LIVING LAKEWOOD
FARMERS MARKET MAGIC
LAKEWOOD RANCH LIBRARY
SPRING BREAK FOR KIDS
LIVING LAKEWOOD
Springtime Exploration
It’s time to get moving! Our beautiful Ranch offers an abundance of activities and experiences for all interests. Plan your Sunday around a visit to the Farmers Market at Lakewood Ranch, where fresh local produce, artisanal foods and a vibrant atmosphere make for a perfect morning. Friendly faces (both human and canine) abound—so be prepared for plenty of delightful encounters and chances to give scratchies to tail-wagging new friends. The Lakewood Ranch Library is more than just a place for reading—it’s a hub of engagement and discovery. The library is designed to foster meaningful human connections, truly embodying the essence of a community “third place.” For those looking for action-packed fun, we’ve rounded up a few exhilarating spring break activities. Whether you’re soaring through the air on a zip line, testing your skills at mini-golf, bouncing high at a trampoline park or getting creative with pottery painting, the Ranch offers something for every age. Get out and enjoy it!
WES ROBERTS SRQ MEDIA | Executive Publisher
Continuing a Legacy of Quality
Lakewood Ranch Medical Center is proud to be your choice for quality healthcare services. For more than two decades, our hospital has focused on providing an exceptional patient experience, which has resulted in recognitions and high rankings in quality, safety and patient satisfaction. It’s an honor to share some of our most recent and prestigious recognitions, including being named a Top Teaching Hospital by the Leapfrog Group, a national watchdog organization. The award is widely acknowledged as one of the most competitive awards American hospitals can receive. Lakewood Ranch Medical Center has also earned an “A” Hospital Safety Grade (Fall 2024) from the Leapfrog Group. Both awards recognize hospitals for their performance on the highest standards for quality and patient safety. Additionally, U.S. News & World Report has recognized Lakewood Ranch Medical Center as a High Performing Hospital for Maternity Services (2025). In addition to exceptional, quality care, maternity patients have access to a Birth Designer Program that helps to make their birthing experience uniquely personal. Patients are also cared for in a beautifully appointed Women’s Center. Finally, and consistent with our ongoing commitment to providing advanced and quality healthcare services to the communities we serve, our five-story patient bed tower expansion project is now well underway. Completion is expected by the end of the year. The new patient bed tower will further expand access to high-quality care in this rapidly growing community. As always, Let’s Do Well Together.
PHILIP REBER
LAKEWOOD RANCH MEDICAL CENTER | Interim CEO and COO
Below, left to right: Lakewood Ranch Library.
Interim CEO and COO Philip Reber of Lakewood Ranch Medical Center.
LIVING LAKEWOOD
FEATURES
Market Magic, 8
The Farmers Market at Lakewood Ranch has come a long way since it was first established in 2017 at the Sarasota Polo Grounds. The Market was open on Wednesday nights and had fewer than 20 vendors. Within three years, The Market had moved to the parking lot of the Lakewood Ranch Medical Center where it was open on Sundays and soon grew to 65 vendors. In 2021, The Market relocated once again to Waterside Place where it currently makes its home every Sunday year-round.
A Place for Everyone, 12
The Lakewood Ranch Library, which celebrated its one-year anniversary on January 12, 2025, perfectly exem-
plifies a place where people connect, blending traditional library services with innovative spaces and programs that meet the needs of a modern community.
Reaching New Heights, 16
Spring break is the perfect opportunity for families to step a way from their usual routines and create lasting memories together. Whether it’s an outdoor adventure perfect for burning off some energy or an artistic pursuit that lets creativity shine, Lakewood Ranch has plenty of family-friendly pursuits to explore while school isn’t in session.
Above and Cover: The Farmers’Market at Lakewood Ranch, photo by Wes Roberts.
THE FARMERS MARKET AT LAKEWOOD RANCH HAS GROWN INTO ONE OF THE AREA’S PREMIER ATTRACTIONS.
Market Magic
THE FARMERS MARKET AT LAKEWOOD RANCH HAS COME A LONG WAY. When it was first established in 2017 at the Sarasota Polo Grounds, The Market was open on Wednesday nights and had fewer than 20 vendors. Within three years, The Market had moved to the parking lot of the Lakewood Ranch Medical Center where it was open on Sundays and soon grew to 65 vendors. In 2021, The Market relocated once again to Waterside Place where it currently makes its home every Sunday year-round from 10am to 2pm.
