March-April 2023

The Gulf

NEWS & PREVIEWS

Reading Fest Returns to River District

The Lee County Library System’s annual Southwest Florida Reading Festival returns to the Fort Myers Regional Library in Fort Myers’ Historic River District on March 4. Admission is free.

The Reading Fest will host 25 authors for all ages from 10am4pm on the Library’s outdoor campus on First St.

Attendees can hear author presentations, meet best-selling authors and have their books signed. The celebration also features youth writing award presentations, arts and crafts, and information about storytelling programs. Every child and teen attending will get a free book.

Among the author lineup scheduled to attend are bestselling authors for adults, teens and children, including Newbery Award-winning youth writers Meg Medina and Lauren Wolk. Featured teen authors include Florida Teens Read writer, Axie Oh and historical fiction crossover novelist, Ruta Sepetys. Adult authors include Kristin Harmel and Alka Joshi; thriller writers Kendra Elliot, Joseph Finder, Gregg Hurwitz and Melinda Leigh; romance writers Sarah MacLean and Vanessa Riley;

and Jennifer Lonoff Schiff, author of the popular ‘Sanibel Island Mystery’ series.

Attendees wishing for exclusive access to meet and mingle with some of the authors can attend An Evening with the Authors, a fundraising dinner, March 3, 5:30-8:30pm, at the Edison Restaurant on McGregor Blvd. in Fort Myers. Reservations are recommended. Proceeds from An Evening with the Authors benefit the Southwest Florida Reading Festival.

Best-selling author Alka Joshi will be appearing at South County Library on March 3, 11am-12pm. Reservations are suggested. South County Library is located at 21100 Three Oaks Pkwy. In Estero. For information, call 533-4832.

Fort Myers Regional Library is located at 2450 First St. in Fort Myers. For information, call 5334832, or visit readfest.org.

Naples Ikebana Celebrates 50th Anniversary

The public is invited to attend the Naples Ikebana International Chapter’s Annual Luncheon and Japanese Floral Art Demonstration on March 22 at the Vineyards Country Club in Naples. The presentation features the Ikenobo School of Ikebana, by Sensei Stephanie English, assisted by Sensei Marcia Norberg.

The Naples Ikebana International Chapter is one of the larger chapters in the United States, enjoying a membership of around 80 active members. Monthly meetings are on the first Wednesday of the month, November-May at the Naples Botanical Garden in Naples. Meetings are open to the public.

The Chapter has a history of offering Demonstrations of Japanese Floral Arranging by instructors of the Schools of Ikenobo, Ohara, Kado Sensho Ikenobo and Sogetsu, plus Japanese inspired cultural and artistic programs.

States, Canada and Japan to study with Ikenobo Professors and other learned Sensei. Her awareness of natural floral materials growing in her northern and Florida locations and how these materials are incorporated into her Ikenobo floral designs.

Assisting Sensei English will be Marcia Norberg, who also has been immersed in the Ikenobo School for 22 years. Although she lived in Asia for seven years, Marcia began her study of Ikenobo with lessons in Naples, Florida, in 2000. She has also studied in Kyoto, Japan.

The Luncheon is March 22, 9:30am-1:30pm. Reservations are required. The Vineyards Country Club is located at 400 Vineyards Blvd. in Naples. A Silent Auction & Raffle will begin at 10am, followed by the Ikenobo demonstration at 11am, and lunch at 12:30pm.

For information about Ikebana’s 50 Anniversary Luncheon, visit ikebananaples.com.

For information about Ikebana monthly meetings, call 6437275. Naples Botanical Garden is located at 4820 Bayshore Drive in Naples.

The Naples Chapter of Ikebana International celebrates its 50th year at a luncheon featuring a demonstration of the Ikenobo School of floral design.

OnBest-selling author, Alka Joshi, will be appearing at the SWFL Reading Festival on March 4. She will also be meeting fans at the South County Library in Estero on March 3.

Ikenobo, the featured School at this year’s 50th Luncheon Celebration, is referred to as, ‘the Origin of Ikebana’ and is over 550 years old. Ikebana began with Ikenobo which led to numerous other schools being taught and enjoyed throughout the world.

Sensei English has honed her skills over a span of the last 30 years, traveling around the United

Hurricane Stories Wanted

In response to the emotional impact of Hurricane Ian, Alliance for the Arts, in partnership with the Gulf Coast Writers Association, has initiated an Oral History Project titled ‘Storm Stories.’ They are asking for stories written by those who survived Hurricane Ian, who volunteered in its aftermath, and who witnessed heroic deeds. Everyone is welcomed to share their stories.

‘Storm Stories’ will have a dedicated, unmanned voicemail, as well as a way to submit written and recorded responses, allowing you to share your unique experience and express your emotions. All ages can submit stories, there is no fee and no word limit, although Gulf Coast Writers may edit stories for publication.

Local artists will use these stories as inspiration to create artworks to be displayed in a multi-media exhibition at the Alliance for the Arts in September 2023 to commemorate the one-year anniversary of Ian. The exhibition will also feature the documentary-style photography of Kinfay Moroti’s.

Alliance for the Arts Executive Director, Molly Deckart explains, “Just tell your story about your experience through and after Hurricane Ian in whatever capacity you feel fit—uncensored and unbridled. It could be stories of resilience or trauma or pain or loss. It could be a wide range of feelings. It is meant to be cathartic and therapeutic.”

While ‘Storm Stories’ covers all of Lee County, Alliance for the Arts plans on expanding this project to the entire state of Florida.

Call 744-3047 to tell your story. Call 939-2787 for information about ‘Storm Stories’ and Alliance for the Arts. Visit gulfwriters.org or artinlee.org for information. The Alliance for the Arts is located at 10091 McGregor Blvd. in Fort Myers.

Charlie Hunter performs with Kurt Elling, March 17 during the 43rd Sarasota Jazz Festival.

Sarasota Celebrates Jazz

The Sarasota Jazz Festival presents concerts featuring popular musicians, classic films, open jam sessions, and a jazz club crawl, March 13-18.

As Music Director of the 43rd Sarasota Jazz Festival, Grammy award winner, trumpeter Terell Stafford has assembled an impressive collection of acclaimed musicians playing a wide range of jazz styles and genres. From the Latin rhythms of saxophonist Paquito D’Rivera to the progressive explorations of trumpeter Christian Sands, from the traditional sounds of pianist Dick Hyman to the modern jazz of guitarist Charlie Hunter, the festival features the legend saxophonist Houston Person, newcomer Lizz Wright, and acclaimed bassist Marcus Miller.

The Jazz festival features concerts performed indoors under the Ulla Searing Big Top on Regatta Island at Nathan Benderson Park, film screenings in the Burns Cinemas in downtown Sarasota, and a ‘jazz club crawl’, as well as late night open jam sessions.

The Festival opens with a VIP Reception on March 13, followed March 14 by a Jazz Trolley Club Crawl, including 10 bands at 10 locations throughout downtown Sarasota. Trolleys will run 5-10pm, starting at the University

Town Center mall. Concerts are March 15-18, under the Ulla Searing Big Top, starting at 6pm. Cabaret-style late night jam sessions follow concerts on March 17 (led by La Lucha) & March 18 (led by Synia Carroll) on the second floor of the Nathan Benderson Park Finish Line Tower. Musicians are asked to sign up before the sessions and bring their own instruments (piano, bass and drums will be provided). Films will be screened at 9:30am on March 16 & 17.

schedule

March 13: VIP Reception (tba)

March 14: Jazz Trolley Pub Crawl (5:30-9:30pm)

March 15: Lizz Wright, Christian Sands Trio concert (6pm)

March 16: ‘The Benny Goodman Story’ film (9am)

March 16: Marcus Miller, Allen Carmen Project with Gumbi Ortiz concert (6pm)

March 17: ‘Miles Davis - Birth of Cool’ film (9am)

March 17: Kurt Elling with Charlie Hunter, Dick Hymans & Diego Figueiredo concert (6pm)

March 17: Late Night Open Jamled by La Lucha (9:30pm-12am)

March 18: Paquito D’Rivera, Houston Person & Tony Monaco concert (6pm)

March 18: Late Night Open JamSynia Carroll (9:30pm-12am)

The Sarasota Jazz Festival is produced by the Jazz Club of Sarasota, a nonprofit organization. The main stage events are produced in partnership with Circus Arts Conservatory.

Ulla Searing Big Top is located on Regatta Island at Nathan Benderson Park, at 5851 Nathan Benderson Circle, off N Cattleman Rd, in Sarasota. Burns Court Cinemas is located at 506 Burns Lane, downtown Sarasota. University Town Center Mall is located at 140 University Town Center Drive in Sarasota. For information about the Sarasota Jazz Festival and Sarasota Jazz Club, call 941-2609951.

Selby Gardens Presents the Art of Tiffany

For its annual Jean & Alfred Goldstein Exhibition Series, Marie Selby Botanical Gardens presents ‘Tiffany: The Pursuit of Beauty in Nature’, showcasing the creativity and innovation of Louis Comfort Tiffany, who revolutionized glassmaking and American decorative arts, and believed that inspiration for art and design should be found in nature. It marks the seventh edition of Selby Gardens’ annual Jean & Alfred Goldstein Exhibition, which examines the work of major artists through the

Marie Selby Gardens presents the exhibition, Tiffany: ‘The Pursuit of Beauty in Nature,’ at its downtown Sarasota campus, thru June 25.

On The Gulf NEWS & PREVIEWS

SPRING TRAINING

lens of their connection to nature. This immersive, multidisciplinary show, on view through June 25, features original horticultural displays throughout Selby Gardens’ Downtown Sarasota campus, complemented by a curated gallery experience featuring more than 40 authentic Tiffany pieces inside the Museum of Botany & the Arts. It will be the first exhibition of its type to be presented in a botanical garden.

Louis Comfort Tiffany, one of the most influential American artists and designers of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, was closely associated with Art Nouveau, an international style of art and design characterized by organic lines and natural form. He founded Tiffany Studios and served as the first design director of Tiffany & Co.

Tiffany’s celebrated stainedglass windows and lamps will inspire stunning horticultural displays in Selby Gardens’ worldfamous Tropical Conservatory and throughout the grounds of its 15-acre Downtown Sarasota campus. Accompanying the horticultural displays will be outstanding examples of Tiffany’s work, in various media, on view in the Museum of Botany & the Arts, including lamps, vases, and other objects.

The exhibition will also explore the group of often unnamed artisans who helped Tiffany achieve his vision.

‘Tiffany: The Pursuit of Beauty in Nature’ will be on view at Selby Gardens’ Downtown Sarasota campus from February 12 through June 25, 2023. A rich schedule of educational programs and special events will be developed to complement the show.

Marie Selby Botanical Gardens’ Downtown Sarasota campus is located at 1534 Mound St. in Sarasota. The gardens are open 10am-5pm daily. For information, call 941-210-0874.

‘Hamlet’ at FGCU

The Bower School of Music & the Arts at Florida Gulf Coast University’s Theatre Program will present William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, directed by Theatre professor Barry Cavin. Performances will be in FGCU’s TheatreLab. The production

JETBLUE PARK

1500 Fenway South Drive

Fort Myers

888-733-7696

MAR 2: vs Philadelphia Phillies

MAR 4: vs Houston Astros

MAR 5: vs Miami Marlins

MAR 6: vs Detroit Tigers

mar 10: vs Toronto Blue Jays

MAR 12: vs NY Yankees

MAR 15: vs Tampa Bay Rays

MAR 17: vs Atlanta Braves

MAR 18: vs Baltimore Orioles

MAR 20: vs Pittsburgh Pirates

MAR 22: vs Minnesota Twins

MAR 24: vs Atlanta Braves

MAR 26: vs Minnesota Twins

MAR 28: vs Atlanta Braves

all games start 1 pm

Lee County Sports Complex HAMMOND STADIUM

14400 Six Mile Cypress Pkwy. Fort Myers

800-338-9467

MAR 1: vs Philadelphia Phillies

MAR 3: vs Boston Red Sox *

MAR 5: vs Detroit Tigers

MAR 7: vs Baltimore Orioles

MAR 11: vs Boston Red Sox

MAR 13: vs NY Yankees

MAR 14: vs Pittsburgh Pirates

MAR 16: vs Tampa Bay Rays

MAR 17: vs Baltimore Orioles

MAR 19: vs Oakland Athletics

MAR 21: vs Tampa Bay Rays *

MAR 23: vs Toronto Blue Jays

MAR 25: vs Oakland Athletics

MAR 27: vs Pittsburgh Pirates

all games start at 1 pm except * 6 pm

as Ophelia, Liberty Barber as Laertes, Robin O’Connell as Polonius, Karinna Crespo as Gravedigger, Isabella Onken as Osric, Bianca Arello Resin as First Priest, Lily Grace as Player Queen and Katherine Taylor as Lucianus/Gentleman/Sailor/ Messenger/ Lord.

TheatreLab is located in FGCU Arts Complex, 10501 FGCU Blvd. S., Fort Myers. For information, call 590-1000.

Opera Festival in Naples

Opera Naples presents their annual ‘Festival Under the Stars,’ March 21-April 5 in Cambier Park in downtown Naples. The multi-day outdoor opera

festival will be conducted by Opera Naples Artistic & Music Director, Maestro Ramón Tebar, and features the Naples Festival Orchestra, Southwest Florida Symphony, Opera Naples Chorus, Opera Naples Resident Artists, and some of the best international opera artists in the world. Festival Under the Stars is presented in collaboration with Naples Art Institute and Grand Piano Series.

The Festival lineup features:

MARCH 21: Opera Stars Concert, starring acclaimed Soprano, Jennifer Rowley.

MARCH 28 & 30: Carmen, Georges Bizet’s fully-staged opera, sung in French with English supertitles.

MARCH 29: Zarzuela & Flamenco, an evening of classic Spanish music and dance, featuring Mezzo soprano Maria Antúnez and tenor Martin Nusspaumer, accompanied by Maestro Ramón Tebar on piano.

APRIL 2: ‘A Night at the Opera,’ with Opera Naples Resident Artists performing with the Southwest Florida Symphony and world-renowned guest artists.

April 4 & 5: Frida, an opera celebrating the life and legacy of artist Frida Kahlo, with Maestro Ramón Tebar conducting the Naples Festival Orchestra with the Opera Naples chorus.

All performances are at the Cambier Park softball field.

Additional performances taking place during the festival include Columbus Children’s Foundation’s ‘An Evening of Hope,’ featuring Jonathan

Opera Naples presents ‘Festival Under the Stars,’ a series of outdoor concerts in Cambier Park in Naples, March 21-April 5.

will run from April 14-23 with performances April 14 & 15, 21 & 22 at 7:30pm and April 16, 22 & 23 at 2pm. There will also be a discussion with the cast and crew following the 2pm performance on April 22.

The cast includes Tatum Bates as Hamlet, Alexandra Adams as Horatio, Charles Davidson as Claudius, Chloe Chan as Gertrude, Janie Kate Knowles

Tatum Bates plays Hamlet in FGCU’s production at TheatreLab, April 14-23.

On The Gulf NEWS &

Teleman on March 22 at 7pm at Cambier Park and a collaboration with the Grand Piano Series on March 25 at 5pm at Moorings Presbyterian Church, featuring the duo of Dominic Cheli and the Milana Strezeva.

‘Festival Under the Stars’ will also include a Family & Community Day on March 26. Free to the public, it will feature a performance of ‘The Ugly Duckling,’ by the Opera Naples Resident Artists.

Cambier Park is located at 755 8th Ave. S. in downtown Naples. Moorings Presbyterian Church is located at 791 Harbour Dr. in Naples. Call 963-9050 for information.

Niki Butcher’s Debut Book

Niki Butcher, artist and photographer, and wife of photographer Clyde Butcher, has published her debut book, Daydreaming, a collection of over 140 beautifully hand-painted photographs created over five decades.

The large coffee table book is printed on high-quality matte paper and spot varnished for protection, and bound in light pink linen with a waterproof coating and silver foil embossed details on the cover and spine.

“Using my photographs and oil paints, I am able to turn landscapes into dreamscapes and reality into fantasy,” Niki explains. “When I moved to Florida in 1980 from California, I was fascinated with the Florida culture. It was so different from California. The unique old mom-and-pop roadside stops, the fascinating characters, the beauty of the landscape, and the most amazing pastel colors of the Florida skies. I couldn’t resist taking photos of this beautiful state.

”She continues, “I want people to remember old Florida and what is left. I hope this book helps bring attention to Florida’s unique heritage and culture and that it brings attention to help preserve it for future generations.”

The book is divided into six parts: Roadside Attractions & Nostalgia Inspired By Nature, Art Deco Beginnings, Historic Gems, Capturing the Human Spirit, and Fantastical Ideas.

Niki Butcher’s debut book, ‘Daydreaming’ features 140 hand-painted photographs of Florida.

The first 500 books sold will be autographed by Niki.

Daydreaming is available at Clyde Butcher’s Venice Gallery & Studio and Big Cypress Gallery, and online at nikibutcher.com. For information, call 941-4860811.

Clyde Butcher’s Venice Gallery & Studio is located at 237 Warfield Ave S. in Venice. His Big Cypress Gallery is located at 52388 Tamiami Trail in Ochopee.

Children’s Museum’s Exhibit Celebrates Indian Culture T

he Golisano Children’s Museum of Naples is hosting the cultural exhibit, ‘Namaste India’, featuring the arts, foods, traditions, and future of India. The exhibition compares the similarities and differences between their lives and those of children in the country of India in hopes of encouraging global awareness and cultural appreciation.

‘Namaste India’ features a variety of immersive environments including a dhaba (restaurant), marketplace, tuk tuk (motorized rickshaw), home and school, as well as iconic spaces like the Taj Mahal and Bollywood.

‘Namaste India’ features a variety of experiences:

Bollywood: Families can walk a red carpet and pose for a glamorous photo op dressed in colorful sarees and other traditional clothing. Visitors can watch clips from famous

Bollywood movies and the biggest film industry in the world.

Tuk Tuk: Guests take a simulated ride in a three-wheeled tuk tuk, a motorized rickshaw found throughout India.

Cricket: Visitors will learn about the second most popular sport in India. Children can practice ‘bowling’ (throwing a ball) at a wicket target.

School: Families will learn about a traditional school day for children in India. Students will study the geography and diversity of India as well as learn Hindi words and numbers.

Family Home: Visitors will explore a traditional home featuring an entrance decorated with a rangoli and filled with other traditional Indian art forms.

14400 Six Mile Cypress Parkway • Fort Myers 768-4210

APR 6: vs Dunedin Blue Jays

APR 7: vs Dunedin Blue Jays

APR 8: vs Dunedin Blue Jays *

APR 18: vs Jupiter Hammerheads

APR 19: vs Jupiter Hammerheads

APR 20: vs Jupiter Hammerheads

APR 21: vs Jupiter Hammerheads

APR 22: vs Jupiter Hammerheads *

APR 23: vs Jupiter Hammerheads **

MAY 2: vs Dunedin Blue Jays

MAY 3: vs Dunedin Blue Jays

MAY 4: vs Dunedin Blue Jays

MAY 5: vs Dunedin Blue Jays

MAY 6: vs Dunedin Blue Jays *

MAY 7: vs Dunedin Blue Jays **

MAY 9: vs Tampa Tarpons

MAY 10: vs Tampa Tarpons

MAY 11: vs Tampa Tarpons

MAY 12: vs Tampa Tarpons

MAY 13: vs Tampa Tarpons *

MAY 14: vs Tampa Tarpons **

MAY 30: vs St Lucie Mets

MAY 31: vs St Lucie Mets

JUN 1: vs St Lucie Mets

JUN 2: vs St Lucie Mets

JUN 3: vs St Lucie Mets *

JUN 4: vs St Lucie Mets **

JUN 6: vs Clearwater Threshers

JUN 7: vs Clearwater Threshers

JUN 8: vs Clearwater Threshers

JUN 9: vs Clearwater Threshers

JUN 10: vs Clearwater Threshers *

JUN 11: vs Clearwater Threshers **

JUN 28: vs Lakeland Flying Tigers

JUN 29: vs Lakeland Flying Tigers

JUN 30: vs Lakeland Flying Tigers

JUL 1: vs Lakeland Flying Tigers *

JUL 2: vs Lakeland Flying Tigers *

JUL 3: vs Lakeland Flying Tigers *

JUL 14: vs Clearwater Threshers

JUL 15: vs Clearwater Threshers *

JUL 16: vs Clearwater Threshers **

JUL 25: vs Clearwater Threshers *

JUL 26: vs Palm Beach Cardinals **

JUL 27: vs Palm Beach Cardinals

JUL 28: vs Palm Beach Cardinals

JUL 29: vs Palm Beach Cardinals *

JUL 30: vs Palm Beach Cardinals **

AUG 8: vs Bradenton Marauders

AUG 9: vs Bradenton Marauders

AUG 10: vs Bradenton Marauders

AUG 11: vs Bradenton Marauders

AUG 12: vs Bradenton Marauders *

AUG 13: vs Bradenton Marauders **

AUG 22: vs Daytona Tortugas

AUG 23: vs Daytona Tortugas

AUG 24: vs Daytona Tortugas

AUG 25: vs Daytona Tortugas

AUG 26: vs Daytona Tortugas *

AUG 27: vs Daytona Tortugas **

SEP 5: vs Bradenton Marauders

SEP 6: vs Bradenton Marauders

SEP 7: vs Bradenton Marauders

SEP 8: vs Bradenton Marauders

SEP 9: vs Bradenton Marauders *

SEP 10: vs Bradenton Marauders **

Lee County Sports Complex • HAMMOND STADIUM

Children can practice yoga in the home’s backyard.

Marketplace: Children will test their senses by smelling popular spices like turmeric, cumin and cloves. Visitors can try block printing, a traditional Indian art form.

Dhaba: Families can prepare roti, a traditional flatbread cooked in a clay tandoor oven.

Golisano Children’s Museum of Naples is located at 15080 Livingston Rd. in Naples. For information, call 514-0084.

Vintage Base Ball at Terry Park

On March 26, Edison & Ford Winter Estates will host its annual Vintage ‘Base Ball’ Tournament at historic Terry Park in Fort Myers. Vintage base ball (baseball in the 1860s, was spelled with two words) is played by 1860s rules, which include using wooden bats, no gloves and lemon peel baseballs. Players will wear vintage uniforms and the umpires will call the game according to the rules used during the time period. Gates will open at 9:30am with the first game starting at 10am.

Teams will play several consecutive games throughout the day in a small tournament

format. Teams include the Vagabonds Base Ball Club (Fort Myers’ home team), Awkwards

Vintage Base Ball of Central Florida, Bradenton Shamrocks

Vintage Base Ball Club, Early Riser Base Ball Club of Detroit, and the Wyandotte Stars Base Ball Club (Michigan).

Terry Park was once the hub of baseball’s spring training, and where Thomas Edison was a frequent visitor. Construction of the original ball field began in 1923. The Philadelphia Athletics began playing their spring training games in Terry Park in 1925 and continued to play in the park until 1936.

Over the next five decades, other major league baseball teams used the ballpark to play their pre-season exhibition games, including the Cleveland Indians, Kansas City Royals and Pittsburgh Pirates. Hall of Famers such as George Brett, Roberto Clemente, Ty Cob, Jimmy Foxx, and Babe Ruth are just some of stars that graced the fields at Terry Park.

Thomas Edison was also a die-hard baseball fan and visited Terry Park on a several occasions to watch the Athletics play, even seizing one opportunity to

‘Ding’ Darling Fundraiser Stars Teddy Roosevelt

HERTZ ARENA

11000 Everblades Pkwy.

Estero

948-7825

MAR 8: vs South Carolina

Stingrays

MAR 10: vs South Carolina

Stingrays

MAR 11: vs South Carolina

Stingrays

MAR 22: vs Newfoundland

Growlers

MAR 24: vs Newfoundland

Growlers

MAR 25: vs Newfoundland

Growlers

APR 5: vs Jacksonville Icemen

APR 12: vs Jacksonville Icemen

APR 14: vs Atlanta Gladiators

APR 15: vs Atlanta Gladiators

participate in the team’s batting practice session.

According to historic documents, Ty Cobb volunteered to pitch to the 80-year-old Fort Myers resident, Thomas Edison, who subsequently hit a line drive that knocked Ty Cobb down. A few days later the entire team visited Mr. and Mrs. Edison at their Fort Myers’ estate and toured the property and had lunch with the legendary inventor.

For baseball fans wanting to learn more about the history of spring training and the baseball legends that played in Fort Myers, Edison Ford program manager, Holly Shaffer, will give a presentation on March 24 & 25, at 11am.

A new baseball exhibit is planned to open this spring at Edison & Ford Winter Estate. The exhibit will feature original artifacts and photographs connecting Thomas Edison, Connie Mack and baseball in Fort Myers, and will trace the long history of Fort Myers as a Spring Training site.

Terry Park is located at 3410 Palm Beach Blvd. in Fort Myers. The Edison & Ford Estates, open daily 9am-5:30pm, is located at 2350 McGregor Blvd. in Fort Myers. For more information, call 334-7419.

To meet the challenges of Sanibel’s hurricane recovery, ‘Ding’ Darling Wildlife SocietyFriends of the Refuge is hosting a fundraising event, ‘Go Bully for ‘Ding’: An Evening with Teddy Roosevelt,’ March 6 at Broadway Palm in Fort Myers. The event starts at 5:30pm.

The evening’s entertainment features popular Refuge personality and Teddy Roosevelt reprisor, Joe Wiegand. He has been bringing President Roosevelt to life for more than a decade and has performed in all 50 states and overseas, including a White House performance in honor of Roosevelt’s 150th birthday in 2008. The evening will include a performance and

audience interactions, as well as dinner, drinks, and a live auction. Reservations are strongly recommended.

All profits will support the hurricane recovery efforts of the J.N. ‘Ding’ Darling National Wildlife Refuge on Sanibel. Broadway Palm is located at 1380 Colonial Blvd. In Fort Myers. For information, call 292-0566.

Left to Right: Ty Cobb, Thomas Edison and Connie Mack, Manager of the Philadelphia Athletics, in Terry Park in Fort Myers.

Joe Wiegand portrays Teddy Roosevelt at the ‘Go Bully for ‘Ding’’ fundraiser, March 6 at Broadway Palm in Fort Myers.

Sanibel Music Festival

All Concerts at Peace Lutheran Church, 15840 McGregor Blvd in Fort Myers, Call 239-344-7025 for information.

Emerson String Quartet

This concert marks the final visit to Sanibel Music Festival of this quartet, regarded as one of the world’s premier chamber music ensembles for over 40 years.The quartet plans to retire this fall, with over 30 acclaimed recordings and nine Grammys, an Avery Fisher Prize and Musical America’s Ensemble of the Year. Performing Beethoven and Schubert

Calidore String Quartet

Cited for irrepressible dramatic instinct, this globally recognized quartet won the Avery Fisher Career Grant, Lincoln Center Emerging Artist Award, M-Prize International Chamber Music Competition, and many other prizes. Performing Smetana, Janacek, Mozart.

Saturday MARCH 7:30pm 4 7:30 pm

Saturday MARCH 7:30pm 11 MARCH 7:30 pm pm

Lysander Piano Trio

Theater of Connecticut

Opera

Lerner & Loewe: Masters of Glamour & Romance Favorites from hit musicals My Fair Lady, Camelot, Brigadoon, and Gigi, punctuated by commentary from opera cognoscente and Artistic Director Alan Mann.

New York Brass Arts Trio

Known to always leave audiences thoroughly entertained, they are called fun, infectious, and artistically incarnate by the press, producing music so fluid, their sound has been likened to a string quartet. Performing Bach, Ravel, Corea.

Acclaimed for rich sound, nuanced musicianship, and imaginative ideas, this trio, formed at Julliard, is known for exciting programming, creatively connecting common threads across musical cultures and times. Performing Schumann, Shostakovich, Frank Bridge, Mendelssohn. Saturday MARCH 7:30pm 18 7:30 pm Tuesday MARCH 7:30pm 28 7:30 pm

FGCU Bower School of Music Chamber Strings

Students under the direction of Dr Kyle Szabo demonstrate the vitality of classical music as participants in the Festival’s Emerging Artist Series. Trios and quartets performing Schubert, Shostakovich, Mendelssohn, Beethoven, Ravel, Piazzola, with commentary by Dr Kyle Szabo.

GORDON LIGHTFOOT going with the flow

There are few artists who can be mentioned in the same realm as legendary songwriters such as Bob Dylan, Neil Young and Joni Mitchell. However, there are fewer who Dylan has deemed to have essentially a perfect songbook. “I can’t think of any Gordon Lightfoot song I don’t like,” Dylan was once quoted as saying. “Every time I hear a song of his, I wish it would last forever.”

More than half a century after getting their proverbial feet wet in the music industry, both Dylan and Lightfoot continue to tour. And as for Lightfoot, the musician says he never rests on his laurels when taking the stage.

“I’m always well prepared,” Lightfoot, now 84 years young, says from his Toronto home. “I’m always ready to get onstage. I have three of the band members coming to the house here tomorrow here in Toronto. We rehearse in my music room in my house. We stay warmed up, keep our chops up and keep the interest level high. It’s not hard to do. I enjoy the work!”

Lightfoot, who launches a nine-date trek March 13 at the Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall in Fort Myers, penned several signature songs over his career from “Sundown,” “Carefree Highway” and “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” to “Early Morning Rain,” “Ribbon of Darkness” and “If You Could Read My Mind.” After performing as a child in his hometown of Orillia, Ontario, the singer headed to Los Angeles after high school, where he enrolled in the Westlake College of Music.

