The 27th Annual Downtown Venice Craft Festival will be on Saturday, June 15th and Sunday, June 16th from 10am-4pm. Located in Historic Downtown Venice, this event follows the popular March Art Classic. Some of the nation’s best crafters will converge along Miami Avenue, one of Venice’s popular downtown streets. Peruse booths filled with stained glass, photography, personalized products for both children and dogs alike, and much more! Stroll the Green Market for plants, handmade soaps, tangy BBQ sauces and live orchids. Back by popular demand, the 2nd Annual Barstool Open will take place Saturday, June 29, 2019. Put on your knickers and your golf shirts and get ready to putt your way through Historic Downtown Venice! Teams of 2 or 4 will putt-putt through 9+ fun holes in their favorite downtown spots while participating in wacky competitions and enjoying great specials. We’re adding more holes, more games and tons of great prizes! The cost is $20 per person which includes 2 complimentary beer vouchers. You must be 21 or older to participate in this event. Tickets for the Barstool Open can be purchased at www.visitvenicefl.org/product/barstoolopen. If you prefer not to purchase online, you can also purchase tickets at the Venice MainStreet office located at 101 West Venice Ave, Suite 23. Come July, you can forget your stresses and get in the spirit at the Downtown Venice “Christmas in July” event on July 19th and 20th from 10am-5pm. Get a jump on your Christmas shopping while you catch Santa and Mrs. Claus riding the trolley and visiting the shops. Attendees can ride the trolley on both days from 11am to 4pm. We will also be raffling off large gift baskets and you can pick up your free raffle tickets at many of the participating downtown businesses. The raffle drawing will be done on Tuesday, July 23rd and winners will be contacted at that time. For more information on any of these great events, visit our website: www.visitvenicefl.org, email us at info@venicemainstreet.com, or find us on Facebook @VeniceMainStreet.
Almost 60 years ago in 1962, a group of parents in the Venice area sought to be the voice for children with disabilities and advocate for educational and community services. That was the beginning the organization known as the Loveland Center. Today, the Loveland Center, located at 157 S Havana Road, includes a planned residential community tailored specifically for adults with developmental disabilities and programs such as The Supported Employment and Adult Day Training.
A major program of the Loveland center, the Adult Day Training, has expanded tremendously and now offers 31 unique classes for individuals to choose from, including gardening, news and cooking. The goal of the ADT Program is to strengthen the participants’ daily life in ways including communication and social skills. The program also strives to improve independence, decision making and self-advocacy. Participants are able to fully customize their schedules by choosing classes and experiential learning opportunities that interest them and help to achieve their personal goals. To further enhance the learning experience, each class has unique community integration opportunities.
One of the opportunities offered by Loveland’s Adult Day Training Program is a cooking class. Participants begin by browsing through grocery store circulars to see what items are on sale that week. They make their shopping lists based off the sale items and the amount of money they have to spend. The community integration opportunity in this class comes when the group actually takes a trip to Publix to shop for their ingredients before coming back to the Loveland campus to further learn about the cooking process.
To learn more about Loveland Center and their Adult Day Training Program, please visit www.lovelandcenter.org or call 941-493-0016. Stay up-to-date with the Loveland Center by following them on facebook.com/LovelandCenter.
Do not call regarding this job advertisement. To apply, please email your resume and cover letter to applications@venicemainstreet.com Application period closes April 30, 2019
Work Objectives The Chief Executive Officer of Venice MainStreet coordinates activity within a district revitalization program that utilizes historic preservation as an integral foundation for core area economic development. The CEO is responsible for the development, conduct, execution and documentation of the program. The CEO is the principal on-site staff person responsible for coordinating all project activities locally as well as for representing the district regionally and nationally as appropriate. In addition, the CEO should help guide the organization as it grows and as its objectives evolve.
