Sarasota’s Diverse Fest is back for its fourth year, and this one is bigger than ever. The free family festival runs Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Harvest campus, 3650 17th St., with this year’s event expanding into both campus buildings and the outdoor grounds. About 1,500 people attended last year, and organizers expect another strong turnout.
The schedule mixes performance and participation. The Sarasota Ballet takes the stage, the Harvest band performs, and a DJ keeps the energy up between sets. New workshops this year include nonpartisan voter education, a musical theater dance class and a fitness stretching class. Families can count on arts and crafts, pumpkin painting, bounce houses, a dunk tank and axe throwing, plus food trucks and local vendors throughout the day.
Beyond the entertainment, organizers say the festival exists to build face-to-face connection across different backgrounds and beliefs. Harvest President and CEO Dan Minor puts it this way: we can disagree without dehumanizing one another. Admission is free, so the only cost is showing up. Will we see you on 17th Street this Saturday?
