Top New Year's Eve Celebrations in Sarasota

Send it off right on New Years Eve with some of the most beloved annual events and celebrations on Florida's Cultural Coast. Put on a sparkly getup and grab something bubbly to ring in the new year – Sarasota-style. 

NYE Block Party & Sarasota Pineapple Drop

If you want to celebrate in true Sarasota style, then your place to be on December 31 is Downtown Sarasota for the annual Sarasota New Year's Eve Pineapple Drop! The fun kicks off earlier in the day with a family-friendly block party along Main Street and Lemon Avenue. Families can enjoy amusement games and carnival rides at Selby Five Points Park, plus tons of food and drink options (including spots with a full bar) throughout the area. Hop around and explore live concert performances from varying local bands across multiple outdoor stages throughout the entirety of the night!

And per tradition, it all culminates with the festive Pineapple Drop—a giant, glowing pineapple of yellow and green lights hanging from a crane above the festivities, until it is lowered during the 10-second countdown to midnight. Following 12:00am is a spectacular fireworks display along Sarasota Bay for thousands to marvel and view from the bayfront and block party. 

Why Does Downtown Sarasota Drop a Pineapple?

Curious how a decorative pineapple became the iconic symbol of the biggest New Year’s Eve celebration in Southwest Florida? Since 2000, Downtown Sarasota has welcomed in the New Year with a free-to-the-public event that has grown to draw 30,000 to 40,000 people each year. The illuminated fruit fixture is reminiscent of New York City's "Big Apple Drop" throughout the 80s, which eventually evolved into the elaborate, permanent ball seen today in Times Square.

Some may be interested to learn that the original fruit was actually an orange for the first decade or so in Sarasota, until the city changed it to a pineapple. There are a few theories on why the NYE beacon changed shape: Some local business owners believe it's because the pineapple is a symbol of "welcome" and "hospitality" that people in Sarasota share with locals and frequent visitors, being an avid travel destination. Some feel it was to differentiate ourselves from Miami's own glowing Orange Drop. Others think it had more to do with the development of downtown's Pineapple Square (along Lemon Avenue and Main Street) as part of a master-plan to bring more residents and retailers to the area. The pineapple branding became somewhat of a symbol for Downtown Sarasota's growth and community events. 

However it came to be, we can certainly say it attracts a huge, fun-loving crowd each year ready to celebrate what the next year has to offer!

New Year’s Eve at Waterside Place

Photo courtesy of Lakewood Ranch

Celebrate New Year's Eve lakeside at the Waterside Place Plaza in Lakewood Ranch! Grab dinner and drinks at one of the many new restaurants around the outdoor town center while listening to a live DJ set up under the pavilion. Then get ready to ring in the new year with an annual LIVE Drone Light Show. You'll also be able to grab bites and drinks at tasty food trucks throughout the evening and enjoy games for all ages. Kids are welcome to have a party of their own in the Kids' Korner! This event is free and open to the public. 

Sharky's New Year's Eve Beach Bash

Photo courtesy of Sharky's on the Pier

Kick off your shoes and dip your toes in the sand of Venice Beach as the last sunset of the year takes place. The highly-anticipated annual New Year's Eve Beach Bash takes place annually at Sharky's on the Pier. Expect an exuberant night of dancing to live bands blending today's hits and classic tunes. Enjoy bites from Sharky's Snack Shack Food Truck before the celebration culminates in a breathtaking fireworks show at midnight, silhouetted by the iconic Venice Fishing Pier. The evening only gets better from there, mixing and mingling with locals and travelers on the sandy beaches of this charming island.

New Year’s Eve Gala and Lights in Bloom at Selby Gardens

Make New Year’s Eve a sophisticated black-tie affair at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens’ Downtown Sarasota Campus. Begin the night with private access and a tour of the award-winning Lights in Bloom® open-air holiday light show, which runs every year through the month of December into early Jan. For New Year's Eve night, secure coveted tickets to indulge in passed hors d’oeuvres and a seated four-course dinner by Michael's on the Bay. After, get ready for a show of incredible performances by The Sarasota Ballet and dancing to DJ hits. The countdown to the new year culminates with a champagne toast and a perfect view of the fireworks overlooking Sarasota Bay when the clock strikes midnight. 

Rooftop Soirees at Downtown Hotels

For some of the finest views in the city for fireworks, secure event tickets to be on the rooftops of Downtown Sarasota's tallest hotel buildings. The Westin's Roof Bar and Eats usually puts on a sensational soiree to bring in the new year. Expect a lively, sophisticated vibe boasting panoramic views of John Ringling Bridge illuminated and the mooring field of Sarasota Bayfront Park. Nearby, the Perspective Rooftop Pool Bar, located at Art Ovation Hotel, shares a similar vantage point but at a different angle of the marina and downtown skyline. The boutique hotel has historically put on special New Year's Eve celebrations—featuring a fun theme, private cabana rentals, champagne, food and a live DJ set.