Held on Nov. 29, and officially kicking off our 18-month Centennial Celebration, the 49th annual City of Venice Holiday Parade featured more than 100 parade units and 3,350 participants. The Venice Area Toastmasters Club 5486 judges had some tough decisions to make as spectators were dazzled by the holiday spirit and Centennial-themed displays by all.

1. Judges’ Choice: Advanced Asphalt of Southwest Florida. Family-owned and operated business in Venice, Advanced Asphalt of Southwest Florida has been serving Sarasota, Manatee and Charlotte Counties for over 30 years. Advanced Asphalt of Southwest brought pure holiday magic to the parade with Santa and his workshop aboard a beautifully lit, festive float built by Advanced Asphalt staff. Complete with reindeer, candy canes, bright lights, and a joyful crew, their entry delivered a showstopping finale to close out this year’s parade in true holiday style.
2. Most Inspiring: Venice Christian School. Serving the community since 1987, VCS provides a Christ-centered education for students in Pre-K through 8th grade. Today, more than 380 students represent 45 area churches across Venice, North Port, Englewood, Port Charlotte, and Sarasota. Their parade entry reflected their mission and their joy, inspiring the crowd with heartfelt holiday spirit.
3. Holiday Spirit: Summit Excavating and Land Services. Summit Excavating and Land Services is a local site development company based in Venice and can handle all of your site needs from material delivery to demolition, and more. Owners Corey and Emily are native Floridians and truly cherish this City! Their float lit up the parade route with a high-energy, snow-themed display packed with lights, choreography, and festive fun. Their team brought the holiday cheer to life — dancing, waving, and celebrating atop a fully illuminated excavator and train-themed float.
4. Youth Star: Sailor Circus/Sarasota Circus Arts Conservatory. Celebrating their 76th anniversary of the Sailors Circus, The Circus Arts Conservatory Holiday Show runs Dec. 26 through 29. Come see youth performers amaze you with their skills, talent, and charisma! In its Winter Wonderland, Sailor Circus lit up the parade route with extraordinary talent and showmanship, showcasing incredible young performers who tumbled, balanced, danced, and soared.
5. Most Creative: Affordable Golf Carts of Venice. Affordable Golf Cars celebrates its 10th anniversary in Venice. These low-speed, street-legal golf carts are the best way to explore our beautiful historic city on the Gulf! Their unit transformed a fleet of golf cars into a series of imaginative, eye-catching holiday scenes from towering gift boxes and a festivus tree to “Shark Tooth Capital” and train engine designs. Their creativity brought smiles all along the parade route and captured the creative, festive spirit of the season.
6. Centennial Theme: Venice Theatre. Dedicated to making a dramatic impact on all stages of life, Venice Theatre is committed to fostering connection, inspiring creativity, and delivering entertainment within our community for the past 76 years. Their float brought the centennial celebration to life with a vibrant, larger-than-life birthday cake float honoring “Happy 100th Birthday, Venice!”

Winners were notified by email on Dec. 9, followed by a social media announcement on the City's Facebook page. They will be recognized at the Jan. 13, 2026 City Council meeting and receive certificates for their winning category. 

 Thank you to all who made the parade possible! Save the date, the City's 50th annual Holiday Parade is Saturday, Nov. 28, 2026 -applications will go live toward August/September.