Full Range of Duties to be Performed a. Coordinate activity of program committees, ensuring that communication between committees is well established; assist committees with implementation of work plan items. b. Manage all administrative aspects of the program, including purchasing, record keeping, budget development and accounting, preparing all reports required by the Florida Main Street, assisting with the preparation of reports to funding agencies and supervising part-time employees or consultants. c. Develop, in conjunction with the program’s Board of Directors, strategies for district economic development through historic preservation utilizing the district’s human and economic resources. Become familiar with all persons and groups directly or indirectly involved in the district commercial district. Mindful of the roles of various district interest groups. Assist the program’s Board of Directors and committees in developing an annual plan for implementing a district revitalization program focused on four areas: design/historic preservation, promotion, organization/management and economic development. d. Develop and conduct ongoing public awareness and educational programs designed to enhance appreciation of the district’s architecture and other assets and to foster an understanding of the program’s goals and objectives. Through speaking, engagements, media interviews and appearances, keep the program highly visible in the district. e. Should be a resource to assist individual tenants or property owners with physical improvement projects by obtaining professional design consultants; assist in locating appropriate contractors and materials; provide advice and guidance on necessary financial mechanisms for physical improvements. f. Assess the management capacity of the major district organizations and encourage improvements in the district’s ability to undertake joint activities such as promotional events, advertising, uniform store hours, special events, business recruitment, parking management and so on. Provide advice and information on successful district management. Encourage a cooperative climate between district interests and local public officials. g. Advise district merchants’ organizations and/or Chamber of Commerce retail committees or program activities and goals and assist in the coordination of joint promotional events, such as seasonal festivals or cooperative retail promotional events, in order to improve the quality and success of events to attract people to the district; work closely with local media to ensure maximum event coverage; encourage design excellence in all aspects of promotion in order to advance an image of quality for the district. h. Help build strong and productive working relationships with appropriate public agencies at the local and state levels. i. Utilizing the program format, access and collate data for state reporting on the process and progress of the local program. These systems should include economic monitoring, individual building files, sometimes including photographic documentation of all physical changes and information on job creation and business retention. j. Represent the district at the local, state and national levels to important constituencies. Speak effectively on the program’s directions and findings, always mindful of the need to improve state and national economic development policies as they relate to smaller programs.
Resource Management Responsibilities The Chief Executive Officer supervises any necessary temporary or permanent employees, as well as professional consultants. They will participate in personnel and project evaluations. The Chief Executive Officer maintains local program records and reports, establishes technical resource files and libraries and prepares regular reports of the Florida Main Street. The Chief Executive Officer monitors the annual project budget and maintain financial records in cooperation with the organization’s Treasurer.
Job Knowledge and Skills Required The Chief Executive Officer should have education and/or experience in one or more of the following areas: architecture, historic preservation, economics, finance, public relations, design, journalism, planning, business administration, public administration, retailing, volunteer or nonprofit administration and/or small business development. The Chief Executive Officer must be sensitive to design and preservation issues. The CEO must understand the issues confronting district business people, property owners, public agencies and the issues confronting district business people, property owners, public agencies and district organizations. The CEO must be entrepreneurial, energetic, imaginative, well organized and capable of functioning effectively in a very independent situation. Excellent verbal and written communication skills are essential. Strong supervisory and leadership skills are required.
Jocelyn Hoch and Forrest Shafer are the mastermind artists behind the recently opened fine art gallery, The Muse, located in the 100 block of West Venice Avenue in Downtown Venice. Hoch and Shafer have been traveling and vending at outdoor juried art shows for almost 20 years. All that time on the road can be quite grueling, so they decided to settle down locally and open their first brick-and-mortar storefront in Historic Downtown Venice. It’s abundantly clear from first glance into their store that Hoch and Shafer truly have a passion for the arts. The fine art gallery offers original pieces including paintings, ceramic, glass, copper sculpture and mixed media. Some of the pieces available are a blend of various unique materials such as metal, watercolor, acrylic and even silk paintings. Along with their own original work, they are also exhibiting one-of-a-kind selections made by local award winning artists. Some recent additions to the gallery are brightly colored oil paintings on canvas created by local artist Carol McGill, as well as beautifully displayed cold wax paintings made by the talented Sylvia Hirschegger. Hoch and Shafer both have an undeniable talent for custom hand-made jewelry and have a large selection of their jewelry on display, featuring precious metal and gemstone jewelry. Hoch’s specialty hand-made pieces sometimes take up to three months to complete, due to her carefulness and immaculate attention to detail. “We offer custom jewelry designs. If you have an idea in mind for a special piece, we’ll be happy to make it into silver or gold just for you,” said Hoch. As with the artwork, they also feature local jewelers’ work including the recent addition from Jewelry by Merzatta. Hoch and Shafer take pride in making sure all artwork and jewelry is made with all American-made materials, whether it’s their own or another artists’ work. All in all, The Muse is an absolute asset to Historic Downtown Venice. For more information, you can reach The Muse at 941-706-8389. The gallery is located at 101 W. Venice Ave, Suite 4 and their hours of operation are Monday-Thursday from 11am-5pm, and Friday-Saturday from 11am-6pm.
