Going for the Gold: The Golden Lotus

May 3

This year’s Going for the Gold gala will transform the Frank G. Berlin Branch of the YMCA in Sarasota for a fabulous Indian-inspired gala: The Golden Lotus. Join us on this voyage of the senses through exotic India for an evening of color and spice complete with sumptuous dinner, theme entertainment and dancing to the sights and sounds of Bollywood. Proceeds benefit Y Foundation of Sarasota. For information, call (941) 951-1336 or visit thesarasotay.org.

 

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A Fashionable Gala: Southern Charm

May 2

Pick your best Southern chic look and join us at Designing Daughters’ Fashionable Gala: Southern Charm at Selby Gardens’ Payne Mansion. Come mingle and enjoy Southern-style cocktails and bites, auction and live entertainment. For tickets and information, call (941) 366-5293 or visit designingwomenboutique.org.

 

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PoetryLife Weekend

May 2-3

Celebrate the year in poetry at PoetryLife Weekend on the Florida StudioTheatre campus. PoetryLife provides student and teacher workshops, community poetry readings and contests. This year’s featured guests are national award-winning poets Mark Doty and Kevin Young. For tickets and information, call (941) 365-7900 or visit poetrylife.org.

 

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Food and Wine on Pine

May 3

Don’t miss Anna Maria’s annual Food and Wine on Pine. This culinary and cultural experience on historic Pine Avenue showcases the area’s best food, wine, art and music. For tickets and information, visit foodandwineonpine.com.

 

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Forward Festival: Sybarite 5

May 6-11

Coming Together is the theme for a new, innovative music festival launched by SYBARITE5—the popular, genre-defying string quintet. The Forward Festival serves as a celebration of the unifying power of music by joining SYBARITE5 with local and internationally known artists. SYBARITE5 will perform and curate a week of concerts and events at Sarasota venues. For information, visit forwardmusicfest.org.

 

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2014 AIA Gulf Coast Design Awards Ceremony

May 15

The Florida Gulf Coast Chapter of the American Institute of Architects presents its annual Design Awards Competition and Awards Ceremony at the Lido Beach Resort. The awards serve to honor excellence in architecture, recognizing local owners, designers and contractors. This year a special “Spirit of Sarasota” award winner will be selected by Sarasota Magazine readers. For information, visit aiagulfcoast.org.

 

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Intent to Deceive

May 23- Aug. 14

Art lovers: Does the discovery of a fake make it any less of a work of art? Learn about the tangled webs forgers have woven at the thought-provoking Intent to Deceive at the Ringling Museum. This groundbreaking exhibition spotlights some of the world's most notorious con artists, illuminating their dubious legacies and examining how their talents, charm and audacity beguiled and assaulted the art world for much of the 20th century through the present day. For tickets and information, visit ringling.org.