Spring is officially in the air, Parrish — and so is a whole lot of good stuff happening around town. Whether you're chasing a toddler through a splash pad or plotting your weekend around food trucks, we've got you covered. Here's what's making us smile this week.

Heads up — today and tomorrow could get stormy (highs in the low 80s with thunderstorms rolling through), but a cool front sweeps in Tuesday and the rest of the week looks gorgeous. Expect mid-60s to mid-70s with clear skies from Wednesday through the weekend. Perfect weather to get outside and hit some of these events.

Day Out With Thomas: Let's Rock, Let's Roll Tour — Thomas the Tank Engine is pulling into the Florida Railroad Museum right here in Parrish! Hop aboard for a 25-minute ride, meet Sir Topham Hatt, and let the kids dance it out in the Party Zone. Running March 15, 21–22, and 28 with hourly departures from 9 AM to 4 PM. Tickets are $21–$30 and must be purchased in advance — no walk-ups. (12210 83rd Street East, Parrish)

Live Comedy at Coconuts Comedy Club - Mike Rivera Headlines at Coconuts Comedy Club March 21st. “America’s Most Hilarious Teacher” teams up with regional comics Billy Dunn, Juan Rosario, & Ryan Parker to bring you two great shows on the 21st. Tickets are available online and at the box office. Note Mike’s shows regularly sell out, get your tickets early. Inside the Tradewinds Grand Island Resort: Phone: 727-360-5653 | Coconuts Comedy Club 5501 Gulf Blvd., St. Pete Beach, FL 33706

Inaugural Mixon Farms Market — Today's the day! The very first Mixon Farms Market kicks off this afternoon at the former Mixon Fruit Farms property with local vendors, live music, and food trucks. Commissioner Amanda Ballard said it best: "There are no close grocery stores around. So this will be a great opportunity for people to get fresh local food right in their neighborhood." Free admission, 10 AM–2 PM, and it'll run the third Sunday of every month through May. (2525 27th Street East, Bradenton)

Spring Break Teenapaloosa — Teens, this one's for you. Lakewood Ranch Library has a different themed activity every day from March 16–20, 4:00–5:30 PM. Games, creativity, friends — and it's free.

Manatee Music Series at GT Bray Amphitheater — The county's free outdoor concert series continues Friday, March 20 at GT Bray Amphitheater in Bradenton. Grab a blanket and enjoy a live show under the stars.

Old Miakka Church Easter Egg Hunt — A free, old-fashioned Easter Egg Hunt at Old Miakka Church on Saturday, March 21 from 4–5 PM. No registration, just show up and let the kids go wild. (1620 Myakka Road, Sarasota)

Wine Walk Into Spring — Sample 20+ wines while strolling Main Street in Lakewood Ranch on Wednesday, March 25. One of the most anticipated tasting events of the season, hosted by Fine Wine & Tastings on Main.

Robinson Preserve 18th Annual 5K/10K Twilight Race — Lace up for an evening run through one of Bradenton's most beautiful preserves on Friday, March 27. Heads up — the preserve will be closed all day for the race and reopens March 28.

Arts & Crafts Festival at Parrish Community Park — Our brand new Parrish Community Park hosts an arts and crafts festival on Saturday, March 28 from 10 AM–3 PM. Browse local artisans and grab lunch from food trucks. Free admission! (7550 Fort Hamer Rd, Parrish)

BAM!Fest — Bradenton Art & Music Festival — Also on March 28, the Bradenton Riverwalk transforms into a free art and music wonderland. Multiple performance stages, live large-scale art creation, an Eco Park with oyster reef restoration, the Atomic Bazaar Market with 20+ vendors, and even a Sandcastle Beach with tiki bar and lawn games. 11 AM–7 PM. This one's a can't-miss.

DOGPerfect Opens Fifth Location in Parrish — Parrish pet parents, rejoice. DOGPerfect — the Sarasota-based pet specialty retailer — just opened its newest store at 11667 Moccasin Wallow Road, near North River Ranch. Owners Linda and Rob Emery are bringing curated nutrition, enrichment products, professional grooming, and a self-service dog wash to the neighborhood. Even better: it's the company's first locally-owned franchise, which could mean more locations on the way.

100 Volunteers Fill a Dumpster at the Great American Cleanup — Keep Manatee Beautiful rallied about 100 volunteers on March 7 to clean up along the Manatee Avenue Causeway and Perico Island. Between water-based kayak cleanups, beach sweeps at Kingfish Boat Ramp, and roadside pickups at Neal Preserve, the crew filled a 4,700-pound dumpster. The effort was part of Keep America Beautiful's nationwide push to remove 25 billion pieces of litter by July 4 in honor of the country's 250th birthday.

Spirit of Manatee 2026 Honorees Announced — The Manatee Community Foundation is celebrating 20 years of honoring local philanthropists. This year's Spirit of Manatee honorees include Ron Allen, Ashley Brown, Mary Glass, Barbara Jennings, and Zoe Lander. The celebration takes place March 25 at the Palmetto Marriott Resort & Spa, with keynote remarks from Walt Piatt, CEO of Wounded Warrior Project.

Paws in Motion Walk-A-Thon Hits the Riverwalk — The Humane Society of Manatee County just wrapped up its 19th annual Paws in Motion walk-a-thon yesterday at Rossi Park. The event featured a one-mile walk, pup contests, live music, and a vendor village — all in support of our local shelter animals. Spokesdog Zivah returned for her third year leading the pack.

Stillpoint Mission Launches Campaign for a New Home — Bradenton's Stillpoint Mission — an all-volunteer nonprofit that provides food, clothing, diapers, and utility assistance with zero government funding — has launched its "Stillpoint Needs a Place" (SNAP) campaign to find a bigger building. Their current 2,000-square-foot space is bursting at the seams. The campaign runs through April 3, and the Flanzer Trust will double your donation up to $500/month. Over 15 years of annual appeals, the community has raised $519,000.

Know someone who could use a little good news? Forward this their way or share it on Facebook — the more neighbors we reach, the better our community gets. We're all in this together.

Stillpoint Mission needs donations to their SNAP building fund — every dollar is doubled by the Flanzer Trust (up to $500/month). They also always need volunteers. Learn more at Your Observer.

Humane Society of Manatee County is always looking for volunteers, fosters, and supporters. Reach out to Jessica at 941-747-8808 x 315 or [email protected]. Details at humanemanatee.org.

Spring's rolling in, the storms will clear by Tuesday, and there's more happening in Parrish this month than we can keep up with — which is exactly the kind of problem we love having. Get out there and enjoy it.

See you next week! 🌴

— Good News Parrish