Where to Go & What to Do
SWFL LIVE
Tommy Emmanuel with Special Guest Richard Smith (March 5, 7:30pm) Australian musician and two-time Grammy nominee Tommy Emmanuel will perform with wideranged guitar player Richard Smith at the Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall, 13350 Edison Parkway, Fort Myers. 239-481-4849, bbmannpah.com Fort Myers Music Walk (March 20 and April 17, 7pm) The River District comes alive with music on the third Friday of each month. More than a dozen participating venues feature live music by some of the best local and regional talent. Downtown Fort Myers. 855-732-3836, fortmyersmusicwalk.com Bruce T. Gora Concert Series (March 22 and April 19, 5pm) The concert series in honor of late Alliance for the Arts board member and artist Bruce Gora continues with its fifth year. Fourtime Grammy winner Trae Pierce and the T-Stone Band take the stage in March, and Gimi Jimi—a Jimi Hendrix tribute band— follows in April. Bring your own lawn chairs, blankets and coolers; gates open one hour before showtime. Alliance for the Arts, 10091 McGregor Blvd., Fort Myers. 239-939-2787, artinlee.org
ON STAGE
The Mikado (March 1 and 6, 7:30pm) Gulfshore Opera continues its inaugural season with The Mikado, by Gilbert & Sullivan, featuring stage director and bass-baritone Louis Dall’Ava. The classic production is one of the most frequently played musical theater pieces in histor y, and takes place in a fictitious Japanese town. The Mikado will show first at the First Christian Church of Fort Myers, 2061 McGregor Blvd., and again at Center for Performing Arts, 10150 Bonita Beach Road, Bonita Springs. 239-529-3925, gulfshoreopera.org Swingtime! Featuring The Jive Aces (March 6, 8pm) Swing your hips and tap your feet to energetic renditions of swing, jive and R&B classics performed by London-based musicians The Jive Aces. Barbara B. Mann P erforming Arts Hall, 13350 Edison Parkway, Fort Myers. 239-481-4849, bbmannpah.com PFX - The Pink Floyd Experience (March 8, 8pm) They say legends never die, and one of the most legendary rock bands of all time comes alive again as six musicians perform full sides of four classic Pink Floyd albums. Full quadraphonic sound and an epic light show accompany the event; performed hits will include “Money” and “Wish You Were Here.” Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall, 13350 Edison Parkway, Fort Myers. 239-481-4849, bbmannpah.com Ron White “Nutcracker” Tour (March 14, 7pm) Comedian and actor Ron White, known on-stage for his penchant for cigars, scotch and bellyache-inducing jokes, brings his “Nutcracker” tour to Seminole Casino Immokalee. 506 S. First St., Immokalee. 800-218-0007, seminoleimmokaleecasino.com Jersey Boys (March 17-22, times vary) The multi award-winning musical about Rock and Roll Hall of Famers The Four Seasons returns to the stage to tell the true journey of four blue-collar kids who became pop music sensations seemingly overnight. Audience members can sing along to hits like “Big Girls Don’t Cry” and “Oh What a Night.” Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall, 13350 Edison Parkway, Fort Myers. 239-481-4849, bbmannpah.com Southwest Florida Symphony Masterworks IV – From Russia with Love (March 28, 8pm) Pianist Alessio Bax performs Tchaikovsky: Romeo and Juliet Fantasy Overture, Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 2, Op. 18 in C minor and Mussorgsky/Ravel: Pictures at an Exhibition. Conducted by maestro Nir Kabaretti. Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall, 13350 Edison Parkway, Fort Myers. 239-418-0996, swflso.org
ON VIEW
Fort Myers Art Walk (March 6 and April 3, 6pm) Art galleries in the River District unite to present an array of creativity from local and regional artists of all mediums. A new exhibit debuts at the Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center as part of the celebration. Downtown Fort Myers. 239-337-5050, fortmyersartwalk.com Discover DaVinci & Michelangelo: Side by Side (March 11, 7:30pm) Journey back to the Italian Renaissance, as seen through the eyes of Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo, in a multimedia performance featuring movies, videos, images and more. Mark Rodgers, curator of the DaVinci Machines and Michelangelo Exhibitions from the Museum of Leonardo da Vinci compares and contrasts the lives of these two influential artists, while relating them to contemporary times. Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall, 13350 Edison Parkway, Fort Myers. 239-481-4849, bbmannpah.com
Collage with Leoma Lovegrove (March 25 and 26, 9am) Join a special painting and collage class with renowned artist Leoma Lovegrove at the Lovegrove Gallery & Gardens on Matlacha Island. 4637 Pine Island Road NW, Matlacha. 239-822-4109, leomalovegrove.com
