Arts and Entertainment Weekend Adventures in Bradenton: June 8-10

Photo by Craig Jorgensen

BRADENTON – As the lazy days of summer arrive, many of us are looking for an adventure to occupy our time this coming weekend. Whether it's kicking back and enjoying a ball game, relaxing to the sound of ”Sicilian Blues,“ or even helping to make a difference in our beautiful waterways, there is always something to do in the Friendly City of Bradenton. Want a change of pace? Help out Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast by participating in "Cooking for Kids - Summer Nights." So grab your Marauders hat, and prepare your kayak, because it's time for another Weekend Adventure in Bradenton!

Your Bradenton Marauders take on the Jupiter Hammerheads this weekend. So come on out to Mckechnie Field on Saturday to enjoy the game as they host Health and Fitness night, where there will be free give-aways and nutritional advice. The game starts at 6:30 p.m. but the gates are open by 5:30 p.m. to give fans the opportunity to participate in this beneficial promotion. Show off your gym membership card for a chance to win a pair of sneakers from On a Shoestring. After the match up between the Hammerheads and Marauders, stick around to celebrate with fireworks presented by Gold Coast Eagle Distributing.

Join Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast as they host ”Cooking for Kids – Summer Nights.“ This exquisite culinary event is where local restaurants and guest chefs compete for the title of Master Chef. Give yourself the opportunity to partake in the fun, as you sample the chef creations, along with other celebrity judges, and cast a vote for the Top Master Chef.

Chef Gaetano Cannata

The event will be held at the Anna Maria Island Community Center this Saturday, June 9, from 6 to 9 p.m. Tickets to attend will run for $50 per person, or a table of eight for $350. All proceeds for the event will benefit the one-to-one mentoring programs of Manatee county. For more information on the event, contact Kelly Thormahlen at 941-488-4009 or by email at kthormahlen@bbbssun.org.

Do you have a passion for blues artists like Sonny Terry or Brownie McGee? Come out to Ortygia and share it with Blues in the Courtyard this Saturday, June 9. The event starts at 7 p.m. and will last as long as fate will allow. There will be a special ”Sicilian Blues“ menu as well as an exciting performance by the RJ Howson Band. Call 941-741-8646 to reserve your blues adventure.

Start your Saturday morning off right with a relaxing paddle through Manatee county's beautiful waterways. This event is a Paddle Patrol Volunteer Workday, where you have the opportunity to paddle out to Pine Island, a small preserve accessible only by boat. Along the way, you will not only enjoy the pleasant scenery, but also help to preserve it by picking up trash in the water and on the boat ramp.

Feel free to bring your own kayak, or use one of the County sponsored kayaks from the WCIND funded volunteer fleet. The event starts at 9 a.m. and will last until noon, but remember 'the early bird catches the worm.'

There are only a limited number of sponsored kayaks, and they will be given out on a first-come, first-served basis. Children aged 16 and under are required to wear flotation devices and must be accompanied by an adult. It is necessary to reserve this excitement by calling 941-748-4501 ext. 4613.

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