CALENDAR
JAN/FEB
Where to Go & What to Do
ARTISTIC ENDEAVORS
Jan. 5-6 Hot Works Estero Fine Art Show Artists from as far away as Arizona and Vermont bring their work to Southwest Florida to present at the Hot Works Estero Fine Art Show. A great venue, JetBlue Park in Fort Myers easily accommodates the 175 artist booths brimming with paintings, jewelry, sculpture, clay creations and glass art. Musical performances complement the show, with competition drummer Ken Mazur blending electronic percussion with drum and bugle corps techniques and Valdimir Gorodkin introducing the audience to the tsimbaly, an instrument from Belarus. hotworks.org
BABY BOOMERS
Jan. 10-Feb. 23 Mid-Life 2!, Fort Myers Since you can’t stop the aging process, the next best thing is to humor yourself, and attending the production, Mid-Life2! at the Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre, is one way to get your laughs. A follow-up to the hilarious Mid-Life the Crisis Musical, this witty revue tunefully travels through the twilight years with all the aches, pains, doctor visits and senior discounts along the way. Baby boomers especially will get a kick out of this show. broadwaypalm.com
RAISING HOPE
Jan. 12 Yachts of Hope, Fort Myers Here’s a fundraiser for the yachtsman in you. Held at the Gulf Harbour Yacht & Country Club in Fort Myers, the Yachts of Hope event starts with dockside cocktails and tours of impressive luxury vessels, complete with entertainment on board. Guests enjoy dinner before the excitement of a live auction, with bidding on travel packages ranging from five nights at a Santorini villa to the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach, as well as exquisite jewelry by local designer Mark Loren. The evening wraps up with music by the Brass Evolution Band and dancing till your feet hurt. Proceeds go to Hope Hospice. Tickets are $500. hopehcs.org/yachts
PAINTBRUSHES & GUITARS
Jan. 12-13 Cape Coral Arts & Music Festival Besides viewing quality artwork and high-end crafts on display at this
juried event, festivalgoers are treated to live music. The Cape Coral Arts & Music Festival, held on Cape Coral Parkway in the heart of South Cape, is a family-friendly event. Artists are often on hand to talk about their creations, and you can meander from booth to booth to look at and admire paintings, sculpture, photography and more—or get serious and buy a piece. A separate indoor venue houses musicians and bands that perform throughout the evening. The Music Walk, designed so you can experience a variety of genres, is a great way to enjoy the music part of the festival. capecoralfestival.com
POP LEGEND
Jan. 17 Cher, Here We Go Again Tour, Estero An icon of pop music, movies and culture, Cher goes cross-country at age 72 to entertain her fans. On Jan. 17 she kicks off her 2019 Here We Go Again Tour at the Hertz Arena in Estero. Back in the spotlight after her 2018 appearance in the move Mama Mia! Here We Go Again and her recently released ABBA tribute album “Dancing Queen,” the veteran performer once again joins the circuit. Niles Rodger and Chic, an American rhythm and blues band, are part of her musical tour. hertzarena.com
HONORING SANIBEL’S HISTORY
Jan. 23-March 25 Woodring 100th Anniversary, Sanibel The historic Woodring Home is the focus of a special exhibition at the J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge on Sanibel Island. Woodring 100th
Anniversary features artifacts and vintage black-and-white photos of the home, chronicling the landmark and the Woodring family’s lifestyle as it was more than a century ago. At the 9 a.m. unveiling of the exhibition on Jan. 23, Teddy Roosevelt reprisor Joe Wiegand makes a guest appearance, and Ralph Woodring recounts stories about growing up on the island in the two-story frame house. fws.org
ART FOR EVERYONE
Jan. 25 Off the Walls!, Bonita Springs The signature fundraiser for the Centers for the Arts Bonita Springs is aptly named Off the Walls! Don’t expect any silent auctions and boisterous bidding. Instead guests’ tickets are entered into random drawings for artwork and collectibles valued from $275-$6,000. And surprisingly everyone goes home with an artful prize. Held in the centers’ Hinman Auditorium, the event is designed for browsing art displays while enjoying food and refreshments. Tickets are $150. artcenterbonita.org
DINING & DANCING
Jan. 25 1927 Gala Imagine, Sanibel The Sanibel Community House rolls out the red carpet for the 1927 Gala Imagine, A Night to Remember, fundraiser. Since 1927, the historic gathering spot has been the place where islanders found camaraderie and celebrated life’s milestones together with family, friends and neighbors. The evening event of fine dining and dancing island-style is an opportunity to show your support for the Community House and the vital role it plays in life on Sanibel—and have a good time doing so! Tickets are $150. sanibelcommunityhouse.net
