Updated October 29, 2026
Live music in Bradenton tonight
Bands play somewhere around Bradenton every night: tiki bars on the water in Cortez, the bars on Bridge Street, Holmes Beach pubs and riverfront decks. Here’s who has music, which nights and when it starts.
Quick picks for any night: Swordfish Grill in Cortez has music every night from 5 to 8 on the water; Island Time on Bridge Street plays 7 to 10; Freckled Fin in Holmes Beach has bands most nights until about 11; and Woody’s River Roo in Ellenton plays every night on the Manatee River.
Good to know on Bridge Street: Bradenton Beach requires outdoor live entertainment to end by 10 p.m. Indoor sets at places like the Drift-In run later.
Where to hear live music, by area
Cortez
| Venue | When there’s music |
|---|---|
| Swordfish Grill & Tiki Bar 4628 119th St W, Cortez | Nightly 5–8 p.m.; weekends also noon–4 Waterfront tiki bar on Sarasota Bay with a boat dock · Music calendar ↗ |
| Cortez Kitchen 4528 119th St W, Cortez | Most nights; weekend sets around 6–9 p.m. Casual waterfront seafood spot you can reach by boat |
Bridge Street
| Venue | When there’s music |
|---|---|
| Island Time Bar & Grill 111 Gulf Dr S, Bradenton Beach | Nightly 7–10 p.m. On the Bridge Street circle · Music calendar ↗ |
| Drift-In 120 Bridge St, Bradenton Beach | Late sets most nights (9 p.m.–1 a.m. indoors); weekend afternoons at the tiki bar Bridge Street’s classic dive, open until 2 a.m.; karaoke Tue & Sun · Music calendar ↗ |
| Daiquiri Deck 107 Bridge St, Bradenton Beach | Thu–Fri from 5, Sat from 1, Sun from 4 Rooftop with Gulf and Intracoastal views · Music calendar ↗ |
| Blue Marlin Seafood 121 Bridge St, Bradenton Beach | Thu 5:30–8:30; Fri–Sat 6–9 Open Wed–Sat; reservations required Fri–Sat · Music calendar ↗ |
Bradenton Beach
| Venue | When there’s music |
|---|---|
| Wicked Cantina 101 7th St N, Bradenton Beach | Nightly 6–9; Fri–Sun also 2–5 Patio music with a Gulf view |
Holmes Beach
| Venue | When there’s music |
|---|---|
| Ugly Grouper 5704 Marina Dr, Holmes Beach | Daily; weekdays 5–8, weekends noon–3 and 5–8 Outdoor bar and grill · Music calendar ↗ |
| Freckled Fin Irish Pub 5337 Gulf Dr N, Holmes Beach | Bands most nights about 7–11; Wed trivia, Mon karaoke Indoor pub; most shows free · Music calendar ↗ |
| Anna Maria Island Beach Cafe 4000 Gulf Dr, Holmes Beach | Daily around 4:30–7:30 p.m. On Manatee Public Beach, right at sunset · Music calendar ↗ |
Anna Maria
| Venue | When there’s music |
|---|---|
| Harry’s Grill 9903 Gulf Dr, Anna Maria | Seven nights a week, about 6–8:30 Patio and pet-friendly backyard; Sunday Hallelujah Brunch |
Downtown Bradenton
| Venue | When there’s music |
|---|---|
| Mattison’s City Grille, Riverwalk 101 Riverfront Blvd #120, Bradenton | Thu–Sat evenings; Sunday Blues Brunch On the Riverwalk by the Manatee River · Music calendar ↗ |
West Bradenton
| Venue | When there’s music |
|---|---|
| Clancy’s Irish Sports Pub 6218 Cortez Rd W, Bradenton | Several nights a week; Fri–Sat around 6–10 Sports pub with bands |
| 88 Live Piano Bar 6640 Cortez Rd W, Bradenton | Dueling pianos Fri–Sat 8–11:30; bands other nights Sing-along piano bar |
Palmetto
| Venue | When there’s music |
|---|---|
| Riverhouse Reef & Grill 995 Riverside Dr, Palmetto | Acoustic sets on the Snook Deck most weekends On the Manatee River at Regatta Pointe Marina · Music calendar ↗ |
Ellenton
| Venue | When there’s music |
|---|---|
| Woody’s River Roo 5717 18th St E, Ellenton | Every night, plus weekend afternoons Riverfront bar on the Manatee River · Music calendar ↗ |
Lakewood Ranch
| Venue | When there’s music |
|---|---|
| Waterside Place: Live Music at The Plaza 7500 Island Cove Terrace, Lakewood Ranch | Fri–Sat 6–9 p.m. through Nov 28 (not Nov 13) Free, outdoors on Kingfisher Lake · Music calendar ↗ |
Schedules from each venue’s own music calendar where available, plus The Islander’s music listings and Suncoast Post’s weekend guide, checked October 29, 2026. Lineups change weekly, so tap the calendar link before you go.
