Inside Sarasota County's SarasotaCon 2022

Direct your speech balloons to Sarasota this August 13, 10am–5pm, at Carlisle Inn & Conference Center. SarasotaCon 2022 is calling all superhero fans, comic book collectors and illustration artists to revel in this nostalgic art form. 

SarasotaCon is a collectors’ mecca convention, striving to be Florida’s best and truest comic convention featuring fandoms of multiple genres. As a long-time collector of comics and pop culture items, the promoter brings Florida an event that will satisfy any fandom!

What To Expect

Local food trucks will be parked for food and bites throughout the day, SarasotaCon will have over 100 art exhibitors and vendors in the show floor room that cater to a wide spectrum of interests including comic books, magazines, retro toys, video games, movies, wrestling, sci-fi, sports cards, anime manga, cosplay, artwork sketches, apparel, gaming, sports cards, and horror.

In addition, a roster of comic industry professionals and fandom-related celebrities are guaranteed in attendance for fans to meet and greet—including comic book legend, Graham Nolan (creator of Bane); wrestling legends and tag team champions, The Killer Bee's; Yellow Power Ranger, Tracy Lynn Cruz; Star Wars' 501st Legion; Mandalorian Mercs, and more!

The show will also host a Super Smash Bros Tournament, as well as a Cosplay Runway Costume Contest, where contestants can enter store-bought or homemade costumes for various prizes. SarasotaCon is one pop culture convention you won't want to miss with the family, friends, or fellow fandoms!

Where To Stay

If you're the kind of traveler that likes to make it as easy as possible on yourself, with as little transportation involved, then consider staying right at the event venue itself! The Carlisle Inn & Conference Center is also a new local hotel, located right in the heart of Sarasota's Pinecraft neighborhood. The 100-room full-service hotel is all kinds of peaceful and quiet—residing in a quaint and cultural hub of Amish and Mennonite activity. The hotel is also just a short car drive, or SCAT bus, away from Sarasota's top-ranked beaches—including Lido Key Beach and Siesta Key Beach, and less than a 10-minute drive to both Downtown Sarasota in one direction, and The University Town Center in the other, for loads of restaurants, retail shopping and entertainment options.

Where To Eat

With the event being in Sarasota's sacred Amish village area, you'll be hardened not to stop into one of the local Amish cafes and restaurants neighboring the event venue and hotel.  Traditional Amish family and buffet-style restaurants Der Dutchman and Yoder’s Amish Village serve classic comfort food and toothsome bakery pastries. Lines snake out the door of these restaurants open Monday through Saturday. Yoder’s is considered a Sarasota institution, and popular with non-Amish visitors for its juicy fried chicken, savory pot roast and daily baking of more than 100 fresh pies with over 25 varieties. Der Dutchman offers scratch-made breakfast, lunch and dinner including their signature Noodles Over Mashed. Both are noted for their bakeries featuring famously giant pie slices. Travelers will also want to save space to indulge at the local ice cream shop Big Olaf Creamery, serving handmade ice cream in batch freezers just like the good old days!

Close-by Activities

In between SarasotaCon's events and happenings, venture outside in nature to Pinecraft Park, which is bustling with outdoor activity—featuring shuffleboard, horseshoes and sand volleyball matches throughout the day. Pinecraft is a great place for an afternoon walk or bicycle ride. You can rent bikes close by at Lapp's Bike Rentals to cruise around the quaint neighborhood and even jump onto the newly-finished Legacy Trail, a 9.3-mile recreational trail for walking, bicycling and running with various jumping off and off points.