Sarasota Highland Games and Festival

     Welcome to the Sarasota Highland Games and Festival, at the Venice Airport in Venice, Fl. This is a very nice highland games, with the caber toss, hammer throw, Border Collie demonstrations, pipers, food, and all things necessary for the games.

     Food includes bridies, sausage rolls, fries, and of course, haggis. There were deserts aplenty: sticky toffee pudding, chocolate bread pudding with chocolate sauce. Eccles cakes, and scones topped with strawberries and whipped cream were some of the offerings. Pipe and drum bans, Celtic bands, Irish dancers, and children’s activities provided entertainment. There was beer, soft drinks, and water. Shopping was good! We saw china, crystal, T shirts, kilts, women’s clothing, jewelry, books, and many items displaying the various clans’ crests. The Highland Games are fun for everyone.

     Admission was $12 per person. Food items were $4 – $5 per item.

     We spent the night at the Veranda inn, a very comfortable and reasonably priced motel in Venice, Florida. Our suite included two queen beds, a sitting room with sofa, kitchenette, and a porch. There were two TVs, and a coffee maker, refrigerator, and microwave. The Veranda Inn offers standard motel rooms with one queen bed and one bedroom deluxe suites with two double beds that can be converted to a king along with a sofa. There is also a pool. We found our room to be clean and comfortable, but not fancy. We suggest bringing some forks, glasses, etc. with you if you plan to use the kitchenette. Our suite was $99.00 for the night. The staff was helpful and friendly. The Inn is very near the downtown area, which is charming. A restaurant serves breakfast and lunch next door, with a chef that was with the Hyde Park Hotel in New York City.

     For dinner, we went to Sharkey’s on the Pier in Venice. It’s very colorful, casual, and fun! There is beautiful ocean view, rooftop seating for drinks, and outside bar. We ordered something we hadn’t seen in Florida before – lobster roll! This delicious sandwich brought back wonderful memories of Maine, and we plan to revisit soon! Both Sharkey’s and Maine! The lobster roll was $15.95 and came with one side of choice. We started the meal with a Brie and Apple flatbread pizza for $8.95. Delicious!