“I learned about scales and how to recognize intervals, sight-reading and keyboard,” he says. “I took about seven or eight different subjects at Westlake. We learned about that from DownBeat magazine in high school. In high school I was in with a small group of people who liked jazz music. We were a minority because at the time not many people were into jazz, but it was there. I was a Dave Brubeck fan and fan of Stan Kenton’s large orchestra. So taking the music courses was an extension of that interest in being a jazz lover.”

Lightfoot says he realized he could make a career in music in his late teens when he began writing songs. He says the discipline needed for the songwriting craft was developed early on.

“I would say that once I got into the flow of doing it, it got to be sort of a routine,” he says. “You had to do it, but by that time I was under contract.

by Jason MacNeil

“I’m always ready to get onstage. We rehearse in my music room in my house. We stay warmed up, keep our chops up and keep the interest level high. It’s not hard to do. I enjoy the work!”

I was under contract very early as were some of the people that I worked along with at the time. I followed the same footprints, so of speak, like several people who are Canadian artists, or dozens of people who are American artists. Once they were committed to songwriting they would make it a part of their routine—just writing songs. That’s how we did it. I wanted to write my own stuff and so did all of the rest of us. We wanted to follow Dylan’s example and write our own stuff.”

So write he did. From his 1966 debut, Lightfoot!, to his 19th studio album, Solo, in 2020, Lightfoot has rarely relied on other songwriters.

“I did seven cover recordings of other artists,” Lightfoot states factually. “The rest I wrote on my own. It’s what I did. There are 220 of them on record. I had recordings covered by major artists like Peter, Paul & Mary and Marty Robbins on the country side. I had major hits by these artists. I got my leg in the door through the songwriting. The songwriting was what carried me through in the beginning.”

The musician also says he knew innately—for the most part—when a song was done. “When they were finished, they were finished,” he says. “Sometimes, I would rework something a little bit, but not very often. Usually, when the song was done it was done.”

He adds, “Also, the key is not to repeat yourself. That was really one of the main things. Every song was like a snowflake—every one had to be different, and you wanted it to be that way.”

It would be exhausting to name every artist who has covered a Gordon Lightfoot song, but here are a few demonstrating how timeless and expansive his catalogue has been: The Grateful Dead, Barbra Streisand, Elvis Presley, Neil Young, Dylan, Jimmy Buffett, and Harry Belafonte. And while Lightfoot had penned and released a handful of great songs in the late 1960s, it was a parade of hit songs in the 1970s that made Lightfoot an international household name.

“The song ‘Sundown’ made it up to number one on the Billboard charts,” he says. “Before that I had another big one called ‘If You Could Read My Mind’ and the third one was ‘Carefree Highway.’ Then I had a topical song about a ship that was found in Lake Superior, ‘The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.’ That came from out of nowhere because nobody thought it would become a popular

song, but it did. I had seven or eight pretty good ones in there. At the same time I was running an orchestra, we were touring and writing. It was a very busy time.”

Now with the pandemic restrictions lifted, Lightfoot is back on the road. He says he’ll follow the March tour with another leg slated for California in April. Despite the hundreds of theatres, halls and outdoor venues he’s played in over his illustrious career, one venue in particular is often cited as Lightfoot’s home: Toronto’s Massey Hall. The venue, on par with London’s iconic Royal Albert Hall, has hosted Lightfoot well over 160 times. A roughly 18-month cycle has traditionally separated a Massey Hall stand in the spring and a fall run the following year.

To show his status, the venue underwent a massive, multi-year renovation, but not before Lightfoot closed Massey Hall on July 1, 2018 and christened the renovated venue on November 25, 2021 for its grand reopening.

“It just worked out that I was there when they closed it and I was there when they opened it,” he says modestly. “When we went back and did the opening I had broken my wrist, so we were working with some very fine artists opening these shows for me. One of them was Tom Rush. I was impressed with the talent.”

Some musicians of a similar vintage of Lightfoot, such as The Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney and Joni Mitchell, have performed in the last couple of years post-pandemic. However, the passing of time has also seen a number of those contemporaries pass on. Ian Tyson, one of Lightfoot’s biggest influences and who Lightfoot considered almost an ‘older brother,’ died in January 2023. Tyson, one half of the 1960s folk duo Ian & Sylvia, was perhaps best known for the song ‘Four Strong Winds.’

Another iconic musician, David Crosby, also passed away in January. Lightfoot says he crossed paths with Crosby several times over the years.

“Yes, I knew David quite well,” he says. “I met him in Los Angeles and we met here in Toronto. I met him in Toronto when he was with Crosby, Still, Nash & Young. In Los Angeles, it was more casual and we did a couple of events. We’d be at the same event and got to know each other. He was an interesting fellow and we got along quite well together. I was sorry to hear he had died.” •

“I can’t think of any Gordon Lightfoot song I don’t like,” Bob Dylan was once quoted as saying.

“Every time I hear a song of his, I wish it would last forever.”

by Jason MacNeil

IT’S a late January afternoon and acclaimed jazz arranger and trombonist, Delfeayo Marsalis is swamped with phone calls, requests and trying to tie up a few loose ends. The following day he’ll be en route to Bangkok, Thailand for a three-night stand with saxophonist Javon Jackson performing with the Royal Bangkok Symphony Orchestra. In early February he’ll release a new studio album with the Uptown Jazz Orchestra called Uptown on Mardi Gras Day So you can easily forgive him if a date five weeks away in Naples at the Daniels Pavilion isn’t immediately atop his to-do list.

o w n t p u FU

“I apologize, let me look at the calendar man,” the warm and amicable Marsalis says with a laugh, rifling through pages before locating the gig with the Naples Philharmonic Jazz Orchestra. “Sure enough it says Naples on March 1. Yeah, we’re going to break out a couple of the Mardi Gras songs. The main question is to make sure if we can have the right vocalist for that. But it’ll be a good combination of some New Orleans tunes, some original music and some riff-based tunes.

“They say when I play it’s like a feel good experience. That’s just what we do. So that’s going to leave the folks in good spirits and having a good time.”

Marsalis, one of the esteemed members of America’s first family of jazz, brought a bevy of uplifting, feel good songs to the new album. He says the inspiration came from creating a non-profit organization during the pandemic called Keep New Orleans Music Alive (KNOMA) and speaking with a variety of “the big chiefs and the members of the Indian tribes here in New Orleans.”

The performer says the conversations planted the seeds for songs such as ‘Big Chief,’ Willie Tee’s song ‘Big Suit’ and Al Johnson’s ‘Carnival Time’, among others. Marsalis also says the effort to get the personnel in a relatively short time period might have been the biggest challenge.

“It’s a lot of moving parts and it took a long time,” he says. “For sure, playing the music was enjoyable, but the process of putting together a CD with that many parts is fairly difficult. When you hear the album it is all cohesive, but we had musicians in different places. Especially with the rhythm section, we had a number of different drummers and we had to match them up with different bass players.”

While there was nothing left on the cutting room floor over the three days of recording in the fall of 2022, Marsalis says of the dozen offerings perhaps the title track was the hardest to nail down.

“The main reason was we had Davell Crawford and he’s playing the really unique, distinctive New Orleans style of piano,” he says. “And we had the horn parts. So it was a matter of trying to make sure it had the right flow and wasn’t too cluttered. He did two or three different passes of the piano part. So what we did was take different sections from different takes. Putting that together was a little tough. Then we had one drum track and then [drummer] Herlin Riley came in and changed it.”

Another intangible was finding a balance between Mardi Gras standards, which primarily rely on a small

“Those of us who are New Orleans musicians have the responsibility and the obligation to not only play but to record our music— New Orleans music— the way that it’s supposed to sound.”

FUNK

group of musicians to play, and envisioning a larger big band playing these staples.

“The first challenge is, to my knowledge, there are no big band recordings of Mardi Gras songs,” Marsalis says. “You might have [1960s New Orleans based funk band] The Meters and their songs and you have Willie Tee and he did something with the Mardi Gras Indians. So the challenge is to work out how we’re going to tackle the big band. With Uptown Jazz Orchestra we play more like a small group anyway, it’s more like a small R&B band. So from that standpoint, it was

“The other thing with a large ensemble is you can create more dense harmony, the way you can address the sound is very different. The question is how do you keep the New Orleans rhythms and the groove going. So that was the main thing. Andrew Baham and I did the arrangements and he did a masterful job of keeping the New Orleans rhythm, the rhythm of how we play.” While wearing many hats as producer, engineer and performer, Marsalis says the key to being a successful arranger isn’t easily explained.

“One thing is to have good technique and to have studied,” he says. “But the more important thing is to listen to a lot of music and know what sounds good and what doesn’t sound good. It might sound like a simple answer, but that’s really what it is.

“I’ve used Igor Stravinsky as an example. You listen to Stravinsky and he’s writing very complex music. But there’s something about it that it’s not too much. Now there are other composers who have written more complex music than Stravinsky, but it doesn’t have that central element that makes it lasting in the same way. So I would say the greatest thing to be a great arranger is usually falling on the side of not too much. It’s to be able to know what the song actually needs and to arrange like that.”

Uptown on Mardi Gras , Marsalis loves the groovy ‘Midnight at the Zulu Ball”’ and ‘Carnival Time’, which he cites as current personal favorites. However, one segment of the album that he’s especially proud of is ‘Mardi Gras Mambo’ and ‘Mardi Gras Mambo (For the Jass Cats),’ the latter an inventive reworking of the song by Marsalis and

“It’s just my sense of humor about things,” he

says. “I was looking for a song and I was trying to say what’s something that people would not think to do. I wanted to do that. ‘Mardi Gras Mambo (For the Jass Cats)’ was the one where I said we could do something different. You have a song that’s a mambo and we play it without the mambo groove. It was just something that I heard and thought this would be something, man, that would be killing! I got Branford [brother and saxophonist Branford Marsalis] on the case and he took care of the business.”

Fortunately for Marsalis and most New Orleans musicians, the industry is starting to rebound somewhat from the devastating pandemic and lockdown. He says people are back playing in clubs and on the streets, but felt this new album would serve as a means to show musicians not from New Orleans how the music is played by those native to The Big Easy.

“Those of us who are New Orleans musicians have the responsibility and the obligation to not only play but to record our music—New Orleans music—the way that it’s supposed to sound,” Marsalis says. “It’s fine that folks are coming down and getting work, it’s fine. But we need to establish, ‘Okay, but this is actually what it is supposed to sound like.’ It was another thing to keep that New Orleans sound going.”

Marsalis will have a busy 2023 besides his show with the Naples Philharmonic Jazz Orchestra. Despite the fact musicians could not perform in front of audiences during the lockdown, he never lost his appreciation for playing, something that was instilled in him by some of the genre’s icons.

“I’ve had the chance to play with people like Elvin Jones, Art Blakey and Max Roach,” he says. “They let you know what a privilege it is to always play in whatever the situation. The fact you’re able to present your music, if it’s to 50 people or 500 or 5,000, it doesn’t matter in that respect. It taught me about human resilience firsthand, that we all had to come through this a certain kind of way. But in terms of performance, I’m always glad to play. The older musicians set the tone early on for me.”

Marsalis and his family showed resilience during the pandemic when the family patriarch, Ellis Marsalis Jr., died in April, 2020 at 85 from pneumonia brought on by complications from coronavirus. Delfeayo says his father would’ve loved Uptown on Mardi Gras Day

“He really would’ve liked it because he liked things that had a groove,” he says. “That was his thing. He was always talking about who’s grooving or the groove they had. So I think he really would’ve had a good time. In fact, I wish he was around. I’d had him come and play on some of it. I would’ve liked to have my dad play in a situation that’s not generally what he would do.” •

Fort Myers Brewing is Southwest

destination for craft beer, food trucks, live music and familyand pet-friendly fun. One of the largest craft brewers in the state, FMBrew’s beers and seltzers are winners of multiple prestigious

Beyond the Bend

by Paula Michele Wagoner

FLOWING AROUND A NEWLY REBUILT DOCK set in a secret spot is Mally Khorasantchi’s personal estuary, where mangroves and bamboo shoots wrestle with dense Florida fauna pressed against banks of a caramel canal. White ibis and night herons pick at the shallows while ospreys above call out for supper. Whirling with leaves and debris and snapping turtles bobbing for our pound cake crumbs, this waterway is the setting for her contemplation, studio work, and this interview. She shares the enchantment with friends and guests, an occasional kayaker passerby, and all that thrives. This place is recovering still from the devastation of Hurricane Ian, but with most things in nature that break, it also finds a way to heal and emerge into a new shape.

Mally’s paintings reflect the patterns and shapes in nature we often miss, allowing the viewer to harness a sense of wonder for the subtropics through a deliberate arrangement of painting, photography, and magazine collage. Sapphire roots of mangrove, coral hexagon patterns of honeycombs and silvertone photos of leaves enable the viewer to witness an entire piece one moment at a time.

Recently, Ali, Khorasantchi’s loving husband of 42 years, passed away. Both were parents to four children and this great loss, along with the recovery from Hurricane Ian, has inevitably created a new season in Mally’s life. We talked about how the recovery and grieving processes are so interwoven and how one navigates this as a woman and as an artist.

“All these things are connected to that big thing called life and it is your approach to how you handle that. It’s a very natural thing. After going to the cardiologist when Ali passed, and after six months of going every day to the hospital where I was feeding my husband, I was totally stressed out. I asked my doctor after Ali died, ‘Do you have anything now, a tranquilizer or anything to help?’”

“And he said, ‘Mally, if a 90 year old man dies, that’s natural, and if you are 42 years married to him, and you are sad, that’s natural.’ And it gave me so much to think about, that everything we are going through, even with the hurricane, it’s part of our environment.”

“We know this. We constantly have the warnings, but we aren’t taking them seriously. We have all these things around us. The good and the bad. Things that are good can have the opposite side. That’s everything in our life. If you let it go you can acknowledge the feeling that this is who I am at the moment. Yes, I have lost my husband; yes, I must get used to being alone; but then I have the other side. I have all kinds of good things. I have this freedom back to be totally alone. You must cling to that good side of the bad stuff to help you get into the next phase, which we all don’t know about, because you never know.”

A watershed experience came about following her 2019 trip to St. Petersburg, Russia, where she participated in the international exhibition, Sciarsism and Sciarsists. Once home in Naples, she incurred a terrible spine injury as the result of a fall. And after her first surgery, she was told that pain could become a permanent part of her life—she should just “paint postcards.” Not taking this advice lightly, Khorasantchi located a neurosurgeon who, with twelve hours of surgery, corrected her spine. And little by little, on a slow and steady journey, she healed. This experience led her to a search for her personal oasis. Locating a house sitting on a longago fishing camp, she shared her book, Roots —filled with the same colors and images evoking the nature surrounding the property—with the owner. Regardless of the many other bids he received, he chose to sell it to her.

So, she renovated it and here we are, looking at the raw beauty of a place frozen in time when, Southwest Florida had fishing cottages and personal estuaries. She now is building a larger studio on the property. She says, “I am sitting here thinking that I am the richest person in the world, and it came because I fell on my butt.”

It’s the dichotomy of things. “There is a reason for everything,” she says. “This is where I want to be.”

Early on she learned about accepting change through her son, who made the decision to come to the United States from Germany as a foreign exchange student following the passing of a good friend. He was determined to carve out a new story.

“When I paint, I really hope that someone sees what I am thinking at that moment, whether there is some kind of peace, or joy that I bring into my paintings. And eventually there is a color or shape that talks to the other person that gets to their soul.”

“I definitely do not see myself as a painter who needs to paint as if there is danger of the environment changing. I feel I am part of this, I am always changing. To change is part of our life in this world.”

She shares that later, during a week-long stay at South Seas Plantation on Captiva with her husband Ali, “We both woke up in the night and we heard all these noises. The nights here are amazing. The animals, the wind. We thought, ‘Why do we sit on the other side of the world [Germany] with the rain and too many people?’ We both said, ‘Let’s do it and think about it later!” We bought a 1991 home in 1991 in Bay Colony, Naples, which was the third home built there at the time. Soon after, she and Ali carved out successful enterprises, he with Ali’s Oriental Rugs, and she with Merle Norman Cosmetics.” She’s been here 30 years and really is a Floridian.

From a place of anguish to where everything is going to be okay, it sounds like a theme that could resonate with painters, and Mally has words of advice. “I definitely do not see myself as a painter who needs to paint as if there is danger of the environment changing. I feel I am part of this, I am always changing. To change is part of our life in this world.”

“I am now 75. I was once 25 and every tree

around us was once a little tree and now is a big tree, and it will die, and it will go and there will be more trees. There will be higher temperatures and it’s all natural. Every day is change. Nothing stays the same ever. Nothing.”

“So, we have to be careful. We have to be good to our world. We should not have these constant feelings of guilt that we should do this or that. We should have more feelings of care, of joy, and that is what will get us to the next stage. When I paint, I really hope that someone sees what I am thinking at that moment, whether there is some kind of peace, or joy that I bring into my paintings. And eventually there is a color or shape that talks to the other person that gets to their soul.”

Those who purchase a painting of Mally’s make the purchase because that piece resonates with them on some emotional, higher level. She has that gift. She wants to continue painting pieces that anyone could be able to own, even on the smaller scale; however, she also wants to paint even larger, more monumental canvases. “I really need to do big!” she laughs while turning to the

canal. “Oh, look at that. They are here. This is the couple of the year,” she says pointing to two cream manatee bodies beneath the sugary brown water heading toward a bend in the canal.

“Good things are around you,” she says. With only what one sees within the frame, like looking at a landscape painting of this moment, the guessing of what is beyond the bend where the manatees go, or above where the osprey sees us so small, all can only be imagined. We only have the magic in front of us to witness.

Mally approaches her paintings like this: she says, also in reference to grieving, that working on moments in a piece, smaller areas of paint strokes, deliberate applications of her collage, focusing on one area, one task at a time, all take away from what can feel overwhelming if taken on as a painter—and as a widow—all at once.

Moving into a new season of her life now reflects what she places on her canvas, which is

the beauty and discord, and pain and renewal of it all. “There are no horizontal lines or perspective to give order or focus,” she says of her paintings. She is inspired by the wildness yet order of nature. Only when something like a tree is snapped, do the lines look broken.

Just beyond sight through a snaky opening of a Night Blooming Flamingo cactus laced around a sable palm, an osprey sings to us below with a fresh catch in his claws. “He’s quite proud of what he’s got. That’s his job,” she says.

We walked from the dock to her newly cleaned and renovated studio cottage with empty plates full of pound cake crumbs. She has two painted canvases stacked on the floor, both so different in size and feeling, and in the background, with her paints and brushes set organized on a rolling table. Precious out-ofprint art books are stacked with

pages rolled and damaged from the surge that flooded this place just a few months ago. Through her studio window, under the Spanish moss, an old yellow and blue John boat floats abandoned (for now) beside a shoreline of broken bamboo shoots, that will eventually regrow. Hurricanes and life are all part of change. Like Mally says, ‘“Whether we die, go, change, or the sun shines less, it’s all part of life. It’s natural to grieve. Nothing stays the same forever. Feeling joy and care gets us to the next stage.”

As the warm afternoon light waned and the estuary darkened, the canal cleared into a mirror of the foliage above. One small cream body made its way around the bend as if following her parents before the evening set in, before the other beasts come out for the night shift, and Mally returns to paint.

In Southwest Florida, Mally Khorasantchi’s work can be viewed at Harmon-Meek Gallery in Naples,

BIG ARTS on Sanibel and the Polk Museum in Lakeland, Florida.

Her paintings are in the permanent museum collections of The Baker Museum in Naples, Osthaus Museum in Hagen, Germany, the Russian State Museum in St. Petersburg, the Museum of Modern Art in Moscow, and Florida Gulf Coast University in Fort Myers.

A documentary film about Khorasachi, by Anna Honorata, The Story Behind the Painting, can be viewed at this year’s Fort Myers Film Festival in May, at the Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center in Fort Myers’ River District. Her book, Roots is available on Amazon.

Mally Khorasantchi is represented by the Harmon-Meek Gallery in Naples and the Walter Wickiser Gallery in New York City. • Paula Michele Wagoner is owner and designer of Broken Shell Studios. She grew up on Sanibel.

Mally’s paintings reflect the patterns and shapes in nature we often miss, allowing the viewer to harness a sense of wonder for the subtropics through an arrangement of painting, photography and collage.

Doing More With Less

by Kara Moyer

SPORTS TEAMS MORE OFTEN THAN NOT have a baseline criterion to join, whether it’s age, height, skill level, etc., but the Louisville Slugger Warriors National Amputee Baseball Team have a precondition different than most: you can’t be an ‘able-bodied’ player. It sounds counterintuitive playing a sport that typically requires full body capability, but that’s not the case with this team. Every player has endured some sort of disease or trauma-related loss of limb, digit(s), or eye, or was born with a congenital deformity. Many, but not all, wear prosthetics, from legs or hips to arms, and even ocular.

Shan Donovan, the team’s newest catcher, was born without his left arm. Their pitcher, Parker Hanson, who’s also missing his left arm, throws an average 90mph fastball. Even the most novice baseball fan knows that’s an impressive statistic. The average fastball in Major League Baseball is 91mph.

Comprised of fifteen players ranging from 20-40 years old, the Louisville Sluggers Warriors don’t consider their disabilities a factor when competing. In fact, they prefer not to, as they play only able-bodied baseball teams in the Men’s Senior Baseball League (MSBL), the country’s largest amateur baseball league for players over the age of eighteen. They’re the only amputee team in a league of over 3,000.

Players are spread across more than ten states, from here in Florida to as far north as the Dakotas and play together as a whole team just for tournaments, adding an extra practice day ahead of each tour when schedules permit. They do, after all, have full-time jobs, families, and some are still attending college, or active-duty military, in addition to defying the odds of the typical baseball players’ requisites.

If all of that isn’t impressive enough, they win, a lot . At their most recent MSBL tournament in Troy, Michigan over Labor Day weekend, they went undefeated in a double-header. They walked away with the first-place trophy in the 2021 MSBL Tournament in Las Vegas, NV, and second place in the 2019 MSBL World Series in Phoenix, AZ.

No wonder Louisville Slugger, the official bat-makers of Major League Baseball, is one of their major sponsors. They’re the only nationally sponsored amputee baseball team in the country. And the entire organization is managed out of a home office in Estero by founder and General Manager, David Van Sleet.

Van Sleet had one of those once-in-a-lifetime brainstorm moments in 2011, nearing his retirement from an impressive, awarded 30-year career in both clinical and administrative prosthetics nationally for the Department of Veterans Affairs. “It combined so many of my passions into one, I knew it had to be worth pursuing,” Van Sleet says of the moment he decided to found the Warriors. “Baseball, my career and knowledge in prosthetics, and the military. And it was a great way to transition into retirement—something to work on and be a part of without it being another full-time career.”

Pardon the obvious pun, but it was a home run idea.

Not being able-bodied isn’t the only prerequisite for joining this team, either. Plain and simple, you must be good at playing baseball. All but two of the players played, or currently plays, at college-level. Most are actively involved in a baseball league in their hometowns when they aren’t touring with the LS Warriors. Shan Donovan, their one-armed catcher, catches the ball, drops his glove, and throws it in the span of seconds. It may be the only way he’s ever known how to play baseball, but seeing it is nothing short of extraordinary.

“This isn’t a just walk-on-and-play team,” Van Sleet explained. “It’s a nationally recognized, competitive team which requires a tryout process like any other competitive sports team.”

National tryouts began back in 2018 when the organization was first approached to join the MSBL. Van Sleet knew that to aggressively compete in the league he would need top talent, and partnered with the Washington Nationals (yes, of MLB) to host tryouts at their spring training facility in West Palm Beach. Since then, national tryouts have continued on

Every player has endured some sort of disease or trauma-related loss of limb, digit, or eye, or was born with a congenital deformity. Many wear prosthetics.

The Louisville Sluggers Warriors play only able-bodied baseball teams in the Men’s Senior Baseball League.

David Van Sleet in center.

an as-needed basis as the team’s recognition grows and players either retire or move on from the organization. The most recent tryouts took place this past summer and prospective players will continue to be evaluated by the coaching staff throughout the fall until decision time.

Speaking of evaluations, Van Sleet didn’t hold back finding top coaching talent, either. Head Coach Curtis Pride is a former MLB outfielder. He’s also one of only a few deaf players in the entire history of MLB. Assistant Coach Kirby Retzer is a former Division 1 player. He’s also the Strength & Conditioning Coach for the Boston Red Sox when he’s not working with the LS Warriors. Coach Len Whitehouse pitched professionally for both the Texas Rangers and Minnesota Twins and now serves as Pitching Coach.

Van Sleet, an Army veteran himself, also knew building the LS Warriors was an opportunity to provide an outlet especially for military personnel. Many of the players are active or former U.S. military who have suffered what’s referred to as a ‘traumatic limb incident’ while in the line of duty. Having another chance to play baseball after such a life-altering event offers a sense of normalcy, camaraderie, and support. Being able to come home and play ball again

has been exactly what some players—now considered Wounded Warriors—needed to re-acclimate.

“It’s something to boost their spirits,” Van Sleet believes. “Something to be part of again, to feel whole.”

As is the case with most home run ideas, Van Sleet’s retirement transition project quickly turned into more work than he originally anticipated. The LS Warriors gained steam and recognition fast, and he needed extra hands running the behind-the-scenes business side of the organization. Having been designated by the IRS as a 501c3 public charity organization, he partnered the organization with Florida Gulf Coast University and now offers an 80-hour per semester community service program for business students needing volunteer or internship credit. Students help with social media and media press in general, prepare for tournaments, and assist Van Sleet with the daily upkeep of running a successful ball club.

What’s striking about this team, aside from their resiliency and determination, is their humility. During any interview, it’s obvious that they’re simply grateful for the opportunity to be able to play the game they love—for

some it’s still and as they’ve always known it, and others it’s again, albeit from a unique perspective and with a different mindset. It’s not rare for their opponents to be oblivious to concealed missing limbs or prosthetics unless they point it out. They don’t draw attention to it because they stand on the quality of their skills and talent, not what they may be physically lacking. When you ask Van Sleet about his team, the pride and respect he has for his players dominates, as he should be proud of engineering such a team as the LS Warriors. These players continue to prove game by game that while talent is a big part of it, love for the game drives a winning team.

It’s not an understatement by any means when Van Sleet says they’re the “best amputee baseball team ever.” As Yogi Berra famously said, “It ain’t over ‘til it’s over”. The Louisville Slugger Warriors Amputee Baseball Team are all the proof you need that sometimes you can do more with less.

Louisville Slugger currently sponsor the LS Warriors, along with MSBL. The team is currently scheduled to play later this year in Louisville, KY; Burlington, VT; and Frederick, MD.

For information, visit lswarriorsteam.org or call 802-777-7232. •

MARCH APRIL

March

WEDNESDAY 1

•Adam Ferrara: Off the Hook Comedy Club, 2500 Vanderbilt Beach Rd, #1100, Naples. 7p. 389-6901.

•Art Alive:  Naples Art District Studio & Gallery Tours. Receptions, exhibits, demos at dozens of galleries & studios. Pine Ridge Industrial Park, J & C Blvd, Shirley St & Trade Center Way, Naples. 3-7p. Free. 247-1977.

•Backyard Bash: Parents’ games, live music, food, drinks. Children’s Museum of Naples, 15080 Livingston Rd, Naples. 5:30-9:30p. 514-0084.

•Chicago Symphony Orchestra w Riccardo Muti: Concert. Van Wezel Performing Arts Center, 777 N Tamiami Tr, Sarasota. 7:30p. 941-966-6161.

•Circus Sarasota: 25th Anniversary Show. Ulla Searing Big Top, Nathan Benderson Park’s Regatta Island, 5851 Nathan Benderson Cir, Sarasota. 2 & 7p. 941-355-9805.

•Delfeayo Marsalis: Concert w Naples Philharmonic. ArtisNaples, 5833 Pelican Bay Blvd, Naples. 6 & 8:30p. 597-1900.

•Ikebana Meeting: Demo & Workshop. Naples Botanical Garden, Buehler Auditorium, 4820 Bayshore Dr, Naples. 9:30a. Free. 254-9999.

•Madama Butterfly: Sarasota Opera. Sarasota Opera House. 61 Pineapple Ave, Sarasota. 7:30p. 941-328-1300.

•Open Blues Jam: Live music hosted by Tommy Lee Cook & the Buckingham Blues Band. Buckingham Blues Bar, 5641 Buckingham Rd, Ft Myers. 8-11p. Musicians welcome. Free. 693-7111.

•SWFL & Lee County Fair: Rides, entertainment, music, kids activities, livestock shows, crafts, contests, etc. Lee Civic Center grounds, 11831 Bayshore Rd, N Ft Myers. 2-10p. 543-7469.

EVENTS & EXHIBITIONS

What Goes On

5833 Pelican Bay Blvd, Naples. 8p. 597-1900.

•Circus Sarasota: 25th Anniversary Show. Ulla Searing Big Top, Nathan Benderson Park’s Regatta Island, 5851 Nathan Benderson Cir, Sarasota. 7p. 941-355-9805.

•Don Giovanni Sarasota Opera. Sarasota Opera House. 61 Pineapple Ave, Sarasota. 7:30p. 941-328-1300.