AMERICAN ROOTS MUSIC
Jan. 26 Bluegrass Jamboree, Cape Coral Come out to the Cape Coral Historical Museum for a day of bluegrass and barbecue. The 4th Annual Bluegrass Jamboree features both national and
local talent. The Nu-Blu band from North Carolina, a husband-and-wife duo teamed up with a banjo player and fiddler, are the headliner. Expect heartwarming ballads along with serious pick work. Local vocalist Linda Fazioli sings Patsy Cline favorites in a tribute to the legendary country music star, and Southwest Florida bands Swinging Bridge and Blu-Ridg rock the stage. Bring your lawn chair. capecoralhistoricalmuseum.org
GOOD OLD-FASHIONED FUN
Feb. 8-10 Everglades Seafood Festival, Everglades City If you’ve never been to Everglades City, a rustic town south of Naples, here’s your chance. Check out the Everglades Seafood Festival, an outdoor event that celebrates fresh seafood with everything from heaping platters of fried fish to baskets of jumbo shrimp. A stage for musical performances, with country tunes topping the list, and a fun fair, with rides for the youngsters, make this an ideal festival for the family. evergladesseafoodfestival.org
CELEBRATING THE LIGHT BULB
Feb. 9, 10, 15-18 Edison Festival of Light, Fort Myers Although the idea may have started with Thomas Edison’s invention of the
light bulb, the Edison Festival of Light celebrates way more than the man, who was a winter resident in Fort Myers, and his contributions to society. It’s one of the biggest and most successful community events; folks have looked forward to it for 80-plus years. Parades include the dog lovers’ Mutt Strut and the Junior Parade, honoring Southwest Florida’s youth. The coronation of a king and queen, the Crafts of the River outdoor fair, a 5K run and a classic car show are all on the schedule. However, the most anticipated event is Saturday night’s Grand Parade through downtown Fort Myers. The nighttime extravaganza features marching bands, clowns, floats and much more. Spectators line the streets early to secure a good viewing spot, but you can also buy VIP (including food and beverages) and reserved-seating tickets in advance. edisonfestival.org
IT’S FOR THE BIRDS
Feb. 13 Call of the Osprey, Sanibel January to March is one of the best times of the year for birding at J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge, and the season’s chilly mornings bring alligators to the sunny shore for warmth. Besides great wildlife sightings, the refuge, along with the Friends of the Refuge, holds the annual Go Wild for “Ding,” Call of the Osprey fundraiser. In a bird-themed setting at the Sanibel Community House, guests enjoy a casual evening, complete with live music, food, drink and auctions. Tickets are $125. dingdarlingsociety.org
SERIOUS BLUES MAN
Feb. 19 Joe Bonamassa, Estero A modern-day master of the blues-rock genre, Joe Bonamassa is a guitarist and singer who pushes the boundaries. And we can only expect him to do exactly that when he takes the stage at the Hertz Arena. After all this is a guy who at age 12 opened for B.B. King. Soulful
background singers and a team of dynamic horn players add more energy to his show. Bonamassa performs songs from his latest album “Redemption,” along with old favorites. hertzarena.com
A MUSICAL’S REVIVAL
Feb. 19-24, Les Misérables, Fort Myers A new production of the Tony Awardwinning musical Les Misérables comes to Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall in Fort Myers. Part of the Broadway series, this powerful show delivers with gloriously new staging and dazzling reimagined scenery inspired by the paintings of Victor Hugo and 19thcentury France. The story revolves around the French peasant Jean Valjean who after 19 years is released from jail. Despite his efforts to start his life anew, Valjean is relentlessly tracked by inspector Javert. Along the way he and a group of young idealists are swept up by France’s revolution. bbmannpah.com
PEANUTS & CRACKER JACK
Feb. 22-28 Boston Red Sox Spring Training, Fort Myers No doubt winning the World Series in 2018 has put the spotlight on the Boston Red Sox—and a higher demand on tickets to their games. And lucky us, the team holds spring training in Fort Myers at JetBlue Park at Fenway South. The Red Sox open the exhibition season on Feb. 22 with a game against the Northeastern University Huskies. Their Grapefruit League schedule launches the following day (Feb. 23) with action against their American League East rival, the New York Yankees. Training continues with the Red Sox taking on the Minnesota Twins on Feb. 24, the Baltimore Orioles on Feb. 27 and the Washington Nationals on Feb. 28. Visit the website to see the March lineup. mlb.com/redsox TOTI Media, Inc. does its best to ensure that information in this calendar is up to date. However, we still encourage our readers to call ahead for detailed information before attending these local events.