Venice MainStreet will host the first Wine Walk of 2019 on April 11th from 5:00pm to 8:00pm. Grab a bunch of thirsty friends and get to Historic Downtown Venice as we sip, stroll and shop our way around town. During this very popular evening in Historic Downtown Venice, attendees can sample over 30 varieties of wine including wines from South Africa and California. Participating shops will be pouring 1-ounce tastings and participating restaurants will have great wine specials. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased in advance at Venice Wine and Coffee, the Venice MainStreet office, or online at www.visitvenicefl.org/product/aprilwine. On the day of the event, tickets can be purchased starting at 5:00pm at the Kiosk in Centennial Park or the Burgundy Square Breezeway. Those that purchase in advance can pick up their wristbands and a map of wine tasting locations at the kiosk or breezeway at 5:00pm on the day of. Another wildly popular event approaching is the Easter Eggstravaganza in Centennial Park. This annual event will be on April 20th at 9:30am and is presented by Edible Gifts & Treats, Premier Community Bank, Venice Lion’s Club, The Warehouse and Venice MainStreet. “This year is set to be even bigger and better than ever before,” said Nick Sperry, Events Coordinator for Venice MainStreet. Kids can look forward to hunting thousands upon thousands of eggs, music, prizes, candy, The Easter Bunny and other entertainment. The record number of 8,000 eggs this year will hold candy, toys or prizes generously donated by local merchants. Erin Silk, CEO of Venice MainStreet, reminds parents to bring baskets for the children and to arrive early to enjoy the entertainment. In May, we welcome the return of the Venice Seafood Festival. This year the event will span three days; Friday, May 3rd from 4-10pm, Saturday, May 4th from 11am-10pm and Sunday, May 5th from 11am-6pm. While enjoying your seafood meals and drinks, enjoy the captivating sounds of live musical performances on stage by some of Florida’s and the region’s top musical talents. Patrons can also enjoy a nautical marketplace, gourmet food items and specialty products. For more information on any of these great events, please visit our website www.visitvenicefl.org or contact the Venice MainStreet office at 941-484-6722 or info@venicemainstreet.com.
Owners Sean Julian and Karen Quillen opened their first location of Crate & Marrow almost five years ago in Charlottesville, Virginia, after an extensive 20+ years in dog training. After moving to Venice last year, they saw a need in town for a second location and opened up shop on West Miami Avenue. Crate & Marrow offers a wide array of dog and cat products, including food, treats, toys, shampoo, cleaning products, supplements and handmade collars. They pride themselves on selling mostly organic and all-natural products and make their own cookie treats. “Shopping for pet food can be overwhelming and misleading,” said Quillen. A majority of the well-known dog food brands on the market contain chemicals and glyphosate. “I believe that a real food diet is important. Feeding raw is easier than you think and could mean a longer lifespan for your pet.” A raw diet, including real bone, is a good source of minerals for dogs, especially calcium and phosphorus. “Adding some sweet potato […] or a premade meal mixer can help stretch your meat and make feeding raw a more affordable option.” Crate & Marrow stocks various meal mixers, as well as beef bones, turkey necks and chicken and duck feet. In February, Crate & Marrow hosted a Raw and Cooked Food Workshop in which they made a small demonstration and answered questions from attendees. “People come to us looking for information and we offer them transformation,” said Quillen. They plan to host another Workshop in mid-April. Dogs that eat a poor diet have “sweet blood” from all the unnatural additives in most dry foods, which attracts parasites like fleas and ticks. A real food and raw diet also benefits an animal by preventing tooth decay. Crate & Marrow is located at 235 W Miami Ave in Venice and is open Monday through Saturday from 10am to 6pm. Call the store at 941-218-6770 for more information or visit them on Facebook. If you’ve found a product you love but are headed back home for the summer, don’t fret – Crate & Marrow also offers shipping! Visit their website, www.crateandmarrow.com, for product listings and information about shipping.
