May 15

Ringling Museum Asian Art Festival

The last galleries of The Ringling’s spectacular new Center for Asian Art are now open, and you are invited to celebrate at a community festival of Asian arts and cultures, set for 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday on the museum grounds. The day promises storytelling, games, gallery guides, Asian food, Taiko Japanese drummers, a scavenger hunt throughout the new galleries and much more. You can even wrap yourself in a pretzel in a yoga class or summon your inner warrior in a martial arts class. ringling.org   

May 12-14

Harvey Milk Festival

This three-day fest in the heart of downtown Sarasota encompasses the visual (an avant-garde performance installation by Belaxis Buil that blends fashion and choreography), theatrical (Octavio Campos: America’s Next President) and musical, with a 10-band concert at Five Points Park. It’s all to celebrate the life of the late politician and gay rights activist Harvey Milk. harveymilkfestival.org  

May 15

HD at the Sarasota Opera

The good folks at the Sarasota Opera are helping us get through the off-season with a series they call HD at the Opera House—screened performances from some of the world’s greatest opera, theater and ballet companies. The series kicks off Sunday with London’s Royal Opera House production of Boris Gudunov, starring Bryn Terfel. See the complete lineup at sarasotaopera.org.

May 12-22

Sweeter Than Justice

As several big arts organizations wind down for the summer, this is a good time to sample something new. An Equity troupe called Page to Stage Productions presents the regional premiere of playwright Robert Lipkin’s psychological drama, Sweeter Than Justice, at the FSU Center’s Cook Theatre. Buy tickets at pagetostageproductions.com.

May 12

Jeffrey Broussard & the Creole Cowboys

Get ready for some foot-stomping Louisiana zydeco music at the Fogartyville Community Center. Accordion master and vocalist Jeffrey Broussard hails from the legendary band, Zydeco Force. sarasotapeacenter.org

May 13-14

The Modern Show

Looking for a special piece of vintage midcentury modern furniture? The Center for Architecture Sarasota obliges with its first Modern Show this weekend. Tickets to Friday night’s VIP cocktail party gets you a first peek at the cool furnishings and home décor that CFAS has been collecting, as well as a talk by Paul Rudolph biographer Richard Geary and a look at rarely seen at five pieces from the legendary architect’s own New York apartment. The sale takes place Saturday, with lectures, talks, tours and a vintage fashion show. Details at themodernshow.com.