“The Market was the first event to take place at Waterside Place. We had one tenant open at the time, Good Liquid Brewing,” says market manager Morgan Bettes-Angell. “We were drawing thousands of people over to Waterside when the town center wasn’t even established yet. Since then we’ve grown to just over 100 vendors. In season, we draw about 6,000 to 9,000 people to the market each Sunday, and we have around 3,500 to 4,500 attendees through summer.”
It’s no accident that The Market is such a staggering success. BettesAngell is an experienced event planner who pays attention to every detail. Though the vendor list is long, it has been carefully curated.
“We’re really lucky that we get so many applications from so many people. We try to stick within certain categories that we feel fit farmers’ markets, so your farm and garden, kitchen, handmade, artisanal and
then of course food and drink,” Bettes-Angell says. “When we look through applications we do try to pick things that stand out. We’re really scouring, looking for the best, looking for new, looking for different. We’ve also had some of our vendors with us since the very beginning, who believed in what the market could be.”
And as good as they are, The Market experience goes beyond the meticulously chosen vendors. There are also other activities and amenities for visitors to enjoy. Get in some mindfulness and movement before The Market opens with Yoga in the Park, which takes place right by the water from 9am to 10pm. Yoga is free for community residents and $10.00 for nonresidents. Local organizations also partner with The Market to offer entertaining and educational programming in The Kids’ Zone, which is located in the green space next to Green Liquid Brewing Co. Kids can do
fun science experiments, learn about robotics and more. There’s also a brother-sister duo who offer face-painting and balloon twisting for tips as they save up for college. And then, there’s the music. Each week in the pavilion, there’s a different live musical act, typically local artists in the singer-songwriter vein. And all of this takes place in an incredibly picturesque environment.
“I think the unique thing about having The Market at Waterside is the view. We’re right there on the water. We have a ton of seating, so you can find a quiet corner or you can find seating right on main street for people watching and dog watching. There are so many spots to make a little camp with your food and finds and meet your friends,” says Bettes-Angell. “Waterside Place was just a game changer. I mean, that was the destination that the market was always going to move to. But having been through the polo grounds and the hospital parking lot, it was like—‘Oh my goodness, we’re finally home!” LL The Farmers Market at Lakewood Ranch, 1561 Lakefront Drive, Lakewood Ranch, lakewoodranch.com/life-onthe-ranch/themarket.
A Place for Everyone
THE LAKEWOOD RANCH LIBRARY IS MORE THAN A PLACE TO PICK UP A BOOK—IT’S A CRUCIAL COMMUNITY HUB.
LIBRARIES HAVE ALWAYS BEEN MORE THAN JUST A PLACE TO GET BOOKS—they are hubs of community connection. In an era where true “third places”—spaces where people can connect with others outside of work and home—are increasingly rare, libraries have stepped up to fill the void. The Lakewood Ranch Library, which celebrated its one-year anniversary on January 12, 2025, perfectly exemplifies this, blending traditional library services with innovative spaces and programs that meet the needs of a modern community. Tiffany Mautino is the branch manager of the Lakewood Ranch Library, but her work began long before the building opened to the public. Her involvement with the structure itself started in March of 2023 when the exterior of the building was nearly complete but the interior was mostly concrete walls and not much else. That August, Mautino began working out of the building so she could answer any questions the builders and architects had. “I started being able to be in here daily and see it take shape and see paint go on the walls and shelves start to go up, and that’s the really interesting part about this building project,” says Mautino. “I’ve been on renovation projects before, but all that work was done very quickly and put back in the building. This one you got to see in stages, which was really interesting.”
Below: Since it opened last year, the Lakewood Ranch Library has become a community cornerstone.
Mautino wasn’t the only one watching the space come together. Some libraries have Friends of the Library groups composed of people who support their local libraries. The Friends of Lakewood Ranch Library group formed seven years ago, long before the library itself existed. “Our mission is to advocate for the library, and we did a lot of advocating not just with the public but with the commissioners to get the library here,” says Sue Ann Miller, president of the Friends of Lakewood Ranch Library.
