By Marc R. Masferrer, University Communications and Marketing
Tickets for the 30th Brunch on the Bay, the annual marquee fundraiser benefiting student scholarships and campus initiatives at the University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee, are selling fast.
Brunch on the Bay is set for 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Sunday, March 2, at the campus, 8350 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota.
Tickets are on sale until Feb. 26.
Celebrating its 30th anniversary, Brunch on the Bay marks a significant milestone, reflecting three decades of unwavering community support and commitment to educational excellence for students to achieve their academic goals.
The 30th Brunch on the Bay will take place March 2 at USF Sarasota-Manatee.
From its small-scale beginning in 1994 as an effort to raise awareness of USF within the Sarasota-Manatee community, Brunch on the Bay has evolved into a uniquely compelling annual experience and a highlight of the local social calendar. Centered around samplings of local cuisine, each year more local business leaders have joined as sponsors and participants in this event that has raised almost $7 million in scholarships for over 2,000 students.
“Brunch on the Bay gives us the ability to support our students with scholarships as they pursue their dreams of higher education and future success,” said USF Sarasota-Manatee Interim Regional Chancellor Brett Kemker. “We couldn’t provide that assistance without the support we receive each year at this wonderful event.”
Co-chairing the 30th Brunch on the Bay are Scott Olthoff, president of CORE Construction Florida, the general contractor for the new USF Sarasota-Manatee Campus Student Center and Atala Residence Hall, which opened in August; and Bill Mariotti, a member of the USF Foundation Board of Directors and a member of the USF Sarasota-Manatee Campus Board. USF Credit Union is the title sponsor for Brunch on the Bay.
A major feature of the event will be an assortment of fine foods and drinks presented by some two dozen restaurants and caterers in Manatee and Sarasota counties. They include Carrabba’s, Gecko’s Grill & Pub, Grove, Mattison’s Catering, Michael’s on East, Morton’s Gourmet Market, Nothing Bundt Cakes, Pier 22, The Breakfast Co., Toastique, and Tzeva Restaurant at Art Ovation Hotel.
Brunch on the Bay will take place under a large tent on the campus courtyard near the Campus Student Center and Atala Residence Hall. Attendees will arrive at brunch by walking through the building’s atrium, and chairs and co-chairs of previous brunch organizing committees will be honored with a reception on a second-floor terrace before the start of this year’s event.
“Brunch on the Bay celebrates the wonderful connections USF Sarasota-Manatee enjoys with our community,” Kemker said. “I can’t wait until our alumni and other friends and supporters see how we have grown.”
The 30th Brunch on the Bay originally had been set for Nov. 3 but was rescheduled because of disruptions caused by two hurricanes last fall.
For ticket and sponsorship information, as well as a list of participating restaurants, visit sarasotamanatee.usf.edu/brunch.