Mardi Gras, which translates to “Fat Tuesday” in French, is a celebration of the last gluttonous day of eating rich, fatty foods before the religious season of Lent begins. The first Mardi Gras event in America occurred over 300 years ago when two explorers from France landed in what is now New Orleans and held a small celebration. In 1827, several students dressed up in vibrant costumes and danced through the streets replicating the festivities they experienced in Paris – which has become the traditional parade that Mardi Gras is now known for.
Historic Downtown Venice is gearing up for the Second Annual Fat Tuesday Mardi Gras Crawl… Venice style! The Fat Tuesday Crawl will take place on March 5, 2019 from 5pm-8pm. This year there will be two 2nd line Marching Bands; just like those in New Orleans. Beads galore, hurricanes and even special New Orleans inspired food dishes. Dress up and follow the bands down the sidewalks in Downtown into the shops, restaurants and pubs.
Venice MainStreet has proudly partnered with the South County Jazz Club to produce this evening of fun and music. The South County Jazz Club is dedicated to the presentation and preservation of mainstream jazz, and has produced more than 400 Venice-area events since its founding eight years ago. It regularly features our area’s deep pool of resident talent, plus a sizable group of internationally-acclaimed artists. Nate Najar, Don Mopsick, Dick Hyman, Ken Peplowski, Harry Allen, Veronica Swift, Wycliffe Gordon, Chuck Redd, Ira Sullivan, Marlene VerPlanck, Larry Coryell and the Four Freshmen are just a few of the jazz greats the club has brought to the area. More details can be found at southcountyjazz.org.
The Crawl Route*° is as follows:
Bourbon St. Band Old Venice Pub, 100 W. Venice Ave., 5:00-5:15 Bonnell’s Boutique and Winery, 101 W. Venice Ave., 5:15-5:30 Café Venice, 101 W. Venice Ave., 5:30-5:45 Spice and Tea Exchange, 101 W. Venice Ave., 5:45-6:00 Made In Italy, 117 W. Venice Ave., 6:00-6:15 Sunbug, 141 W. Venice Ave., 6:15-6:30 Gazebo, Centennial Park, 6:30-6:45 Venice Wine and Coffee, 201 W. Venice Ave., 6:45-7:00 southeast salt, 213 W. Venice Ave., 7:00-7:15 Crate and Marrow, 235 W. Miami Ave., 7:15-7:30 Parlor Barbershop, 227 W. Miami Ave., 7:30-7:45 Down Island Way Boutique, 225 W. Miami Ave., 7:45-8:00 Laurie Jean & Co., 219 W. Miami Ave., 8:00-8:15 After Party at Made In Italy starting at 8:15pm
Frenchmen St. Band DP Fitness and Wellness, 210 W. Miami Ave., 5:00-5:15 Mother’s Cupboard Spice Shoppe, 208 W. Miami Ave., 5:15-5:30 Venice Trading Company, 211 W. Miami Ave., 5:30-5:45 Island Gift Nook, 227 W. Venice Ave., 5:45-6:00 TJ Carney’s, 231 W. Venice Ave., 6:00-6:15 Shirt Stop, 247 W. Venice Ave., 6:15-6:30 Gazebo, Centennial Park, 6:30-6:45 Venice Ave Creamery, 249 W. Venice Ave., 6:45-7:00 Dick’s Shoes, 251 W. Venice Ave., 7:00-7:15 Daiquiri Deck, 300 W. Venice Ave., 7:15-7:30 Seaside Chic Boutique, 310 W. Venice Ave., 7:30-7:45 Ciao Gelato, 317 W. Venice Ave., 7:45-8:00 Ristorante San Marco, 305 W. Venice Ave., 8:00-8:15 After Party at Daiquiri Deck starting at 8:15pm
*Route schedule and times are subject to change. Follow us on Facebook or keep checking www.visitvenicefl.org for the most up to date information. °Please note: alcohol may only be consumed inside of each individual serving establishment. Alcohol is NOT permitted in the streets or sidewalks of Downtown Venice.