Free outdoor music
- Music on Main, Lakewood Ranch: first Friday of every month, 6–9 p.m., 8100 Lakewood Main St. Passerine plays Nov 6 and FM Station FLA plays Dec 4. Leashed dogs are welcome; no coolers or outside food.
- Waterside Place, Lakewood Ranch: Live Music at The Plaza, Friday and Saturday 6–9 p.m. through Nov 28 (no music Nov 13).
- Bridge Street, Bradenton Beach: the Sundown Get Down street party and the Christmas tree lighting on Saturday, Nov 21, 2–8 p.m.
- Music in the Park on the Riverwalk: Realize Bradenton’s free concert series is in spring, Fridays 6–8 p.m., April 9 to May 21, 2027, at Rossi Park.
- Siesta Key Drum Circle: every Sunday on Siesta Beach, starting about an hour before sunset.
Rooftop and riverfront drinks
- Oak & Stone Downtown Bradenton: the 8th-floor rooftop of the SpringHill Suites at 1201 1st Ave W, overlooking the Manatee River. The restaurant is open until midnight Fridays and Saturdays.
- Oyster River Rooftop: 8th floor of the Palmetto Marriott Resort, 600 US-41, Palmetto. Tuesday–Saturday 5–10 p.m.
- Daiquiri Deck Bradenton Beach: the chain’s only rooftop, with Gulf and Intracoastal views over Bridge Street.
Recently closed or changed
Motorworks Brewing downtown closed Aug. 4, 2026 and hopes to reopen under new owners in early 2027. The Seafood Shack in Cortez was torn down after Hurricane Helene. The Anna Maria City Pier is reopening this fall with a new restaurant.
Make a night of it
Questions people ask
Where can I hear live music in Bradenton tonight?
Several spots have music every night: Swordfish Grill in Cortez (5–8 p.m.), Island Time on Bridge Street in Bradenton Beach (7–10 p.m.), Harry’s Grill in Anna Maria, Wicked Cantina in Bradenton Beach and Woody’s River Roo in Ellenton. Freckled Fin in Holmes Beach has bands most nights.
Which Bradenton Beach bars have live music?
On and around Bridge Street: Island Time (nightly 7–10), the Drift-In (late sets most nights), Daiquiri Deck (Thursday through Sunday), Blue Marlin (Thursday through Saturday) and Wicked Cantina (nightly). Bradenton Beach requires outdoor live music to end by 10 p.m.
Where is live music on the water near Bradenton?
Swordfish Grill and Cortez Kitchen in Cortez, Riverhouse Reef & Grill in Palmetto, Woody’s River Roo in Ellenton and Mattison’s on the Bradenton Riverwalk all have music by the water.
Are there rooftop bars in Bradenton?
Yes. Oak & Stone is on the 8th-floor rooftop of the SpringHill Suites downtown, overlooking the Manatee River; Oyster River Rooftop is on the 8th floor of the Palmetto Marriott; and Daiquiri Deck in Bradenton Beach has a rooftop over Bridge Street.
Is there free live music in Lakewood Ranch?
Yes. Music on Main is free on the first Friday of each month, 6–9 p.m., on Lakewood Ranch Main Street, and Waterside Place hosts free music on The Plaza on Friday and Saturday evenings.
Does the Bradenton Riverwalk have concerts?
Realize Bradenton’s free Music in the Park series runs in spring: Fridays 6–8 p.m., April 9 to May 21, 2027, at Rossi Park on the Riverwalk. No fall series is scheduled.