Street closures and reminders for spectators announced in advance of Sarasota Powerboat Grand Prix Festival

Races to take place on July 1 and 2

The Legacy Builders boat zooms past Lido Beach during the 2015 Grand Prix. Photo from Suncoast Charities for Children

The Sarasota Powerboat Grand Prix Festival will host its Boats on Main Downtown Block Party on Friday, June 30, starting at 6 p.m. on Main Street between Orange Avenue and Palm Avenue, the City of Sarasota has announced.

The Grand Prix Festival is open to the public with free admission.

The following street closures have been planned in connection with that event, the Sarasota Police Department says in a news release:

  • Lemon Avenue between First Street and State Street — from 10 a.m. until midnight on Friday, June 30.
  • Van Wezel Way from East End to 10th Street; Central Avenue from Main Street to First Street; and Pineapple Avenue from State Street to First Street — from 3:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Friday, June 30.
  • Main Street from Orange Avenue to Palm Avenue — from 3:30 p.m. until midnight on Friday, June 30.

Additionally, the South Lido Beach overflow parking lot will be closed from 10 p.m. Friday, June 30, until 5 p.m. Sunday, July 2, the Police Department notes.

The Powerboat Grand Prix races will be held Saturday, July 1, and Sunday, July 2, with most spectators heading to Lido Beach to watch the action, city staff notes. Any race stoppage will be announced on VHF Channel 16, the Police Department has reported.

Persons also may tune into the live streaming of the AquaX competitions by visiting the P1 AquaX races Facebook page, the Police Department says, while the powerboat races will be live-streamed on www.facebook.com/P1Superstock/.

Tents, chairs and blankets will be allowed on Lido Beach only after sunrise, which is approximately 6:30 a.m., the Police Department news release stresses. No beach furniture or equipment is permitted on the beach after 11 p.m., the release adds. The department “will be strictly enforcing the closure times to protect the safety of all beachgoers, including the sea turtle kind,” the release notes.

“Please be mindful of where you’re walking and swimming and share the beach with our seabirds, turtles and dolphins who call the area home too,” city Manager Tom Barwin wrote in his June 23 newsletter.

The Suncoast Powerboat Grand Prix continues to draw thousands of tourists to Sarasota County each summer. Image from the website

The boat ramp in Centennial Park will be closed from 11:59 p.m. Thursday, June 29, until 6 p.m. on Sunday, July 2, the Police Department news release points out. That area will be utilized for staging the Grand Prix, the release adds. A suggested alternative boat ramp is located in Ken Thompson Park, next to Mote Marine Laboratory on City Island, the release says.

New Pass will be closed west of the New Pass bridge on Saturday, July 1, and Sunday July 2, from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m., the release notes. However, boaters will be able to access the cove, the release adds.

The festivities will wrap up on Tuesday, July 4, with the traditional Bayfront Fireworks Spectacular at Bayfront Park starting at 9 p.m., Barwin noted in his newsletter.

The Powerboat Grand Prix is a fundraiser for Suncoast Charities for Children. For more information, visit www.SarasotaPowerBoatGrandPrix.org.