SPECIAL EVENTS
Speaking of South Florida: 2015 Speaker Series featuring J.B. Bernstein (March 4, 7:30pm) Sports marketing veteran and former athlete representative J.B. Bernstein will tell his story of professional and personal change that inspired the Disney film Million Dollar Arm. Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall, 13350 Edison Parkway, Fort Myers. 239-481-4849, bbmannpah.com Famous Author and Lunch Series (March 16 and April 20, 12pm) The Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center continues its series filled with tasty food and Q&A time with famous authors. New York Times best-selling author Lisa See is the guest author for the month of March, and next in line is Deirdre Marie Capone, author of Uncle Al Capone: The Untold Story from Inside the Family. Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center, 2301 First St., Fort Myers. 239-333-1933, sbdac.com An Evening with the Authors (March 20, 6pm) Guests can wine and dine with Southwest Florida Reading Festival authors during a cocktail reception and plated dinner at the Marina at Edison Ford. 2360 W. First St., Fort Myers. 239-337-7323, readfest.org/evening Southwest Florida Reading Festival (March 21, 10am) The Southwest Florida Reading Festival commences each year with celebrity authors appearing on multiple stages. A children’s activities and craft tent, Teen Battle of the Bands competition, readings and books for sale round out the event. The Harborside Event Center, 1375 Monroe St., Fort Myers. readfest.org/evening Lifeline Family Center’s 18th Annual Benefit Dinner (March 26, 6pm) Best-
selling author Lee Strobel who wrote The Case for Christ headlines Lifeline Family Center’s annual charity dinner. The nonprofit center is the only resident program of its kind in Lee County for homeless young women in crisis pregnancies who are not a part of the foster care system. McGregor Baptist Church, 3750 Colonial Blvd., Fort Myers. 239-242-7238, lifelinefamilycenter.org
OUTDOORS
Haunted History Tours (Wed. and Sat., 8pm) A 90-minute walk through downtown Fort Myers reveals a darker side to its local history. Tours begin and end at The Franklin Shops, 2200 First St., Fort Myers. 800-979-3370, truetours.net Historical Walking Tours (Thurs. and Sat., 10:30am) Learn about Fort Myers’ past on a 90-minute walk through the historic downtown district. Tours begin and end at The Franklin Shops. 2200 First St., Fort Myers. 800-979-3370, truetours.net GreenMarket (Sat., 9am) On the Lee County Alliance for the Arts 10-acre campus, vendors present locally grown, caught and cultivated foods, along with other products for sampling and purchase. Live entertainment by musicians, fun activities for kids, gardening classes and cooking demos by local chefs round out the fun. 10091 McGregor Blvd., Fort Myers. 239-9392787, artinlee.org Scarf Art with Marie Dyer (March 14, 9:30am) Artist Marie Dyer teaches guests how to hand paint silk scar ves. Artists of all levels are welcome at the W est Museum Porch at Edison & F ord Winter Estates. 2350 McGregor Blvd., Fort Myers. 239-334-7419, edisonfordwinterestates.org
Drawing in the Gardens with Megan Kissinger (March 28, 9am) Awardwinning nature artist teaches guests how to draw natures, leaves and trees using special drawing techniques. The workshop will be held in the gardens of the Edison & Ford Winter Estates. 2350 McGregor Blvd., Fort Myers. 239334-7419, edisonfordwinterestates.org Ding Darling Upcycle! Art Festival (April 1 and 2, 9am) In the spirit of cartoonist Jay Norwood “Ding” Darling, this second annual event provides an artistic venue and marketplace for showcasing high-quality arts and crafts made from recycled and repurposed materials. The festival aims to educate the public on recycling and protecting our wildlife. “Ding” Darling Visitor & Education Center, Sanibel Captiva Road, Sanibel. 239-472-2155, dingdarlingsociety.org
SPORTS
The Harlem Globetrotters at Germain Arena (March 3, 7pm) The team made famous for their basketball-handling abilities and family-friendly entertainment performs at Germain Arena as part of their 2015 World Tour. 11000 Everblades Parkway, Estero. 239948-7825, germainarena.com Minnesota Twins Spring Training (March 4-April 4, times vary) Throw on your baseball cap and head to Hammond Stadium, spring training home of the Minnesota Twins, for a chance to catch Major League Baseball players practicing swings. CenturyLink Sports Complex, 14100 Six Mile Cypress Parkway, Fort Myers. 800-338-9467, springtrainingconnection.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 event information before attending these local events.