“That’s one of our major accomplishments, as well as raising over $400,000 to double the opening day collection from 23,000 to 46,000 items here in the library. That’s a real credit to this community. They love their library and certainly support them.” Mautino and many of the Friends were on hand in September 2023 to witness the truck arrive with boxes upon boxes of books that would fill the empty shelves. “We were all waiting outside and cheering and acting fools, but it was pretty cool,” Mautino laughs. “That day we brought in probably about 42,000 items. I forget how many boxes we brought in. We got it all up on the shelf in, I think, a week and a half. My team doesn’t work slow and they like to be busy.”
Mautino hired most of her team in the summer of 2023 before the branch opened so they were able to go to other library branches and train with their staff before opening day. Instead of specifically looking for people with
library experience, Mautino focused on hiring the best customer service people as well as people with translatable skills.
“We’re thrilled with the facility, we’re thrilled with the programs it offers, but we just find the staff here to be in some ways more than we could ever hope for,” Miller enthuses. “Everyone from Tiffany and the staff down to the housekeeping crew is a unique group of people that are employed here. They all bring additional talent, whether it’s people with languages or one of our library assistants who is very much into engineering and technology and can fix anything and run anything in the workshop. It’s an exceptional group of people and we’re very, very pleased to work with them.”
That team has helped elevate the programming that the library offers and turn the building into a true community center. The event calendar is packed with an incredibly diverse array of classes and activities, the vast majority of which are free (some are donationbased). Children’s playgroups, yoga and Zumba classes on the roof, arts and culture lectures given by area experts, genealogy courses, immersion conversational language groups, ukulele workshops—and that’s barely scratching the surface. There are also sewing classes that make use of the library’s Makerspace, which is equipped with machines like sewing machines and sergers as well as a 3D printer. These events and amenities are
possible through the support of the staff, as well as the dedicated efforts of community volunteers made up of adults and students who donate their time and talents.
With all the Lakewood Ranch Library has to offer, there’s even more they would love to. The second floor of the library building remains unfinished, and Mautino and Miller have plenty of ideas of what can be done with that 25,000 feet of unused space. The Friends run a volunteerstaffed bookstore that supports their ongoing fundraising efforts and are in need of a place to sort and store books. There has been a huge demand among students for small, private study rooms which are desperately needed. And, like her team, Mautino is always thinking creatively.
“We definitely want space for study rooms, but I would also like to see that area as a shared workspace with county departments and organizations. Libraries have become spaces for communities, but also very much spaces for people to come and find resources for things like social services,” Mautino says. “I think it would be a really amazing thing if instead of just giving someone a phone number or address and asking them to go downtown, I could take them upstairs and connect them directly to the right person. A shared workspace would be an incredible benefit to the community.” LL Lakewood Ranch Library, 16410 Rangeland Parkway, Bradenton, 941-7424500, friendsoflakewoodranchlibrary.org.
Below, left to right: Friends of Lakewood Ranch Library raised funds to help fill the bookshelves.
WRITTEN BY KATE WIGHT
PHOTOS BY WYATT KOSTYGAN, WES ROBERTS
Below: If you can hold a paintbrush, you can paint pottery at Arts A Blaze in Lakewood Ranch. Arts A Blaze will be stocked up with kid-friendly pottery including cute critters for spring break.
Spring Explorations
FOUR AREA BUSINESSES OFFER EXCITING AND CREATIVE ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS SO PARENTS CAN TAKE A BREAK WHILE SCHOOL IS OUT.
SPRING BREAK IS THE PERFECT TIME FOR FAMILIES to step away from their usual routines and create lasting memories together. Whether it’s an outdoor adventure perfect for burning off some energy or an artistic pursuit that lets creativity shine, Lakewood Ranch has plenty of family-friendly pursuits to explore while school isn’t in session. These four local businesses offer a variety of activities so parents can avoid cabin fever and take their kids on fun-filled adventures without leaving town.
ARTS A BLAZE
“Painting pottery is really approachable, so even if you have no experience you can pretty much make it happen,” says Joann Kavanaugh. “I always like to tell people, if you can hold a paintbrush, you can do it.”
Kavanaugh is the owner of Arts A Blaze Studio, Lakewood Ranch’s original pottery painting studio. Since 2009, crafters of all ages, abilities and skill levels have been able to come into Arts A Blaze, choose a piece of pottery to paint and put their own creative twist on it. Once a piece is painted, you leave it at the studio to be fired and come in to pick it up when it’s done, typically about a week later. In addition to traditional pottery pieces like coffee mugs and vases, Arts A Blaze also offers fun figurines that appeal to kids.
