Light up trees and flamingos by water. in late evening
CoolToday Baseball Park
Guys jumping up over volleyball net during game.
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How to Spend Christmas in July in Sarasota

If you find yourself in Sarasota County halfway to Christmas, you're in luck with season's greetings in the sun!

Christmas in July is your summer vacation chance to celebrate all the things you love about the winter holiday: parties, shopping, family, movies – the list goes on! Luckily, Sarasota loves to get keep the cheer and festivities going all year long. So get ready for some holly jolly fun in the sun this coming July!

Watch Elf on the Big Screen at CoolToday Park

CoolToday has brought back its Summer Movie Nights by popular demand—featuring films on the scoreboard within the Spring Training baseball stadium on Sunday evenings. For this month's showing, CoolToday Park is celebrating Christmas in July on Sunday, July 23rd with the beloved holiday classic, Elf. So find your seat and have some laughs with Buddy and some summer Christmas cheer.

Children ages 3 and under receive free admission, while tickets for ages 4-9 are $3, and ages 10+ are $7. Tickets are available at the CoolToday Park box office, online at cooltodaypark.com/movies or by calling 941-413-5004.

Shop the Biggest Sale of the Season in Venice

Get ready to shop till you drop for the biggest sale of the season, presented by Venice Main Street. On Friday, July 14th and Saturday, July 15th, from 10am-4pm, participating locations on Main Street of Historic Downtown Venice will showcase their Christmas-themed windows and great discounts.

Register to win one of several gift baskets, ride the trolley both days and meet Santa in peak summer!  With all its Old Florida charm, Gulf Coast history and sundry of local shopping boutiques, there's no place like Venice to celebrate Christmas in July!

Catch the Volleyball Tournament on Lido Beach

Presented by St. Pete-based RockstarBeach Promotions, the Florida beach volleyball tour series takes place in various coastal destinations around the state. For 2023's Christmas in July volleyball tournament, Lido Key will be the beach venue to host the sandy celebration.

The tournament takes place Saturday, July 15th - Sunday, July 16th on the main Lido Key Public Beach where the volleyball nets are set and the Pavilion is close by for food/refreshments, showers, bathrooms and convenient parking.

Paint the Grinch at Painting with a Twist

Invite your friends and enjoy step-by-step instructions from the local artists of Painting with a Twist in Sarasota. To celebrate Christmas in July, the paint studio is featuring "A Green One" event for Grinch fans to capture their favorite "villain" on canvas while sipping their favorite drink, enjoying food/snacks and socializing with fellow holiday-loving artists.

This party also includes making your own long-lasting soy candle, which will set while you are painting. You'll be able to choose from 24 scents, and it is recommended to come 30 minutes before painting time to get your candle on!

The event takes place on Tuesday, July 25th, from 7pm-9pm and is $40-$60 per person. *You must be at least 21 to consume alcohol in the studio. All refreshments are BYO.*