CALENDAR
Where to Go & What to Do
27th annual “Ding” Darling Days (Oct. 16-22) “Ding” Darling Days’ Family Fun Day on Sunday, Oct. 16, eco-activities, free refuge tram tours, live wildlife presentations, hot dogs, kids crafts and more. Birding, boating, tram tours, paddle-boarding and kayaking activities fill the week. This event also recognizes the 100th anniversary of the Migratory Bird Treaty. The celebration ends on Saturday, Oct. 22, with Conservation Art Day, where Federal Duck Stamp winners, other artists, cartooning and a refuge photography tram tour will highlight a day devoted to Jay Norwood Darling’s legacy as the first duck stamp artist and Pulitzer Prize-winning political cartoonist. 239-472-1100, dingdarlingsociety.org
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
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
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. 855732-3836, 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
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 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
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,
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. 239-278-4422, broadwaypalm.com
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 cigarsmoking, scotch-drinking funnyman from the Blue Collar Comedy Tour phenomenon. But now as a charttopping Grammy-nominated 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. 239-481-4849, bbmannpah.com
The Butler Maid Me Do It (Sept. 30-Nov. 19, Fridays and Saturdays, 6:30pm) This time all of the suspects are butlers and maids in a comical twist on a classic genre. Discover just who the guilty party is, so pay close attention and make sure to write down all the clues you discover. Clue sheets will be collected before the final act, when everyone will discover who has committed this heinous crime. Price includes a five-course dinner, murdermystery show and train ride. Seminole Gulf Railway, 2805 Colonial Blvd., Fort Myers. 239-275-8487, semgulf.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, TuesdaysSundays, evening and matinee shows
available) The hilarious comedy about Willum, a young architect who gets a surprise visit from Rick, a fellow-exGI 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. 239-278-4422, broadwaypalm.com
The Rocky Horror Show (Oct. 12-Nov. 6, Thursday-Sunday, evening and matinee shows available) Humorous tribute to the cheesy science fiction and horror B-movie genre. Blackburn Hall, Sugden Community Theatre, 701 5th Ave. S., Naples. 239-263-7990, naplesplayers.org
Evita (Oct. 13-Nov. 19, TuesdaysSundays, evening and matinee shows available) Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s masterpiece tells the story of Argentina’s controversial First Lady. Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre, 1380 Colonial Blvd., Fort Myers. 239-278-4422, broadwaypalm.com
Wife Begins at 40 (Oct. 21-30, Fridays and Saturdays, 7:30pm; Sundays, 2pm) George and Linda Harper’s 17year marriage has gone stale. When nothing works and they’re faced with divorce, circumstances make them realize they still care about each other, that marriages need effort and to be renegotiated from time to time and that theirs is certainly worth a second chance. Langdon Playhouse, 1182 Market Circle, Port Charlotte. 941-2551022, charlotteplayers.org
Junie B. Jones, The Musical (Oct. 21Nov. 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 DiPietro, 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. 239939-2787, 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. 239-939-2787, artinlee.org
Early Bird Eco-Tour (Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, 7:30am) Witness Matlacha Pass Aquatic Preserve come to life and join us as we identify and share information about coastal and wetland birds and sea creatures that make the estuary their home. Our experienced and knowledgeable guides are ACA Certified Kayak and SUP Instructors and Florida Master Naturalists well versed on Florida’s ecology and natural history and skilled at spotting local wildlife. 4120 Pine Island Road, Matlacha. 239-283-1125, gulfcoastkayak.com
Adventures in Paradise Shelling &
Lunch Cruise (Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, 8:30am) Catamaran cruise to the barrier islands of Sanibel and Captiva, dolphins at play and shell along pristine beaches. Bring your own picnic lunch or dine at Barnacle’s restaurant. Bring swimsuits, beach shoes and shelling bag, complimentary beach chairs, umbrellas, soft drinks and water. Reservations required. Adventures in Paradise, 14341 Port Comfort Road, Fort Myers. 239-472-8443, adventureinparadiseinc.com
Mound Key Kayak Tour (Daily, 9:30am) Four-mile round-trip kayaking across Estero Bay to the 125-acre Mound Key. Once home to the Calusa Indians, the island is now preserved and managed by the Koreshan State Historic Site staff, includes a climb up 32 feet. Estero Bay is rich with wildlife and wading birds, manatee, bottlenose dolphin, stingray, roseate spoonbill, cormorant, anhinga
and more. American Canoe Association certified guides. Reservations required, equipment included. College of Life Foundation, 10600 Chevrolet Way #302, Estero. 239-992-2184, collegeoflifefoundation.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. 239945-0405, truetours.net
Estero River Kayak Tour (Daily, 2pm) Once home to the Koreshan settlers, the Estero River runs east to west into the Estero Bay. Due to its scenic and historic qualities, the Estero River is a designated Florida Paddling Trail. Full facilities and historic settlement available at the state park. Reservations required, equipment included. American Canoe Association certified guides. College of Life Foundation, 10600 Chevrolet Way #302, Estero. 239-9922184, collegeoflifefoundation.org
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. 239-3375050, fortmyersartwalk.com
GreenMarket (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
8th Annual Downtown Venice Craft
Festival (Sept. 3-4, 10 am) Usher in the fall season at the annual Venice craft festival, Miami Avenue in downtown Venice. Free admission. 220 Miami Ave W., Venice. 561-746-6615, artfestival.com
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
Flavors of Matlacha Island Tour
(Saturdays, October-June, 10am/90 minutes) History, art, eco and taste adventure combines Matlacha’s salty history with the signature tastes of a little island that was once an obscure fishing village, and now is an eccentric and flamboyant artist colony. Starts at Leoma Lovegrove’s Gallery & Gardens, 4637 Pine Island Road NW, Matlacha. Parking behind the Olde Fish House & Marina, 4530 Pine Island Road NW. 239-945-0405, truetours.net
Florida Everblades vs. Greenville
Swamp Rabbits (Oct. 14, 7:30pm and Oct. 15, 7 pm) Florida Everblades battle the Greenville Swamp Rabbits. Germain Arena, 11000 Everblades Pkwy., Estero. 239-948-7825, floridaeverblades.com
Florida Everblades vs. South Carolina
Stingrays (Oct. 28, 7:30pm and Oct. 29, 7pm) Everblades battle the South Carolina Stingrays. Germain Arena, 11000 Everblades Pkwy., Estero. 239948-7825, floridaeverblades.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.