The same venue group framework as the Sarasota directory, applied to Venice: dedicated venues first, then bars, restaurants and waterfront spots with live music, grouped by area. Every entry is a currently operating Venice venue where live music regularly happens. Where a venue publishes an official Live Music or entertainment page, it is linked, so you can check who is playing without guessing. We do not publish nightly schedules because they go stale fast. Venice's own venues come first below, followed by clearly labeled nearby (Nokomis & Osprey) and regional (Sarasota) options.

Restaurants, Bars & Waterfront Venues with Live Music

Where live music is part of the evening in Venice: an Irish pub, a beachfront restaurant, a waterfront tiki bar, a craft brewery and the inlet tavern, grouped by area exactly like the Sarasota directory. Every entry is verified as an operating venue that hosts live music; groups are being filled in as venues confirm their lineups, so check each venue's own page for who is playing tonight.

Dedicated Live Music Venues

Venice's casual music destination where the music is the main event: the free outdoor Friday Night Concert Series at the downtown gazebo. Formal theaters, concert halls and performing arts centers are covered on the Performing Arts page, not here. Houses of worship and special-event music are only listed once verified; none are confirmed today, so none appear here.

Bradenton's verified venues come first below, then clearly labeled nearby options in Sarasota and Lakewood Ranch, then the wider regional scene. Every venue listed is currently operating and genuinely hosts live music; confirm who is playing on the venue's own page.

1. Bradenton Local Venues

Verified recurring live music in Bradenton and its riverfront area. Phone numbers are published where verified; always confirm current lineups with the venue.

2. Nearby · Sarasota & Lakewood Ranch

Sarasota's downtown and bayfront scene is a short drive across the river, and Lakewood Ranch's town-center programming is minutes east. Both have their own editions.

3. Regional · Sarasota

For the biggest bar and club scene and dedicated live music stages, Sarasota is the regional hub about 15 minutes south. Its full verified directory lives in its own edition.

Anna Maria Island's verified waterfront venues come first below, then clearly labeled nearby Bradenton, then the wider regional scene. Every venue listed is currently operating and genuinely hosts recurring music; confirm who is playing on the venue's own page.

1. Anna Maria Island Local Venues

Island-casual, beachfront live music, mostly afternoons into the evening. Phone numbers are published where verified; always confirm current lineups with the venue.

2. Nearby · Bradenton

Bradenton's piano bar, breweries and riverfront grills are a short drive off the island and have their own edition.

3. Regional · Sarasota

For dedicated live music stages and the biggest bar and club scene, Sarasota is the regional hub about 30 minutes south. Its full verified directory lives in its own edition.

Lakewood Ranch's verified venues come first below, then clearly labeled nearby Sarasota and Bradenton, then the wider regional scene. Every venue listed is currently operating and genuinely hosts recurring music; confirm who is playing on the venue's own page.

1. Lakewood Ranch Local Venues

Programmed around the town centers: a free concert series on Main Street, plaza stages and taverns with weekend bands. Phone numbers are published where verified; always confirm current lineups with the venue.

2. Nearby · Sarasota & Bradenton

Sarasota's downtown and bayfront scene is about 15 minutes west, and Bradenton's riverfront is a short drive northwest. Both have their own editions.

3. Regional · Sarasota

For dedicated live music stages and the biggest bar and club scene, Sarasota is the regional hub. Its full verified directory lives in its own edition.

Siesta Key's verified venues come first below, then the rest of the Sarasota scene as nearby and regional. Every venue listed is currently operating and genuinely hosts recurring music; confirm who is playing on the venue's own page.

1. Siesta Key Local Venues

Concentrated in the Village and along the beach, mostly island bars with nightly bands. Phone numbers are published where verified; always confirm current lineups with the venue.

2. Nearby · Sarasota Downtown & Bayfront

Sarasota's downtown clubs, bayfront tiki bars and St. Armands spots are a short drive over the bridge and share the Sarasota edition. Closer still, Spearfish Grille runs daily 6 to 9 PM sets at the Stickney Point marina on the Sarasota side of the bridge, and is carried as a labeled nearby pick in the dining guide.

3. Regional · Sarasota

Sarasota's dedicated live music stages and its largest venue lineup are the regional stage for Siesta Key, and its full verified directory lives in the same edition.

North Port keeps a small, honest live-music scene, and the verified local entries come first below, then clearly labeled nearby Venice and Wellen Park, then the wider regional scene. Every venue listed is currently operating and genuinely hosts music; confirm current lineups with the venue.

1. North Port Local

One tavern with weekend bands and a free concert-in-the-park series through the fall. Phone numbers are published where verified; always confirm current lineups with the venue.

2. Nearby · Venice & Wellen Park

Venice's beachfront bars and Irish pub are about 15 minutes south, and Wellen Park's ballpark and downtown green are minutes away. Both have their own editions.

3. Regional · Sarasota

For the largest venue lineup in the region, Sarasota is about 40 minutes north and its full verified directory lives in its own edition.

Englewood's verified venues come first below, then clearly labeled nearby Venice and North Port, then the wider regional scene. Every venue listed is currently operating and genuinely hosts recurring music; confirm who is playing on the venue's own page.

