    Open Mic Night Free, 18-plus, no drink minimumThursday, August 27, 9:00 p.m.
    Tickets →
  • 28 Aug
    Carlos Mencia Two Friday showsFriday, August 28 at 6:30 and 8:50 p.m.
    Tickets →
  • 3 Sep
    Open Mic Night Free 18+ open mic, sign up at the doorThursday, September 3, 9:00 p.m.
    Tickets →
Full season at McCurdy's Comedy →
Laser Light Nights The Bishop Museum of Science and Nature

Laser Light Nights

The Planetarium at The Bishop, 201 10th St W, Bradenton

The Planetarium pairs a full-dome laser show with a focused music set. Tickets are $15, doors open at 5:30 p.m., and seats are first-come. Expect loud music and flashing light.

  • 20 Aug
    That '70s & '80s Laser Show Two decades in one Thursday setThursday, August 20, 6:00 p.m.
    Tickets →
  • 21 Aug
    Prince and Michael Jackson Prince at 6 p.m. and Michael Jackson at 8 p.m.Friday, August 21
    Tickets →
  • 22 Aug
    Bruno Mars and Lady Gaga Bruno Mars at 6 p.m. and Lady Gaga at 8 p.m.Saturday, August 22
    Tickets →
  • 27 Aug
    The Doors and Jimi Hendrix A shared classic-rock laser setThursday, August 27, 6:00 p.m.
    Tickets →
  • 28 Aug
    Van Halen and Journey Van Halen at 6 p.m. and Journey at 8 p.m.Friday, August 28
    Tickets →
  • 29 Aug
    Metallica and Nine Inch Nails Laser Metallica II at 6 p.m. and Laser Nine Inch Nails at 8 p.m.Saturday, August 29
    Tickets →
  • 3 Sep
    Sgt. Pepper's Laser Light Show The Beatles set opens the September run at 6 p.m.Thursday, September 3, 6:00 p.m.
    Tickets →
Full season at The Bishop lineup and tickets →
Outdoor and social nights University Town Center

Outdoor and social nights

UTC, Lakewood Ranch, and Wellen Park

Free lawn plans, a solo-friendly tournament, and a ticketed dance night keep the calendar open beyond formal venues.

  • 21 Aug
    Friday Night Live Weekly live music on the Solis Hall lawnFridays, August 21 and 28 from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m.
    Tickets →
  • 20 Aug
    UTC Night Market: End of Summer Luau An evening market and themed social night on The GreenThursday, August 20, 6:30 p.m.
    Tickets →
  • 21 Aug
    Karaoke on The Green The third-Friday outdoor singalong at UTCFriday, August 21, 7:00 p.m.
    Tickets →
  • UTC Cornhole Tournament
    25 Aug
    UTC Cornhole Tournament Come solo for pairing or bring a partnerTuesday, August 25, 7:00 to 10:00 p.m.
    Tickets →
  • Movies Under the Stars
    28 Aug
    Movies Under the Stars The Super Mario Galaxy Movie at UTCFriday, August 28, 8:00 p.m.
    Tickets →
  • Disco Night in Solis Hall
    28 Aug
    Disco Night in Solis Hall Classic disco, a costume contest, light bites, and a drinkFriday, August 28, 7:00 to 10:00 p.m.
    Tickets →

The year-round series, in detail

Once October hits, the calendar fills back in. Here's what each series is, what it costs, and when it returns - so you can plan a fall and winter of nights out properly.

Sarasota Orchestra The Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, the orchestra's bayfront home. Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Sarasota Orchestra

Sarasota Orchestra is the city's professional symphony, founded in 1949, and the foundation of the cultural calendar. The full season runs October through June and is structured around four series. Masterworks is the big-stage classical programming with guest soloists, mostly at the Van Wezel and the new Sarasota Orchestra Center. The Pops series leans Broadway, film scores, and tribute programs. Chamber Soirees are intimate concerts in Holley Hall, the orchestra's own 300-seat room. Great Escapes is the casual weeknight series with light dinner pairings.

Single tickets run roughly $30 to $90 depending on series and seat; subscriptions are the locals' move. The full 2026-27 season is announced in late summer; subscriptions open in early fall.

Sarasota Opera The restored 1926 Sarasota Opera House. Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Sarasota Opera

Sarasota Opera produces full-staged grand opera every winter in the restored 1926 Sarasota Opera House downtown. The 2026-27 main season runs roughly mid-February through mid-March, with four operas in rotating repertory - typically two warhorses and two rediscoveries. The company built its reputation on a complete Verdi cycle (the first in the world), and Verdi is still the house style.

