SEPT/ OCT WHERE TO GO & WHAT TO DO
Halloween Ghost Train
(Oct. 28-31, 6:30pm) Wear your scariest, funniest or most original costume for the costume contest. Seminole Gulf Railway, 2805 Colonial Blvd., Fort Myers, 239-275-8487, semgulf.com
Suncoast Credit Union’s War on the Peace Dragon Boat Festival
(Oct. 29, 8am) Celebrate Halloween in Punta Gorda’s War on the Peace Dragon Boat Festival. Form a team of 20 paddlers from your business, community group or friends and family. Food and arts and crafts vendors. Hosted by the Punta Gorda Chamber of Commerce and Charlotte Harbor Dragons Boat Club, benefits “Take Stock in Children.” Laishley Park, 100 Nesbit St., Punta Gorda. 650-575-9825, waronthepeace.com
Fall and Halloween Festival
(Oct. 1431, 10am) Ride the Halloween Express train ride through the villages, visit Lee County’s largest pumpkin patch or hop on a hayride. Family-friendly activities, games and food. The Halloween Express train ride, pumpkin patch, activities and games, bounce houses, hayrides and face painting are available from 10am-2pm and 6-9pm Monday through Friday, and 10am-9pm Saturday and Sunday. 239533-7575, leeparks.org
Open Mic Night at The French Press
(Wednesdays, 6:30pm) Grab your instrument, warm up your voice, gather your friends and come to The French Press on Wednesdays from 6:30-9:30pm for open mic night. The French Press, 5789 Cape Harbour Dr., #101 Cape Coral. 239-5420212, thefrenchpressfl.com Artists @ Work Series: Painting with Terry Lynn Spry
(Sept. 17, 1-3pm) Third Saturdays in the Women’s Macy’s Court near Claire’s, palm-frond art, painting, mixed media and performance art. All ages, free. Edison Mall, 4125 Cleveland Ave., Fort Myers. shopedisonmall.com Artists @ Work Series: Palm Frond Weaving with Shawn Holiday
(Oct. 15, 1-3pm) Third Saturdays in the Women’s Macy’s Court near Claire’s, palm-frond art, painting, mixed media and performance art. Edison Mall, 4125 Cleveland Ave., Fort Myers. shopedisonmall.com Bluegrass in the Theatre
(Sept. 11 and Oct. 9, 1pm) Foulds Theatre, Southwest Florida bands, in partnership with Palmgrass.org, the Acoustic Music Society of SWFL. Seating is first-come. Doors open at 1pm. Lee County Alliance for the Arts, 10091 McGregor Blvd., Fort Myers. 239-939-2787, artinlee.org Fort Myers Music Walk
(Sept. 16 and Oct. 21, 7 pm) River District, third Fridays. More than a dozen venues featuring live music by local and regional talent. 855-732-3836, fortmyersmusicwalk.com Enchanting Violin Faculty & Guest Artist Series Concert
(Sept. 22, 7:30pm) Violin selections from Florida Gulf Coast University faculty and a guest artist, in the U. Tobe Recital Hall, FGCU Music Building, 10501 FGCU Blvd. South, Fort Myers. 239-590-1000, fgcu.edu/cas/bsma The Ultimate Doo-Wop Show
(Oct. 8, 8pm) The recent record-breaking PBS-TV music specials “50 Years of Doo-Wop” were so well received that they created a new showcase and new audiences
for veteran doo-wop artists. The Vogues featuring Bill Burkette ( You’re the One, Five O’clock World, Magic Town), The Marcels ( Blue Moon, Heartaches), The Cookies ( Chains, Don’t Say Nothin’ Bad About My Baby), The Shades of Blue ( Oh How Happy), The Casinos ( Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye) and Rockin’ Robin’s Rhythm Kings ( Buzz, Buzz, Buzz, Harlem
Nocturne). Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall, 13350 FSW Pkwy., Fort Myers. 239-481-4849, bbmannpah.com
Jason Isbell
(Oct. 18, 7:30pm) Jason Isbell with his band The 400 Unit performs songs from his Grammywinning Something More Than Free. Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall, 13350 FSW Pkwy., Fort Myers. 239-4814849, bbmannpah.com
Yesterdays: The Rockin’ 50s and the Groovin’ 60s
(Sept. 8-Oct. 8, Wednesdays-Sundays, evening and matinee shows available) Songs from the rockin’ 1950s
and the groovin’ 1960s include Blue Suede Shoes, My Girl, Dancing in the Streets, At the Hop, It’s My Party, Blue Moon, Stop! In the Name of Love and more. Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre, 1380 Colonial Blvd., Fort Myers. 239-2784422, broadwaypalm.com
Cirque Du Soleil OVO
(Sept. 28-Oct. 2, evening and matinee shows available)
OVO is a headlong rush into a colorful ecosystem teeming with life, where insects work, eat, crawl, flutter, play, fight and look for love in a non-stop riot of energy and movement. OVO is overflowing with contrasts. Germain Arena, 11000 Everblades Pkwy., Estero. 239-948-7825, germainarena.com
Ron White at Barbara B. Mann
(Sept. 29, 8pm) Comedian Ron “Tater Salad” White
first rose to fame as the cigar-smoking, scotch-drinking funnyman from the Blue Collar Comedy Tour phenomenon. But now as a chart-topping Grammynominated comedian and a feature film actor, White has established himself as a star in his own right. Mature audiences. Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall, 13350 FSW Pkwy., Fort Myers. 239-4814849, bbmannpah.com
