The Market at NBP – Every Friday, 9am-1pm
On a Friday morning, Nathan Benderson Park becomes more than a place for rowing shells, regattas, and long waterfront walks.
By Edit Sarasota Staff
On a Friday morning, Nathan Benderson Park becomes more than a place for rowing shells, regattas, and long waterfront walks. At The Market at NBP, the park’s familiar open-air setting takes on the easy, convivial rhythm of a neighborhood gathering: coffee in hand, live music in the background, and a little time to browse before the weekend begins.
The weekly market brings together more than 20 local artists, small businesses, growers, bakers, and makers, offering the kind of varied, personal shopping experience that can be difficult to find in a landscape of standardized retail. Visitors can expect seasonal produce, fresh-baked goods, gluten-free options, coffee, infused drinks, and handmade wares from crafters of all kinds. Food trucks will add something heartier to the morning, while themed events and live performances give the market an atmosphere that is more social than transactional.
That spirit feels particularly well matched to Nathan Benderson Park, which has grown into one of Sarasota’s most recognizable gathering places. Known internationally as a competition venue and beloved locally for its trails, playgrounds, open lawns, and waterfront views, the park offers a natural backdrop for community life. A market here makes room for both the everyday and the exceptional: a quick stop for breakfast, a conversation with a local artist, or an unhurried morning spent watching families move between the playground and the stalls.
The event is organized by My Promotions, which is also coordinating participation from vendors interested in joining the market. For shoppers, the result is an evolving roster of local talent and small businesses, with new discoveries likely from one Friday to the next. Free parking makes the outing especially accessible, whether visitors are coming from nearby neighborhoods or folding the market into a broader morning around the park.
The Market at NBP takes place Friday, October 23, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Homewood Suites additional parking lot, adjacent to the playground at Nathan Benderson Park. Come for the coffee or baked goods, stay for the browsing, music, and distinctly Sarasota pleasure of finding something made close to home.