•Marco Polo: Piano recital. U Tobe Recital Hall, Music Bldg, FGCU, 1051 FGCU Blvd S, Ft Myers. 7:30p. Free. 745-4268.

•Meet Clyde & Niki Butcher: Exhibit, presentation, book signing. Clyde Butcher’s Venice Gallery & Studio, 237 Warfield Ave S, Venice. 9a-3p. Free. rsvp. 941-486-0811.

•Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper: Bluegrass concert. Tribby Arts Center at Shell Point, 17281 On Par Blvd, Ft Myers. 7p. 415-5667.

•Open Mic Bonita!: Comedy. Center for the Performing Arts Bonita Springs, 10150 Bonita Beach Rd, Bonita Springs. 7p. 495-8989.

•Stayin’ Alive - One Night of the Bee Gees: Bee Gees tribute concert. BB Mann Hall, 13350 FSW Pkwy, Ft Myers. 8p. 481-4849.

•SWFL & Lee County Fair: Rides, entertainment, music, kids activities, livestock shows, crafts, contests, etc. Lee Civic Center grounds, 11831 Bayshore Rd, N Ft Myers. 4-10p. 543-7469.

•The Rex Bongo Band: Blues band. Buckingham Blues Bar, 5641 Buckingham Rd, Ft Myers. 7:30p. Free. 693-7111.

•Tom Cotter: Snappers Comedy Club, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7:30p. 479-5233.

•Yo-Yo Ma: Sarasota Orchestra concert. Van Wezel Hall, 777 N Tamiami Tr, Sarasota. 7p. 941953-3434.

FRIDAY 3

•Almost Abba: Abba tribute concert. Gulf Theater, 900 W Marion Ave, Punta Gorda. 3 & 7p. 941-205-8545.

Sanctuary Rd, Naples. 9a. Register. 348-9151.

•Hot Buttered Nuggets: Live music. Sidney’s Rooftop Sculpture Garden, Davis Art Center, 2301 1st St, Ft Myers. 8-11p. Free. 333-1933.

•Jackie Fabulous: Off the Hook Comedy Club, 2500 Vanderbilt Beach Rd, #1100, Naples. 6:30 & 8:30p. 389-6901.

•Jennifer Westwood: Live music. South Street City Oven & Grill,1410 Pine Ridge Rd, #4, Naples. 7-10p. Free. 435-9333.

•Meet the Author: Alka Joshi. South County Library, 21100 Three Oaks Pkwy, Estero, Ft Myers. 11a. Free. rsvp. 533-4832

•Meko: Outdoor concert. Babcock Ranch bandshell. Founders Square, 42850 Crescent Loop, 6-8p. Free. 941-200-1482.

•Sarasota Orchestra: Gershwin, Berlin & Friends concert. Van Wezel Hall, 777 N Tamiami Tr, Sarasota. 7:30p. 941-953-3434.

•Bonita Springs Boat Show: Bonita Springs Poker Room, 28010 Race Track Rd, Bonita Springs. 10a-5p. 309-2804.

•Bonita Springs National Art Festival: Outdoor fine art & fine craft fair. Riverside Park, 10450 Reynolds St, Bonita Springs. 10a-5p. 495-8989.

•Boston Red Sox vs Houston Astros: Spring Training baseball. JetBlue Park, 11500 Fenway South Dr, Ft Myers. 1p. 888-733-7696.

•Calusa Coast Family Fun Day: Kids activities. Museum of the Everglades, 105 W Bwy, Everglades City. 10a-2p. Free. 695-0008.

•Chicago Symphony Orchestra: Concert. Artis-Naples, 5833 Pelican Bay Blvd, Naples. 8p. 597-1900.

•The Texas Tenors: Concert. Seminole Casino Hotel, 506 S 1st St, Immokalee. 8p. 800-218-0007.

•Tower of Power: Concert. ArtisNaples, 5833 Pelican Bay Blvd, Naples. 8p. 597-1900.

THURSDAY 2

•Adam Ferrera: Off the Hook Comedy Club, 2500 Vanderbilt Beach Rd, #1100, Naples. 6:30p. 389-6901.

•Art Alive: Naples Art District Studio & Gallery Tours. Receptions, exhibits, demos at dozens of galleries & studios. Pine Ridge Industrial Park, J & C Blvd, Shirley St & Trade Center Way, Naples. 1-5p. Free. 247-1977.

•Art Reception: Glass artist Michael Ray. Things I Like by Catherine, 3954 Bayshore Dr, Naples. Tue-Sat 5-8p. Free. 778-4665.

•Aunt Mary Pat: Off the Hook Comedy Club, 2500 Vanderbilt Beach Rd, #1100, Naples. 8:30p. 389-6901.

•Bonita Springs Boat Show: Bonita Springs Poker Room, 28010 Race Track Rd, Bonita Springs. 10a-5p. 309-2804.

•Boston Red Sox vs Philadelphia Philles: Spring Training baseball. JetBlue Park, 11500 Fenway South Dr, Ft Myers. 1p. 888-733-7696.

•Chicago Symphony Orchestra: Concert. Artis-Naples,

•American Monster: Jeff Mudgett. Fort Myers Theatre, 16120 San Carlos Blvd, #5, Ft Myers. 7:30p. 323-6570.

•Art from the Attic: Art sale. Tower Gallery, 751 Tarpon Bay Rd. 10a4p. Free. 472-4557.

•Art Reception: Alliance for the Arts, 10091 McGregor Blvd, Ft Myers. 5-7p. Free. 939-2787.

•Art Reception: DAAS Co-op Gallery, in Butterfly Estates, 1815-3 Fowler St, Ft Myers. 6-9:30p. Free. 590-8645.

•Art Reception: Davis Art Center, 2301 1st St, Ft Myers. 6-10p. Live music. Free. 333-1933.

•Art Walk: Receptions, exhibits, demos, live music at several galleries & studios in downtown Ft Myers’ historic River District. 11a-4p. Free. 313-5129.

•Behind the Notes: Discussion w Maestro Raffaele Livio Ponti. Punta Gorda Symphony. Punta Gorda Charlotte Library, 401 Shreve St, Punta Gorda. 5p. Free. 941-205-5996.

•Bonita Springs Boat Show: Bonita Springs Poker Room, 28010 Race Track Rd, Bonita Springs. 10a-5p. 309-2804.

•Chiara Izzi: Concert. Fogartyville Community Media & Arts Center, 525 Kumquat Court, Sarasota. 8p. 941-894-6469.

•Circus Sarasota: 25th Anniversary Show. Ulla Searing Big Top, Nathan Benderson Park’s Regatta Island, 5851 Nathan Benderson Cir, Sarasota. 7p. 941-355-9805.

•Guided Forest Bathing Meditation: Corkscrew Swamp Blair Audubon Center, 375

•Storytelling: Stories of Luck. Alliance for the Arts, 10091 McGregor Blvd, Ft Myers. 7p. 939-2787.

•SWFL & Lee County Fair: Rides, entertainment, music, kids activities, livestock shows, crafts, contests, etc. Lee Civic Center grounds, 11831 Bayshore Rd, N Ft Myers. 4-10p. 543-7469.

•SWFL Reading Festival - An Evening with the Authors:  Fundraising dinner with authors. Edison Restaurant, Bar & Banquet Center, Ft Myers Country Club, 3583 McGregor Blvd, Ft Myers. 5:30-8:30p. rsvp. 533-4832.

•Tom Cotter: Snappers Comedy Club, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7p. 479-5233.

•Tracy Lawrence: Country music concert, Old School opens. The Ranch Concert Hall & Saloon, 2158 Colonial Blvd, Ft Myers. 7p-12a. 985-9839.

SATURDAY 4

•American Monster: Jeff Mudgett. Fort Myers Theatre, 16120 San Carlos Blvd, #5, Ft Myers. 7:30p. 323-6570.

•Art from the Attic: Art sale. Tower Gallery, 751 Tarpon Bay Rd. 10a4p. Free. 472-4557.

•Art in the Park: Outdoor art & craft fair. Mercato, 9118 Strada Pl, Naples. 10a-5p. Free. 262-6517.

•Backyard Bluesfest: Selwyn Birchwood, Tommy Lee Cook & The Buckingham Blues Band, band tba, 5641 Buckingham Rd, Ft Myers. 2-8p. 693-7111.

•Circus Sarasota: 25th Anniversary Show. Ulla Searing Big Top, Nathan Benderson Park’s Regatta Island, 5851 Nathan Benderson Cir, Sarasota. 2 & 7p. 941-355-9805.

•Emerson String Quartet: Sanibel Music Festival concert. Peace Lutheran Church, 15840 McGregor Blvd, Ft Myers. 7:30p. 344-7025.

•History Walk: How Bonita Got Its Name, Shangri-La Springs tour. Bonita Springs Historical Society. Starts at Liles Hotel History Center, Riverside Park, 27580 Old 41 Rd, Bonita Springs. 10a. 992-6997.

•Jackie Fabulous: Off the Hook Comedy Club, 2500 Vanderbilt Beach Rd, #1100, Naples. 6:30 & 8:30p. 389-6901.

•Koe Wetzel: Concert. Hertz Arena, 11000 Everblades Pkwy, Estero. 7:30p. 948-7825.

•Lecture: Pioneer Hygiene. Immokalee Pioneer Museum, 1215 Roberts Ave, Immokalee. 10a. Free. 252-2611.

•Madama Butterfly: Sarasota Opera. Sarasota Opera House. 61 Pineapple Ave, Sarasota. 1:30p. 941-328-1300.

•Naples Community Orchestra: Concert Moorings Presbyterian Church, 791 Harbour Dr, Naples. 3p. 676-0077.

•Naples Jazzmasters: Free outdoor concert. Cambier Park, 6th Ave S & 8th St S, Naples. 2-4p. Free. 612-327-3835.

•PRIDE Cape Coral: LGBT celebration. PRIDE Parade, celebrity guests, Tutu Drag Race, live music, street performers, carnival games, food trucks. SE 47th Ter & 10th Pl, Cape Coral. 3p-3a. Free. 900-4028.

•Sarasota Orchestra: Gershwin, Berlin & Friends concert. Van Wezel Hall, 777 N Tamiami Tr,

Things I Like By Catherine gallery in Naples hosts a reception on March 2 for glass artist, Michael Ray. Call 778-4665 for information.

Sarasota. 2:30 & 7:30p. 941-9533434.

•SWFL & Lee County Fair: Rides, entertainment, music, kids activities, livestock shows, crafts, contests, etc. Lee Civic Center grounds, 11831 Bayshore Rd, N Ft Myers. 11a-10p. 543-7469.

•SWFL Reading Festival: Dozens of authors, readings, book signings, exhibits, activities, entertainment. Outdoors at Fort Myers Library, 2450 1st St, Ft Myers. 10a-4p. Free. 533-4832.

•The Texas Tenors: Concert. Venice Performing Arts Center, 1 Indian Ave, bldg. 5, Venice. 7p. 941-2180658.

•Tom Cotter: Snappers Comedy Club, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 6 & 8:30p. 479-5233.

•Yakov Smirnoff: Off the Hook Comedy Club, 2500 Vanderbilt Beach Rd, #1100, Naples. 4:30p. 389-6901.

SUNDAY 5

•Art from the Attic: Art sale. Tower Gallery, 751 Tarpon Bay Rd. 10a4p. Free. 472-4557.

•Art in the Park: Outdoor art & craft fair. Mercato, 9118 Strada Pl, Naples. 10a-5p. Free. 262-6517.

•BBQ & Bluegrass: Lonesome Rangers. Point Ybel Brewing, 16120 San Carlos Blvd, Ft Myers. 4-7p. Free. 603-6535.

•Beach Boys Tribute Band, Rudy Cox as Jimmy Buffett: The Venue Mudge Ranch, 1323 Loblolly Bay Rd SW, LaBelle. Dinner 5p, concert 6p. 410-1999.

•Bluegrass Concert: Hwy 41 S. Outdoors, Alliance for the Arts, 10091 McGregor Blvd, Ft Myers. 3p. 939-2787.

•Bonita Springs Boat Show: Bonita Springs Poker Room, 28010 Race Track Rd, Bonita Springs. 10a-5p. 309-2804.

•Bonita Springs National Art Festival: Outdoor fine art & fine craft fair. Riverside Park, 10450 Reynolds St, Bonita Springs. 10a-5p. 495-8989.

•Boston Red Sox vs Miami Marlins: Spring Training baseball. JetBlue Park, 11500 Fenway South Dr, Ft Myers. 1p. 888-733-7696.

•Choral Artists of Sarasota: Concert - The Children’s March. Church of the Palms, 3224 Bee Ridge Rd, Sarasota. 7p. 941-3874900.

•Circus Sarasota: 25th Anniversary Show. Ulla Searing Big Top, Nathan Benderson Park’s Regatta Island, 5851 Nathan Benderson Cir, Sarasota. 1 & 5p. 941-355-9805.

•Don Giovanni: Sarasota Opera. Sarasota Opera House. 61 Pineapple Ave, Sarasota. 1:30p. 941-328-1300.

•Fort Myers Symphonic

Mastersingers: Concert. Christ United Methodist Church, 1430 Homestead Rd N, Lehigh Acres. 3p. 560-9512.

•Full Moon Night Hike: Guided walk Calusa Nature Center & Planetarium, 3450 Ortiz Ave, Ft Myers. 8p. 275-3435.

•Jackie Fabulous: Off the Hook Comedy Club, 2500 Vanderbilt Beach Rd, #1100, Naples. 6p. 389-6901.

•Michaler Cavanugh - Music of Neil Diamond, Paul Simon & James Taylor: Gulf Coast Symphony concert. BB Mann Hall, 13350 FSW Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7p. 277-1700.

•Naples Concert Band: Free outdoor concert w guest vocalist. Cambier Park bandshell, Park St, downtown Naples. 2-4p. Free. 270-1221.

•Naples Philharmonic & Chicago Symphony Orchestra Brass: Wang Chamber Music Series concert.

Artis-Naples, 5833 Pelican Bay Blvd, Naples. 3p. 597-1900.

•Neil Berg’s 114 Years of Broadway: Concert. Artis-Naples, 5833 Pelican Bay Blvd, Naples. 3 & 7p. 597-1900.

•Open Blues Jam: Live music hosted by Tommy Lee Cook & the Buckingham Blues. Buckingham Blues Bar, 5641 Buckingham Rd, Ft Myers. 3-6p. Musicians welcome. Free. 693-7111.

•PRIDE Cape Coral Drag Brunch in the street: LGBT celebration. SE 47th Ter & 10th Pl, Cape Coral. 10a & 1p. 900-4028.

•Punta Gorda Symphony: Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No 2 concert. Charlotte Performing Arts Center, 701 Carmalita St, Punta Gorda. 7:30p. 941-205-5996.

•Sarasota Trio Festival: Bryan Spaintower & Third World Ave, Folkharmony, Rising Tide concert. Fogartyville Community Media & Arts Center, 525 Kumquat Court, Sarasota. 4p. 941-894-6469.

•Showtime Benefit for Venice Theatre Rebuild: Concert w Players Centre & Venice Theatre singers, Showtime Dancers & Silver Foxes Dancers. Venice Performing Arts Center, 1 Indian Ave, bldg. 5, Venice. 2p. 941-2180658.

•SW-FloridaCon: Comic book & pop culture convention. Celebrities, live entertainment, demos, vendors, cosplay contests, panels, kids’ activities, live wrestling, food. Crowne Plaza Hotel, Bell Tower Shops, 13051 Bell Tower Dr, Ft Myers. 10a-5p. 236-8189.

•SWFL & Lee County Fair: Rides, entertainment, music, kids activities, livestock shows, crafts, contests, etc. Lee Civic Center grounds, 11831 Bayshore Rd, N Ft Myers. 11a-10p. 543-7469.

•The Rocket Man Show: Elton John tribute concert. Venice Performing Arts Center, 1 Indian Ave, bldg. 5, Venice. 7p. 941-218-0658.

MONDAY 6

•An Evening with Teddy Roosevelt: Go Bully for ‘Ding’ fundraiser for ‘Ding’ Darling Nat’l Wildlife Refuge. Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre, 1380 Colonial Blvd, Ft Myers. rsvp. 440-4529083.

•Back Home Again - Tribute to John Denver with Tom Becker: Tribute concert. Venice

•Beginnings - Chicago Tribute: Concert. BB Mann Hall, 13350 FSW Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7p. 481-4849.

•Boston Red Sox vs Detroit Tigers: Spring Training baseball. JetBlue Park, 11500 Fenway South Dr, Ft Myers. 1p. 888-733-7696.

•Film Screening & Discussion: Hosted by Fort Myers Film Festival. Davis Art Center, 2301 1st St, Ft Myers. Cocktails 6:30p, film 7p. talk after film. 810-6323.

•Folk Legacy Trio: Members of Kingston Trio, Limeliters & The Diamonds concert. Charlotte Players, Charlotte Harbor Event Center, 75 Taylor St, Punta Gorda.

7:30p. 941-255-1022.

•Let’s Hang On - Frankie Valli Tribute Show: Concert. Venice Theatre, 140 Tampa Ave W, Venice.

7:30p. 941-488-1115.

•Masquerade Gala: Gulfshore Playhouse fundraiser. Hugh Panaro & Eryn LeCroy concert. Gulfshore Playhouse. Ritz-Carlton Golf resort, 2600 Tiburon Dr, Naples. 5:30p. rsvp. 866-811-4111.

•Night Walk: 2 hour guided boardwalk tour. Corkscrew Swamp Blair Audubon Center, 375 Sanctuary Rd, Naples. 6:30p. Register. 348-9151.

•Renee Elise Goldsberry: Concert w Naples Philharmonic. ArtisNaples, 5833 Pelican Bay Blvd, Naples. 8p. 597-1900.

TUESDAY 7

•Art Reception: Harbour View Gallery, 5789 Cape Harbour Dr, #104, Cape Coral. 6-8p. Free. 540-5789.

•Art Reception: Sarasota Opera outdoor concert. Marie Selby Botanical Gardens Historic Spanish Point, 337 N Tamiami Tr Osprey. 6-8p. 941-366-5731.

•Carlos Santos & Francisco Ramos: Off the Hook Comedy Club, 2500 Vanderbilt Beach Rd, #1100, Naples. 7p. 389-6901.

•ECHO Global Food & Farm Festival: Demos, exhibits, workshops, samples, cooking shows. 17391 Durrance Rd, N Ft Myers. 9a-3p. Free. 543-3246.

•Lecture: Author Robert Macomber. Cape Coral Historical Museum, 544 Cultural Park Blvd, Cape Coral. 5-6:30p. 772-7037.

•Naples Philharmonic:  Schubert Octet. Sypert Salon Series concert. Artis-Naples, 5833 Pelican Bay Blvd, Naples. 3p. 597-1900.

WEDNESDAY 8

•Almost ABBA: Tribute band. Marco island Historical Museum, 180 S Heathwood, Marco Island.

6:30p. 389-6447.

•Art Reception: Live music, wine, hors d’oevres. Coco Art Gallery, Coconut Mall, 8074 Mediterranean Dr, Estero. 5-7p. Free. 949-3073.

•Carlos Santos & Francisco

Ramos: Off the Hook Comedy Club, 2500 Vanderbilt Beach Rd, #1100, Naples. 7p. 389-6901.

•Cheap Trick: Concert. BB Mann Hall, 13350 FSW Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7p. 481-4849.

•Don Giovanni: Sarasota Opera. Sarasota Opera House. 61 Pineapple Ave, Sarasota. 7:30p. 941-328-1300.

•ECHO Global Food & Farm Festival: Demos, exhibits, workshops, samples, cooking shows, plant sales. 17391 Durrance Rd, N Ft Myers. 9a-3p. Free. 543-3246.

•Florida Everblades vs South Carolina Stingrays: Minor league ice hockey. Hertz Arena, 11000 Everblades Pkwy, Estero. 7:30p. 948-7825.

•Little River Band: Concert. Calusa Sound Amphitheater, Luminary Hotel, 2200 Edwards Dr, Ft Myers. 7p. Free, 314-3723.

•Lunch & Learn Lecture: Mapping the Reserve. Rookery Bay National Research Reserve, Environmental Learning Center, 300 Tower Rd, Naples. 12p. 530-5940.

•Magic Rocks: Illusionist & magician Leon Etienne. Boys & Girls Club Park Meadows Community Club, 1900 Park Meadows Dr, Ft Myers. 7:30p. 334-1886.

•Mike Imbasciani & Bluez

Rockerz: Tribute to Eric Clapton concert. Venice Art Center, 390 Nokomis Ave S, Venice. 7p. 941485-7136.

•Open Blues Jam: Live music hosted by Tommy Lee Cook & the Buckingham Blues Band. Buckingham Blues Bar, 5641 Buckingham Rd, Ft Myers. 8-11p. Musicians welcome. Free. 693-7111.

•Sarasota Orchestra: American Vibes concert. Holley Hall, Beatrice Friedman Symphony Center, 709 N Tamiami Tr. 61 N Pineapple Ave, Sarasota. 5:30p. 941-953-3434.

•Sierra Club Calusa Group Meeting: Tice Fire Station, 9351

Workmen Way, Ft Myers. 6-8p. Free. 218-1354.

•Songs of Ireland - GO Divas: Gulfshore Opera outdoor concert. Alliance for the Arts, 10091 McGregor Blvd, Ft Myers. 7p. Bring chairs. 529-3925.

•Wednesday Night Market: Farmers market, art, food trucks, craft beer, live music by Pearl Street Band. Alliance for the Arts, 10091 McGregor Blvd, Ft Myers. 5-8p. Free. 939-2787.

THURSDAY 9

•Art Reception: Venice Art Center, 390 Nokomis Ave S, Venice. 5-7p. Free. 941-485-7136.

•Art Reception: Wine & cheese. Cape Coral Art League, 516 Cultural Blvd, Cape Coral. 5-7p. Free. 772-5657.

•Bash for the Bay: Live music by High Voltage, cocktails, auctions, buffet, dancing, fundraiser for Rookery Bay National Research Reserve. The Players Club & Spay at Lewly, 8060 Grand Lely Dr, Naples. 6-10p. rsvp. 530-5977.

•Carlos Santos & Francisco

Ramos: Off the Hook Comedy Club, 2500 Vanderbilt Beach Rd, #1100, Naples. 7p. 389-6901.

•Croquet & Chardonnay: Games & wine, free house tour. Historic Palm Cottage Norris Gardens, 137 12th Ave S, Naples. 4-7p. rsvp. 261-8164.

•ECHO Global Food & Farm Festival: Demos, exhibits, workshops, samples, cooking shows, plant sales. 17391 Durrance Rd, N Ft Myers. 9a-3p. Free. 543-3246.

•Gus Constantellis: Snappers Comedy Club, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7:30p. 479-5233.

•Irish Jam: Live music. Point Ybel Brewing, 16120 San Carlos Blvd, Ft Myers. 6-9p. Free. 603-6535.

•Magic Rocks: Illusionist & magician Leon Etienne. Boys & Girls Club Park Meadows Community Club, 1900 Park Meadows Dr, Ft Myers. 7:30p. 334-1886.

•Naples Philharmonic:  Sheherazade. Masterworks Series concert. Artis-Naples, 5833 Pelican Bay Blvd, Naples. 8p. 597-1900.

•Piano Talk: The Romantic Piano concert w Jodie DeSalvo. ArtisNaples, 5833 Pelican Bay Blvd, Naples. 7p. 597-1900.

•Sarasota Orchestra: American Vibes concert. Holley Hall, Beatrice Friedman Symphony Center, 709 N Tamiami Tr. 61 N Pineapple Ave, Sarasota. 7:30p. 941-953-3434.

•The English Chamber Orchestra: Concert. BB Mann Hall, 13350 FSW Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7:30p. 693-4849.

•The Rex Bongo Band: Blues band. Buckingham Blues Bar, 5641 Buckingham Rd, Ft Myers. 7:30p. Free. 693-7111.

•Voices of Naples on Broadway: Concert. Grace Lutheran Church, 860 Banyan Blvd, Naples. 7p. 455-2582.

FRIDAY 10

•Ancient Forest Tour: 3 hour guided boardwalk tour. Corkscrew Swamp Blair Audubon Center, 375 Sanctuary Rd, Naples. 9a. Register. 348-9151.

•Art Reception & Open House: Center for the Visual Arts Bonita Springs, 26100 Old 41 Rd, Bonita Springs. 6-8p. Free. 495-8989.

•Art Reception: Cape Coral Art Center, Rubicond Park, 4533

The ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Seminole Tribe of Florida Museum in Clewiston presents the exhibition, ‘Seminole Pride: The Art of Jimmy Osceola, thru March. For information, call 877-902-1113.

What Goes On

Coronado Pkwy, Cape Coral. 11a-3p. Free. 574-0802.

•Boston Red Sox vs Toronto Blue Jays: Spring Training baseball. JetBlue Park, 11500 Fenway South Dr, Ft Myers. 1p. 888-733-7696.

•Cirque des Voix: CirqueOrchestra & Key Chorale. Sailor Circus Arena, 2075 Bahia St, Sarasota. 8p. 941-355-9805.

•Creed Fisher: Concert. The Ranch Concert Hall & Saloon, 2158 Colonial Blvd, Ft Myers. 7p-12a. 985-9839.

•ECHO Global Food & Farm Festival: Demos, exhibits, workshops, samples, cooking shows, plant sales. 17391 Durrance Rd, N Ft Myers. 9a-3p. Free. 543-3246.

•Florida Everblades vs South Carolina Stingrays: Minor league ice hockey. Hertz Arena, 11000 Everblades Pkwy, Estero. 7:30p. 948-7825.

•Forever Fleetwood Canada: Fleetwood Mac tribute concert. Davis Art Center, 2301 1st St, Ft Myers. Cocktails 6:30p, concert 7:30p. 333-1933.

•Funny Shorts Live: Concert. Center for the Performing Arts Bonita Springs, 10150 Bonita Beach Rd, Bonita Springs. 7:30p. 495-8989.

•Gus Constantellis: Snappers Comedy Club, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7p. 479-5233.

•Int’l Network of Creatives Arts Conference: Speakers, workshops, forums, networking, Dr Robert Petterson keynote address. Covenant Church, 6926 Trail Blvd, Naples. 3-5p, art show 5p. rsvp. 287-7331.

•Int’l Network of Creatives

Concert: Michael Yanis, Serfei Govorov, Misty Drake, Amy Bright, Nathan Clark George, Zach Bartholomew Jazz Trio. Covenant Church Worship Center, 6926 Trail Blvd, Naples. 7p. 287-7331.

•Jim Florentine: Comedy. Marco Island Center for the Arts’ Arts Center Theatre, Marco Town Center Mall, 1089 N. Collier Blvd, Marco Island. 7 & 9:30p. 642-7270.

•Kat Crosby & the Rhythm Gators: Concert. Fogartyville Community Media & Arts Center, 525 Kumquat Court, Sarasota. 8p. 941-8946469.

•Kevin Nealon: Off the Hook Comedy Club, 2500 Vanderbilt Beach Rd, #1100, Naples. 6 & 8p. 389-6901.

•Madama Butterfly: Sarasota Opera. Sarasota Opera House. 61

Pineapple Ave, Sarasota. 7:30p. 941-328-1300.

•Music & Arts Fusion Walk:  Free outdoor concert & art fair. Tarpon Point Marina, 6179 Black Marlin Ln, Cape Coral. 5-10p. 772-5657.

•Naples Philharmonic:  Sheherazade. Masterworks Series concert. Artis-Naples, 5833 Pelican Bay Blvd, Naples. 8p. 597-1900.

•Ralph Curtis Band: Outdoor concert. Babcock Ranch bandshell. Founders Square, 42850 Crescent Loop, 6-8p. Free. 941-200-1482.

•Sarasota Orchestra: American Vibes concert. Holley Hall, Beatrice Friedman Symphony Center, 709 N Tamiami Tr. 61 N Pineapple Ave, Sarasota. 5:30p. 941-953-3434.

•The Beach Buoys: Beach Boys tribute concert. Gulf Theater, 900 W Marion Ave, Punta Gorda. 7p. 941-205-8545.

SATURDAY 11

•Adrian Cunningham: Jazz concert. Davis Art Center, 2301 1st St, Ft Myers. Cocktails 6:30p, concert 7:30p. 333-1933.

•Alan Doyle: Concert. Center for the Performing Arts Bonita Springs, 10150 Bonita Beach Rd, Bonita Springs. 7:30p. 495-8989.

•Arts On Tap: Fundraiser, food, craft beers, lawn games. Alliance for the Arts, 10091 McGregor Blvd, Ft Myers. 7-10p. 939-2787.

•Calidore String Quartet: Sanibel Music Festival concert. Peace Lutheran Church, 15840 McGregor Blvd, Ft Myers. 7:30p. 344-7025.

•Canyon Folkies: Folk music tribute concert. Artis-Naples, 5833 Pelican Bay Blvd, Naples. 6 & 8:30p. 597-1900.

•Cirque des Voix: CirqueOrchestra & Key Chorale. Sailor Circus Arena, 2075 Bahia St, Sarasota. 1p. 941-355-9805.

•ECHO Global Food & Farm Festival: Demos, exhibits, workshops, samples, cooking shows, plant sales. 17391 Durrance Rd, N Ft Myers. 9a-3p. Free. 543-3246.

•Eliza Neals: Blues band. Buckingham Blues Bar, 5641 Buckingham Rd, Ft Myers. 8-11p. 693-7111.

