On June 10, 1926,
the fi rst street in Venice
opened. Nassau Street
ran from the terminus of
the Tamiami Trail, past
the Hotel Venice, through
Venezia Park, and back
to the Trail. By mid-
June the fi rst phase was
complete, with six miles
of graded streets and a
mile of seven-foot-wide
sidewalks and gutters.
Events Galore
There is always something on the event
calendar in Venice. From the free sunset
beach yoga to the Friday Night Concert
Series, Venice is a bustling place.
Mark your calendar for July 16 when
Venice MainStreet hosts Christmas in July.
Get ready for the biggest sale of the season,
when Historic Downtown Venice will have
Christmas-themed windows, great discounts
and loads of holiday cheer.
The Venice Farmers Market is held every
Saturday morning in the heart of Historic
Downtown Venice. Local farmers, fi shermen,
craftsmen, bakers, artists, and others gather
in a weekly celebration of the best of Venice.
It’s the perfect place where you can get
fresh seasonal Florida fruits and vegetables
directly from Venice area farms, and you
can’t fi nd any fresher shrimp or seafood.
There’s incredible tasty homemade baked
goods, trinkets, crafts, soaps, fl owers, plants,
locally-roasted coffee and more, and you’re
30 GASPARILLA MAGAZINE • July/August • 2021
certain to fi nd great unique handcrafted
jewelry and amazing art.
The list goes on and there’s something new
every week. It’s a great destination to start
your weekend and discover new, fun things
while enjoying the great Florida weather. Did
we mention that parking is free?
It’s Time to Shop
According to Kara Morgan, director
of Venice MainStreet, “In 1987 Venice
MainStreet grew out of a grassroots
movement to bring business and foot traffi c
back to small towns. Across the nation,
through the 1980s, Main Street associations
were working towards the same goal to
make downtown the gathering spot and hub
of community activities once again.”
When asked about the shops of Venice,
Kara was diplomatic about her favorite
shop. “So many to choose from- it’s hard to
pick! And being the MainStreet Director, I
shouldn’t pick favorites. I like to tell visitors
there is something for everyone. A special
memory to take home with you is available
in every shop. Recently we have been
featuring locally made products and local art
in our news blogs and we have a fantastic
shopping directory on our website.”
Nassau Street
Robert Rickford Roberts
Santa waving to the crowds at the
Christmas in July celebration.
Venice Farmers
Market