Venice Florida's Shark's Tooth Festival and Year Round Attractions

Venice, Florida was named after the Italian city and founded in 1927. Celebrating its 85th anniversary in 2012, Venice has much to offer tourists, retirees, and mid-life careerists and has been placed on many Top City Lists, including Number 4 on TopRetirements.com Best Places to Retire.

Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey Circus wintered in Venice for many years, until the headquarters moved to Virginia. However, the associated Clown College moved just 18 miles north to Sarasota after spending time in Venice and elsewhere. The circus and circus history is still an attraction in these cities In the Venice-Sarasota-Bradenton market area.

The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers (BLE), North America's oldest rail labor union, purchased 50,000 acres in 1925 and constructed a planned retirement community that became Venice, down to its Italian architecture. Venice has a population of 20,748 as of 2012, according to Sperling's Best Places and of these, the median age is 67.7 years; with 54% of the total population married and 55% female. About 11% of the residents have minor children.

Most of the homes in the area range in value between $100K - $200K, with a property tax rate of $11.41 per thousand dollars valuation.

Annual Prehistoric Shark's Tooth Festival

• Shark's Tooth Festival

  Millions of shark teeth wash up on the beaches and are celebrated with an Annual BBQ and 10K run, with additional activities.

Annual Bling Thing!

• The Venice Art Center of Venice, Florida -- One-of-A-Kind Handcrafted Jewelry

Homes and Apartments for Seniors

Three area hospitals are available to seniors and others around these locations in the Venice Area.

• Bella Vita Retirement Village employs a chef to prepare three meals a day. It offers a cutting edge security system, fitness classes, and to all of the Venice Area attractions. The village covers five acres and three buildings with Independent and Assisted Living. It also incudes a four-story atrium, a cafe, walking paths, a heated outdoor pool, and outdoor games and sports. See www.horizonbay.com.
• The Brookdale Senior Living venue offers Independent and Assisted Living, along with Alzheimer's/Memory Care. It offers an Optimum Life program, rehabilitation, and physical fitness. A cadre of chefs prepare gourmet meals. See www.brookdaleliving.com.
• Jacaranda Trace comes highly recommended as a Best Large Business of the Year and is a gated community. Security services are tight, and the complex has a library, a wood shop, a well equipped fitness center, fine dining, its own post office, a heated pool and Jacuzzi, arts and crafts room, Cable TV, beauty salon and barber shop. Shopping and recreation trips are usual fare. See www.jacarandatrace.com.

MOST AFFORDABLE 55+ APARTMENTS

• Bayou Oaks at 1160 Four Seasons Circle, Sarasota, FL 34234. Rents start at $623/month.
• Renaissance Preserve at 4221 Othello Lane, Fort Myers, FL 33916. Rents start at $629/month. Lots of amenities.

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION

• From the Venice Train Station, residents and visitors have the options of trains, rapid transit buses, regular and express buses throughout Sarasota County via SCAT. Senior Fares are discounted 7 days/week. Dozens of routes operate from early morning to late night. Special transportation available for Veterans and ADA customers.

Senior Centers

• Senior Friendship Centers in Venice (https://friendshipcenters.org/location/venice-friendship-center/)

  The friendship center provides nutritious lunches, support services, a center for healthy aging, a senior health clinic, adult day care, a volunteer center, and a convenient small appliance repair shop.

Largest Private Companies

1. Publix Grocery Stores
2. Venice Regional Medical Center
3. PGT Industries - Doors and Windows
4. Sun Hydraulics Corporation
5. Tervis Tumbler - Drinking Tumblers
6. Doctors Hospital of Sarasota
7. Sunset Automotive Group - Car Sales
8. Goodwill Industries
9. Longboat Key Club & Resort
10. The Ritz-Carlton of Sarasota Resort Hotel

Best Healthcare Companies

1. Sarasota Memorial Hospital (SMH): HQ and anchor of Sarasota Memorial Health Care System. U.S. News & World Report dubbed it a "Best Hospital" in 2017.
2. Doctors Hospital of Sarasota is a "Best Place to Work" according to Modern Healthcare organization from 2009 through 2016.
3. Lakewood Ranch Medical Center has won many awards and accreditation with several umbrella health organizations.
4. Blake Medical Center is one of the top facilities for affordable healthcare.