•Ernani: Sarasota Opera. Sarasota Opera House. 61 Pineapple Ave, Sarasota. 7:30p. 941-328-1300.

•Fine Arts & Crafts Show: Cambier Park, 755 8th Ave S, Naples. 10a4p. Free. 692-8436.

•Florida Everblades vs South Carolina Stingrays: Minor league ice hockey. Hertz Arena, 11000 Everblades Pkwy, Estero. 7p. 948-7825.

•Garden Talk: Beguiling Begonias. Edison & Ford Winter Estates, 2350 McGregor Blvd, Ft Myers. 10a. 334-7419.

•Gus Constantellis: Snappers Comedy Club, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 6 7 8:30p. 479-5233.

•Hot Buttered Nuggets: Live music. Eight-Foot Brewing, 4417 SE 16th Pl, #11, Cape Coral. 5-5p. Free. 337-7646.

•Int’l Network of Creatives Arts Conference: Speakers, workshops, forums, networking, Adam Drake artist spotlight. Covenant Church, 6926 Trail Blvd, Naples. 9a-3:30p. rsvp. 287-7331.

•Kevin Nealon: Off the Hook Comedy Club, 2500 Vanderbilt Beach Rd, #1100, Naples. 6 & 8p. 389-6901.

•Leslie Odom Jr: Concert. ArtisNaples, 5833 Pelican Bay Blvd, Naples. 8p. 597-1900.

•Meet Clyde & Niki Butcher: Exhibit, presentation, book signing. Clyde Butcher’s Venice Gallery & Studio, 237 Warfield Ave S, Venice. 9a-3p. Free. rsvp. 941-486-0811.

•Music in the Garden: The Freecoasters. Naples Botanical Garden, 4820 Bayshore Dr, Naples. 2-4p. 643-7275.

•Open Artist Studios & Galleries: More than 30 galleries & studios in Sarasota Studio Artists Association. Various locations throughout Sarasota. 11a-3p. Free.

•Sarasota Orchestra: American Vibes concert. Holley Hall, Beatrice Friedman Symphony Center, 709 N Tamiami Tr. 61 N Pineapple Ave, Sarasota. 7:30p. 941-953-3434.

•Shen Yun: Chinese dance concert. Venice Performing Arts Center, 1 Indian Ave, bldg. 5, Venice. 2 & 7:30p. 941-218-0658.

•SWFL Archeology Day: Outdoor activities & crafts. Museum of the Everglades, 105 W Bwy, Everglades City. 10a-1p. Free. 695-0008.

•SWFL Symphony: Masterworks concert w Thomas Mesa, cello. BB Mann Hall, 13350 FSW Pkwy, Ft Myers. Lecture 6:30p, concert 7:30p. 418-1500.

•Witches & Warlocks Ball:  Fundraising gala for Marco Island Historical Society. Music, dancing, auctions, dining. Island Country Club, 500 Nassau Rd, Marco Island. 5:30p. rsvp. 389-6447.

SUNDAY 12

•Boston Red Sox vs NY Yankees: Spring Training baseball. JetBlue Park, 11500 Fenway South Dr, Ft Myers. 1p. 888-733-7696.

•Britains Finest - The Complete Beatles Experience: Concert. Broadway Palm Theatre, 1380 Colonial Blvd, Ft Myers. Dinner

5:30p, show 7:30p. 278-4422.

•Cirque des Voix: CirqueOrchestra & Key Chorale. Sailor Circus Arena, 2075 Bahia St, Sarasota. 1p. 941-355-9805.

•Don Giovanni Sarasota Opera. Sarasota Opera House. 61 Pineapple Ave, Sarasota. 1:30p. 941-328-1300.

•English Chamber Orchestra: Concert. Van Wezel Performing Arts Center, 777 N Tamiami Tr, Sarasota. 7:30p. 941-966-6161.

•Gulfshore Opera Gala: Gulfshore Opera concert at Vanderbilt Presbyterian Church, 1225 Piper Blvd, N Naples & dinner at The Club at The Strand, 5840 Strand Blvd, Naples. Concert 4p & dinner

5:30p. 529-3925.

•Itzhak Perlman: Classical music concert. Artis-Naples, 5833 Pelican Bay Blvd, Naples. 7p. 597-1900.

•Joselita: Snappers Comedy Club, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7p. 479-5233.

•Kevin Nealon: Off the Hook Comedy Club, 2500 Vanderbilt Beach Rd, #1100, Naples. 6p. 389-6901.

•Lee County Community Band: Leprichaun Fantasy. Cape Coral High School, 2300 Santa Barbara Blvd, Cape Coral. 3p. Free. 4546430.

•Naples Philharmonic:  Schubert Octet. Sypert Salon Series concert. Artis-Naples, 5833 Pelican Bay Blvd, Naples. 3p. 597-1900.

•Open Blues Jam: Live music hosted by Tommy Lee Cook & the Buckingham Blues. Buckingham Blues Bar, 5641 Buckingham Rd, Ft Myers. 3-6p. Musicians welcome. Free. 693-7111.

•Sarasota Orchestra: American Vibes concert. Holley Hall, Beatrice Friedman Symphony Center, 709 N Tamiami Tr. 61 N Pineapple Ave, Sarasota. 4p. 941953-3434.

•Shen Yun: Chinese dance concert. Venice Performing Arts Center, 1 Indian Ave, bldg. 5, Venice. 2 & 6:30p. 941-218-0658.

•Sunday Night Chamber Music: Brian Lin piano concert. Music & Arts Community Center, 13411 Shire Ln, Ft Myers. 7p. 277-1700.

•The Righteous Brothers: Concert. BB Mann Hall, 13350 FSW Pkwy, Ft Myers. 8p. 481-4849.

MONDAY 13

•Author Lecture & Lunch: B.A. Shapiro. Davis Art Center, 2301 1st St, Ft Myers. 12p. 333-1933.

•Britains Finest - The Complete Beatles Experience: Concert. Broadway Palm Theatre, 1380 Colonial Blvd, Ft Myers. Lunch 11:30a, show 1p & dinner 5:30p, show 7:30p & 278-4422.

•Gordon Lightfoot: Concert. BB Mann Hall, 13350 FSW Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7:30p. 481-4849.

•Sarasota Jazz Festival VIP Reception: Details tba. 941-3661552.

•Tribute to Billy & Elton - The Hits: Phil Thompson tribute concert. Presented by TheatreZone. G&L Theatre, Community School of Naples, 13275 Livingston Rd, Naples. 7:30p. 888-966-3352.

TUESDAY 14

•Art Reception: Marco Island Center for the Arts, 1010 Winterberry Dr, Marco island. 5:30-7p. Free. 394-4221.

•Barry Douglas: Grand Piano Series concert. St Leo Auditorium, 28290 Beaumont Rd, Bonita Springs. 7:30p. 469-333-32319.

•Caitin Turner: Vocal recital. U Tobe Recital Hall, Music Bldg, FGCU, 1051 FGCU Blvd S, Ft Myers. 7:30p. Free. 745-4268.

•Compton & Bennett: A Cracker at The Ritz, Rick Compton & Betsy Bennett musical comedy. Center for the Performing Arts Bonita Springs, 10150 Bonita Beach Rd, Bonita Springs. 7p. 495-8989.

•Ernani: Sarasota Opera. Sarasota Opera House. 61 Pineapple Ave, Sarasota. 7:30p. 941-328-1300.

•Lecture: Burrowing Owls Don’t Hoot. Cape Coral Historical Museum, 544 Cultural Park Blvd, Cape Coral. 5-6:30p. 772-7037.

•Lecture: Logging the Big Cypress. Collier Museum at Government Center, 3331 Tamiami Tr E, Naples. 2p. Free. 252-8476.

•Rich Vos: Off the Hook Comedy Club, 2500 Vanderbilt Beach Rd, #1100, Naples. 6:30p. 389-6901.

•Sarasota Jazz Festival Jazz Trolley & Pub Crawl: 5 trolleys to 10 venues in downtown Sarasota with 10 bands. Trolleys depart 5:30-9:30p from University Town Center mall, 140 University Town Center Dr, Sarasota. 941-366-1552.

•Songs of Ireland with GO Divas: Gulfshore Opera concert. Gulf Theater, 900 W Marion Ave, Punta Gorda. 7p. 529-3925.

•Songwriters on the Plaza: Free acoustic concert w Bob Williams, David Hintz, Robert Bidney. Downtown Ft Myers Library amphitheater, S Cornog Plaza, 1651 Lee St, Ft Myers. 6-7:30p. Free. 691-4069.

•Tribute to Billy & Elton - The Hits: Tribute concert w Phil Thompson. Presented by TheatreZone. G&L Theatre, Community School of Naples, 13275 Livingston Rd, Naples. 7:30p. 888-966-3352.

WEDNESDAY 15

•Art Reception: Live music, wine, hors d’oevres. Coco Art Gallery, Coastland Center, 1900 Tamiami Tr S, Naples. Wed-Sun 5-7p. Free. 436-3530.

•Boston Red Sox vs Tampa Bay Rays: Spring Training baseball. JetBlue Park, 11500 Fenway South Dr, Ft Myers. 1p. 888-733-7696.

•Carter Popple: Saxophone recital. U Tobe Recital Hall, Music Bldg, FGCU, 1051 FGCU Blvd S, Ft Myers. 8p. Free. 745-4268.

•Early Birding Walk: 3 hour guided boardwalk tour. Corkscrew Swamp Blair Audubon Center, 375 Sanctuary Rd, Naples. 8a. Register. 348-9151.

•Get the Led Out: Led Zeppelin tribute concert. BB Mann Hall, 13350 FSW Pkwy, Ft Myers. 8p. 481-4849.

•Grace Eckman: Vocal recital. U Tobe Recital Hall, Music Bldg, FGCU, 1051 FGCU Blvd S, Ft Myers. 7:30p. Free. 745-4268.

•Lizz Wright, Christian Sands Trio: Sarasota Jazz Festival concert. Nathan Benderson Park, 5851 Nathan Benderson Cir, Sarasota. 6. 941-366-1552.

•Madama Butterfly: Sarasota Opera. Sarasota Opera House. 61

The Freecoasters perform the afternoon of March 11 during Music in the Garden in Naples Botanical Garden. Call 643-7275 for information.

Pineapple Ave, Sarasota. 7:30p. 941-328-1300.

•Open Blues Jam: Live music hosted by Tommy Lee Cook & the Buckingham Blues Band. Buckingham Blues Bar, 5641 Buckingham Rd, Ft Myers. 8-11p. Musicians welcome. Free. 693-7111.

•Orange Blossom Opry Band: Concert. The Venue Mudge Ranch, 1323 Loblolly Bay Rd SW, LaBelle. Dinner 6p, concert 7p. 410-1999.

•Rich Vos: Off the Hook Comedy Club, 2500 Vanderbilt Beach Rd, #1100, Naples. 6:30p. 389-6901.

•Songs of Ireland with GO Divas: Gulfshore Oprea concert. St. Leo Parish Life Center, 28290 Beaumont Rd, Bonita Springs. 7p. 529-3925

•Triumph of Freedom:  Fundraiser for Holocaust Museum, speaker Michael Abramowitz. Arthrex One Conference Center, 1360 Creekside Blvd, Naples. rsvp. 263-9200.

THURSDAY 16

•Andy Forerster: Comedy. Marco Island Center for the Arts’ Arts Center Theatre, Marco Town Center Mall, 1089 N. Collier Blvd, Marco Island. 7:30p. 642-7270.

•Audubon of SWFL Meeting: The Collaboratory,10868 Metro Pkwy, Ft Myers. 6p. Free. 410-6971.

•Carbonaro: Magician. BB Mann Hall, 13350 FSW Pkwy, Ft Myers. 8p. 481-4849.

•Chris Distefano: Concert. The Ranch Concert Hall & Saloon, 2158 Colonial Blvd, Ft Myers. 6p-12a. 985-9839.

•Collier Fair: Collier County Fairgrounds, 751 39th Ave NE, Naples. 2-8p. 455-1444.

•Disney on Ice: Into the Magic ice show. Hertz Arena, 11000 Everblades Pkwy, Estero. 7p. 948-7825.

•Dr. Ed Calle: Latin jazz concert. Marco Island Center for the Arts’ Arts Center Theatre, Marco Town Center Mall, 1089 N. Collier Blvd, Marco Island. 5:30p. 642-7270.

•Ernani: Sarasota Opera. Sarasota Opera House. 61 Pineapple Ave, Sarasota. 7:30p. 941-328-1300.

•Lecture: Barron Collier, the Int’l World Police and the Birth of Interpol. Museum of the Everglades, 105 W Bwy, Everglades City. 2p. Free. 695-0008.

•Lynne Koplitz: Off the Hook Comedy Club, 2500 Vanderbilt Beach Rd, #1100, Naples. 7p. 389-6901.

•Marcus Miller, Allen Carmen Project with Gumbi Ortiz: Sarasota Jazz Festival concert. Nathan Benderson Park, 5851 Nathan Benderson Cir, Sarasota. 6p. 941-366-1552.

•Sarasota Jazz Festival Film: The Benny Goodman Story. Burns Court Cinema, 506 Burns Ct, Sarasota. 9a. 941-366-1552.

•Sarasota Orchestra: Emperor concert. Neel Performing Arts center, State College of Florida, 5840 26 St W, Bradenton, Sarasota. 7:30p. 941-953-3434.

•Steve White: Snappers Comedy Club, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7:30p. 479-5233.

•The Rex Bongo Band: Blues band. Buckingham Blues Bar, 5641 Buckingham Rd, Ft Myers. 7:30p. Free. 693-7111.

•Windsync: Concert. Tribby Arts Center at Shell Point, 17281 On Par Blvd, Ft Myers. 7p. 415-5667.

FRIDAY 17

•Ancient Forest Tour: 3 hour guided boardwalk tour. Corkscrew Swamp Blair Audubon Center, 375 Sanctuary Rd, Naples. 9a. Register. 348-9151.

•Art Reception: Venice Art Center, 390 Nokomis Ave S, Venice. 5-7p. Free. 941-485-7136.

•Boston Red Sox vs Atlanta Braves: Spring Training baseball. JetBlue Park, 11500 Fenway South Dr, Ft Myers. 1p. 888-733-7696.

•Bruce in the USA: Bruce Springsteen tribute band. Center for the Performing Arts Bonita Springs, 10150 Bonita Beach Rd, Bonita Springs. 7:30p. 495-8989.

•Collier Fair: Collier County Fairgrounds, 751 39th Ave NE, Naples. 12-11p. 455-1444.

•Disney on Ice: Into the magic ice show. Hertz Arena, 11000 Everblades Pkwy, Estero. 7p. 948-7825.

•Evening on Fifth: Live music, dancing, art demos & exhibits, dining, shopping along 5th Ave S, Naples. 6:30-9:30p. Free. 6928436.

•FGCU Wind Orchestra: Concert. U Tobe Recital Hall, Music Bldg,

FGCU, 1051 FGCU Blvd S, Ft Myers. 7:30p. Free. 745-4268.

•Gypsy: Gulf Coast Symphony concert. BB Mann Hall, 13350 FSW Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7p. 277-1700.

•Hein Jung & Gregorios Zamparas: Free soprano & piano concert. Sarasota Opera House, 61 N Pineapple Ave, Sarasota. 12p. Free. 941-966-6161.

•Jimmy Stowe & the Stowaways: Jimmy Buffet tribute concert. Gulf Theater, 900 W Marion Ave, Punta Gorda. 3 & 7p. 941-205-8545.

•Kurt Elling with Charlie Hunter, Dick Hyman & Diego Figueiredo: Sarasota Jazz Festival concert. Nathan Benderson Park, 5851 Nathan Benderson Cir, Sarasota. 6:30p. 941-366-1552.

•Music Walk: Live music & dancing at several cafes, clubs & galleries. Downtown Ft Myers’ historic River District. 6-10p. Free. 313-5129.

•Naples Flower Show & Garden Market: Educational demos, horticultural exhibits, etc. Naples Botanical Garden,4820 Bayshore Dr, Naples. 9a-5p. 643-7275.

•Priscilla Block: Country music concert. The Ranch Concert Hall & Saloon, 2158 Colonial Blvd, Ft Myers. 7p-12a. 985-9839.

•Sarasota Jazz Festival Film: Miles Davis – Birth of the Cool. Burns Court Cinema, 506 Burns Ct, Sarasota. 9a. 941-366-1552.

•Sarasota Jazz Festival Late Night Open Jam: Led by La Lucha. Nathan Benderson Park Tower, 5851 Nathan Benderson Cir, Sarasota. 9:30p-12a. 941-366-1552.

•Sarasota Orchestra: Emperor concert. Van Wezel Hall, 777 N Tamiami Tr, Sarasota. 7:30p. 941953-3434.

•St. Patrick’s Day Bash: Irish music, Irish dancing, Irish food. Shell Factory & Nature Park, 16554 N Cleveland Ave, N Ft Myers. 126p. Free. 995-2141.

•St. Patrick’s Day Block Party: Live music & dancing at several cafes, clubs & galleries. Downtown Ft Myers’ historic River District. 4-10p. Free. 313-5129.

•Steve Trevino: Off the Hook Comedy Club, 2500 Vanderbilt Beach Rd, #1100, Naples. 6 & 8p. 389-6901.

•Steve White: Snappers Comedy Club, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7p. 479-5233.

•The Chain Gang: Outdoor concert. Babcock Ranch bandshell.

Founders Square, 42850 Crescent Loop, 6-8p. Free. 941-200-1482.

•Therese: Sarasota Opera. Sarasota Opera House. 61 Pineapple Ave, Sarasota. 7:30p. 941-328-1300.

•Venice Symphony: A Celtic Celebration. Venice Performing Arts Center, 1 Indian Ave, bldg. 5, Venice. 7:30p. 941-218-0658.

•Winter Concerts: Sarasota Opera Apprentice Artists. Sarasota Opera House. 61 Pineapple Ave, Sarasota. 12p. 941-328-1300.

SATURDAY 18

•Americana Community Music Association: Rough & Tumble concert, David Hintz opens. All Faiths Unitarian Congregation, 2756 McGregor Blvd, Ft Myers.

7-9:30p. 691-4069.

•Art Alive: Naples Art District Studio & Gallery Tours. Receptions, exhibits, demos at dozens of galleries & studios.

Pine Ridge Industrial Park, J & C Blvd, Shirley St & Trade Center Way, Naples. 1-5p. Free. 247-1977.

•Bereishit Dance Company: Balance & Imbalance & Judo. Ringling’s Historic Asolo Theatre, 5555 N Tamiami Tr, Sarasota. 5401 Bay Shore Rd, Sarasota. 7:30p. 941-359-5700.

•Boston Red Sox vs Baltimore Orioles: Spring Training baseball. JetBlue Park, 11500 Fenway South Dr, Ft Myers. 1p. 888-733-7696.

•Chris Walters Trio - Rhapsody in Burlesque: George Gershwin & Cole Porter tribute concert. Gulf Theater, 900 W Marion Ave, Punta Gorda. 7p. 941-205-8545.

•Collier Fair: Collier County Fairgrounds, 751 39th Ave NE, Naples. 12-11p. 455-1444.

•Disney on Ice: Into the Magic ice show. Hertz Arena, 11000 Everblades Pkwy, Estero. 2 & 6p. 948-7825.

•Don Giovanni: Sarasota Opera. Sarasota Opera House. 61 Pineapple Ave, Sarasota. 7:30p. 941-328-1300.

•Doug Cameron & Sons: Jazz violin concert. Center for the Performing Arts Bonita Springs, 10150 Bonita Beach Rd, Bonita Springs. 7:30p. 495-8989.

•Ernani: Sarasota Opera. Sarasota Opera House. 61 Pineapple Ave, Sarasota. 1:30p. 941-328-1300.

•Gulf Coast Writers Association Meeting: Guest speaker. Word of Life Church, 6111 South Points Blvd, Ft Myers. 10a-12p. Free. 770-906-7885.

•Gypsy: Gulf Coast Symphony concert. BB Mann Hall, 13350 FSW Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7p. 277-1700.

•History Walk: Land of the Calusa. Bonita Springs Historical Society lecture. Starts at Liles Hotel History Center, Riverside Park, 27580 Old 41 Rd, Bonita Springs. 10a. 992-6997.

•Immokalee Cattle Drive & Jamboree: Food, drink, entertainment, cattle drive starts 9:30p on Main St, Immokalee. Immokalee Pioneer Museum, 1215 Roberts Ave W, Immokalee. 7a-4p. Free. 252-2611.

•Jazz on the Lawn: Randy Sandke & Friends. Punta Gorda Symphony outdoor concert. FSW State College, Charlotte Campus, bldg O lawn, 26300 Airport Rd, Punta Gorda. 4p. Free. 941-205-5996.

•Jeff Allen: Off the Hook Comedy Club, 2500 Vanderbilt Beach Rd, #1100, Naples. 4p. 389-6901.

•John Tuff & Friends: Country music concert. Lemon Bay Playhouse. 96 W Dearborn St, Englewood. 7:30p. 941-475-6756.

•KC & the Sunshine Band, Evelyn ‘Champagne’ King: Outdoor disco concert. Seminole Casino Hotel, 506 S 1st St, Immokalee. 8p. 800218-0007.

•Lysander Piano Trio: Sanibel Music Festival concert. Peace Lutheran Church, 15840 McGregor Blvd, Ft Myers. 7:30p. 344-7025.

•Naples Flower Show & Garden Market: Educational demos, horticultural exhibits, etc. Naples Botanical Garden, 4820 Bayshore Dr, Naples. 9a-5p. 643-7275.

•Paquito D’Rivera, Houston

Person & Tony Monaco: Sarasota Jazz Festival concert. Nathan Benderson Park, 5851 Nathan Benderson Cir, Sarasota. 6:30p. 941-366-1552.

•Peace River National Art Festival: Outdoor art show. Laishley Park, Nesbit St & E Retta Esplanade, Punta Gorda. 9a-4p. 941-639-8810.

•Sarasota Jazz Festival Late Night Open Jam: Led by Synia Carroll. Nathan Benderson Park Tower, 5851 Nathan Benderson Cir, Sarasota. 9:30p-12a. 941366-1552.

•Sarasota Orchestra: Emperor concert. Van Wezel Hall, 777 N Tamiami Tr, Sarasota. 7:30p. 941953-3434.

•Steve Trevino: Off the Hook Comedy Club, 2500 Vanderbilt Beach Rd, #1100, Naples. 6 & 8p. 389-6901.

•Steve White: Snappers Comedy Club, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 6 & 8:30p. 479-5233.

SUNDAY 19

•Americana Community Music Association: Charlie McCoy, Roy Schneider, Kim Mayfield Songwriters in the Round outdoor concert. Alliance for the Arts, 10091 McGregor Blvd, Ft Myers. 5p. 691-4069.

•Americana: Voices of Naples holiday concert. St Leo’s Catholic Church, 28290 Beaumont Rd, Bonita Springs. 3p. 455-2582.

•Anthony Rodia: Off the Hook Comedy Club, 2500 Vanderbilt Beach Rd, #1100, Naples. 6:30p. 389-6901.

•Bereishit Dance Company:  Balance & Imbalance & Judo. Ringling’s Historic Asolo Theatre, 5555 N Tamiami Tr, Sarasota. 5401 Bay Shore Rd, Sarasota. 7:30p. 941-359-5700.

•Bonita Springs Concert Band: Riverside Park, 10450 Reynolds St, Bonita Springs. Bring lawn chair or blanket. 2-4p. Free. 405-3320.

•Collier Fair: Collier County Fairgrounds, 751 39th Ave NE, Naples. 2-8p. 455-1444.

•Disney on Ice: Into the Magic ice show. Hertz Arena, 11000 Everblades Pkwy, Estero. 1 & 5p. 948-7825.

•Gloria: Choral Artistry concert w chamber orchestra. Moorings Presbyterian Church, 791 Harbour Dr, Naples. 4p. 560-5695.

•Ming Gao & Michael Baron: Nisita Concert Series. U Tobe Recital Hall, Music Bldg, FGCU, 1051 FGCU Blvd S, Ft Myers. 3p. 745-4268.

•Music in the Garden Ravon Rhoden outdoor concert. Marie Selby Botanical Garden, 1534 Mound St, Sarasota. 1-3p. 941366-5731.

•Naples Big Band: Concert Veterans Park, 901 Park Ave, Marco Island. 2-4p. Free. 7770416.

•Naples Dixieland Jazz Band: Free

Florida Repertory Theatre presents The Importance of Being Ernest, thru March 11 in the historic Arcade Theatre in Fort Myers’ River District. For information, call 332-4488.

What Goes On

outdoor concert. Cambier Park, 6th Ave S & 8th St S, Naples. 2-4p. Free. 612-327-3835.

•One of These Night - Tribute to The Eagles: Concert. Broadway Palm Theatre, 1380 Colonial Blvd, Ft Myers. Dinner 5:30p, show 7:30p. 278-4422.

•Open Blues Jam: Live music hosted by Tommy Lee Cook & the Buckingham Blues. Buckingham Blues Bar, 5641 Buckingham Rd, Ft Myers. 3-6p. Musicians welcome. Free. 693-7111.

•Peace River National Art Festival: Outdoor art show. Laishley Park, Nesbit St & E Retta Esplanade, Punta Gorda. 9a-4p. 941-639-8810.

•Real Deal Dueling Pianos: Snappers Comedy Club, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7:30p. 479-5233.

•Sarasota Orchestra: Emperor concert. Van Wezel Hall, 777 N Tamiami Tr, Sarasota. 2:30p. 941953-3434.

•Therese: Sarasota Opera. Sarasota Opera House. 61 Pineapple Ave, Sarasota. 1:30p. 941-328-1300.

•What a Night: Jersey Boys & Abba tribute concert. Venice Performing Arts Center, 1 Indian Ave, bldg. 5, Venice.3. 941-218-0658.

MONDAY 20

• One of These Night - Tribute to The Eagles: Concert. Broadway Palm Theatre, 1380 Colonial Blvd, Ft Myers. Lunch 11:30a, show 1p & dinner 5:30p, show 7:30p & 278-4422.

•Boston Red Sox vs Pittsburgh Pirates: Spring Training baseball. JetBlue Park, 11500 Fenway South Dr, Ft Myers. 1p. 888-733-7696.

•Bret Ernst: Off the Hook Comedy Club, 2500 Vanderbilt Beach Rd, #1100, Naples. 7p. 389-6901.

•Collier Fair: Collier County Fairgrounds, 751 39th Ave NE, Naples. 2-8p. 455-1444.

•Danny Sinoff Sings Sinatra - The Rat Pack Years: Jazz piano. Players Circle Performing Arts Center, Shell Factory, 16554 N Cleveland Ave, N Fort Myers. 7-10p. 800-3292.

•Ensemble New SRQ: And the Hits Keep Coming. Concert. First Congregational Church, 1031 S Euclid Ave, Sarasota. 7:30p.

•Forever Fleetwood: Fleetwood Mac tribute band. The Venue Mudge Ranch, 1323 Loblolly Bay Rd SW, LaBelle. Dinner 6p, concert 7p. 410-1999.

•Pine Flatwoods Walk: 2 hour guided tour. Corkscrew Swamp Blair Audubon Center, 375 Sanctuary Rd, Naples. 9a. Register. 348-9151.

•Pitbull: Concert, Iggy Azalea opens. Hertz Arena, 11000 Everblades Pkwy, Estero. 8p. 948-7825.

•Venice Concert Band: Concert. Venice Performing Arts Center, 1 Indian Ave, bldg. 5, Venice. 7p. Free. 941-218-0658.

TUESDAY 21

•Bret Ernst: Off the Hook Comedy Club, 2500 Vanderbilt Beach Rd, #1100, Naples. 7p. 389-6901.

•Collier Fair: Collier County Fairgrounds, 751 39th Ave NE, Naples. 2-8p. 455-1444.

•Jennifer Rowley: Opera Naples concert. Cambier Park, 601 Park St, Naples. 7p. 963-9050.

•Madama Butterfly: Sarasota Opera. Sarasota Opera House. 61

Pineapple Ave, Sarasota. 1:30p. 941-328-1300.

•Opera Theater of Connecticut –Lerner & Loewe: Sanibel Music Festival concert. Peace Lutheran Church, 15840 McGregor Blvd, Ft Myers. 2 & 7:30p. 344-7025.

•Paul McCrea: Percussion recital. U Tobe Recital Hall, Music Bldg, FGCU, 1051 FGCU Blvd S, Ft Myers. 7:30p. Free. 745-4268.

•Re-enactment: Bonnie Bozzo as Lillie Pierce Voss. Marco Island Historical Museum, 180 S Heathwood Dr, Marco Island. 2p. Free. 642-1440.

•Therese: Sarasota Opera. Sarasota Opera House. 61 Pineapple Ave, Sarasota. 7:30p. 941-328-1300.

WEDNESDAY 22

•Alter Eagles: Eagles tribute concert. Gulf Theater, 900 W Marion Ave, Punta Gorda. 7p. 941205-8545.

•Annual Luncheon: Catered lunch fundraiser Julia Child impersonator, Linda Kenyon. Center for the Performing Arts Bonita Springs, 10150 Bonita Beach Rd, Bonita Springs. 11a. rsvp. 495-8989.

•Boston Red Sox vs Minnesota Twins: Spring Training baseball. JetBlue Park, 11500 Fenway South Dr, Ft Myers. 1p. 888-733-7696.

