Organized by the Historical Society of Sarasota County and sponsored by SARASOTA Magazine, Conversations at The Crocker is a brand-new series of year-long panel discussions, highlighting specific aspects of Sarasota’s past and examines pivotal events and people who have influenced today’s Sarasota.

The Old Gray Mayors Speak Out: The Premiere Conversation at The Crocker

We begin our series with The Old Gray Mayors: Past mayors of Sarasota offer their perspectives about city government past, present and future as part of a new panel series organized by the Historical Society of Sarasota County

The Old Gray Mayors are a group of former mayors of the City of Sarasota who informally gather for coffee every so often and discuss the old days of dilemmas and decisions,  current problems confronting the city council and Sarasota’s prospects for effective local government in the future.

Wouldn’t you just love to be a fly on the wall? Well, now you can be.

Five Old Gray Mayors will participate in a lively and audience-interactive panel discussion on Tuesday, October 9, at the Crocker Memorial Church, 1260 12th Street (located in Pioneer Park, between Cocoanut Ave. and  North Tamiami Trail), Sarasota. Our Conversation at the Crocker starts at 7 p.m. Community welcome. Historical Society members free; guests, $10.

Former Mayor Kelly Kirschner (young in years, but seasoned in wit and wisdom) is the moderator. Panelists joining him will be former Sarasota city mayors Elmer Berkel, Kerry Kirschner, Fredd Atkins and Mollie Cardamone. And look for other former mayors in the audience who might be willing to join in the question and answer period at the end of the panel discussion.

The Old Gray Mayors is the first in a series of year-long panel discussions. All Conversations take place at The Crocker Memorial Church (built in 1901) and proceeds from this panel discussion series help maintain the Historical Society’s two heritage properties at Pioneer Park – the Bidwell-Wood House (1882, Sarasota’s oldest private residence) and the Crocker Memorial Church. Docent led tours of both buildings are available an hour before each Conversation at The Crocker starts.

For information on upcoming Conversations at the Crocker held on the 2nd Tuesday of each month, please see our Events page.