1. Englewood Local Venues

Relaxed and coastal: beachside pubs and a tiki grille with weekend bands. Local theater productions are covered on the Performing Arts page. Phone numbers are published where verified; always confirm current lineups with the venue.

2. Nearby · Venice & North Port

Venice's beachfront bars and Irish pub are about 20 minutes north, and North Port's tavern and park concerts are a short drive inland. Both have their own editions.

3. Regional · Sarasota

For the largest venue lineup in the region, Sarasota is about 45 minutes north and its full verified directory lives in its own edition.

Port Charlotte's verified local venues come first below, then clearly labeled nearby Punta Gorda and North Port, then the wider regional scene. Formal theaters and dinner-show venues are covered on the Performing Arts page.

1. Port Charlotte Local Venues

Sports bars, taverns and a resort keep the local scene: a Trail sports bar with decades of live music, a waterfront bar with live music and karaoke, a tavern on the Trail and Sunseeker Resort's daily entertainment calendar. Formal theaters, dinner theaters and performing arts venues are covered on the Performing Arts page.

2. Nearby · Punta Gorda & North Port

Punta Gorda's harborfront bars and Irish pub are about 10 minutes south, and North Port's tavern and park concerts are a drive northeast. Both have their own editions.

3. Regional · Venice & Sarasota

For the biggest band and club scenes, Venice is about 30 minutes north and Sarasota about 45 minutes north, each with its own edition.

Punta Gorda's verified venues come first below, then clearly labeled nearby Port Charlotte, then the wider regional scene. Every venue listed is currently operating and genuinely hosts live programming; confirm who is playing on the venue's own page.

1. Punta Gorda Local Venues

Harborfront bars with daily bands and an Irish pub with evening sessions. Theater, concert and film programming, including the Gulf Theater at the Military Heritage Museum, is covered on the Performing Arts page. Phone numbers are published where verified; always confirm current lineups with the venue.

2. Nearby · Port Charlotte

Port Charlotte's sports bars, taverns and resort entertainment sit about 10 minutes north and have their own edition; the biggest scenes are Sarasota to the north and Fort Myers to the south.

3. Regional · Fort Myers

For the biggest national acts and concert programming, Fort Myers is the regional hub to the south and has its own edition.

Cape Coral's verified venues come first below, then clearly labeled nearby Fort Myers, then the wider regional scene. Every venue listed is currently operating and genuinely hosts live programming; confirm who is playing on the venue's own page.

1. Cape Coral Local Venues

Three verified venues anchor the South Cape scene: an eclectic bar-and-eatery with local bands and vinyl nights, a steakhouse and martini bar with regular live entertainment, and the country dance hall on the 47th Terrace strip. Cabaret and theater productions are covered on the Performing Arts page. Phone numbers are published where verified; always confirm current lineups with the venue.

2. Nearby · Fort Myers

Fort Myers' outdoor amphitheater, River District clubs and breweries are right across the Caloosahatchee and have their own edition.

3. Regional · Fort Myers

Fort Myers is the concert hub of the Cape Coral-Fort Myers metro, and its full verified directory lives in the same edition.

Fort Myers' verified venues come first below, then clearly labeled nearby Cape Coral, then the wider regional scene. Every venue listed is currently operating and genuinely hosts live programming; confirm who is playing on the venue's own page.

1. Fort Myers Local Venues

A genuine concert town: an outdoor amphitheater, a country-music saloon, the River District club scene and breweries with weekend bands. Formal performing arts halls are covered on the Performing Arts page. Phone numbers are published where verified; always confirm current lineups with the venue.

2. Nearby · Cape Coral

Cape Coral's verified venues sit right across the river and have their own listing in the Cape Coral edition.

3. Regional · Sarasota

Fort Myers is itself the concert hub of Southwest Florida. For visitors planning a longer trip, Sarasota's full verified directory is about an hour and a half north in its own edition.

St. Petersburg's verified venues come first below, then nearby Tampa Bay options, then the wider regional scene. Every venue listed is currently operating and genuinely hosts live programming; confirm who is playing on the venue's own page.

1. St. Petersburg Local Venues

One of Florida's strongest live-music scenes: a legendary outdoor club and a walkable downtown bar district. Formal theaters, concert halls and performing arts centers are covered on the Performing Arts page. Phone numbers are published where verified; always confirm current lineups with the venue.

2. Nearby · Tampa Bay

Tampa and Clearwater complete the Tampa Bay live-music circuit, all within an easy drive across the bay.

3. Regional · Sarasota

St. Petersburg is a live-music hub in its own right. For visitors heading south, Sarasota's full verified directory is about 45 minutes away across the Sunshine Skyway, in its own edition.

Wellen Park's verified venues come first below, then clearly labeled nearby Venice and North Port, then the wider regional scene. Every venue listed is currently operating and genuinely hosts live programming; confirm current schedules with the venue.

1. Wellen Park Local Venues

A growing town with outdoor music programming: a pro-ballpark concert series and a downtown green. Phone numbers are published where verified; always confirm current schedules with the venue.

2. Nearby · Venice & North Port

Venice's beachfront bars and Irish pub are a short drive east, and North Port's tavern and park concerts are just up the road. Both have their own editions.

3. Regional · Sarasota

For the largest venue lineup in the region, Sarasota is about 30 minutes north and its full verified directory lives in its own edition.