•Bret Ernst: Off the Hook Comedy Club, 2500 Vanderbilt Beach Rd, #1100, Naples. 7p. 389-6901.

•Collier Fair: Collier County Fairgrounds, 751 39th Ave NE, Naples. 2-8p. 455-1444.

•Early Birding Walk: 3 hour guided boardwalk tour. Corkscrew Swamp Blair Audubon Center, 375 Sanctuary Rd, Naples. 8a. Register. 348-9151.

•Ernani: Sarasota Opera. Sarasota Opera House. 61 Pineapple Ave, Sarasota. 7:30p. 941-328-1300.

•Family Sunset Stroll: 1 1/2 hour guided boardwalk tour for families w kids age 5 & up. Corkscrew Swamp Blair Audubon Center, 375 Sanctuary Rd, Naples. 6:30p. Register. 348-9151.

•Florida Everblades vs Newfoundland Growlers: Minor league ice hockey. Hertz Arena, 11000 Everblades Pkwy, Estero. 7:30p. 948-7825.

•Jade Strings: Outdoor concert. Marie Selby Botanical Gardens Historic Spanish Point, 337 N Tamiami Tr Osprey. 6:30p. 941366-5731.

•Lecture: Sittings, Seductions, and the English Portrait. Baker Museum, Artis-Naples, 5833 Pelican Bay Blvd, Naples. 2p. 597-1900.

•Open Blues Jam: Live music hosted by Tommy Lee Cook & the Buckingham Blues Band. Buckingham Blues Bar, 5641 Buckingham Rd, Ft Myers. 8-11p. Musicians welcome. Free. 693-7111.

•Vanessa Rubin: Concert w Naples Philharmonic. Artis-Naples, 5833 Pelican Bay Blvd, Naples. 6 & 8:30p. 597-1900.

THURSDAY 23

•Art & Design Expo: Naples Art District artists & interior designer pairings. Pine Ridge Industrial Park, J & C Blvd, Shirley St & Trade Center Way, Naples. 5-7p. Free. 247-1977.

•Art Reception & Awards

Presentation: Wasmer Gallery, FGCU Arts Complex, 10501 FGCU

Blvd S., Ft Myers. 5-7p. Free. 590-7199.

•Art Reception: Visual Arts Center, 210 Maud St, Punta Gorda. 5-7p. Free. 941-639-8810.

•Bret Ernst: Off the Hook Comedy Club, 2500 Vanderbilt Beach Rd, #1100, Naples. 7p. 389-6901.

•Chatham County Line: Americana music concert. Artis-Naples, 5833 Pelican Bay Blvd, Naples. 6 & 8:30p. 597-1900.

•Collier Fair: Collier County Fairgrounds, 751 39th Ave NE, Naples. 2-8p. 455-1444.

•Composers Luncheon: Lunch, concert & discussion. Punta Gorda Symphony. Isles Yacht Club, 1780 W Marion Ave, Punta Gorda. 11a. 941-205-5996.

•Essence of Motown: Tribute concert. Marco Island Historical Museum, 180 S Heathwood Dr, Marco Island. 6:30p. 642-1440.

•Fiona & Hina Khuong-Huu with Rohan De Silva: Chamber music concert. Davis Art Center, 2301 1st St, Ft Myers. Cocktails 6:30p, concert 7:30p. 333-1933.

•Irish Jam: Live music. Point Ybel Brewing, 16120 San Carlos Blvd, Ft Myers. 6-9p. Free. 603-6535.

•Jazz at MACC - Jazz Influenced by Africa: Gulf Coast Jazz Collective concert. Music & Arts Community Center, 13411 Shire Ln, Ft Myers. 7p. 277-1700.

•JJ Walker: Snappers Comedy Club, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7:30p. 479-5233.

•The Rex Bongo Band: Blues band. Buckingham Blues Bar, 5641 Buckingham Rd, Ft Myers. 7:30p. Free. 693-7111.

•Therese: Sarasota Opera. Sarasota Opera House. 61 Pineapple Ave, Sarasota. 7:30p. 941-328-1300.

•Will Evans: Concert. Fogartyville Community Media & Arts Center, 525 Kumquat Court, Sarasota. 7p. 941-894-6469.

•Winter Concerts: Sarasota Opera Apprentice Artists. Sarasota Opera House. 61 Pineapple Ave, Sarasota. 12p. 941-328-1300.

FRIDAY 24

•Adam Carolla: Off the Hook Comedy Club, 2500 Vanderbilt Beach Rd, #1100, Naples. 6:30 & 8:30p. 389-6901.

•Ancient Forest Tour: 3 hour guided boardwalk tour. Corkscrew Swamp Blair Audubon Center, 375 Sanctuary Rd, Naples. 9a. Register. 348-9151.

•Art & Design Expo: Naples Art District artists & interior designer pairings. Pine Ridge Industrial Park, J & C Blvd, Shirley St & Trade Center Way, Naples. 10a-5p. Free. 247-1977.

•Boston Red Sox vs Atlanta Braves: Spring Training baseball. JetBlue Park, 11500 Fenway South Dr, Ft Myers. 1p. 888-733-7696.

•Briz & Lady: Live music. Sidney’s Rooftop Sculpture Garden, Davis Art Center, 2301 1st St, Ft Myers.

8-11p. Free. 333-1933.

•Collier Fair: Collier County Fairgrounds, 751 39th Ave NE, Naples. 12-11p. 455-1444.

•Florida Everblades vs Newfoundland Growlers: Minor league ice hockey. Hertz Arena, 11000 Everblades Pkwy, Estero. 7:30p. 948-7825.

•Gentri - The Gentleman Trio: Concert. Tribby Arts Center at Shell Point, 17281 On Par Blvd, Ft Myers. 7p. 415-5667.

•Graperfruit Gala: Live music, storytelling, tastings. Museum of the Everglades, 105 W Bwy, Everglades City. 5-8p. Free. 695-0008.

•Interactive Murder Mystery

Show: Peace River Botanical & Sculpture Garden, 5827 Riverside Dr, Punta Gorda. 4:30p. 941-6218299.

•JJ Walker: Snappers Comedy Club, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7p. 479-5233.

•John Nemeth: Blues band. Buckingham Blues Bar, 5641 Buckingham Rd, Ft Myers. 8-11p. 693-7111.

•Madama Butterfly: Sarasota Opera. Sarasota Opera House. 61 Pineapple Ave, Sarasota. 7:30p. 941-328-1300.

•Memories - Tribute to Barbra

Streisand: Concert. Gulf Theater, 900 W Marion Ave, Punta Gorda. 7p. 941-205-8545.

•Naples Philharmonic: An Evening of Overtures concert. Masterworks Series concert. Artis-Naples, 5833 Pelican Bay Blvd, Naples. 8p. 597-1900.

•The Roy Orbison Experience: Tribute concert. Davis Art Center, 2301 1st St, Ft Myers. Cocktails

6:30p, concert 7:30p. 333-1933.

•Tiger Blue: Outdoor concert. Babcock Ranch bandshell. Founders Square, 42850 Crescent Loop, 6-8p. Free. 941-200-1482.

•Vanessa Rubin: Concert. Fogartyville Community Media & Arts Center, 525 Kumquat Court, Sarasota. 8p. 941-894-6469.

•Winter Concerts: Sarasota Opera Apprentice Artists. Sarasota Opera House. 61 Pineapple Ave, Sarasota. 12p. 941-328-1300.

SATURDAY 25

•Adam Carolla: Off the Hook Comedy Club, 2500 Vanderbilt Beach Rd, #1100, Naples. 6 & 8p. 389-6901.

•Americana Community Music Association: Richard Smith concert, Karen Cohen opens. All Faiths Unitarian Congregation, 2756 McGregor Blvd, Ft Myers. 7-9:30p. 691-4069.

•Art & Design Expo: Naples Art District artists & interior designer pairings. Pine Ridge Industrial Park, J & C Blvd, Shirley St & Trade Center Way, Naples. 10a-5p. Free. 247-1977.

•Backyard Bluesfest: Blood Brothers (Albert Castiglia & Mike Zito), Tommy Lee Cook & The Buckingham Blues Band. Buckingham Blues Bar, 5641 Buckingham Rd, Ft Myers. 3-8p. 693-7111.

•Collier Fair: Collier County Fairgrounds, 751 39th Ave NE, Naples. 12-11p. 455-1444.

•David Morin as Elvis: Tribute concert. Cultural Park Theater, 528 Cultural Park Blvd, Cape Coral. 3p. 772-5862.

•Dominic Cheli: Grand Piano Series concert. Moorings Presbyterian Church, 791 Harbour Dr, Naples. 7p. 469-333-3231.

•Don Giovanni: Sarasota Opera. Sarasota Opera House. 61 Pineapple Ave, Sarasota. 7:30p. 941-328-1300.

•Florida Everblades vs Newfoundland Growlers: Minor league ice hockey. Hertz Arena, 11000 Everblades Pkwy, Estero. 7p. 948-7825.

•Gulf Coast Chamber Orchestra: Farrenc Symphony No 3 concert. Music & Arts Community

Circus Arts Conservatory presents Cirque des Voix, with the Cirque Orchestra & Key Chorale, March 10-12 in Sailor Circus Arena in Nathan Benderson Park in Sarasota. For information, call 941-355-9805.

Center, 13411 Shire Ln, Ft Myers. 7:30p. 277-1700.

•JJ Walker: Snappers Comedy Club, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 6 & 8:30p. 479-5233.

•Johnny Dee: Live music. EightFoot Brewing, 4417 SE 16th Pl, #11, Cape Coral. 5-8p. Free. 337-7646.

•Kristin Chenoweth: Concert w Naples Philharmonic. ArtisNaples, 5833 Pelican Bay Blvd, Naples. 8p. 597-1900.

•Make Them Hear You: FGCU student cabaret. U Tobe Recital Hall, Music Bldg, FGCU, 1051 FGCU Blvd S, Ft Myers. 7:30p. Free. 745-4268.

•Master Naturalist Tours: Exhibit, guided swamp walk. Clyde Butcher’s Big Cypress Gallery, 52388 Tamiami Tr, MM 54, Ochopee. 10a-3p. rsvp. 695-2428.

•Matt Stell: Country music concert, Geoerge Birge opens. The Ranch Concert Hall & Saloon, 2158 Colonial Blvd, Ft Myers. 7p-12a. 985-9839.

•Mike Block & Christylez Bacon, Patricia Ligia: Concert. Fogartyville Community Media & Arts Center, 525 Kumquat Court, Sarasota. 8p. 941-894-6469.

•Mile Twelve: Bluegrass concert. Davis Art Center, 2301 1st St, Ft Myers. Cocktails 6:30p, concert 7:30p. 333-1933.

•Naples Concert Band: Free outdoor concert w guest vocalist. Cambier Park bandshell, Park St, downtown Naples. 2-4p. Free. 270-1221.

•Naples Downtown Art Show: 5th Ave S, Naples. 10a-6p. Free. 262-6517.

•Naples Fine Art Show: Outdoor art fair. Paradise Sports Complex, 3940 City Gate Blvd S, Naples. Free. 10a-5p. 941-755-3088.

•Opera Naples Festival Under the Stars: Concert w Dominic Cheli. Moorings Presbyterian Church, 791 Harbour Dr, Naples. 7p. 963-9050.

•Outdoor Art & Craft Show: Marco Island Center for the Arts, 1010 Winterberry Dr, Marco Island. 10a4p. Free. 394-4221.

•Paisley Craze: 60s music tribute concert. Lemon Bay Playhouse. 96 W Dearborn St, Englewood. 7:30p. 941-475-6756.

•Singer’s Showcase: Concert fundraiser for Venice High School Chorus. Venice Performing Arts Center, 1 Indian Ave, bldg. 5, Venice. 4 & 7p. 941-218-0658.

•Sounds of Jazz & Blues:  Free outdoor concert. Tarpon Point Marina, 6179 Black Marlin Ln Cape Coral. 5-10p. 772-5657.

•Sounds of the Sand: Live music, nature games, info about ‘Ding’ Darling Refuge. Bell Tower Shops, 13499 S Cleveland Ave, Ft Myers. 1-7p. Free. 472-1100.

•The Music of Broadway: Paul Todd & Trica Hennessy. Fort Myers Theatre, 16120 San Carlos Blvd, #5, Ft Myers. 7p. 323-6570.

•Therese: Sarasota Opera. Sarasota Opera House. 61 Pineapple Ave, Sarasota. 1:30p. 941-328-1300.

•Willy Chirino with Tito Fuentes

Jr: Outdoor Latin music concert. Seminole Casino Hotel, 506 S 1st St, Immokalee. 9p. 800-218-0007.

SUNDAY 26

•Boston Red Sox vs Minnesota Twins: Spring Training baseball. JetBlue Park, 11500 Fenway South Dr, Ft Myers. 1p. 888-733-7696.

•Collier Fair: Collier County Fairgrounds, 751 39th Ave NE, Naples. 2-8p. 455-1444.

•David Morin as Elvis: Tribute concert. Cultural Park Theater,

528 Cultural Park Blvd, Cape Coral. 3p. 772-5862.

•Dazzling Divas: Fort Myers Symphonic Mastersingers Fundraiser. Stephanie Lorenz & Angela Blasi concert St Hilary’s Episcopal Church, 5011 McGregor Blvd, Ft Myers, 4p. 560-9512.

•Ernani: Sarasota Opera. Sarasota Opera House. 61 Pineapple Ave, Sarasota. 1:30p. 941-328-1300.

•Free Concert: Sarasota Orchestra Brass Quintet. Nathan Benderson Park Pavilion, 5861 Nathan Benderson Cir, Sarasota. 2:30p. 941-487-2746.

•Kevin Farley: Off the Hook Comedy Club, 2500 Vanderbilt Beach Rd, #1100, Naples. 6 & 8p. 389-6901.

•Naples Big Band: Concert. Cambier Park, 755 Park St S, Naples. 2-4p. Free. 777-0416.

•Naples Downtown Art Show: 5th Ave S, Naples. 10a-5p. Free. 262-6517.

•Naples Fine Art Show: Outdoor art fair. Paradise Sports Complex, 3940 City Gate Blvd S, Naples. Free. 10a-5p. 941-755-3088.

•Naples Philharmonic:  Haydn & Mozart. Sypert Salon Series concert. Artis-Naples, 5833 Pelican Bay Blvd, Naples. 3p. 597-1900.

•Open Blues Jam: Live music hosted by Tommy Lee Cook & the Buckingham Blues. Buckingham Blues Bar, 5641 Buckingham Rd, Ft Myers. 3-6p. Musicians welcome. Free. 693-7111.

•Opera Naples: Student operettas, arts & crafts, kids activities, performances. Cambier Park, 601 Park St, Naples. 11a-4p. Free. 963-9050.

•Outdoor Art & Craft Show: Marco Island Center for the Arts, 1010 Winterberry Dr, Marco Island. 10a4p. Free. 394-4221.

•Sarasota Orchestra: Sphinx Virtuosi concert. Holley Hall, Beatrice Friedman Symphony Center, 709 N Tamiami Tr. 61 N Pineapple Ave, Sarasota. 4p. 941953-3434.

•Sunday Night Chamber Music: Barry Ross, violin & Julie Carver, piano concert. Music & Arts Community Center, 13411 Shire Ln, Ft Myers. 7p. 277-1700.

•SWFL Concert Band: Into the West concert. S Ft Myers High School, 14020 Plantation Rd, Ft Myers. 2p. Free. 666-5970.

•The Music of Broadway: Paul Todd & Tricia Hennessy. Fort

Myers Theatre, 16120 San Carlos Blvd, #5, Ft Myers. 7p. 323-6570.

•The World Fusion: Concert. Fogartyville Community Media & Arts Center, 525 Kumquat Court, Sarasota. 8p. 941-894-6469.

•Vintage Baseball Game: Four team tournament. Terry Park, 3410 Palm Beach Blvd, Ft Myers. 10a-5p. 334-7419.

MONDAY 27

•Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra w JoAnn Falletta: Concert. Van Wezel Performing Arts Center, 777 N Tamiami Tr, Sarasota. 7:30p. 941-966-6161.

•Danny Sinoff - An Evening of Ellington: Jazz piano. Players Circle Performing Arts Center, Shell Factory, 16554 N Cleveland Ave, N Fort Myers. 7-10p. 8003292.

•David Morin as Elvis: Tribute concert. Cultural Park Theater, 528 Cultural Park Blvd, Cape Coral. 7p. 772-5862.

•Folk Dancers from Republic of Georgia: Concert. BB Mann Hall, 13350 FSW Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7:30p. 693-4849.

•Frank Sanders: Saxophone recital. U Tobe Recital Hall, Music Bldg, FGCU, 1051 FGCU Blvd S, Ft Myers. 8p. Free. 745-4268.

•Gwenyth Morris: Oboe recital.

U Tobe Recital Hall, Music Bldg, FGCU, 1051 FGCU Blvd S, Ft Myers. 7:30p. Free. 745-4268.

•Music of Simon & Garfunkel: Swearington & Kelli concert. Charlotte Players, Charlotte Harbor Event Center, 75 Taylor St, Punta Gorda. 7:30p. 941-2551022.

TUESDAY 28

•Alejandra Rivera: Piano recital. U Tobe Recital Hall, Music Bldg, FGCU, 1051 FGCU Blvd S, Ft Myers. 7:30p. Free. 745-4268.

•Around the World in Song: Gulfshore Opera concert. St. Leo Parish Life Center, 28290 Beaumont Rd, Bonita Springs. 7p. Bring chairs. 529-3925.

•Boston Red Sox vs Atlanta Braves: Spring Training baseball. JetBlue Park, 11500 Fenway South Dr, Ft Myers. 1p. 888-733-7696.

•Georges Bizet’s Carmen: Opera

Naples. Cambier Park, 601 Park St, Naples. 7p. 963-9050.

•Lecture: Who Made the Everglades?Cape Coral Historical Museum, 544 Cultural Park Blvd, Cape Coral. 5-6:30p. 772-7037.

•Naples Philharmonic:  Haydn & Mozart. Sypert Salon Series concert. Artis-Naples, 5833 Pelican Bay Blvd, Naples. 3p. 597-1900.

•Natalie Friedman: Off the Hook Comedy Club, 2500 Vanderbilt Beach Rd, #1100, Naples. 7p. 389-6901.

•New York Brass Arts Trio: Sanibel Music Festival concert. Peace Lutheran Church, 15840 McGregor Blvd, Ft Myers. 7:30p. 344-7025.

•Nick Schnebelen: Blues band. Buckingham Blues Bar, 5641 Buckingham Rd, Ft Myers. 8-11p. 693-7111.

•Paul Anka: Anka Sings Sinatra concert. Artis-Naples, 5833 Pelican Bay Blvd, Naples. 8p. 597-1900.

•The Guess Who: Concert. BB Mann Hall, 13350 FSW Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7p. 481-4849.

WEDNESDAY 29

•Bad Moon Rising: Creedence Clearwater tribute concert. Gulf Theater, 900 W Marion Ave, Punta Gorda. 3 & 7p. 941-205-8545.

•EagleMania: Eagles tribute concert. BB Mann Hall, 13350 FSW Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7p. 481-4849.

•Early Birding Walk: 3 hour guided boardwalk tour. Corkscrew Swamp Blair Audubon Center, 375 Sanctuary Rd, Naples. 8a. Register. 348-9151.

•Family Night Walk: 2 hour guided boardwalk tour. Corkscrew Swamp Blair Audubon Center, 375 Sanctuary Rd, Naples. 7:30p. Register. 348-9151.

•Lecture: Feisty fabulous Women of Florida. Marco Island Historical Museum, 180 S Heathwood Dr, Marco Island. 2p. Free. 642-1440.

•Natalie Friedman: Off the Hook Comedy Club, 2500 Vanderbilt Beach Rd, #1100, Naples. 7p. 389-6901.

•Open Blues Jam: Live music hosted by Tommy Lee Cook & the Buckingham Blues Band. Buckingham Blues Bar, 5641 Buckingham Rd, Ft Myers. 8-11p. Musicians welcome. Free. 693-7111.

•Zarzuela & Flamenco: Opera Naples. Cambier Park, 601 Park St, Naples. 7p. 963-9050.

THURSDAY 30

•George Bizet’s Carmen:  Opera Naples. Cambier Park, 601 Park St, Naples. 7p. 963-9050.

•Jeff Dye: Off the Hook Comedy Club, 2500 Vanderbilt Beach Rd, #1100, Naples. 7p. 389-6901.

•Maria Fernanda Urbina: Violin recital. U Tobe Recital Hall, Music Bldg, FGCU, 1051 FGCU Blvd S, Ft Myers. 8p. Free. 745-4268.

•Piano Talk: Broadway Baby concert w Jodie DeSalvo. ArtisNaples, 5833 Pelican Bay Blvd, Naples. 7p. 597-1900.

•Reno Collier: Snappers Comedy Club, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7:30p. 479-5233.

•Stars of the Sixties: The Grass Roots, The association, The Cyrkle concert. BB Mann Hall, 13350 FSW Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7:30p. 481-4849.

•Sunset Stroll: 3 hour guided boardwalk tour. Corkscrew Swamp Blair Audubon Center, 375 Sanctuary Rd, Naples. 6:30p. Register. 348-9151.

•The Rex Bongo Band: Blues band. Buckingham Blues Bar, 5641 Buckingham Rd, Ft Myers. 7:30p. Free. 693-7111.

•Xavier Rosado: Viola recital. U Tobe Recital Hall, Music Bldg, FGCU, 1051 FGCU Blvd S, Ft Myers. 7:30p. Free. 745-4268.

FRIDAY 31

•Around the World in Song: Gulfshore Opera concert. Marco Island Center for the Arts, 1010 Winterberry Dr, Marco Island. 7p. 529-3925.

•Art Walks the Runway: Local fashion show opening night. Davis Art Center, 2301 1st St, Ft Myers. Cocktails 7p, show 8p. 333-1933.

•Behind the Notes: Discussion w Maestro Raffaele Livio Ponti. Punta Gorda Symphony. Punta Gorda Charlotte Library, 401 Shreve St, Punta Gorda. 5p. Free. 941-205-5996.

•Jeff Dye: Off the Hook Comedy Club, 2500 Vanderbilt Beach Rd, #1100, Naples. 7 & 9p. 389-6901.

•Naples Philharmonic:  Lamsma Plays Bruch Violin Concerto. Masterworks Series concert. ArtisNaples, 5833 Pelican Bay Blvd, Naples. 8p. 597-1900.

•Rebekah Pulley, Frost & Ross: Concert. Fogartyville Community Media & Arts Center, 525 Kumquat Court, Sarasota. 8p. 941-894-6469.

•Reno Collier: Snappers Comedy Club, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7p. 479-5233.

•Rhythm on the River: Appalachian Road Show outdoor bluegrass concert & cocktails. Edison & Ford Winter Estates River Pavilion, 2350 McGregor Blvd, Ft Myers. 6-9p. Bring lawn chairs. 334-7419.

•Sarasota Orchestra: A Hero’s Life concert. Van Wezel Hall, 777 N Tamiami Tr, Sarasota. 2:30p. 941-953-3434.

•Top of the World - Carpenter’s Tribute: Concert. BB Mann Hall, 13350 FSW Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7p. 481-4849.

•US Stones: Rolling Stones tribute concert. Gulf Theater, 900 W Marion Ave, Punta Gorda. 7p. 941205-8545.

•Yabo Brothers: Outdoor concert. Babcock Ranch bandshell. Founders Square, 42850 Crescent Loop, 6-8p. Free. 941-200-1482.

The New York Brass Arts Trio perform during the Sanibel Music Festival, March 28 at the Peace Lutheran Church in Fort Myers. Call 344-7025 for information.

What Goes On

April

SATURDAY 1

•A’Layahna Checo: Vocal recital. U Tobe Recital Hall, Music Bldg, FGCU, 1051 FGCU Blvd S, Ft Myers. 7:30p. Free. 745-4268.

•Alyssa LeMay: Drag show & concert. Cultural Park Theater, 528 Cultural Park Blvd, Cape Coral. 7p. 772-5862.

•Art in the Park: Outdoor art & craft fair. Mercato, 9118 Strada Pl, Naples. 10a-5p. Free. 2626517.

•Art Walks the Runway: International couture fashion show. Davis Art Center, 2301 1st St, Ft Myers. Cocktails 7p, show 8p. 333-1933.

•Back Yard Bash: Parents & children compete in backyard games, live music, food trucks. Children’s Museum of Naples, 15080 Livingston Rd, Naples. 5:30-9:30p. 514-0084

•Backyard Bluesfest: Frank Bang 4, Tommy Lee Cook & The Buckingham Blues Band, Avery Grouws Band. Buckingham Blues Bar, 5641 Buckingham Rd, Ft Myers. 3-8p. 693-7111.

•Cooper Alan: Country music concert. The Ranch Concert Hall & Saloon, 2158 Colonial Blvd, Ft Myers. 7p-12a. 985-9839.

•Gulf Coast Chamber Orchestra: Strings on Fire concert. Music & Arts Community Center, 13411 Shire Ln, Ft Myers. 7:30p. 2771700.

•Jeff Dye: Off the Hook Comedy Club, 2500 Vanderbilt Beach Rd, #1100, Naples. 6:30 & 8:30p. 389-6901.

•Michaela Berres: Vocal recital. U Tobe Recital Hall, Music Bldg, FGCU, 1051 FGCU Blvd S, Ft Myers. 3;30p. Free. 745-4268.

•Naples Jazzmasters: Free outdoor concert. Cambier Park, 6th Ave S & 8th St S, Naples. 2-4p. Free. 612-327-3835.

•Naples Philharmonic: Lamsma Plays Bruch Violin Concerto. Masterworks Series concert. ArtisNaples, 5833 Pelican Bay Blvd, Naples. 8p. 597-1900.

•Rebekah Reffalski: Vocal recital. U Tobe Recital Hall, Music Bldg, FGCU, 1051 FGCU Blvd S, Ft Myers. 3p. Free. 745-4268.

•Reno Collier: Snappers Comedy Club, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 6 & 8:30p. 479-5233.

•Sarasota Orchestra: A Hero’s Life concert. Van Wezel Hall, 777 N Tamiami Tr, Sarasota. 2:30p. 941-953-3434.

•Shelby Blocker: Flute recital. U Tobe Recital Hall, Music Bldg, FGCU, 1051 FGCU Blvd S, Ft Myers. 7:30p. Free. 745-4268.

•Southland Bluegrass & Wilderness Festival: Outdoor concert – Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder, The Steeldrivers, Del McCoury Band, Sister Sadie, The Grascals, Justin Mason & Blue Night. RV show, food trucks. Seminole Casino Hotel, 506 S 1st St, Immokalee. 11a-9p. Free. 800-218-0007.

•Spirit of the Gulf Chorus: Spring concert. First Christian Church, 2061 McGregor Blvd, Ft Myers. 2p. 844-704-7464.

•SWFL Symphony: A Night at the Opera Masterworks concert. BB Mann Hall, 13350 FSW Pkwy, Ft Myers. Lecture 6:30p, concert 7:30p. 418-1500.

SUNDAY 2

•A Night at the Opera: Opera Naples w SWFL Symphony concert. Cambier Park, 601 Park St, Naples.

7p. 963-9050.

•Art in the Park: Outdoor art & craft fair. Mercato, 9118 Strada Pl, Naples. 10a-5p. Free. 262-6517.

•Baron & Navarro Piano Duo: Nisita Concert Series. U Tobe Recital Hall, Music Bldg, FGCU, 1051 FGCU Blvd S, Ft Myers. 3p. 745-4268.

•BBQ & Bluegrass: Lonesome rangers. Point Ybel Brewing, 16120 San Carlos Blvd, Ft Myers. 4-7p. Free. 603-6535.

•Fort Myers Symphonic Mastersingers: Grant Us Peace spring concert. First Presbyterian Church, 9751 Bonita Beach Rd SE, Bonita Springs. 4p. 560-9512.

•Gulf Coast Symphony: Music of the Night concert. BB Mann Hall, 13350 FSW Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7p. 277-1700.

•Jeff Dye: Off the Hook Comedy Club, 2500 Vanderbilt Beach Rd, #1100, Naples. 6:30p. 389-6901.

•Open Blues Jam: Live music hosted by Tommy Lee Cook & the Buckingham Blues. Buckingham Blues Bar, 5641 Buckingham Rd, Ft Myers. 3-6p. Musicians welcome. Free. 693-7111.

•Punta Gorda Symphony: Cinematic Sounds concert & after-party. Charlotte Harbor Event Center, 75 Taylor St St, Punta Gorda. 7:30p. 941-205-5996.

•Sarasota Orchestra: A Hero’s Life concert. Van Wezel Hall, 777 N Tamiami Tr, Sarasota. 2:30p. 941-953-3434.

•The Gambler Returns: Kenny Rogers tribute band. The Venue Mudge Ranch, 1323 Loblolly Bay Rd SW, LaBelle. Dinner 5p, concert 6:30p. 410-1999.

MONDAY 3

•Author Lecture & Lunch: Robert Macomber. Davis Art Center, 2301 1st St, Ft Myers. 12p. 333-1933.

•Danny Sinoff - The Tony Bennett Songbook: Jazz piano. Players Circle Performing Arts Center, Shell Factory, 16554 N Cleveland Ave, N Fort Myers. 7-10p. 8003292.

