Oct. 24

Free Celebration of the Arts at the Van Wezel

Here’s your chance to sample three great Sarasota performing arts troupes for free. The Sarasota Cuban Ballet School, Sarasota Contemporary Dance and the Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe (performing a number from its hit new show, The Wiz) will light up the Van Wezel stage at the Arts and Cultural Alliance of Sarasota County’s annual Celebration of the Arts at 7 p.m. Monday evening. Grants and arts leadership awards also will be announced. Did we mention that it’s free—and so is the post-show wine and dessert reception.

 Oct. 22

Mote Circus by the Sea

Mote Aquarium is teaming with the Circus Arts Conservatory to present its first-ever Circus by the Sea, with performances at 2:30 and 3:30 p.m. by the talented youngsters of Sailor Circus. It’s the kickoff to the Arts and Cultural Alliance’s two-week Inspire Sarasota festival, with more than a dozen events—everything from Giving Hunger the Blues Oct. 30 to a Gloria Musicae Viva Espana choral concert Nov. 6—and culminating with a daylong festival in downtown Sarasota Saturday Nov. 5. Visit inspiresarasota.net for all the details.

Oct. 23

SoulRCoaster at Selby Gardens

Selby Gardens continues its Fall Garden Music Series under the banyan trees Sunday with the popular cover band SoulRCoaster. Bring your dancing shoes! selby.org

Oct. 26

Oktoberfest Pub Crawl

Hop aboard the Jazz Club trolley Wednesday night to catch jazz acts at seven clubs and restaurants in and around downtown Sarasota. It’s the Jazz Club’s second annual Oktoberfest Pub Crawl. Shown here, bassist John Lamb, who will be performing at Z’s on Main. Details at jazzclubsarasota.org.

Oct. 21

Blues Bar Buzz

The Blue Rooster hosts the first of three Blues Bar Buzz concerts to build excitement for the Dec. 3 Bradenton Blues Festival, with modern swamp-blues master Kenny Neal. Purchase advance tickets here.

Oct. 19-22

Sarasota Orchestra’s Great Escapes

“Breaking Bad” is the appropriately Halloween theme of the Sarasota Orchestra’s Great Escapes concerts this weekend, with music from The Wizard of Oz, Frankenstein, The Phantom of the Opera and more. At Holley Hall. sarasotaorchestra.org