Thunder By The Bay is officially set for February 19 through 21, 2027, at the Sarasota Fairgrounds on Ringling Boulevard, and the 29th annual edition brings a serious classic rock lineup to town. Cheap Trick headlines Friday night at 8, Bret Michaels takes Saturday night at 8, and The Marshall Tucker Band closes the weekend Sunday at 3.
Tickets are about as friendly as it gets for a three-day festival. General admission starts at $15 and goes on sale October 14, 2026, with children 12 and younger admitted free. Discounted offers run through December 31, 2026, and limited Party Pit and VIP passes will be available for anyone who wants a closer view.
The music is only part of the draw. The weekend also features car and motorcycle shows, a motorcycle rodeo, a charity dice run, vendors, and Universal Championship Wrestling. All of it supports Suncoast Charities for Children, which funds 10 local nonprofit agencies serving people with special needs across four counties. The festival has raised more than $3.3 million since it began, and this year the James M. Doss Charitable Foundation is putting up a $50,000 matching-grant challenge.
Which night of the weekend are you circling first: Cheap Trick on Friday, Bret Michaels on Saturday, or Marshall Tucker on Sunday? Let us know.