•Family Sunset Stroll: 1 1/2 hour guided boardwalk tour for families w kids age 5 & up. Corkscrew Swamp Blair Audubon Center, 375 Sanctuary Rd, Naples. 7p. Register. 348-9151.

•Live in Central Park (Revisited)

- Simon & Garfunkel Tribute: Concert. Tribby Arts Center at Shell Point, 17281 On Par Blvd, Ft Myers. 7p. 415-5667.

TUESDAY 4

•Art Reception: Harbour View Gallery, 5789 Cape Harbour Dr, #104, Cape Coral. 6-8p. Free. 540-5789.

•Compton & Bennett: A Cracker at The Ritz, Rick Compton & Betsy Bennett musical comedy. Center for the Performing Arts Bonita Springs, 10150 Bonita Beach Rd, Bonita Springs. 7p. 495-8989.

•Emerging Artist Series: Sanibel Music Festival concert w FGCU students. 7:30p. Free. 745-4268.

•FGCU Bower String Ensembles: Sanibel Music Festival Emerging Artists Series concert. Peace Lutheran Church, 15840 McGregor

Blvd, Ft Myers. 7:30p. 344-7025.

•Historic Palm Cottage Grand ReOpening: Guided tours. Historic Palm Cottage & Norris Gardens, 137 12th Ave S, Naples. 12-4p. Free. 261-8164.

•Live in Central Park (Revisited)

- Simon & Garfunkel Tribute: Concert. Tribby Arts Center at Shell Point, 17281 On Par Blvd, Ft Myers. 7p. 415-5667.

•Robert Xavier Rodriguez’s Frida: Opera Naples concert. Cambier Park, 601 Park St, Naples. 7p. 963-9050.

•Taste of Opera: Gulfshore Opera concert & dinner. Colony Bay Club, 5200 Pelican Colony Blvd, Bonita Springs. 5:30p. 529-3925.

WEDNESDAY 5

•Art Alive: Naples Art District Studio & Gallery Tours. Receptions, exhibits, demos at dozens of galleries & studios. Pine Ridge Industrial Park, J & C Blvd, Shirley St & Trade Center Way, Naples. 3-7p. Free. 247-1977.

•Art Reception: Alliance for the Arts, 10091 McGregor Blvd, Ft Myers. 5-7p. Free. 939-2787.

•Art Reception: Sarasota Ballet perform. Marie Selby Botanical Garden, 1534 Mound St, Sarasota. 6p. 941-366-5731.

•Early Birding Walk: 3 hour guided boardwalk tour. Corkscrew Swamp Blair Audubon Center, 375 Sanctuary Rd, Naples. 8a. Register. 348-9151.

•Flamenco Vivo Carlota Santana: Dance concert. Artis-Naples, 5833 Pelican Bay Blvd, Naples. 6 & 8:30p. 597-1900.

•Florida Everblades vs Jacksonville Icemen: Minor league ice hockey. Hertz Arena, 11000 Everblades Pkwy, Estero. 7:30p. 948-7825.

•Ikebana Meeting: Demo &

Workshop. Naples Botanical Garden, Buehler Auditorium, 4820 Bayshore Dr, Naples. 9:30a. Free. 254-9999.

•Lunch & Learn Lecture: Sea Turtles of the Reserve. Rookery Bay National Research Reserve, Environmental Learning Center, 300 Tower Rd, Naples. 12p. 530-5940.

•Maria Fe Soto Caballero: Double bass recital. U Tobe Recital Hall, Music Bldg, FGCU, 1051 FGCU Blvd S, Ft Myers. 8p. Free. 7454268.

•Matthew Vigil: Cello recital. U Tobe Recital Hall, Music Bldg, FGCU, 1051 FGCU Blvd S, Ft Myers. 7:30p. Free. 745-4268.

•Open Blues Jam: Live music hosted by Tommy Lee Cook & the Buckingham Blues Band. Buckingham Blues Bar, 5641 Buckingham Rd, Ft Myers. 8-11p. Musicians welcome. Free. 693-7111.

•Pete Lee: Off the Hook Comedy Club, 2500 Vanderbilt Beach Rd, #1100, Naples. 7p. 389-6901.

•Robert Xavier Rodriguez’s Frida: Opera Naples concert. Cambier Park, 601 Park St, Naples. 7p. 963-9050.

•Taste of Opera: Gulfshore Opera concert & dinner. Isles Yacht Club, 1780 W Marion Ave, Punta Gorda. 6p. 529-3925.

•The US Bee Gees: Bee gees tribute concert. Gulf Theater, 900 W Marion Ave, Punta Gorda. 7p. 941205-8545.

THURSDAY 6

•An Evening with Bob Beatty: Author of Duane Allman biography. Collier Museum at Government Center, 3331 Tamiami Tr E, Naples. 6:30p. Free. 2528476.

•Art Alive: Naples Art District Studio & Gallery Tours.

Receptions, exhibits, demos at dozens of galleries & studios. Pine Ridge Industrial Park, J & C Blvd, Shirley St & Trade Center Way, Naples. 1-5p. Free. 247-1977.

•Art Reception: Wine & cheese. Cape Coral Art League, 516 Cultural Blvd, Cape Coral. 5-7p. Free. 772-5657.

•Drazen Balarin: Vocal recital. U Tobe Recital Hall, Music Bldg, FGCU, 1051 FGCU Blvd S, Ft Myers. 7:30p. Free. 745-4268.

•Flamenco Vivo Carlota Santana: Dance concert. Artis-Naples, 5833 Pelican Bay Blvd, Naples. 6 & 8:30p. 597-1900.

•Fort Myers Mighty Mussels vs Dunedin Blue Jays: Minor league baseball. Hammond Stadium, 14400 Six Mile Cypress Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7p. 768-4210.

•Hannah Robinson: Vocal recital. U Tobe Recital Hall, Music Bldg, FGCU, 1051 FGCU Blvd S, Ft Myers. 7:30p. Free. 745-4268.

•Jay Hewlett: Snappers Comedy Club, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7:30p. 479-5233.

•Jazz at MACC - Jazz

Originals: Gulf Coast Jazz Collective jam concert. Music & Arts Community Center, 13411 Shire Ln, Ft Myers. 7p. 277-1700.

•JimmieVaughan: Blues concert. The Ranch Concert Hall & Saloon, 2158 Colonial Blvd, Ft Myers. 7p-12a. 985-9839.

•Meet Clyde & Niki Butcher: Exhibit, presentation, book signing. Clyde Butcher’s Venice Gallery & Studio, 237 Warfield Ave S, Venice. 9a-3p. Free. rsvp. 941-486-0811.

•Open Mic Bonita!: Comedy. Center for the Performing Arts Bonita Springs, 10150 Bonita Beach Rd, Bonita Springs. 7p. 495-8989.

•Pete Lee: Off the Hook Comedy Club, 2500 Vanderbilt Beach Rd, #1100, Naples. 7p. 389-6901.

•Pine Flatwoods Walk: 2 hour guided tour. Corkscrew Swamp Blair Audubon Center, 375 Sanctuary Rd, Naples. 9a. Register. 348-9151.

•The Rex Bongo Band: Blues band. Buckingham Blues Bar, 5641 Buckingham Rd, Ft Myers. 7:30p. Free. 693-7111.

FRIDAY 7

•Ancient Forest Tour: 3 hour guided boardwalk tour. Corkscrew Swamp Blair Audubon Center, 375 Sanctuary Rd, Naples. 9a. Register. 348-9151.

•Art Reception: DAAS Co-op Gallery, in Butterfly Estates, 1815-3 Fowler St, Ft Myers. 6-9:30p. Free. 590-8645.

•Art Reception: Davis Art Center, 2301 1st St, Ft Myers. 6-10p. Live music. Free. 333-1933.

•Art Walk: Receptions, exhibits, demos, live music at several galleries & studios in downtown Ft Myers’ historic River District. 11a-4p. Free. 313-5129.

•Dancing Earth: Dance performance. Ringling’s Historic Asolo Theatre, 5555 N Tamiami Tr, Sarasota. 5401 Bay Shore Rd, Sarasota. 7:30p. 941-359-5700.

•Fort Myers Mighty Mussels vs Dunedin Blue Jays: Minor league baseball. Hammond Stadium, 14400 Six Mile Cypress Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7p. 768-4210.

•Guided Forest Bathing Meditation: Corkscrew Swamp Blair Audubon Center, 375 Sanctuary Rd, Naples. 9a. Register. 348-9151.

•Jay Hewlett: Snappers Comedy Club, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7p. 479-5233.

Itzhak Perlman performs March 12 at Arts–Naples. Call 597-1900 for information.

•Pete Lee: Off the Hook Comedy Club, 2500 Vanderbilt Beach Rd, #1100, Naples. 6 & 8p. 389-6901.

•Thunder Beach Band: Outdoor concert. Babcock Ranch bandshell. Founders Square, 42850 Crescent Loop, 6-8p. Free. 941-200-1482.

SATURDAY 8

•Americana Community Music Association: Ordinary Elephant concert, Barbara Chamberlain opens. All Faiths Unitarian Congregation, 2756 McGregor Blvd, Ft Myers. 7-9:30p. 691-4069.

•Chris Cagle: Country music concert. The Ranch Concert Hall & Saloon, 2158 Colonial Blvd, Ft Myers. 7p-12a. 985-9839.

•Dancing Earth: Dance performance. Ringling’s Historic Asolo Theatre, 5555 N Tamiami Tr, Sarasota. 5401 Bay Shore Rd, Sarasota. 7:30p. 941-359-5700.

•Fine Arts & Crafts Show: Cambier Park, 755 8th Ave S, Naples. 10a4p. Free. 692-8436.

•Fort Myers Mighty Mussels vs Dunedin Blue Jays: Minor league baseball. Hammond Stadium, 14400 Six Mile Cypress Pkwy, Ft Myers. 6p. 768-4210.

•History Walk: Places of Wonderment, Wonder Gardens tour. Bonita Springs Historical Society. Starts at Liles Hotel History Center, Riverside Park, 27580 Old 41 Rd, Bonita Springs. 10a. 992-6997.

•I Got No Strings: Terrence Kennedy cabaret revue. New Phoenix Theatre, 13211 McGregor Blvd, Ft Myers. 6p. 284-5214.

•Jay Hewlett: Snappers Comedy Club, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 6 7 8:30p. 479-5233.

•Memphis Lightning: Blues band. Buckingham Blues Bar, 5641 Buckingham Rd, Ft Myers. 8-11p. 693-7111.

•Music in the Garden: Kraig Kenning. Naples Botanical Garden, 4820 Bayshore Dr, Naples. 2-4p. 643-7275.

•Open Artist Studios & Galleries: More than 30 galleries & studios in Sarasota Studio Artists Association. Various locations throughout Sarasota. 11a-3p. Free.

•Pete Lee: Off the Hook Comedy Club, 2500 Vanderbilt Beach Rd, #1100, Naples. 6 & 8p. 389-6901.

SUNDAY 9

•Full Moon Night Hike: Guided walk Calusa Nature Center & Planetarium, 3450 Ortiz Ave, Ft Myers. 8p. 275-3435.

•Glenn Roth: Concert. Marco Island Center for the Arts’ Arts Center Theatre, Marco Town Center Mall, 1089 N. Collier Blvd, Marco Island. 7:30p. 642-7270.

•Naples Dixieland Jazz Band: Free outdoor concert. Cambier Park, 6th Ave S & 8th St S, Naples. 2-4p. Free. 612-327-3835.

•Open Blues Jam: Live music hosted by Tommy Lee Cook & the Buckingham Blues. Buckingham Blues Bar, 5641 Buckingham Rd, Ft Myers. 3-6p. Musicians welcome. Free. 693-7111.

MONDAY 10

•Bonita Springs Short Film Festival Gala & Awards

Ceremony: Prado Stadium Theater, 25251 Chamber of

Commerce Dr, Bonita Springs. 6p. 992-0128.

•The Price is Right Live: Game show. Artis-Naples, 5833 Pelican Bay Blvd, Naples. 8p. 597-1900.

TUESDAY 11

•Art Reception: Marco Island Center for the Arts, 1010 Winterberry Dr, Marco Island. 5:30-7p. Free. 394-4221.

•David Lucas: Off the Hook Comedy Club, 2500 Vanderbilt Beach Rd, #1100, Naples. 7p. 389-6901.

•FGCU Wind Chamber Ensembles: Concert. U Tobe Recital Hall, Music Bldg, FGCU, 1051 FGCU Blvd S, Ft Myers. 7:30p. Free. 745-4268.

•Lecture: Eleven Defining Days in Collier County History. Collier Museum at Government Center, 3331 Tamiami Tr E, Naples. 2p. Free. 252-8476.

•Songwriters on the Plaza: Free acoustic concert w Karen Cohen, Dan Philgreen, Bruce Gallant. Downtown Ft Myers Library amphitheater, S Cornog Plaza, 1651 Lee St, Ft Myers. 6-7:30p. Free. 691-4069.

WEDNESDAY 12

•Chicago Rewind: Chicago tribute concert. Gulf Theater, 900 W Marion Ave, Punta Gorda. 7p. 941205-8545.

•David Lucas: Off the Hook Comedy Club, 2500 Vanderbilt Beach Rd, #1100, Naples. 7p. 389-6901.

•Early Birding Walk: 3 hour guided boardwalk tour. Corkscrew Swamp Blair Audubon Center, 375 Sanctuary Rd, Naples. 8a. Register. 348-9151.

•FGCU Percussion Chamber Ensembles: Concert. U Tobe Recital Hall, Music Bldg, FGCU, 1051 FGCU Blvd S, Ft Myers. 7:30p. Free. 745-4268.

•Florida Everblades vs Jacksonville Icemen: Minor league ice hockey. Hertz Arena, 11000 Everblades Pkwy, Estero. 7:30p. 948-7825.

•Open Blues Jam: Live music hosted by Tommy Lee Cook & the Buckingham Blues Band. Buckingham Blues Bar, 5641 Buckingham Rd, Ft Myers. 8-11p. Musicians welcome. Free. 693-7111.

•Sarasota Orchestra: Sounds of Spring concert. Holley Hall, Beatrice Friedman Symphony Center, 709 N Tamiami Tr. 61 N Pineapple Ave, Sarasota. 5:30p. 941-953-3434.

•Sierra Club Calusa Group Meeting: Tice Fire Station, 9351 Workmen Way, Ft Myers. 6-8p. Free. 218-1354.

•Wednesday Night Market: Farmers market, art, food trucks, craft beer, live music by Reckless Saints. Alliance for the Arts, 10091 McGregor Blvd, Ft Myers. 5-8p. Free. 939-2787.

THURSDAY 13

•Andy Forrester: Snappers Comedy Club, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7:30p. 479-5233.

•Casting Crowns: Concert. Hertz Arena, 11000 Everblades Pkwy, Estero. 7p. 948-7825.

•Evening on Fifth: Live music, dancing, art demos & exhibits, dining, shopping along 5th Ave S, Naples. 6:30-9:30p. Free. 6928436.

•FGCU String Chamber Ensembles: Concert. U Tobe Recital Hall, Music Bldg, FGCU, 1051 FGCU Blvd S, Ft Myers. 7:30p. Free. 745-4268.

•Irish Jam: Live music. Point Ybel Brewing, 16120 San Carlos Blvd, Ft Myers. 6-9p. Free. 603-6535.

•JP Sears: Off the Hook Comedy Club, 2500 Vanderbilt Beach Rd, #1100, Naples. 7p. 389-6901.

•Michael D’Amore: Concert. Cultural Park Theater, 528 Cultural Park Blvd, Cape Coral. 7p. 772-5862.

•Naples Philharmonic:  Mahler Symphony No 4. Masterworks Series concert. Artis-Naples, 5833 Pelican Bay Blvd, Naples. 8p. 597-1900.

•Pecos & The Rooftops: Country music concert. The Ranch Concert Hall & Saloon, 2158 Colonial Blvd, Ft Myers. 7p-12a. 985-9839.

•Poetry & Music Open Mic: Open to all & all ages. Alliance for the Arts, 10091 McGregor Blvd, Ft Myers. 5-9p. Free. 939-2787.

•Sarasota Orchestra: Sounds of Spring concert. Holley Hall, Beatrice Friedman Symphony Center, 709 N Tamiami Tr. 61 N Pineapple Ave, Sarasota. 7:30p. 941-953-3434.

•Sunset Stroll: 3 hour guided boardwalk tour. Corkscrew Swamp Blair Audubon Center, 375 Sanctuary Rd, Naples. 6:30p. Register. 348-9151.

•The Rex Bongo Band: Blues band. Buckingham Blues Bar, 5641 Buckingham Rd, Ft Myers. 7:30p. Free. 693-7111.

FRIDAY 14

•Andy Forrester: Snappers Comedy Club, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7p. 479-5233.

•Art Reception: Cape Coral Art Center, Rubicond Park, 4533 Coronado Pkwy, Cape Coral. 5-7p. Free. 574-0802.

•Art Reception: Venice Art Center, 390 Nokomis Ave S, Venice. 5-7p. Free. 941-485-7136.

•Easton Corbin: Country music concert, Austin Meade opens. The Ranch Concert Hall & Saloon, 2158 Colonial Blvd, Ft Myers. 7p-12a. 985-9839.

•FGCU Wind Orchestra: Concert. Ft Myers HS, 2635 Cortez Blvd, Ft Myers. 7:30p. Free. 745-4268.

•Florida Everblades vs Atlanta Gladiators: Minor league ice hockey. Hertz Arena, 11000

Everblades Pkwy, Estero. 7:30p. 948-7825.

•Footloose Children’s theater. Center for the Performing Arts Bonita Springs, 10150 Bonita Beach Rd, Bonita Springs. 7p. 495-8989.

•Hamlet: Theater. FGCU TheatreLab. FGCU Arts Complex, 10501 FGCU Blvd S, Ft Myers.

7:30p. 590-7268.

•JP Sears: Off the Hook Comedy Club, 2500 Vanderbilt Beach Rd, #1100, Naples. 6:30 & 8:30p. 389-6901.

•Sarasota Orchestra: Sounds of Spring concert. Holley Hall, Beatrice Friedman Symphony Center, 709 N Tamiami Tr. 61 N Pineapple Ave, Sarasota. 5:30p. 941-953-3434.

•Southern Cross: Crosby, Stiils, Nash & Young tribute concert. Gulf Theater, 900 W Marion Ave, Punta Gorda. 7p. 941-205-8545.

•Teresa Caputo: Medium. BB Mann Hall, 13350 FSW Pkwy, Ft Myers.

7:30p. 481-4849.

•The Lineup Band: Outdoor concert. Babcock Ranch bandshell. Founders Square, 42850 Crescent Loop, 6-8p. Free. 941-200-1482.

SATURDAY 15

•Andy Forrester Snappers Comedy Club, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 6 & 8:30p. 479-5233.

•Art Alive: Naples Art District Studio & Gallery Tours. Receptions, exhibits, demos at dozens of galleries & studios. Pine Ridge Industrial Park, J & C Blvd, Shirley St & Trade Center Way, Naples. 1-5p. Free. 247-1977.

•Backyard Bluesfest: Billy Price, Tommy Lee Cook & The Buckingham Blues Band, band tba. Buckingham Blues Bar, 5641 Buckingham Rd, Ft Myers. 3-8p. 693-7111.

•BBQ, Bands & Brew: Live music, family activities, food. Caloosa Sound Amphitheater, 2101 Edwards Dr, Ft Myers. 11a-6p. Free. 9380056.

•Blooms & Brews: Live music, craft beers. Naples Botanical Garden, 4820 Bayshore Dr, Naples. 6-10p. 643-7275.

•Egg-cellent Easter: Easter egg hunt. Immokalee Pioneer Museum, 1215 Roberts Ave, Immokalee. 10a-2p. Free. 252-2611.

•Florida Everblades vs Atlanta Gladiators: Minor league ice hockey. Hertz Arena, 11000

Everblades Pkwy, Estero. 7p. 948-7825.

•Footloose: Children’s theater. Center for the Performing Arts Bonita Springs, 10150 Bonita Beach Rd, Bonita Springs. 2 & 7p. 495-8989.

•Gulf Coast Writers Association Meeting: Guest speaker. Word of Life Church, 6111 South Points Blvd, Ft Myers. 10a-12p. Free. 770-906-7885.

•Hamlet: Theater. FGCU TheatreLab. FGCU Arts Complex, 10501 FGCU Blvd S, Ft Myers. 7:30p. 590-7268.

•JP Sears: Off the Hook Comedy Club, 2500 Vanderbilt Beach Rd, #1100, Naples. 5, 7, 9p. 389-6901.

•LecExploring the Everglades Family Day: Kids activities, games, crafts. Collier Museum at Government Center, 3331 Tamiami Tr E, Naples. 2p. Free. 252-8476.

•Naples Philharmonic:  Mahler Symphony No 4. Masterworks Masterworks Series concert. ArtisNaples, 5833 Pelican Bay Blvd, Naples. 8p. 597-1900.

•Sarasota Orchestra: Sounds of Spring concert. Holley Hall, Beatrice Friedman Symphony Center, 709 N Tamiami Tr. 61 N Pineapple Ave, Sarasota. 7:30p. 941-953-3434.

SUNDAY 16

•Choral Artistry Concert: Poulence

‘Gloria’ & Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms, w FGCU University Choir & Symphony. First Presbyterian Church, 9751 Bonita Beach Rd SE, Bonita Springs. 4p. 560-5695.

•Choral Artists of Sarasota: Concert - Bach Du Nirte Israel. Church of Redeemer, 222 S Palm Ave, Sarasota. 7p. 941-387-4900.

•Eric Schwartz: Off the Hook Comedy Club, 2500 Vanderbilt Beach Rd, #1100, Naples. 6:30p. 389-6901.

•FGCU Chamber & University Choirs w Symphony Orchestra: Concert. U Tobe Recital Hall, Music Bldg, FGCU, 1051 FGCU Blvd S, Ft Myers. 4p. Free. 745-4268.

•Footloose: Children’s theater. Center for the Performing Arts Bonita Springs, 10150 Bonita Beach Rd, Bonita Springs. 2p. 495-8989.

•Hamlet: Theater, discussion after 2p show. FGCU TheatreLab. FGCU Arts Complex, 10501 FGCU Blvd S, Ft Myers. 2 & 7:30p. 590-7268.

•Naples Concert Band: Free outdoor concert w guest vocalist. Cambier Park bandshell, Park St, downtown Naples. 2-4p. Free. 270-1221.

•Naples Philharmonic:  Chamber Gems with Soprano. Wang Chamber Music Series concert. Artis-Naples, 5833 Pelican Bay Blvd, Naples. 3p. 597-1900.

•Open Blues Jam: Live music hosted by Tommy Lee Cook & the Buckingham Blues. Buckingham Blues Bar, 5641 Buckingham Rd, Ft Myers. 3-6p. Musicians welcome. Free. 693-7111.

•Readers Theater: Taking Chances. 5 15 -minute one-act plays. The Naples Players. United Church of Christ, 5200 Crayton Rd, Naples. 7:30p. 263-7990.

•SWFL Concert Band: Playing the Blues concert. S Ft Myers High School, 14020 Plantation Rd, Ft Myers. 2p. Free. 666-5970.

MONDAY 17

•Ensemble New SRQ: 1976. Concert. Sarasota Opera House, 61 N Pineapple Ave, Sarasota. Xp.

Albert Castiglia performs March 25 at the Backyard Bluesfest at Buckingham Blues Bar in Fort Myers. For information, call 693-7111.

What Goes On

•Lecture: How Spanish American Independence Brought Florida to the United States. Marco Island Historical Museum, 180 S Heathwood Dr, Marco Island. 2p. Free. 642-1440.

•Naples Big Band: Concert Cambier Park, 755 Park St S, Naples. 7-9p. Free. 777-0416.

•The Brothers Doobie:  Tribute concert. Venice Performing Arts Center, 1 Indian Ave, bldg. 5, Venice. 7:30p. 941-218-0658.

TUESDAY 18

•FGCU Symphonic Band: Green Band concert. U Tobe Recital Hall, Music Bldg, FGCU, 1051 FGCU Blvd S, Ft Myers. 7:30p. Free. 745-4268.

•Fort Myers Mighty Mussels vs Jupiter Hammerheads: Minor league baseball. Hammond Stadium, 14400 Six Mile Cypress Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7p. 768-4210.

•Michael Palascak: Off the Hook Comedy Club, 2500 Vanderbilt Beach Rd, #1100, Naples. 7p. 389-6901.

•Mike Lee: Grand Piano Series fortepiano concert. Trinity-by-theCove, 553 Galleon Dr, Naples. 3p. 469-333-3231.

WEDNESDAY 19

•Early Birding Walk: 3 hour guided boardwalk tour. Corkscrew Swamp Blair Audubon Center, 375 Sanctuary Rd, Naples. 8a. Register. 348-9151.

•Family Night Walk: 2 hour guided boardwalk tour. Corkscrew Swamp Blair Audubon Center, 375 Sanctuary Rd, Naples. 7:30p. Register. 348-9151.

•Fort Myers Mighty Mussels vs Jupiter Hammerheads: Minor league baseball. Hammond Stadium, 14400 Six Mile Cypress Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7p. 768-4210.

•Francisco Fullana, Mike Lee, Milana Strezeva: Grand Piano Series concert. St Leo Church, 28290 Beaumont Rd, Bonita Springs. 7:30p. 469-333-3231.

•Home Free: Concert. BB Mann Hall, 13350 FSW Pkwy, Ft Myers. 8p. 481-4849.

•Michael Palascak: Off the Hook Comedy Club, 2500 Vanderbilt Beach Rd, #1100, Naples. 7p. 389-6901.

•Open Blues Jam: Live music hosted by Tommy Lee Cook & the Buckingham Blues Band. Buckingham Blues Bar, 5641 Buckingham Rd, Ft Myers. 8-11p. Musicians welcome. Free. 693-7111.

THURSDAY 20

•Aaron Levine: Vocal recital. U Tobe Recital Hall, Music Bldg, FGCU, 1051 FGCU Blvd S, Ft Myers. 8p. Free. 745-4268.

•All the Sex I’ve Ever Had: Theater for mature audiences. Ringling’s Historic Asolo Theatre, 5555 N Tamiami Tr, Sarasota. 5401 Bay Shore Rd, Sarasota. 7:30p. 941359-5700.

•Art Reception & Artist

Presentation: Wasmer Gallery, FGCU Arts Complex, 10501 FGCU Blvd S., Ft Myers. 5-7p. Free. 590-7199.

•Art Reception: Alliance for the Arts, 10091 McGregor Blvd, Ft Myers. 5-7p. Free. 939-2787.

•Claudia Cespedes Calderon: Vocal recital. U Tobe Recital Hall, Music

Bldg, FGCU, 1051 FGCU Blvd S, Ft Myers. 7:30p. Free. 745-4268.

•Dean Napolitano: Snappers Comedy Club, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7:30p. 479-5233.

•Fort Myers Mighty Mussels vs Jupiter Hammerheads: Minor league baseball. Hammond Stadium, 14400 Six Mile Cypress Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7p. 768-4210.

•Freddy Rubino: Off the Hook Comedy Club, 2500 Vanderbilt Beach Rd, #1100, Naples. 6:30p. 389-6901.

•Joanna Conner: Blues band. Buckingham Blues Bar, 5641 Buckingham Rd, Ft Myers. 8-11p. 693-7111.

•Lecture: Trailblazing the Tamiami Trail. Museum of the Everglades, 105 W Bwy, Everglades City. 2p. Free. 695-0008.

•Marco Grispo Ensemble: Argentinian jazz concert. Marco Island Center for the Arts’ Arts Center Theatre, Marco Town Center Mall, 1089 N. Collier Blvd, Marco Island. 5:30p. 642-7270.

•Sailor Circus Spring Show: Sailor Circus Arena, 2075 Bahia St, Sarasota. 7p. 941-355-9805.

•The Rex Bongo Band: Blues band. Buckingham Blues Bar, 5641 Buckingham Rd, Ft Myers. 7:30p. Free. 693-7111.

•Ying Li: Grand Piano Series concert. Moorings Presbyterian Church, 791 Harbour Dr, Naples.  7:30p. 469-333-3231.

FRIDAY 21

•All the Sex I’ve Ever Had:  Theater for mature audiences. Ringling’s Historic Asolo Theatre, 5555 N Tamiami Tr, Sarasota. 5401 Bay Shore Rd, Sarasota. 7:30p. 941359-5700.

•Ashland Craft: Country music concert. The Ranch Concert Hall & Saloon, 2158 Colonial Blvd, Ft Myers. 7p-12a. 985-9839.

•Che Durena: Off the Hook Comedy Club, 2500 Vanderbilt Beach Rd, #1100, Naples. 6:30 & 8:30p. 389-6901.

•Dean Napolitano: Snappers Comedy Club, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7p. 479-5233.

•Don Giovanni: Gulfshore Opera concert. BB Mann Hall, 13350 FSW Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7p. 529-3925.

•Duc Anh Tran: Piano recital. U Tobe Recital Hall, Music Bldg, FGCU, 1051 FGCU Blvd S, Ft Myers. 7:30p. Free. 745-4268.

•Fabio Bididni & Balourdet Quartet: Grand Piano Series concert. St Leo Auditorium, 28290 Beaumont Rd, Bonita Springs. 3p. 469-333-3231.

•Fort Myers Mighty Mussels vs Jupiter Hammerheads: Minor league baseball. Hammond Stadium, 14400 Six Mile Cypress Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7p. 768-4210.

