SARASOTA (WSNN) – One of Sarasota’s biggest events is back: the Sarasota Powerboat Grand Prix with a new name. After it was cancelled last year due to COVID, organizers are making a comeback.
The Suncoast Charities for Children kicked off its 36th annual festival with its ‘Waves and Wheels’ event at the Robarts Arena, Thursday night. It featured exotics cars, motorcycles and of course, powerboats.
“Yea, ready to go,” Suncoast Charities for Children, Executive Director, Lucy Nicandri said.
The pandemic kept the festival from happening last year.
“The cancellation from last year was disappointing,” Nicandri said. “We had to get creative, so we did hold some events where people could safely social distance outside.”
During that time, the Suncoast Charities for Children rebranded the festival name from Sarasota Powerboat Grand Prix to Suncoast Summer Fest. And it’s transitioning from being the primary organizer of the boat race to organizing Suncoast Summer Fest. The Powerboat P1 will continue its role as the race promoter.
“So we can include new events,” Nicandri said. “The race is still going to be a big part of it, the Grand Prix Race, but it gave us an opportunity to add new events and change some things up, so we’re very excited.”
The festival events start Thursday night and will go until July 4th. Powerboats and personal watercraft will be racing along Lido Beach this weekend. These events draw thousands of spectators every year, so parking will be limited.
“We want to encourage people to carpool, use the parking garage in St. Armands and get there early,” Nicandri said.
People can take their own COVID precautions with optional mask-wearing.
“We know that the vaccine is out,” Nicandri said. “All of people have been vaccinated, but certainly we want to make sure people remain safe at all our events. Most of our events are outside and event the ones that are inside, we’ve got plenty of room, to make people feel safe.”
The festival benefits Suncoast Charities for Children, helping provide services for children and adults with special needs.
“That money helps provide funding to six local non-profits right here in the area, that serve over 8,000 children, teens and adults with special needs. So that’s near and dear to my heart,” Nicandri said. “We are one of the few race sites in the world that has a charity behind the festival.”
The net profits from some of the events all go towards the Suncoast Charities for Children.
The kickoff party tonight is just one of the many events benefitting the nonprofit. The block party is tomorrow night, and the powerboat race is on Sunday. For all the details on the events, street, and boat ramp closures, you can visit the event page here.