Best Manufacturing Facilities

1. PGT Industries: impact-resistant windows and doors.Tervis

2. Tervis Manufacturing: Insulated drinking tumblers

3. Sun Hydraulics: High-performance screw-in hydraulic cartridge valves and related items.

4. Tropicana: Fruit beverages.

Great Learning Attractions: Adult and Continuing Education

• Eckerd College at 1549 Ringling Blvd Ste 500, Sarasota, FL 34236. www.eckerd.edu/pel Program for Experienced Learners (PEL); students can earn credit for life experience
• Sarasota County Technical Institute at 4748 Beneva Rd Sarasota, FL, 34233-1758. www.sarasotatech.org
• State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota at 8000 Tamiami Trl S, Venice, FL 34293. www.scf.edu Oldest and largest accredited public college.
• USF Sarasota Manatee South at 8000 Tamiami Trl S Bldg 1800, Venice, FL 34293. www.sarasota.usf.edu

A good number of parks and beaches are located along the Gulf Coast of Venice-Sarasota-Bradenton. Many of the parks are sports related for outdoor sports like softball, baseball, tennis, boating, and soccer. In compliment to the parks are numerous and beautiful beaches:

Beaches Of the Venice Coastal Area

• Brohard Beach and Service Club Park - Just north of Caspersen you will find a 740-foot fishing pier and Service Club Park playground, picnicking, and boardwalks. Adjoining wetlands are good for bird watching.
• Caspersen Beach - South of the Venice Airport, this breach is largely a natural and undeveloped stretch on the Gulf Coast. A nature trail winds through freshwater and saltwater marshes, mangroves. and other areas. Sharks teeth are plentiful here!
• Venice Beach - Located at the west terminus of Venice Avenue and filled with fossilized material in a large reef 1/4 mile offshore. Very close to Downtown Venice, this is an ideal day trip for diving and other pleasures - like a stroll at lunch.
• Nokomis Beach - Sarasota's oldest public beach is family oriented, with picnicking, boating, and fishing.
• North Jetty Beach - At the tip of Casey Key, this is the place for surfing, picnicking, and fishing, Boats pass though the Intracoastal Waterway and are great scenic treasures as they sail and motor by.
• Venice Beach - Located at the west terminus of Venice Avenue and filled with fossilized material in a large reef 1/4 mile offshore. Very close to Downtown Venice, this is an ideal day trip for diving and other pleasures - like a stroll at lunch.

Additional High Points

• Historic Spanish Point- 30 acres filled with 5,000 years of history on Little Sarasota Bay, back to the Indigenous Peoples and Spanish Exploration.
• Lake Venice Golf Club in Venice, Florida - Lake Venice Golf Club, where you can golf on the gulf! One of the best of the many golf venues in the area. 1801 South Harbor Drive, Venice FL 34285
• Oscar Scherer State Park: See the Florida scrub-jay, the threatened bird species found only in this state. Check out the cell phone Audio Tour.
• Marie Selby Botanical Gardens at 900 S, Palm Ave, Sarasota FL 34236
• Ringling Museum of Art
• Sarasota Jungle Gardens at 3701 Bay Shore Road, Sarasota FL 34234
• South Florida Museum of History - Paleontology - Archeology : More about prehistoric shark teeth here! The museum features galleries and events to explore state history, marine life, and archaic peoples. Also see the Parker Manatee Aquarium and Bishop Planetarium. 201 10th St. W. in Bradenton FL 34205
• Venice Area Audubon Society and Rookery
• The Venice Symphony at Venice Performing Arts Center
  One Indian Avenue, Venice FL 34285
• Venice Theatre: One of the largest, most active community theaters America. Located in Venice, Florida, this non-profit, has provided entertainment, education, and public outreach for many years. 140 Tampa Ave W, Venice FL 34285

Sources

• Ringling Brothers Clown College. www.circopedia.org/Clown_College Retrieved September 18, 2018.