Thunder By The Bay Music
& Motorcycle Festival

February 13 - 15, 2026

In 2019 Thunder by the Bay became the Thunder by the Bay Music & Motorcycle Festival.

It's a 3 day festival and 2026 marks the 28th Anniversary of the popular Sarasota Motorcycle Festival and fund raiser for Suncoast Charities for Children, and will feature three headliners: Night Ranger (February 13 at 8 p.m.), 38 Special (February 14 at 8 p.m.), and Montgomery Gentry featuring Eddie Montgomery (February 15 at 3 p.m.).

The weekend also showcases an incredible mix of additional live music performances, from Maiden Cane, “Given To Fly” (Pearl Jam Tribute), Bobby Friss, and Crossfire Creek.

The festival takes place at the Sarasota County Fairgrounds, 3000 Ringling Boulevard, Sarasota, FL.

Escape-to-Sarasota.com is a proud co-sponsor, benefitting Suncoast Charities for Children!

History: Held annually in the downtown Sarasota area for 18 years, in 2017 the event moved to nearby Lakewood Ranch and in 2018 it returned in part to downtown Sarasota for the Block Party and in 2019 it moved completely to the Sarasota County Fairgrounds, 3000 Ringling Boulevard, for the three day festival with a first time ever gate admission of $5, 12 & under were free, at that time.

A list of the 2026 Events Schedule is below including a link to the live music rundown.

The festival now attracts, it has been reported, upwards of 40,000 fun and friendly revelers to the 3 day celebration.

It's also a more well mannered and refined event than, say, the annual raucous bike week that Daytona hosts every year.

And most years the festival takes place under sunny skies with near 80 degree temperatures. That makes it a fun outdoor event here on the Sarasota sun coast.

Looking back at past festivals: Some of the past celebrities who have helped to make the event more festive were nationally renowned bike builders Eddie Trotta, the Detroit Brothers, Kate O'Shea and Brad Ruel.

The 2026 festival will welcome special guest Paul Teutul Jr., of Paul Jr. Designs, star of the Discovery Channel's American Chopper.

Plus there have been appearances by "The Romanator," featured on TV's A&E Network show, "Knievel's Wild Ride" and the Discovery Channel's "Deadliest Catch" Captains Jonathon Hillstrand and Keith Colburn.

Just goes to show that you never know who you'll see here!

It's also a great opportunity to mix and mingle.

Thunder By The Bay 2026 Event Schedule

January 30, 2026: The festival's Sporting Clay Tournament. Registration Includes Continental breakfast and Post Event BBQ Lunch. Tournament Shirt. Registration: 9 a.m. Tournament starts at 10:30 a.m. $600 per team of 4. Individual player $150.00 ($95 tax deductible).  Knights Trail Park, 3445 Rustic Road, Nokomis, FL.

February 5, 2026: “Taste Of Thunder” Tasting Experience. Fine spirits, wine and beer from around the world meet gourmet bites in an unforgettable evening of flavor and philanthropy. Raise a glass to making a difference — one taste at a time. *Must Be 21 years of age or older.  5 p.m. - 8 p.m. Tickets Are $125 per person.  Grove, 10670 Boardwalk Loop, Lakewood Ranch, FL

February 13 - 15, 2026 : It's the Thunder By The Bay Music & Motorcycle Festival Featuring over 100 vendor displays, Food Court, Vintage Displays, Tented seating area with a full bar, motorcycle freestyle show and more.  Continuous live music. Bring your lawn chairs. Friday: 5 p.m. - 10 p.m. Saturday 11 a.m.- 10 p.m.  Sunday: noon - 5 p.m. Sarasota County Fairgrounds, 3000 Ringling Blvd., Sarasota, FL. All Bands, Including Daily Headliners, Are Included With General Admission Tickets. 3 day general admission pass $40. Daily general admission pass $15. VIP packages also available. No Refunds | No Coolers | Service Animals Only | Re-Entry With Hand Stamp | No Tents Or Staked Umbrellas | Free On-Site Parking. (Children 12 And Under Free | Children Are Welcome In The VIP Tent If Accompanied By A Parent Or Guardian. Guests are welcome to bring their own lawn chairs; however, this year, we have partnered with conCHAIRto to offer comfortable, convenient, and hassle-free rental chairs for lawn seating in front of the main stage —ready and waiting for you once you’re inside the gates.

February 14, 2026: Special Guest – Meet The Man Behind The Metal Paul Teutul Jr. Of Paul Jr. Designs, Star Of Discovery Channel’s American Chopper Meet & Greet Times: 2pm – 4pm | 5pm – 7pm

February 14 - 16, 2025: This year’s live entertainment lineup at the Sarasota County Fairgrounds includes 3 headliners: Night Ranger  Friday night at 8 p.m., 38 Special Saturday night at 8 p.m. and Montgomery Gentry featuring Eddie Montgomery All Bands, Including Daily Headliners, Are Included With General Admission Tickets. 3 day general admission pass $40. Daily general admission pass $15. Shows are about 90 minutes.

February 15, 2026: Special Guest – Meet The Man Behind The Metal Paul Teutul Jr. Of Paul Jr. Designs, Star Of Discovery Channel’s American Chopper Meet & Greet Time: 1pm – 3pm

 Click here for more on the events.

Contact number: Volunteer Hot Line: (941) 487-7904.

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Here's a short video about the Sarasota Thunder By The Bay Music & Motorcycle Festival: 

(Speakers on!)

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Plus there are food and drink vendors, bike builders and custom painters, clothes vendors and all kinds of motorcycle and biker-lifestyle related gear and clothes, plus live entertainment on several bandstands featuring a variety of music styles from rock, to country to..well, you get the idea.

Whether you are a “biker” or just a fan, it’s a fun time to walk around and “oowww” and “ahhh” at the bikes on display.

In 2023 the festival generated a net revenue of $315,000.00 for Suncoast Charities for Children. Some of the funding allocations from this net revenue included: New classroom furniture and assistance packages for preschool children attending Children First, new occupational/speech therapy testing materials and sensory tools for The Florida Center for Early Childhood, seed money to start the first-ever Summer Camp Shriver in Sarasota for Special Olympics athletes, funding a summer camp for the blind and the purchase of new safety helmets and uniforms for Venice Challenger Baseball, and the construction of a new outdoor therapeutic area at Loveland Center. A $50,000 grant was also made to the Suncoast Foundation to assist with maintenance and necessary capital expenditures needed at these agencies.

That's a long way from the first Thunder By The Bay Sarasota Motorcycle festival in 1998 when there were only 100 riders and they only raised $100.

The festival has grown over the years into a now large group of good and big hearted bikers who bring “Thunder” to Sarasota and its surrounding areas to kick-start each New Year.

Get more information about the Thunder By The Bay Sarasota Motorcycle Festival by calling the festival Volunteer Hot Line: (941) 487-7904 or by clicking here: Thunder By The Bay Sarasota Motorcycle Festival

We hope to see you at the next Thunder by the Bay, here in sunny Sarasota, Florida!

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