SARASOTA (WSNN) – The City of Sarasota along with Newtown community members hosts the inaugural Newtown Spring Festival on Easter Sunday.
For nearly 50 years, the Newtown community hosted an Easter parade every year, but it stopped a while ago. Now, organizers are hosting the newly named Newtown Spring Festival.
Hundreds came out to enjoy it at the Robert L Taylor Community Complex.
The event featured live music, local gospel choirs, dance performances, vendors, food trucks, and lots of activities for kids.
The Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation provided 5,000 toy-filled eggs for the egg hunt. Children were organized into different age groups to participate in the activity.
Organizers say the event is all about bringing the Suncoast together.
“Just some togetherness, a little of that old-time thing when we had the Easter parade and everybody watched the parade and hung out,” Newtown Spring Festival Organizer Walter Gilbert said. “So, we’re hoping to get a little of that back.”
“Beautiful day with beautiful people here,” Lakewood Ranch Resident Jesus Mathews said. “The kids enjoying the day with the park, so it’s a day for gratitude, for enjoying the day, and to thank God.”
The Easter parade didn’t happen this year, but organizers are hoping this festival is a good trial fun for it to happen next year.