Tickets for main season run $25 to $135 depending on seat. The summer programming on this page (tribute concerts, Classic Movies) is the same building used differently - a beautiful way to see the room without the season ticket price.

Ringling Underground

Ringling Underground is Sarasota's favorite museum-after-dark scene. First Thursday of the month, October through May, in the open-air courtyard of the Museum of Art - experimental, indie, and DJ sets under the colonnade, the bars open, the David replica lit from below.

Tickets are easy on the wallet (typically $15 to $25), and admission gets you into the Museum of Art's galleries for the evening too. The crowd skews younger and more design-school than the rest of the Ringling calendar. The 2026-27 series resumes Thursday, October 1, 2026.

McCurdy's Comedy Theatre Inside McCurdy's Comedy Theatre on Ringling Boulevard. Photo: McCurdy's

McCurdy's Comedy Theatre

McCurdy's is the one venue on this page that runs year-round, full stop. Thursday through Sunday almost every week of the calendar, a touring national headliner does four to five shows in the room - usually two on Friday, two on Saturday, one on Sunday matinee. The bookings range from name-brand stars (Tom Arnold, Carlos Mencia, Kevin Nealon, Josh Blue from Last Comic Standing) to working circuit comedians you've seen on Comedy Central or the late-night shows.

Tickets run $20 to $40 depending on the headliner. There's a two-item minimum at the tables during ticketed showroom performances, and the room serves a full menu plus a cocktail list. Open Mic on Thursdays at 9 p.m. is free, 18-plus, and carries no drink minimum. The Drag Queen Bingo nights, several Saturdays a season, sell out a week ahead.

Downtown at 1923 Ringling Boulevard, walking distance from Main Street restaurants. Parking is in the Links Parking Garage right behind.

Historic Asolo Theater The Historic Asolo Theater, imported piece by piece from Asolo, Italy. Photo: The Ringling

Historic Asolo Theater

The Historic Asolo Theater is the 261-seat 18th-century Italian court theater the Ringlings dismantled in Asolo, Italy and rebuilt on the estate. It runs a year-round program of chamber music, jazz, film, lectures, and small theatrical productions.

Tickets are typically $25 to $65. Because the room only seats 261, the chamber series sells out, especially the headline jazz nights. Check The Ringling calendar for the next fall release.

Where to eat first

Sarasota Opera House is in the heart of downtown - the easiest pre-show dinner is at one of the restaurants on Main or Palm. The Ringling estate is twenty minutes north of downtown, so plan dinner near the venue (Indigenous, the bayfront restaurants on Tamiami, or anything in the St. Armands Circle cluster a few minutes south). Holley Hall on Tamiami is closer to downtown than the Ringling but further than the Opera House, and the new dining scene in the Rosemary District is the best pairing for a Holley Hall night.

Frequently asked

What's open in Sarasota at night in the summer?

McCurdy's Comedy Theatre runs touring stand-up headliners most weekends. Sarasota Orchestra is between seasons until the 2026-27 calendar resumes in fall. The Sarasota Opera House programs Classic Movies and HD opera-house screenings through summer and fall. The Bishop's Laser Light Nights runs through September 5.

Where's the comedy club in Sarasota?

McCurdy's Comedy Theatre at 1923 Ringling Boulevard downtown. Touring national headliners Thursday through Sunday almost every week of the year. Tickets $20 to $40 with a two-item food or drink minimum at the tables.

When does Ringling Underground come back?

Ringling Underground returns Thursday, October 1, 2026, and runs the first Thursday of every month through May 2027. Tickets typically go on sale a few weeks before each date.

What's the dress code at Sarasota Orchestra and Sarasota Opera?

Both venues are dress-as-you-like - some patrons wear black tie on opening nights, others come in jeans, and everyone fits right in. A jacket without a tie is the easy Sarasota default.

Where is the best place to sit at the Sarasota Opera House?

The orchestra-level center sections give the strongest sound. The mezzanine and balcony offer the best architectural view of the restored 1926 room. Avoid the deep side boxes - the sightlines compress.

Can I see the Ringling Museum at night?

Yes, on Thursdays. The Museum of Art stays open until 8 p.m. every Thursday, and the colonnade and courtyard at sunset are the best time of day to see the building. See the [Ringling Museum guide](ringling-museum.html) for the full visit plan.

Do these venues have parking?

The Ringling estate has free on-site parking just inside the main gate. The Sarasota Opera House has a small dedicated lot plus metered street parking on Pineapple and Cocoanut. Holley Hall has a free lot on Tamiami Trail. Plan to arrive 30 minutes early during season.

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