•Hamlet: Theater. FGCU TheatreLab. FGCU Arts Complex, 10501 FGCU Blvd S, Ft Myers. 7:30p. 590-7268.

•Kruger Brothers: Bluegrass concert. Davis Art Center, 2301 1st St, Ft Myers. Cocktails 6:30p, concert 7:30p. 333-1933.

•Little Eddie and the Fat Fingers: Live music. Sidney’s Rooftop Sculpture Garden, Davis Art Center, 2301 1st St, Ft Myers. 8-11p. Free. 333-1933.

•Music Walk: Live music & dancing at several cafes, clubs & galleries. Downtown Ft Myers’ historic River District. 6-10p. Free. 313-5129.

•Sailor Circus Spring Show: Sailor Circus Arena, 2075 Bahia St, Sarasota. 7p. 941-355-9805.

•Sarasota Orchestra: Broadway

Bound concert. Van Wezel Hall, 777 N Tamiami Tr, Sarasota. 7:30p. 941-953-3434.

•The Swingin’ Clique: Outdoor concert. Babcock Ranch bandshell. Founders Square, 42850 Crescent Loop, 6-8p. Free. 941-200-1482.

•Venice Symphony:  Fairytales & Flutes concert. Venice Performing Arts Center, 1 Indian Ave, bldg. 5, Venice. 7:30p. 941-218-0658.

SATURDAY 22

•‘Ding’ Darling Conservation Carnival: Guided birding walk, mindfulness walk, bike tours, plein-air art demos, carnival games, crafts, live music. Lakes Park, 7330 Gladiolus Dr, Fort Myers. 10a-2p. Free. 472-1100.

•All the Sex I’ve Ever Had: Theater for mature audiences. Ringling’s Historic Asolo Theatre, 5555 N Tamiami Tr, Sarasota. 5401 Bay Shore Rd, Sarasota. 7:30p. 941359-5700.

•Balourdet String Quartet: Grand Piano Series family-friendly concert. Alliance for the Arts, 10091 McGregor Blvd, Ft Myers. 11a. Free. 939-2787.

•Che Durina: Off the Hook Comedy Club, 2500 Vanderbilt Beach Rd, #1100, Naples. 6:30 & 8:30p. 389-6901.

•Dean Napolitano: Snappers Comedy Club, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 6 & 8:30p. 479-5233.

•Earth Day Celebration: Activities. Lovers Key State Park Discovery Center, 8700 Estero Blvd, Ft Myers Beach. 10:30a-3:30p. 463-4588.

•Earth Day Story Time: Author Susan Levine. Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary Cafe, 375 Sanctuary Rd, Naples. 10a-1p. 348-9151.

•Earth Day!: Kids activities, games, crafts. Immokalee Pioneer Museum, 1215 Roberts Ave, Immokalee. 10a-2p. Free. 252-2611.

•FGCU Jazz Ensemble: Concert. U Tobe Recital Hall, Music Bldg, FGCU, 1051 FGCU Blvd S, Ft Myers. 7:30p. Free. 745-4268.

•Fort Myers Mighty Mussels vs Jupiter Hammerheads: Minor league baseball. Hammond Stadium, 14400 Six Mile Cypress Pkwy, Ft Myers. 6p. 768-4210.

•Hamlet: Theater, discussion after 2p show. FGCU TheatreLab. FGCU Arts Complex, 10501 FGCU Blvd S, Ft Myers. 2 & 7:30p. 590-7268.

•History Walk: Cruising Down the River, Imperial River. Bonita Springs Historical Society. Starts at Liles Hotel History Center, Riverside Park, 27580 Old 41 Rd, Bonita Springs. 10a. 992-6997.

•Naples Community Orchestra: Concert. Moorings Presbyterian Church, 791 Harbour Dr, Naples. 3p. 676-0077.

•Sailor Circus Spring Show: Sailor Circus Arena, 2075 Bahia St, Sarasota. 2 & 7p. 941-355-9805.

•Sarasota Orchestra: Broadway Bound concert. Van Wezel Hall, 777 N Tamiami Tr, Sarasota. 2:30p. 941-953-3434.

•SWFL Symphony: Masterworks concert w Ying Li, piano. BB Mann Hall, 13350 FSW Pkwy, Ft Myers. Lecture 6:30p, concert 7:30p. 418-1500.

•You Raise Me Up - Music of Josh Grobin & Friends: Concert. Center for the Performing Arts Bonita Springs, 10150 Bonita Beach Rd, Bonita Springs. 7:30p. 495-8989.

SUNDAY 23

•All the Sex I’ve Ever Had: Theater for mature audiences. Ringling’s Historic Asolo Theatre, 5555 N Tamiami Tr, Sarasota. 5401 Bay Shore Rd, Sarasota. 7:30p. 941359-5700.

•Anthony Mrocka Off the Hook Comedy Club, 2500 Vanderbilt Beach Rd, #1100, Naples. 6:30p. 389-6901.

•Bonita Springs Concert Band: Riverside Park, 10450 Reynolds St, Bonita Springs. Bring lawn chair or blanket. 2-4p. Free. 405-3320.

•Cirque Goes to the Movies: Gulf Coast Symphony concert & circus artists. BB Mann Hall, 13350 FSW Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7p. 277-1700.

•Fort Myers Mighty Mussels vs Jupiter Hammerheads: Minor league baseball. Hammond Stadium, 14400 Six Mile Cypress Pkwy, Ft Myers. 12p. 768-4210.

•Hamlet: Theater. FGCU TheatreLab. FGCU Arts Complex, 10501 FGCU Blvd S, Ft Myers. 2 &

7:30p. 590-7268.

•Lee County Community Band: Cape Coral High School, 2300 Santa Barbara Blvd, Cape Coral. 3p. Free. 454-6430.

•Michael Weiss-Holmes & Casey Dierlam: Nisita Concert Series. U Tobe Recital Hall, Music Bldg, FGCU, 1051 FGCU Blvd S, Ft Myers. 3p. 745-4268.

•Open Blues Jam: Live music hosted by Tommy Lee Cook & the Buckingham Blues. Buckingham Blues Bar, 5641 Buckingham Rd, Ft Myers. 3-6p. Musicians welcome. Free. 693-7111.

•Sailor Circus Spring Show: Sailor Circus Arena, 2075 Bahia St, Sarasota. 1p. 941-355-9805.

•Sarasota Orchestra: Schumann & Brahms concert. Holley Hall, Beatrice Friedman Symphony Center, 709 N Tamiami Tr. 61 N Pineapple Ave, Sarasota. 4p. 941953-3434.

•Showstoppin Harmony - From Broadway to Opera: The Venice Chorale concert. Venice Performing Arts Center, 1 Indian Ave, Venice. 7p. 941-218-3779.

•Sounds of the 60s & 70s: The great Storytellers - Dave Rode. Fort Myers Theatre, 16120 San Carlos Blvd, #5, Ft Myers. 2p. 323-6570.

•Venice Chorale: Harmony from Broadway to Opera concert. Venice Performing Arts Center, 1 Indian Ave, bldg. 5, Venice. 7p. Free. 941-218-0658.

MONDAY 24

•Danny Sinoff - The Very Best of Sinatra: Jazz piano. Players Circle Performing Arts Center, Shell Factory, 16554 N Cleveland Ave, N Fort Myers. 7-10p. 800-3292.

•Kevin Nealon: Comedian. Fundraiser gala for BaileyMatthews National Shell Museum. Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre, 1400 Colonial Blvd, Ft Myers. 5p. 395-2233.

•Venice Concert Band: Concert. Venice Performing Arts Center, 1 Indian Ave, bldg. 5, Venice. 7p. Free. 941-218-0658.

•FGCU Chamber Music Choir: Concert. Bower Chapel, 130 Moorings Park Dr, Naples. 4p. Free. 745-4268.

The Del McCoury Band perform at Southland Bluegrass & Wilderness Festival, April 1 at the Seminole Casino in Immokalee. Call 800-218-0007 for information.

•High School Choral Festival: Local student choirs concert. Venice Performing Arts Center, 1 Indian Ave, bldg. 5, Venice. 7:30p. 941218-0658.

•Leonid & Friends: Concert. BB Mann Hall, 13350 FSW Pkwy, Ft Myers. 8p. 481-4849.

•Dustin Sims: Off the Hook Comedy Club, 2500 Vanderbilt Beach Rd, #1100, Naples. 7p. 389-6901.

•Miami City Ballet: Artis-Naples, 5833 Pelican Bay Blvd, Naples. 8p. 597-1900.

•Open Blues Jam: Live music hosted by Tommy Lee Cook & the Buckingham Blues Band. Buckingham Blues Bar, 5641 Buckingham Rd, Ft Myers. 8-11p. Musicians welcome. Free. 693-7111.

•Steve Nelson: Concert w Naples Philharmonic. Artis-Naples, 5833 Pelican Bay Blvd, Naples. 6 & 8:30p. 597-1900.

THURSDAY 27

•Americana Community Music Association: Mean Mary concert, JD Lashley opens. All Faiths Unitarian Congregation, 2756 McGregor Blvd, Ft Myers. 7-9:30p. 691-4069.

•Brian Glowacki: Snappers Comedy Club, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7:30p. 479-5233.

•Dustin Sims: Off the Hook Comedy Club, 2500 Vanderbilt Beach Rd, #1100, Naples. 7p. 389-6901.

•Ehnes String Quartet: Chamber music concert. Davis Art Center, 2301 1st St, Ft Myers. Cocktails 6:30p, concert 7:30p. 333-1933.

•Evolving/Revolving - Jehanne: Sarasota Contemporary Dance. Jane B Cook Theater, 5555 N Tamiami Tr, Sarasota. 7p. 941260-8485.

•FGCU Symphonic Band: Blue Band concert. N Ft Myers HS, 5000 Orange Grove Blvd, N Ft Myers. 7:30p. Free. 745-4268.

•Irish Jam: Live music. Point Ybel Brewing, 16120 San Carlos Blvd, Ft Myers. 6-9p. Free. 603-6535.

•Piano Talk: Violin Magic concert w Jodie DeSalvo & Emerson Millar. Artis-Naples, 5833 Pelican Bay Blvd, Naples. 7p. 597-1900.

•The Harlem Globetrotters: Basketball comedy. Hertz Arena, 11000 Everblades Pkwy, Estero. 7p. 948-7825.

•The Rex Bongo Band: Blues band. Buckingham Blues Bar, 5641 Buckingham Rd, Ft Myers. 7:30p. Free. 693-7111.

FRIDAY 28

•Brian Glowacki: Snappers Comedy Club, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7p. 479-5233.

•Buffet & The Beach Buoys: Jimmy Beffett & Beach Boys tribute band. Sidney’s Rooftop Sculpture Garden, Davis Art Center, 2301 1st St, Ft Myers. 7:30p. 333-1933.

•Doug Cameron & Family: Bluegrass concert. Center for the Performing Arts Bonita Springs, 10150 Bonita Beach Rd, Bonita Springs. 7:30p. 495-8989.

•Evolving/Revolving - Jehanne: Sarasota Contemporary Dance. Jane B Cook Theater, 5555 N Tamiami Tr, Sarasota. 7p. 941260-8485

•FGCU Bel Canto & Cantabile: Concert. U Tobe Recital Hall, Music Bldg, FGCU, 1051 FGCU Blvd S, Ft Myers. 7:30p. Free. 745-4268.

•Queen Nation: Tribute band. Venice Performing Arts Center,

1 Indian Ave, bldg. 5, Venice. 7p. 941-218-0658.

•Ralph Curtis Band: Outdoor concert. Babcock Ranch bandshell. Founders Square, 42850 Crescent Loop, 6-8p. Free. 941-200-1482.

SATURDAY 29

•Appalacian Roadshow: Bluegrass concert. Center for the Performing Arts Bonita Springs, 10150 Bonita Beach Rd, Bonita Springs. 7:30p. 495-8989.

•Backyard Bluesfest: Big Al & The Heavyweights, Tommy Lee Cook & The Buckingham Blues Band, The Lucky Losers. Buckingham Blues Bar, 5641 Buckingham Rd, Ft Myers. 3-8p. 693-7111.

•Brian Glowacki: Snappers Comedy Club, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 6 & 8:30p. 479-5233.

•Cammie Horne: Vocal recital. U Tobe Recital Hall, Music Bldg, FGCU, 1051 FGCU Blvd S, Ft Myers. 7:30p. Free. 745-4268.

•Evolving/Revolving - Jehanne: Sarasota Contemporary Dance. Jane B Cook Theater, 5555 N Tamiami Tr, Sarasota. 7p. 941260-8485

•Jason Street: Vocal recital. U Tobe Recital Hall, Music Bldg, FGCU, 1051 FGCU Blvd S, Ft Myers. 3:30p. Free. 745-4268.

•Nadia Henneman: Vocal recital. U Tobe Recital Hall, Music Bldg, FGCU, 1051 FGCU Blvd S, Ft Myers. 8p. Free. 745-4268.

•Open Blues Jam: Live music hosted by Tommy Lee Cook & the Buckingham Blues. Buckingham Blues Bar, 5641 Buckingham Rd, Ft Myers. 3-6p. Musicians welcome. Free. 693-7111.

•Sebastian Plymette: Vocal recital. U Tobe Recital Hall, Music Bldg, FGCU, 1051 FGCU Blvd S, Ft Myers. 3p. Free. 745-4268.

•Tamiami Trail Celebration:  Classic cars, live music, cake. Museum of the Everglades, 105 W Bwy, Everglades City. 10a-4p. Free. 695-0008.

SUNDAY 30

•50 Years After - Tribute to the Woodstock Generation: Concert. Venice Theatre, 140 Tampa Ave W, Venice. 7:30p. 941-488-1115.

•Don Giovanni: Gulfshore Opera concert. Artis-Naples, 58333 Pelican Bay Blvd. Naples. 7p. 529-3925.

•Don Giovanni: Gulfshore Opera & Naples Philharmonic opera. ArtisNaples, 5833 Pelican Bay Blvd, Naples. 7p. 597-1900.

•Evolving/Revolving - Jehanne: Sarasota Contemporary Dance. Jane B Cook Theater, 5555 N Tamiami Tr, Sarasota. 3p. 941-260-8485

•Free Concert: Sarasota Orchestra Brass Quintet. GT Bray Park Amphitheater, 5502 33rd Ave Dr W, Bradenton. 2:30p. 941-487-2746.

•Manuel: Concert. Hertz Arena, 11000 Everblades Pkwy, Estero. 8p. 948-7825.

•Maria de Buenos Aires & El Condor Pasa: 2 shorto peras in Spanish. U Tobe Recital Hall, Music Bldg, FGCU, 1051 FGCU Blvd S, Ft Myers. 3p. Free. 745-4268.

•Open Blues Jam: Live music hosted by Tommy Lee Cook & the Buckingham Blues. Buckingham Blues Bar, 5641 Buckingham Rd, Ft Myers. 3-6p. Musicians welcome. Free. 693-7111.

•Sunday Night Chamber Music: Stamps Strings concert. Music & Arts Community Center, 13411 Shire Ln, Ft Myers. 7p. 277-1700.

ongoing Theater

•Always a Bridesmaid: Apr 18-May 20. Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre, 1380 Colonial Blvd, Ft Myers. 278-4422.

•Arabian Nights: Feb 24-Mar 5. Venice Theatre, 140 Tampa Ave W, Venice. 941-488-1115.

•August Wilson’s The Piano

Lesson: Apr 20-22 & 27-30. Theatre Conspiracy. Foulds Theatre, Alliance for the Arts, 10091 McGregor Blvd, Ft Myers. 936-3239.

•Backwards Forwards back: Mar

24-Apr 23. Urbanite Theatre, 1487 2nd St, Sarasota. 941-321-1397.

•Barefoot in the Park: Mar

25-Apr 16 (previews Mar 23 & 24). Gulfshore Playhouse, Norris Center, 755 5th Ave S, Naples. 866-811-4111.

•Big Sexy - The Fats Waller

Revue: Apr 19-May 28. Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe, 1012 N Orange Ave, Sarasota. 941-3661505.

•Bob Marley’s Three Little Birds: Apr 21-May 9, selected matinees. Broadway Children’s Theatre, 1380 Colonial Blvd, Ft Myers. 980-5674.

•Bring It On: Mar 10-19. The Belle Theatre young adults. 2708 Santa Barbara Blvd, #135, Cape Coral. 323-5533.

•Chicken & Biscuits: thru Apr 13. Asolo Repertory Theatre, Mertz Theatre, Florida State Center for the Performing Arts, 5555 N Tamiami Tr, Sarasota. 941-3518000.

•Circus Sarasota: thru Mar 5. Ulla

Searing Big Top, Nathan Benderson Park’s Regatta Island, 5851 Nathan Benderson Cir, Sarasota. 941355-9805.

•Cirque des Voix: Mar 10-12. Ulla

Searing Big Top, Nathan Benderson Park’s Regatta Island, 5851 Nathan Benderson Cir, Sarasota. 941355-9805.

•Crimes of the Heart: Apr 20-30. Cultural Park Theatre, 528 Cultural Park Blvd, Cape Coral. 772-5862.

•Dinner at the Flemings: Mar 8-Apr 2. Lemon Bay Playhouse. 96 W Dearborn St, Englewood. 941-475-6756.

•Disney On Ice - Into the Magic: Mar 16-19. Hertz Arena, 11000 Everblades Pkwy, Estero. 9487825.

•Doublewide Texas: thru Apr 9. Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre, 1380 Colonial Blvd, Ft Myers. 278-4422.

•Dreamgirls: thru Apr 9. Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe, 1012 N Orange Ave, Sarasota. 941-3661505.

•Footloose: Apr 14-16. Center for the Performing Arts, 10150 Bonita Beach Rd, Bonita Springs. 495-8989.

•Forever Plaid: thru Mar 11. Gulf Coast Symphony Music & Arts Community Center, 13411 Shire Lane, Ft Myers. 277-1700.

•Godspell: Mar 10-19. Fort Myers Theatre, 16120 San Carlos Blvd, #5, Ft Myers. 323-6570.

•Godspell: Mar 9-19. The Players Centre. The Crossings at Siesta Key, 3501 S Tamiami Tr, #1130, Sarasota. 941-365-2494.

•Graceland and Asleep on the Wind: Apr 21-May 7. Venice Theatre, 140 Tampa Ave W, Venice. 941-488-1115.

•Grease: Mar 9-19. Cultural Park Theatre, 528 Cultural Park Blvd, Cape Coral. 772-5862.

•Gypsy - A Musical Fable: thru Mar

19. Venice Theatre, 140 Tampa Ave W, Venice. 941-488-1115.

•Hamlet: Apr 14-23. FGCU TheatreLab. FGCU Arts Complex, 10501 FGCU Blvd S, Ft Myers. 590-4268.

•Hollywood Arms: Mar 15-Apr

2. Marco Players. Arts Center Theatre, Marco Town Center Mall,

1089 N. Collier Blvd, Marco Island. 642-7270.

•Incident at Our Lady of Perpetual Help: Mar 15-Apr

22. Asolo Repertory Theatre, Mertz Theatre, Florida State Center for the Performing Arts, 5555 N Tamiami Tr, Sarasota. 941-351-8000.

•Into the Woods: Apr 13-30. New Phoenix Theatre, 13211 McGregor Blvd, Ft Myers. 284-5214.

•Jersey. Boys: thru Apr 9. Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre, 1380 Colonial Blvd, Ft Myers. 278-4422.

•Jesus Christ Superstar: Mar 1419. Artis-Naples, 5833 Pelican Bay Blvd, Naples. 597-1900.

•Jungle Books Kids: Mar 20-24 Fort Myers Theatre Youth Theater, 16120 San Carlos Blvd, #5, Ft Myers. 323-6570.

•Ken Ludwig’s The Three Musketeers: thru Mar 26. Asolo Repertory Theatre, Mertz Theatre, Florida State Center for the Performing Arts, 5555 N Tamiami Tr, Sarasota. 941351-8000.

•Legally Blonde: Apr 4-7. Venice High School Drama. Venice Performing Arts Center, 1 Indian Ave, bldg. 5, Venice. 941-2180658.

•Lerner & Loewe’s Camelot: thru Mar 12 (previews Feb 9 & 10). Gulfshore Playhouse, Norris Center, 755 5th Ave S, Naples. 866-811-4111.

•Little Shop of Horrors: Mar 15-19. Royal Palm Players. Boca Grande Community Center, 131 1st St W, Boca Grande. 941-2694.

•Lobby Hero: Apr 21-May

16. Florida Repertory Theatre, ArtStage Studio Theatre, 2267 1st St, Ft Myers. 332-4488.

•Love, Lies and the Doctor’s Dilemma Apr 20-23 & 26-30. Charlotte Players, Langdon Playhouse, 1182 Market Circle, Port Charlotte. 941-255-1022.

•Mean Girls: Apr 18-23. ArtisNaples, 5833 Pelican Bay Blvd, Naples. 597-1900.

•Million Dollar Quartet: Mar 21-26. BB Mann Performing Arts Hall, 13350 FSW Pkwy, Ft Myers. 481-4849.

•Morning After Grace: Apr 29-May 14 (previews Apr 27 & 28). Gulfshore Playhouse, Norris Center, 755 5th Ave S, Naples. 866-811-4111.

•Murder Most Elite: Mar 8-Jun4 Wed-Sun. Murder Mystery Dinner Train. Seminole Gulf Railway, 2805 Colonial Blvd, Ft Myers. 275-8487.

•Murder on the Orient Express: Mar 16-19, 22-26, 30 & 31, & Apr 1 & 2. Charlotte Players, Langdon Playhouse, 1182 Market Circle, Port Charlotte. 941-255-1022.

•Next to Normal: Mar 10-19. The Belle Theatre. 2708 Santa Barbara Blvd, #135, Cape Coral. 323-5533.

•Nunsense: Apr 13-29. Gulf Coast Symphony Music & Arts Community Center, 13411 Shire Lane, Ft Myers. 277-1700.

•On Golden Pond: thru Mar 5. Florida Repertory Theatre, Historic Arcade Theatre, 2267 1st St, Ft Myers. 332-4488.

•Pass Over: Mar 31-Apr 15 (previews Mar 29 & 30). Laboratory Theater of Florida, 1634 Woodford Ave, Ft Myers. 218-0481.

•Plaza Suite:  thru Mar 26. Marco Players. Arts Center Theatre, Marco Town Center Mall, 1089 N. Collier Blvd, Marco Island. 642-7270.

•Ring of Fire - The Music of Johnny Cash: Mar 24-Apr 16.

Marcus Miller performs March 16 in Nathan Benderson Park during the Sarasota Jazz Festival. Call 941-366-1552 for information.

What Goes On

Florida Repertory Theatre, Historic Arcade Theatre, 2267 1st St, Ft Myers. 332-4488.

•Rock of Ages: Apr 27-30 & May

4-7. TheatreZone, G & L Theatre, Community School of Naples, 13275 Livingston Rd, Naples. 888966-3352.

•Rodgers & Hammerstein’s

Cinderella: Apr 14-30. The Belle Theatre. 2708 Santa Barbara Blvd, #135, Cape Coral. 323-5533.

•Sailor Circus - Spring Show: Apr 20-23. Sailor Circus Arena. 2075 Bahia St, Sarasota. 941-355-9805.

•Saving Kitty: Mar 10-26. The Studio Players, Joan Jenks Auditorium, Golden Gate Community Center, 4701 Golden Gate Pkwy, Naples. 389-9192.

•Silent Sky: thru Mar 5. Asolo

Repertory Theatre, Mertz Theatre, Florida State Center for the Performing Arts, 5555 N Tamiami Tr, Sarasota. 941351-8000.

•Sister Act: Apr 14-May 20. Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre, 1380 Colonial Blvd, Ft Myers. 278-4422.

•Sweeney Todd - The Demon Barber of Fleet Street: thru Mar 11. Laboratory Theater of Florida, 1634 Woodford Ave, Ft Myers. 218-0481.

•Sylvia: thru Mar 5. The Naples Players. United Church of Christ, 5200 Crayton Rd, Naples. 2637990.

•The Amateur Killer: Apr 26-May

14. Lemon Bay Playhouse. 96 W Dearborn St, Englewood. 941475-6756.

•The Brothers Grimm

Spectaculathon: Apr 27-30. The Naples Players’ KidzAct. United Church of Christ, 5200 Crayton Rd, Naples. 263-7990.

•The Cocktail Hour: Mar 14-Apr

2. Players Circle Theatre. Shell Factory, 16554 N Cleveland Ave, N Fort Myers. 800-3292.

•The Divine Sister: Mar 23-Apr

2. Center for the Performing Arts, 10150 Bonita Beach Rd, Bonita Springs. 495-8989.

•The Foreigner:  Apr 19-May

7. Marco Players. Arts Center Theatre, Marco Town Center Mall, 1089 N. Collier Blvd, Marco Island. 642-7270.

•The Foreigner: Apr 18-May 7. Players Circle Theatre. Shell Factory, 16554 N Cleveland Ave, N Fort Myers. 800-3292.

•The Goodbye Girl: Mar 9-12 & 16-19. TheatreZone, G & L Theatre, Community School of Naples, 13275 Livingston Rd, Naples. 888966-3352.

•The Hatmaker’s Wife: Mar 16-18 & 23-26. Theatre Conspiracy. Foulds Theatre, Alliance for the Arts, 10091 McGregor Blvd, Ft Myers. 936-3239.

•The Importance of Being

Earnest: thru Mar 11. Florida

Repertory Theatre, ArtStage Studio Theatre, 2267 1st St, Ft Myers. 332-4488.

•The Silver Foxes: Mar 28-Apr 2. Venice Theatre, 140 Tampa Ave W, Venice. 941-488-1115.

•The Sound of Music: Mar 1-Apr

2. The Naples Players. Blackburn Hall, Sugden Theatre, 701 5th Ave S, Naples. 263-7990.

•Tootsie - the Musical: Apr

4-9. BB Mann Performing Arts Hall, 13350 FSW Pkwy, Ft Myers. 481-4849.

•Two for Flinchin’: thru Mar 5

Wed-Sun. Murder Mystery Dinner Train. Seminole Gulf Railway, 2805 Colonial Blvd, Ft Myers. 275-8487.

•Xanadu: Mar 24-Apr 16. Venice Theatre, 140 Tampa Ave W, Venice. 941-488-1115.

Art Galleries

•Aldo Castillo Gallery: Miromar Design Center, 10800 Corkscrew Rd, Estero. Mar 3-31: Lorna March

- Wild Beasts; Apr 7-May 6: Hugo

Diaz - Art in Motion. Mon-Sat 10a-

5p. 312-375-8887.

•Aldo Castillo Gallery: 1634 5th Ave S, Naples. Tue-Sun 11a-7p. 312-375-8887.

•Alliance for the Arts: 10091 McGregor Blvd, Ft Myers. Mar

3-Apr 1: Annual All Florida; Apr

5-17: The Future of Art - Middle School Student Show; Apr 20-29: The Future of Art - High School Student Show. Tue-Fri 9a-5p & Sat

9a-1p. 939-2787.

•Arsenault Studio & Banyan Arts Gallery: Judith Liegeois Designs, 1199 3rd St, Naples. Mon-Sat 10a-

5p & Sun 1-5p. Free. 263-1214.

•Art Center Sarasota: 707 N Tamiami Tr, Sarasota. thru Mar 11: Luca Molnar, Eugene Ofori Agyei, Marion Tobias, Members show; Mar 23-Apr 29: Jeanne Guertin-Potoff, Rebecca Zweibel, Karen Arango, Large-scale Works.

Mon-Sat 10a-4p. 941-365-2032.

•Art Ovation Hotel: 1255 N Palm Ave, Sarasota. thru May 6: Andrea Dasha Reich, Javi Robin Holl, Carol Lukitsch, Isaac Azulay, Jude Zawaideh, Dan Houston, Clemi Abadi. 941-316-0808.

•Arts for ACT Gallery: Temporarily Closed. 2265 First St, Ft Myers.

337-5050.

•Baker Museum: Artis-Naples, 5833 Pelican Bay Blvd, Naples. thru May 7: Love Stories from the National Portrait Gallery; thru Jul 16: Florida Contemporary; Mar 4-Oct 15: Naples Collects; Apr 1-Jul 30: Three Degrees of Separation. Ongoing— North lawn: Jesus Rafael Soto - Extension & Half Sphere; Chihuly Collection; Magritte - Reflections of Another world, Louise Nevelson - Dawn’s Forest. Tue-Sat 1-a-4p, Sun 12-4p. 597-1900.

•Behind the Buddha Artists’ Studios: 9290 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 10a-4p, Wed 10a-9p, Sat 1-4p. 691-3225.

•Bert’s Pine Bay Gallery:  Temporarily Closed. 4332 Pine Island Rd, Matlacha. 283-1335.

•BIG ARTS: Thru Mar 10: Shhh… Quiet - Ran Adler; Mar 14-Apr 24: Ft Myers Beach Art Assoc Spring Show - Power of Light. 900 Dunlop Rd, Sanibel. 395-0900.

•Bob Rauschenberg Gallery: FSW State College, Humanities Hall, 8099 College Pkwy SW, Ft Myers. thru Mar: The Exquisite Moving Corpse. Mon-Fri 10a-4p & Sat 11a3p. 489-9313.

•Bokeelia Art Gallery: 8315 Main St, Bokeelia. Wed-Sun 10a-5p. 738-5280.

