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Sunshine, Shops & Storm Safety:
Welcome to June in Downtown Sarasota
| | Sarasota is heating up, and there’s no better time to shop, dine, and explore all that our vibrant downtown has to offer. With warmer days and longer evenings, June invites you to enjoy everything in our wonderful downtown district. As we head into hurricane season, the DID is also working closely with city officials and local businesses to ensure our community is prepared and resilient. Whether you're visiting for the day or rediscovering your own backyard, downtown Sarasota is ready to welcome you. | | Discover Downtown: Shop, Dine, Explore | | |
No June DID Board Meeting
Next Meeting - July 8, 2025
| | Sarasota Police Department Crime Update | | |
Crime is on the decline in the City of Sarasota, and the numbers speak for themselves. Under the leadership of Chief Rex Troche, the Sarasota Police Department (SPD) has achieved a historic milestone—reporting a 21.8% drop in total index offenses in 2024. This marks the largest single-year crime rate decrease in SPD's recorded history, following a notable 16.2% decrease in 2023.
These results reflect a continued commitment to community policing, proactive safety measures, and strategic crime prevention efforts. The SPD’s dedication is helping make Sarasota a safer place to live, work, and visit.
| | Parking: Gateless Garages Coming June 17 | | |
Heads up! All three of the City’s parking garages – Palm Avenue, State Street, St. Armands – will go gateless beginning Tuesday, June 17!
This change was made with two goals in mind: improve traffic flow in some of the city’s busiest areas and make parking easier through modern technology.
Here’s what you need to know:
- On June 17, the entrance and exit gates in the City’s three parking garages will temporarily be in an upright position until they are removed.
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Each car will need to pay within 15 minutes of entering the garage through a physical pay station, mobile app (Passport, ParkMobile) or text-to-pay.
- Parking rates will remain the same: First hour is free, second hour is $2, third hour and beyond is $1 per hour. Event parking is a flat $5 fee with credit cards and coins (no dollar bills) accepted
- Reminder: Parking is free in City garages on Sundays and City observed holidays.
Also, garage parking enforcement hours will be extended from 7:30 a.m. until each garage closes. Hours of operation for each garage are:
- Palm Avenue and State Street:
- Monday – Thursday, 7 a.m. to midnight
- Friday – Saturday, 7 a.m. to 2 a.m.
- St. Armands:
- Monday – Thursday, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.
- Friday – Saturday, 8 a.m. to midnight
More information will be shared in the weeks leading to the launch on June 17. In the meantime, reach out to the Parking Department with any
questions by e-mailing ParkingInfo@sarasotafl.gov.
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Just in time for hurricane season, the City has another way to communicate with residents: Neighbors by Ring.
Neighbors is a social networking platform affiliated with Ring doorbells and security cameras. It’s a standalone mobile app and available to anyone -- whether or not you’re a Ring customer.
The City’s Communications Office plans to use Neighbors as a supplemental outreach tool to connect with more residents, particularly during an emergency situation. The Communications team recently worked with Ring to create a verified account, which was launched last week during Hurricane Preparedness Week.
Neighbors is available within the Ring app. It also can be downloaded at no cost via the Apple Store or Google Play.
Stay connected with the City of Sarasota through City News and social media (Facebook, Instagam, X, Nextdoor and Neighbors).
Also, visit www.Sarasotafl.gov/News for the latest news updates and subscribe to receive news releases directly to your inbox.
| | As a Proud Member of the Downtown Improvement District, you’re part of a community dedicated to enhancing our city. Display this decal on your businesses window to highlight your commitment to a thriving, welcoming downtown. To get yours, email the DID today! | | |
As hurricane season kicks off on June 1, it's crucial for Sarasota's downtown businesses and organizations to be well-prepared. The Ready Business Hurricane Toolkit from FEMA offers a comprehensive guide to help you assess risks, develop a preparedness plan, and ensure business continuity during and after a storm.This toolkit provides step-by-step instructions on safeguarding your staff, surroundings, systems, and services, which is vital considering that 75% of businesses without a continuity plan fail within three years of a disaster.By proactively planning, you not only protect your employees and customers but also contribute to the resilience of our entire downtown community.
Access the toolkit here: Ready Business Hurricane Toolkit.
| | Subscribe Today To Our YouTube Channel | | |
There’s always something exciting happening in Downtown Sarasota—and now, you can catch it all on our YouTube channel! From vibrant events to spotlight features on your favorite local businesses, our latest video just dropped and it's full of the energy that makes our downtown so special. Don’t miss out—subscribe to our YouTube channel to stay up to date and be the first to see new episodes as they drop!
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Join us for our season finale, filled with music, fun, and much more! We’re ending it off with one final night that you don’t want to miss. Join us on Palm Avenue adjacent to Art Ovation Hotel.
This final celebration will include everything from live music and glowing lights to great vibes all around. This time, towards the winddown of the night, we’re ending it off with a surprise.
Expect a great evening filled with tropical music, live steel drums, refreshments, delicious bites, dancing, outdoor games, light-up giveaways, and a great way to connect with others from your community right here in downtown Sarasota, all for free!
Location:
Join us back on Palm Ave.
Ample Parking is available at the Palm Avenue and State Street Parking Garages. Follow this link for additional public parking info.
| | Stay up to date with our socials on Instagram and Facebook so you never miss a Fresh Fridays update! | | |
Palm Avenue Art Walk
June 6, 2025 | 6 to 9 p.m.
Enjoy gallery openings, dining, antiques, specialty shops, and live performances as you stroll downtown.
Learn more at palmavenuesarasota.com
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The Sarasota Farmers Market is open every Saturday, year-round, from 7 am to 1 pm, rain or shine. They are located in the heart of downtown Sarasota, centered at the intersection of Main Street and Lemon Avenue, extending to First Street on the North End, and Pineapple Avenue on the South End, with vendors also located on State Street.
Click to learn more.
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If you’d like to continue receiving DID updates electronically, please subscribe to our newsletter HERE by filling out the sign-up form. In addition, please feel free to follow our social media channels, @DowntownSarasotaDID on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube to ensure you stay informed.
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