Erma Bombeck: At Wit’s End
(Oct. 4-Nov. 6, Tuesdays-Sundays, evening and matinee shows available) From Allison and Margaret Engel, the writers of the smash hit Red Hot Patriot: The Kick-Ass Wit of Molly Ivins, comes a comic look at one of our country’s most beloved voices, who captured the frustrations of her generation by asking, “If life is a bowl of cherries, what am I doing in the pits?” ArtStage Studio Theatre, Florida Rep, 2268 Bay St., Fort Myers. 239-332-4488, floridarep.org
The Nerd
(Oct. 6-Nov. 12, Tuesdays-Sundays, evening and matinee shows available) The hilarious comedy about Willum, a young architect who gets a surprise visit from Rick, a fellow-ex-GI he’s never met, but who saved his life in Vietnam. Rick turns out to be a hopeless “nerd,” a bumbling oaf with no social sense, little intelligence and even less tact. The delight of the visit fades when Rick overstays his welcome and his continued presence among Willum and his friends leads to one uproarious incident after another. Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre, 1380 Colonial Blvd., Fort Myers. 239-2784422, broadwaypalm.com
Junie B. Jones, The Musical
(Oct. 21-Nov. 18) Adaptation of four of Barbara Park’s best-selling books, musical comedy about Junie B. Jones and her first-grade adventures. Broadway Palm Children’s Theater, 1380 Colonial Blvd., Fort Myers. 239-278-4422, broadwaypalm.com
Over the River and Through the Woods
(Oct. 25-Nov. 16, Tuesdays-Sundays,
evening and matinee shows available) Family fiasco from Joe Di Pietro, the author of I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now
Change! See what happens when Nick, a single Italian-American, has to tell his doting grandparents he’s moving across the country. Historic Arcade Theatre, Florida Rep, 2268 Bay St., Fort Myers. 239-332-4488, floridarep.org
Inspired Collectors: Highlights from the Permanent Collection Exhibition
(Sept. 1, 5pm) Roundtable discussion and reception in the Main Gallery of the FGCU Arts Complex. Free. 10501 FGCU Blvd. South, Fort Myers. 239-590-1000, fgcu. edu/cas/bsma
Habitats: Alliance Members Exhibit
(Sept. 1-3, 5pm) Local artists display original works based on the theme “Habitats.” Lee County Alliance for the Arts, 10091 McGregor Blvd., Fort Myers. 239-939-2787, artinlee.org
Carl E. Schwartz Exhibit
(Sept. 9-30) Carl E. Schwartz is a nationally recognized painter and printmaker, with major placements such as The Smithsonian Institution and the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. His works are on display in more than 25 colleges and universities, including Harvard, Ball State, Loyola, Michigan State, Nevada, Minnesota and Chicago. Opening reception Sept. 9, 5-7pm. Main Gallery, Lee County Alliance for the Arts, 10091 McGregor Blvd., Fort Myers. 239-939-2787, artinlee.org
Politikos (Juried Exhibit)
(Oct. 7-Nov. 5) View politically/socially-conscious work in all mediums. About the juror: Doug MacGregor has been a cartoonist for 33 years. He got his professional start drawing editorial cartoons for the
Norwich Bulletin in eastern Connecticut in 1980, also a graphic designer, freelance artist and children’s book author and illustrator, a member of the Association of Editorial Cartoonists and the Society for Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. Opening reception Oct. 7, 5-7pm. Main
Gallery, Lee County Alliance for the Arts, 10091 McGregor Blvd., Fort Myers. 239-9392787, artinlee.org
Historical Walking Tour
(Thursdays and Saturdays, 10:30am) 90-minute tour of downtown Fort Myers educates and entertains with history and information about the city’s founders. Franklin Shops, 2200 First St., Fort Myers. 239-945-0405, truetours.net
Fort Myers Art Walk
( Sept. 2 and Oct. 7, 6 pm; Sept. 3 and Oct. 8, 11am) First Fridays, 6- 10pm and first Saturdays, 11am-4pm, more than 10 art galleries, self- guided walking tour in the downtown Fort Myers River District core and the Gardner’s Park area. Meet the artists, live art demonstrations. 239- 337- 5050, fortmyersartwalk.com
Green Market
(Saturdays, 9am) Lee County Alliance for the Arts, entertainment, activities for kids, gardening classes and cooking demos. Barter is encouraged ―backyard fruit, kitchen garden, berries from an outing. 10091 McGregor Blvd., Fort Myers. 239939-2787, artinlee.org
Pet Walk
(Sept. 23 and Oct. 28, 6pm) Pet-friendly gathering fourth Fridays, 6pm at the Hendry Street median. Free, no registration. 855-732-3836, fortmyersriverdistrictalliance.com
Car Cruise-In
(Sept. 24 and Oct. 22, 4pm) From classic to cool, downtown streets are lined with show cars on fourth Saturdays, 4-8pm. Music, food, drinks. Budweiser sponsored, free. 855-732-3836, fortmyersriverdistrictalliance.com
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.