Venice MainStreet, Inc. is holding a contest for an
interactive mural in Historic Downtown Venice. The mural will be located
predominately downtown for hundreds of thousands of yearly visitors to see. Work
must be completed by June 14, 2019. A Visit Florida grant will pay for a
portion of this project.
Purpose: To create an interactive mural that
encourages people to take a picture with the image and share on social media.
It must fit in with the ambiance of Historic Downtown Venice and advertise
Venice, FL. Theme: “3-D action image fitting to
Venice in the time period of 1920s and the 1930s”
Specifications:
The wall is located at 303 W Venice Avenue Venice, FL 34285. The total wall space is 25’ by 7.5’. The entire wall does not need to be used for the mural. Because of the road location a space of 13’ by 7.5’ can be captured within one picture. The area would allow for up to two photo ops. See the attached diagram.
Concept and this completed form must be delivered to the Venice MainStreet office (101 W Venice Ave #23 Venice, FL 34285) by March 29, 2019
Concept should include details on scope of pay, maintenance expectations, artist bio with images of past work and the materials to be used.
A committee will choose the winning artwork by April 5, 2019
Once approved by the City of Venice work can begin. All work must be complete and billed to Venice MainStreet by June 10, 2019.
Release: If the design I have
submitted is selected as the winning entry, Venice MainStreet has the exclusive
right to reproduce, sell and distribute images of the work.
As we look ahead at the future of Downtown Venice, it is important to remember our past. In 1987, the Downtown Venice Association, a merchant’s organization, formed a non-profit corporation, Venice Main Street Association, enabling them to apply for the Florida Main Street Program. Venice City Council committed to contributing $15,000 per year in support for three years if Venice was accepted into the Florida Main Street program. In March 1988, Venice was chosen as a Florida Main Street City and selected its first Main Street manager. Today Venice MainStreet celebrates 32 years as an accredited Main Street program.
Florida Main Street is an assistance program administered by the Bureau of Historic Preservation, Division of Historical Resources, and Florida Department of State focusing on traditional historic commercial corridors. The Bureau conducts statewide programs aimed at identifying, evaluating and preserving Florida’s historic resources. Main Street, with its emphasis on preservation, has proven to be an effective strategy in achieving these goals in Florida’s historic retail districts. In the past, the word “downtown” brought to mind an image of a bustling center of commerce and activity. Too often, however, many small Florida downtown districts provided images of vacant, deteriorating buildings and struggling businesses. Communities have now discovered that with help from Florida Main Street, downtowns can thrive again. Venice MainStreet strives to develop and maintain strong relationships with its Business and Community Partners. Downtown Venice is testimony to the success of these relationships and the importance of common goals.
Today, Venice MainStreet is a volunteer driven non-profit dedicated to enhancing the quality of life in our Venice community. Venice MainStreet strives to collaborate with the City of Venice and other community groups to preserve and enhance the historic character, while also promoting and encouraging the economic and community vitality of Historic Downtown Venice. This goal is achieved by bringing engaging and entertaining events attracting visitors and enhancing the lifestyle of our local residents, and also investing in amenities, marketing and infrastructure for Historic Downtown Venice. To learn more about Venice MainStreet find us on Facebook or go to www.visitvenicefl.org/about-us