“Right now axolotls are trending, so we’re sure to have those. Other sea creatures I like to get are mermaids, dolphins, sharks, manatees—anything that really screams Florida is always going to be hot,” Kavanaugh says. While Arts A Blaze does accommodate walk-ins, the studio has recently started taking reservations on its website and Kavanaugh
urges people to reserve a spot ahead of time, especially on busier days like holidays and weekends. You can also follow the studio on social media to learn more about themed months, pottery wheel classes and more. 8111 Lakewood Main Street #107, Bradenton, 941306-5840, artsablazestudio.com.
THE FISH HOLE AT LAKEWOOD RANCH
Located in downtown Lakewood Ranch, The Fish Hole is an 18-hole miniature golf course that almost feels like its own little world. The course itself has a rustic feel, with weathered wood structures and decorative draped fishnet creating a nautical vibe. Each hole features a sign with a fact about a fish so kids can learn something interesting while waiting for their turn to putt—and then there are the koi fish.“Kids always love the koi fish. Sometimes that’s almost the draw there, just to be able to
Below: The Fish Hole at Lakewood Ranch offers a day of fun for the young and the young at heart.
Below: Spirits are soaring at TreeUmph! Adventure Course.
feed these giant fish,” says general manager Sean Driscoll. “They’re trained like dogs, I tell people. The fish will come right up to you because they know if there are people they’re going to get fed.”
The Fish Hole is an activity that won’t break the bank. Currently, everyone from age four and up plays $13.08 for the first round, while golfers three and under play for free. The course also offers $2 same day replays that are good all day. If you take your family golfing in the morning and leave to get lunch, you can still come back and play another round for $2 each. The course also sells bottled drinks and ice cream treats if you need to cool down on a warm spring day. “We’re familyfriendly,” Driscoll says. “Kids, parents and grandparents, everyone can go out and have a good time—get off the phones and computers and just enjoy the natural atmosphere.” 10725 Rodeo Drive, Bradenton, 941-306-5891, thefishhole.com.
LIVING LAKEWOOD
JUMPIN FUN
At Jumpin Fun Inflata Park, you and your kids can literally spring into spring break. This family fun park has over 15,000 square feet of inflatables and features almost twenty attractions and play areas, including a rock wall, obstacle course, dodgeball and a 250-foot-long zip rail coaster. Parents can join their children on the course or kick back and relax while the kids get some energy out.
“We have massage chairs as well as a full concession stand,” says general manager Donald Robinson. “We have a beer and wine license that also includes seltzers, so that can be a big hit with parents. And then of course kids drinks like Gatorade, water, juice boxes and food like pizza, hot dogs and chips.”
Jumpin Fun usually opens later in the day, but during school holidays like spring break, they offer extended hours. The business follows the Manatee County school calendar, so the week
of Monday March 17 through Friday March 21, Jumpin Fun will open at 11am instead of 3pm. They also often offer specials and promotional deals, so be sure to visit their website and social media before you go. Jumpin Fun Inflata Park, 7321 Trade Court, Sarasota, 941-388-5867, jfipark.com.
TREEUMPH! ADVENTURE COURSE
Kids cooped up and driving you crazy? It is not acceptable to drop them off in the woods to get some peace and quiet, but you can take them to TreeUmph! Adventure Course. This aerial outdoor adventure park offers 14 acres of obstacles up in the trees, complete with ladders, zip lines, swinging logs and all kinds of other challenges. TreeUmph! offers two kinds of passes. The Children’s APE UP Ticket is designed for climbers aged 5-8 and gives access to a more attainable obstacle course for an hour and a half. The Adventure Ticket gives
older kids and adults three hours of climb time on courses that are appropriate for people of varying skill sets and fitness levels.
“The Adventure Ticket has about 100 different obstacles over a series of courses, ranging from beginner all the way up to double extreme. There’s something for everyone.” says Park Manager Blair Johnson. “And for people who have been to us in the past, we used to do a linear course where you had to go in order. We’ve changed that over the last year and reworked our courses so now it’s more of a choose-your-own adventure.”
TreeUmph! Allows children five and up, but not every kid will embrace this kind of activity. Be sure to check out the website to learn more about the physical aspects of these courses and be sure to make a reservation ahead of time because space is limited. But for thrill-seeking kiddos, this is sure to be a hit. Treeumph! Adventure Course 21805 State Road 70 East, Bradenton, 941-322-2130, treeumph.com. LL
