2026 Power Connection Lunch - 10.21.26 Scarpino's Classic Italian
In a region where conversations over lunch can lead to a new collaboration, a fresh client, or simply a better understanding of the people shaping the Gulf Coast, the table remains one of Sarasota-Bra
By Edit Sarasota Staff
In a region where conversations over lunch can lead to a new collaboration, a fresh client, or simply a better understanding of the people shaping the Gulf Coast, the table remains one of Sarasota-Bradenton’s most useful civic spaces. The 2026 Power Connection Lunch arrives with that spirit in mind: a midday gathering built around the practical pleasure of meeting others face to face.
The event’s title suggests a focus on connection and influence, but its appeal is broader than business card exchange. Sarasota and Bradenton are growing increasingly intertwined, with artists, entrepreneurs, nonprofit leaders, hospitality professionals, and community advocates moving between the two cities every day. A gathering that brings those circles together offers something increasingly valuable—a chance to put names to the people behind local ideas and to discover the shared interests that help a region move forward.
Lunch also has a way of lowering the volume. Away from the rush of a conference or the formality of an evening reception, conversation can become more candid and more memorable. The setting for this edition, Scarpino’s Classic Italian, lends the occasion a natural sense of warmth. At 6152 14th St. W. in Bradenton, the restaurant provides a familiar, convivial backdrop for an event centered on introductions, exchange, and the kind of informal rapport that is difficult to manufacture.
There is a particular resonance to holding a connection-focused gathering in a restaurant. Italian dining is often associated with lingering, generosity, and a table large enough to accommodate one more guest—qualities that align neatly with the social architecture of a strong local community. Whether attendees arrive looking to expand their professional network or simply to spend an afternoon among engaged neighbors, the lunch offers a useful reminder that relationships are among the area’s most important forms of infrastructure.
For anyone interested in the people and possibilities shaping the region, the 2026 Power Connection Lunch will take place Wednesday, October 21, 2026, at Scarpino’s Classic Italian, 6152 14th St. W., Bradenton. Expect an afternoon organized around good food, purposeful conversation, and the distinctly local art of making a meaningful connection across the table.