•Cape Coral Art Center: Rubicond Park, 4533 Coronado Pkwy, Cape Coral. Mar 3-30: Art Center Students, We Exist - LGBTQ+; Apr

7-27: Wilderscapes - Ehren Fritz

Gerhard; Apr 7- May 25: Florida Society of Goldsmiths. Mon-Sat 9a-4p. 574-0802.

•Cape Coral Art League: 516 Cultural Park Blvd, Cape Coral. thru Mar 5: Wild About Wildlife; Mar 9-30: People & Places; Apr 3-27: Celebrating ColorMembers & SWFL Fine Craft Guild. Silent Auction viewing Mar 2-29 11a-4p. Mon-Th 11a-4p. 772-5657.

•Center for the Visual Arts Bonita Springs: 26100 Old 41 Rd, Bonita Springs. Mar 3-30: Richard

Diedrich - Architect & Artist; Mar

3-30: Being Human; Apr 7-27: Stone Carvers; Apr 7-27: Art of

Betty Harper. Mon-Sat 10a-5p. 495-8989.

•Center for the Performing Arts Bonita Springs: 10150 Bonita Beach Rd, Bonita Springs. Mon-Fri 9a-5p & Sat 9a-2p. 495-8989.

•Clip Joint Barber Shop & Art Gallery: 7431 College Pkwy, unit 120, rm 136, Ft Myers. Mon & WedSat 10a-8p. 281-8180.

•Clyde Butcher’s Big Cypress Gallery: 52388 Tamiami Tr, Ochopee. Mar 25: Docent & Master Naturalist Tours. Daily 10a-5p. 695-2428.

•Clyde Butcher’s Venice Gallery & Studio: 237 Warfield Ave, Venice. Mar 4: Meet Clyde & Niki Butcher. Tue-Fri 10a-4:30p. 486-0811.

•Coco Art Gallery: Art Council of SWFL Gallery. Coconut Point Mall, 8074 Mediterranean Dr, Estero. thru Mar 1: Ft Myers Beach Art Assoc; Mar 8-29: SWFL Watercolor Society; Apr 5-276: Estero Art League. Tue-Sun 11a-5p. 949-3073.

•Coco Art Gallery: Art Council of SWFL Gallery. Coastland Center, 1900 Tamiami Tr S, Naples. Mar 1-31: SWFL Pastel Society. WedSun 12-6p. 436-3530.

•Creative Liberties Artist Studios & Gallery: 901-B Apricot Ave, Sarasota. Thu-Sat 10a-3p, Sun-Wed by appt, 3rd Thu 5-7p. 941-7996634.

•Creative Liberties Artist Studios, Gallery & Academy: 927 Lime Ave, Sarasota. Thu-Sat 10a-3p, Sun-Wed by appt, 3rd Thu 5-7p. 941-799-6634.

•DAAS Co-op Art Gallery: Inside Butterfly Estates, 1815-3 Fowler St, Ft Myers. Mar 3-Apr 2: Piper Rudich. Wed-Sun 10a-3p. Receptions 1st Fri 6-10p. 5908645.

•East West Fine Art: Mercato, 9115 Strada Pl, #5130, Naples. Mon-Sat 10a-7p & Sun 12-6p. 821-9459.

•Emily James Art Gallery: 720 5th Ave S, # 111, Naples. Mon 3-7p, Tue & Wed 11a-7p, Sat 11a-8p, Sun 12-5p. 777-3283

•Estero Art League: Estero Park Community Center, 9200 Corkscrew Palms Blvd, Estero. Open paint Mon & Thu 9a-3p. Exhibits at South Regional Library,

Estero Mar 3-24; Coco Art Gallery, Estero Apr 5-26.

•Florida Gulf Coast University Art Galleries: 10501 FGCU Blvd S., Ft Myers. Wasmer Gallery– thru Mar

2: Carmelo Blandino; Mar 24-Apr

6: Student Art Show; Apr 21-May

5: Senior Projects. Art Complex Courtyard– thru Mar 2: Everything is Nothing - AMLgMATD. Mon-Fri

10a-4p. 590-7199.

•Fogartyville Community Media & Arts Center: 525 Kumquat Cr, Sarasota. thru Mar 12: Emerge Sarasota; Mar 18-Apr 14: Fabulous Arts Foundation; Apr 17-May 22: Earth Day Exhibit. Mon & Tue 5-7p & by appt. 941-894-6469.

•Fort Myers Beach Art Association & Gallery: Temporarily

Closed.3030 Shell Mound, Ft Myers Beach. Exhibition at BIG ARTS (900 Dunlop Rd, Sanibel)

Mar 14-Apr 24. 463-3909.

•Gallery of Matlacha: Temporarily Closed. 4625 Pine Island Rd NW, Matlacha. 443-350-3188.

•Gardner Colby Gallery: 386 & 365 Broad Ave S, Naples. Mon-Sat

10a-5p. 403-7787.

•Grand Illusion Gallery: 2443

First St, Ft Myers. Tue-Sat

10:30a-5:30p, 1st & 3rd Fri 6-10p.

461-7245.

•Guess-Fisher Gallery: Crayton Cove, 810 12th Ave S, Naples.

Mon-Thu 11a-5p, Fri & Sat 11a-9p.

403-8393.

•Harbour View Gallery: 5789 Cape Harbour Dr, #104, Cape Coral.

Daily 11a-8p. 540-5789.

•Harmon-Meek Modern: 382 12th Ave S, Naples. Tue-Sat 12-4p.

261-2637.

•Hirdie-Girdie Art

Gallery: Temporarily Closed. 2490

Library Way, Sanibel. 395-0027.

•HW Gallery: 462 9th St N, Naples.

Mon-Sat 10a-5p. 263-6640.

•Island Conclave: Temporarily Closed. 5101 Pine Island Rd, Bokeelia. 282-8488.

•Island Visions: 2224 First St, Ft Myers. Sun-Thu 11a-6p, Fri & Sat 11a-9p. 282-0452.

•LaBelle Gallery & Cultural Center: 471 N Lee St, LaBelle. FriSun 1-5p. 863-843-2929

•Lovegrove Gallery & Garden:Temporarily Closed. 4637

Pine Island Rd NW, Matlacha. 203-8332.

•Marc Harris Wildlife Photography Gallery: The RitzCarlton Tiburon, 2600 Tiburon Dr, Naples, By appt. 789-7027 283-3354.

•Marco Island Center for the Arts: 1010 Winterberry Dr, Marco Island. Mar 6-Apr 4: Members Show; Apr 10-May 2: Adult Student Show. Mon-Fri 9a-4p. 394-4221.

•Method & Concept: 26 10th St. S, Naples. Mon-Fri 10a-5p. 529-2633.

•Naples Art Studios: North Line Plaza, 2172 J & C Blvd, Naples. By appt. 821-1061.

•Naples Art District: Shirley St, J&C Blvd & adjacent streets. Art Alive: Open studios Nov-May 1st Wed 1-5p, 1st Thu 1-5p, 3rd Sat 1-5p. Mar 23-25: Art & Design Expo. 249-1977.

•Naples Art Institute: 585 Park St, Naples. Mar 4-Jun 11: Miradas de Mujeres - Isabelle de Borchgrave & the World of Frida Kahlo. Mon-Fri 9a-5p. 262-6517.

•Quidley & Company Fine Art Gallery: 375 Broad Ave S, Naples. Mon-Sat 10a-7p & Sun 11a-5p. 261-4300.

•Quidley & Company Fine Art Gallery: Magnolia Square, 5934 Premier Way, #2100, Naples. Ongoing: Hunt Slonem - Above & Beyond. Thu-Sat 11a-5p. 261-4300.

•Rene Miville Gallery: Franklin Shops, 2200 1st St, 2nd fl, Ft Myers. Mon-Sat 10a-8p & Sun 12-7p. 333-3130.

•Ringling College of Art & Design: 2700 N Tamiami Tr, Sarasota (Basch & Smith Galleries: Thompson Academic Center, 2363 Bradenton Rd; Crossley Gallery: Hughes Studio Bldg, 2698 Bradenton Rd; Selby Gallery: 2700 N Tamiami Tr; Skylight & Thompson Galleries: Keating Center, Bradenton Rd; Stulberg Gallery: 1188 MLK Way). Basch Gallery— thru Mar 24: Circles & Spheres. Crossley Gallery— . Selby Gallery, Smith Gallery— thru Mar 24: Therman Statom. Stulberg Gallery— thru Mar 24: Ligature XIII - Expansion. Thompson Gallery— thru Mar 17: Lee Mayer. Skylight Gallery—. Tue 9a-9p & Wed-Sat 9a-4p. 941-474-5548. Mon-Sat 10a-4p. 941-359-7563.

•Ringling Museum of Art: 5401 Bay Shore Rd, Sarasota. thru Mar 26: June Clark - Harlem Quilt; thru Apr 2: The Marvelous Marbling of Matsui Kosei; thru Apr 30: Artists from Newtown, Sarasota neighborhood; thru May 28: Gods & Lovers - Paintings & Sculpture from India; thru Jan 2024: As long as there is sun, as long as there is light; Mar 18-Sep 4: Reclaiming Home - Contemporary Seminole Art. Circus Museum. Bayfront Gardens. Gardens of Ringling Guided Tour: Thu 10:30a. Daily 10a-5p, Thu 10a-8p. 941-359-5700.

•Sanibel Captiva Art League: Temporarily Closed. 322-8593.

•Sanibel Community House: Temporarily Closed.2173

Periwinkle Way, Sanibel. 472-2155.

•Sanibel Public Library: Temporarily Closed. 770 Dunlop Rd, Sanibel. Sanibel Captiva Art League exhibits– thru Mar 24: Just Desserts; Mar 24-Apr 24: TBA; Apr 24-Jul 3: Fab 5 Artists. MonFri 9a-3p. 472-2155.

•Sarasota Art Center: 707 N Tamiami Tr, Sarasota. thru Mar 11: Luca Molnar, Eugene Ofori Agyei, Marlon Tobias, Members Show. Mon-Fri 101-5p 7 Sat 12-5p. 941-365-2032

•Sarasota Art Museum: Ringling College, 1001 S Tamiami T, Sarasota. thru May 7: Richard

Jimmie Vaughan performs at The Ranch Concert Hall in Fort Myers on April 6. For information, call 985-9839.

Benson; thru May 7: Sara Berman’s Closet; thru Jun 25: A Beautiful Mess - Weavers & Knotters of the Vanguard. Tue-Sun 11a-5p. 941309-4300.

•Sarasota Orchestra Harmony Gallery: Beatrice Friedman Symphony Center, 709 N Tamiami Tr, Sarasota. thru Apr 3: Booker High School; Apr 4-May 12: Bonnie Childs. Mon-Fri 8:30a-4:30p. 941953-3434.

•Schelkun Studio Arts: Gallery 206, 5880 Shirley St, #206, Naples. Thu 11a-5p & by appt. 215-837-0251.

•Sheldon Fine Art: 460 Fifth Ave S, Naples. Sun-Thu 10a-6p, Fri-Sat 10a-9p. 649-6255.

•Sidney & Berne Davis Arts Center: 2301 First St, Ft Myers. Grand Atrium— Mar 3-24: Her Story; Apr 7-28: Ft Myers High School Students. Capital Gallery— Mar 3-24: Salvaged Sunshine; Apr 7-28: Sounds & Color. Mon, Tue & Thu 10a-5p, Wed & Fri 10a-10p. 337-1933.

•smallwalls: 6240 Shirley St, #103, Naples. By appt & 1st Wed 3-7p, 1st Thu 11a-5p, 3rd Sat 11a-5p.

402-201-6160.

•Sweet Art Gallery: 852 1st Ave S, Naples. Mon-Fri 10a-5p & Sat 11a-2p. 597-2110.

•Tammra Sigler Studio: 5760 Shirley St, # 11, Naples. By appt. 821-1017.

•Things I Like by Catherine: 3954 Bayshore Dr, Naples. Mar 16-30: Marc Zimmerman. Tue-Sat 11a-5p.

778-4665.

•Timeless: 2218 First St, Ft Myers. Daily 11a-6p; Fri & Sat 11a-8p.

332-8463.

•Tower Gallery: 751 Tarpon Bay Rd, Sanibel. Mar 3-5: Art from the Attic. Daily 10a-5p. 340-6467.

•Tribby Arts Center at Shell Point: 17281 On Par Blvd, Ft Myers. Mar 24-Apr 29: Styled

Steel - Don Adams, Shah Hadjebi, Al Chailosky. Tue-Sat 10a-3p. 415-5667.

•Union Artists Studios: Alliance of the Arts, 10051 McGregor Blvd, #202, Edwards Bldg, Ft Myers. Sat 10a-2p & by appt. 980-1394.

•Venice Art Center: 390 Nokomis Ave S, Venice. thru Mar 9: Annual

Art Auction; Mar 17-Apr 6:

Members Show; Apr 14-26: Retro. Mon-Fri 9a-4p. 941-485-7136.

•Visual Arts Center: 210 Maud St, Punta Gorda. Main Gallery— thru Mar 9: Call of the Wild; Mar

15-Apr 25: Fresh; Apr 27-May 11: Charlotte County High School.

Goff Gallery— thru Mar 1: 4 Chicks

Who Don’t Cook; Mar 7-Apr 11: Suncoast Watercolor; Apr 15-25: Inspiring Volunteers; Apr 29-May

11: Charlotte County Middle School.

Rebecca Hall— thru Mar 9: In Our World - Jill Krasner; Mar 15-Apr

24: Water Media & Alcohol Ink; Apr 29-May 11: Charlotte County Middle School. Mon & Fri 10a-4p, Tu-Thu 10a-7p, Sat 10a-2p. 941639-8810.

Attractions

•Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Seminole Tribe of Florida Museum: Big Cypress Seminole Indian Reservation, 30290 Josie Billie Hwy, Clewiston. Exhibit— thru Mar: Seminole Pride - Art of Jimmy Osceola. Daily 9a-5p. 877-902-1113.

•America’s Museum of the Military & First Responders: Naples Airport, North Road Terminal, 500 Terminal Dr, Naples. Mon-Sat 10a-4p & Sun 12-3p. Free. 614-205-0357.

•Architecture Sarasota:

McCullough Pavilion, 265 S Orange Ave, Sarasota. Thu-Sat 10a-4:30p & Sun 11a-4:30p. 941-364-2199.

•Artis-Naples: Baker Museum of Art, Daniels Pavilion, Hayes Hall, 5833 Pelican Bay Blvd, Naples. 597-1900.

•Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum: 3075 Sanibel-Captiva Rd, Sanibel. Tue-Fri 11a-3p. 395-2233.

•Berne Davis Botanical Garden: 2166 Virginia Ave, Ft Myers. Tue & Thu 10a-1p. Guided tours. Plein Air painting workshops: Tue & Thu 9a-1p. 332-4942.

•Bishop Museum of Science & Nature: 201 10th St W, Bradenton. Exhibits, manatee habitat, planetarium. thru Mar 18 Towers of Tomorrow with LEGO.

Tue-Sat 10a-5p & Sun 12-5p. 941-746-4131.

•Burroughs Home & Gardens: 2505 First St, Ft Myers. Tours Tue-Thu 11a. rsvp 337-9505

•Butterfly Estates: 1815 Fowler St, Ft Myers. Tue-Sun 10a-3p. 690-2359.

•Calusa Heritage Trail: Randall Research Center, 13810 Waterfront Dr, Pineland. Guide Calusa Heritage Trail tours Tue-Sat 10a; Mon-Wed, Fri & Sat 1p. Sunrisesunset. 283-2062.

•Calusa Nature Center & Planetarium: 3450 Ortiz Ave, Ft Myers. Museum, butterfly aviary, walking trails, animal talks, butterfly talks, planetarium shows daily. Guided walks select Tue, Thu, Sat 10a; Full moon night hikes & haunted Walks select nites 8p. Planetarium shows Mon-Sat 12 & 2p & Sun 12, 2, 3:30p. Tue-Sun 10a-4p. 275-3435.

•Cape Coral Historical Museum:  544 Cultural Park Blvd, Cape Coral. Wed-Fri 11a-4p & Sat 10a-2p. 772-7037.

•Children’s Museum of Naples: North Collier Park, 15080 Livingston Rd, Naples. Exhibits— thru May 14: Namaste India; thru Jul: Inventioneers

Lab - Woodworking. Sun-Tue & Thu-Sat 10a-5p. Closed Sep 10-16. 514-0084.

•Collier County Museum at Government Center: 3331 Tamiami Tr E, Naples. Thru Mar 16: The Spirit of Tequila; Mar 28-Jul 29: 1923 - Exploring Collier County’s Founding Year. Mon-Sat 9a-4p. Free. 252-8476.

•Conservancy of SWFL: 1495 Smith Preserve Way, off Goodlette Frank Rd. Nature Center, exhibits, kayaking, nature walks, electric boat eco-tours. Tue-Sat 9:30a-4p. Free. 262-0304.

•Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary: 375 Sanctuary Rd. Visitor center, boardwalk, exhibits, guided walks, swamp walks, night events. Daily 8a-1p. 348-9151.

•CREW: Corkscrew Regional Ecosystem Watershed. Marsh Hiking Trails, 4600 Corkscrew Rd, Immokalee. Guided wildlife walks & hospital tours, presentations 11a daily OCT-APR, Trails open daily sunrise-sunset. Free. 657-2253.

•CROW: Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife. 3883 Sanibel-Captiva Rd, Sanibel. Visitor Education Center, wildlife presentations daily 11a; speakers. Mon-Sat 10a-4p. Free. 472-3644.

•’Ding’ Darling National Wildlife Refuge: Temporarily Closed. 1 Wildlife Dr, Sanibel. 472-1100.

•ECHO Global Farm & Research Center: 17391 Durrance Rd, N Ft Myers. Farm tours Tue-Fri 9:30a & 1:30p, Sat 9:30a. Technology Village tours: Tue-Sat 9:30a. TueFri 9a-4p & Sat 9a-3p. 543-3246.

•Edison & Ford Winter Estates: 2350 McGregor Blvd, Ft Myers. Historic homes, gardens, laboratory, museum. Exhibits. Guided homes tours daily; Automotive Tour Mon 10:30a; Inside homes tour: Tue & Thu 10a; Garden tour by appt; Yoga in the Moonlight Garden Wed 10a; piano concert every other Wed 9:30a. Daily 9a-5:30p. 334-7419.

•Estero Historic Cottage Museum:

One-room schoolhouse & historic cottage. Estero Park, 9285 Corkscrew Palms Blvd, Estero. Sat 1-4p. Free. 272-1911.

•Historic Palm Cottage Museum & Norris Gardens: Reopens Apr 4. Naples Historical Society, 137 12th Ave. S, Naples. Walking tours of Naples historic district: Wed 9:30a; House tours: Tue-Sat 12-4p; Guided garden tours: 1st & 3rd Thu of month 10a. Tue & Wed 12-4 & Sat

12-7p. Tue-Sat 12-4p & Sat 1-4p.

Free. 261-8164.

•Holocaust Museum & Cohen

Education Center: 975 Imperial Golf Course Blvd, # 108, Naples.

Exhibits— thru Apr: Two Regimes;

ongoing: Caught on Film - Wartime

Photography of Ken Regele. Guided tours. Wed, Thu, Sat, Sun 1-4p. 263-9200.

•IMAG History & Science

Center: Exhibits, activities, live sea life touch-tank & feedings, films. Thru Apr 30: TutankhamunReturn of the King. 2000 Cranford St, Ft Myers. Tue-Sat 10a-5p & Sun 12-5p. 321-7420.

•Immokalee Pioneer Museum at Roberts Ranch: 1215 Roberts Ave W, Immokalee. thru Apr 29: Stories of Immakalee’s African-American Pillars & Pioneers. Tue-Sat 9a-4p. Free. 252-2611.

•Marco Island Historical Museum: 180 S Heathwood Dr, Marco Island. thru April 29: Clyde Butcher - Cuba, The Natural Beauty. Tue-Sat 9a-4p. Free. 642-1440.

•Marie Selby Botanical Gardens: 1534 Mound St, Sarasota. thru Jun 25: Tiffany - The Pursuit of Beauty in Nature. 10a-5p daily. 941-366-5731.

•Marie Selby Botanical Gardens: Historic Spanish Point, 337 N Tamiami Tr, Osprey. thru Sep: Seeing the Invisible. Daily 10a-5p daily. 941-366-5731

•Mound House: Temporarily Closed. 451 Connecticut St, Ft Myers Beach. 765-0865.

•MOTE Marine Laboratory & Aquarium: 1600 Ken Thompson Pkwy, Sarasota. Daily 10a-5p. 941-388-4441.

•Museum of the Everglades: 105 W Bwy, Everglades City. thru May 13: Collier’s Cavalry - The Story of the SWFL Mounted Patrol. Mon-Sat 9a-4p. Free. 695-0008.

•Museum of the Islands: 5728 Sesame Dr, Bokeelia. Tue-Sat 11a3p. 283-1525.

•Naples Botanical Garden: 4820 Bayshore Dr, Naples. Exhibitions–thru Mar 5: La Calavera Catrina; thru Sep 10: Frida & Her Garden; Apr 7-Sep 4: Viva la Vida; thru Nov 2023: Stickwork interactive sculpture installation. Frida After 5: 1st Fri 5-8:30p. Fogg Café exhibit— thru May 29: Origins

- Patricia Cavazos. Music in the Garden: 2nd Sat. Birding tours: Tue 8a. Tours daily 10a-1p on hour. Daily 9a-5p, Wed 9a-8p. 643-7275.

•Naples Depot Museum: Temporarily Closed. 1051 Fifth Ave S, Naples. 262-6525.

•Naples Zoo at Caribbean Gardens: 1590 Goodlette-Frank Rd, Naples. Wildlife & botanical exhibits. Daily 9a-4:30p. 2625409.

•Octagon Wildlife Sanctuary: Temporarily Closed. 41660 Horseshoe Rd, Punta Gorda. 543-1130.

•Ostego Bay Foundation Marine Science Center: Temporarily Closed.718 Fisherman’s Wharf, Ft Myers Beach. 765-8101.

•Peace River Botanical & Sculpture Gardens: 5827 Riverside Dr, Punta Gorda. thru May 14: Leoma Lovegrove’s

Caribbean Colors exhibit; meet Leoma Sat 10a-1p. Dogs welcome Tue. Tue-Sun 9a-4p. 941-6218299.

•Randell Research Center: 7450 Pineland Rd, Pineland. Calusa Heritage Trail, South Florida archeology & ethnography exhibits. Guide Calusa Heritage Trail tours Tue-Sat 10a; Mon-Wed, Fri & Sat 1p. Sunrise-sunset. 283-2062.

•Revs Institute: 2500 Horseshoe Dr S, Naples. Tours & workshops. Tue, Thu, Sat 10a-4p. Tix in advance. 687-7387.

•Rookery Bay Environmental Learning Center: 300 Tower Rd, Naples. thru Apr 27: Natural Selections Photography. Exhibits, daily programs, guided boat & kayak tours. Mon-Sat 9a-4p. 530-5940.

•Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation Nature Center: Temporarily Closed. 3333 SanibelCaptiva Rd, Sanibel. 472-2329.

•Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation Native Landscapes & Garden Center: 1300 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel. Exhibits, demonstration gardens, workshops. Apr Tue-Thu 10a-. 472-1932.

•Sanibel Historical Museum & Village: Temporarily Closed. 950 Dunlop Rd, Sanibel. 472-4648.

•Shangri-La Springs: 27750 Old 41 Rd, Bonita Springs. Organic spa, garden & dining. Garden tours Tue & Wed 10a. Daily 9a-4p. 949-0749.

•Shell Factory & Nature Park: 16554 N Cleveland Ave, N Ft Myers. Shell exhibits, Animal exhibits, petting farm, Christmas house, natural history exhibits, water games, video arcade, miniature golf, playgrounds, zip line. Live music Tue-Sun afternoons. Daily 10a-5p. 995-2141.

•True Tours: River District History Walking Tour: select Sat 10:30a; Haunted History Tours Wed & Sat 8p; Tours begin & end at Franklin Shops, 2200 1st St, Ft Myers. By appt. 945-0405.

•Williams Academy Black History Museum: Clemente Park, 1936 Henderson Ave, Ft Myers. WedFri 11a-4p & Sat by appt. Free. 332-8778.

•Wonder Gardens: 27180 Old 41 Rd, Bonita Springs. Botanical gardens, animals, alligator feedings, Marc Harris Wildlife photography gallery. Guided tours Thu-Mon 1p. Daily 10a-4p. 992-2591.

Parks

•Bailey Homestead Preserve: Temporarily Closed. SanibelCaptiva Conservation Foundation. 1300 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel. 472-1932.

•Bonita Beach Park: Temporarily Closed. 27954 Hickory Blvd., Bonita Springs. 533-7444.

•Bowditch Point Regional Park: Temporarily Closed. 50 Estero Blvd, Ft Myers Beach. 463-3764.

•Bunche Beach: 18201 John Morris Rd, Ft Myers. Guided beach walks Wed 9a thru Apr. Free. 707-6794.

•Caloosahatchee Regional Park: 18500 North River Rd, Alva. Free. 693-2690.

•Cayo Costa State Park: 4 nautical miles west of Pine Island. Accessible only by boat or kayak. Camping, boating, bicycling trails. 8a-sunset daily. 941-964-0375.

•Charlotte Harbor Preserve State Park: 12301 Burnt Store Rd, Punta Gorda. Environmental Center, hiking & bicycling trails, guided

Peace River Botanical & Sculpture Garden in Punta Gorda hosts Leoma Lovegrove’s Caribbean Colors exhibition thru May 14. Call 941-621-8299 for information.

What Goes On

Libraries

•Bonita Springs: 10560 Reynolds St, Bonita Springs. Mon, Wed, Thu 10a-6p, Tue 12-8p, Fri & Sat 9a5p. 533-4860.

•Cape Coral-Lee County: 921 S.W. 39th Ter, Cape Coral. Mon-Wed 9a-8p. Thu 9a-6p, Fri & Sat 9a5p. 533-4500.

•Captiva: Temporarily Closed. 11560 Chapin Ln, Captiva. Mon-Sat 9a5p. 533-4890.

•Collier County Library Headquarters: 2385 Orange Blossom Dr, Naples. Mon-Thu 9a8p, Fri & Sat 9a-5p. 252-7311.

•Dunbar-Jupiter Hammon: 3095 Blount St, Fort Myers. Tue 12-8p, Wed & Thu 10a-6p, Fri & Sat 9a5p. 533-4150.

•East County Regional: 881 Gunnery Rd N, Lehigh Acres. MonWed 9a-8p, Thu 9a-6p, Fri & Sat 9a-5p. 533-4200.

•East Naples: 8787 Tamiami Tr N, Naples. Tue-Thu 10a-6p, Fri & Sat 9a-5p.

•Estates: 1266 Golden Gate Blvd W, Naples. Mon-Thu 10a-6p Fri & Sat 9a-5p. 252-7109.

•Everglades City: 102 Copeland Ave N, Everglades City. Mon-Fri 9a-12p & 1-4:30p. 295-2511.

•Fort Myers Regional: 2450 First St, Ft Myers. Min-Wed 9a-8p, Thu 9a-6p, Fri & Sat 9a-5p. 533-4600.

The Ringling Museum of Art in Sarasota presents the exhibition, Gods & Lovers: Paintings & Sculptures from India, thru May 28. For information, call 941-359-5700

hikes. 8a-sunset daily. 941-5755816.

•Collier-Seminole State Park:  US 41, S Naples. Hiking & bicycling trails, boating, camping, boardwalk. 8a-sunset daily. 394-3397.

•Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park: 11135 Gulfshore Dr, Naples. Beach. Hiking trail, paddling, boating, boardwalk, restaurant. 8a-sunset daily. 597-6196.

•Estero Bay Preserve State Park: 4940 Broadway W, Estero. Hiking trails, off-road bicycling trails, boating. 8a-sunset daily. 992-0311.

•Estero Park: 9200 Corkscrew Palms Blvd, Estero. 6a-9p. 2481609.

•Everglades National Park: Gulf Coast Visitor Center, 815 Oyster Bar Ln. Everglades City. 695-3311.

•Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park: 8137 Coastline Dr, Copeland. Hiking & bicycling trails, boardwalk, paddling, historic site. 8a-sunset daily. 695-4593.

•Four Freedoms Park: 4818 Tarpon Ct, Cape Coral. Free. 574-0804.

•Gasparilla State Park: 880 Belcher Rd, Boca Grande. 8a-sunset daily. Bicycling & hiking trails, paddling, museum. 8amsunset daily. 941-964-0375.

•Hickeys Creek Mitigation Park: 17980 Palm Beach Blvd, Alva. Free. 693-2690.

•Koreshan State Historic Site State Park: US Hwy 41 & Corkscrew Rd, Estero. Access to Mound Key Archeological State Park. Historic settlement, hiking trials, boating, paddling, camping. 8a-sunset daily, historic site 8a-5p daily. 992-0311.

•Lake Manatee State Park: 20007 State Rd 64 E, Bradenton. Hiking & bicycling trails, paddling, boating. 8a-sunset. 941-741-3028.

•Lakes Regional Park: 7330

Gladiolus Dr, Ft Myers. 7a-dusk. 533-7575.

•Lovers Key State Park:  8700 Estero Blvd. Ft Myers Beach. Bicycling & hiking trails, boating, paddling. Guided walks select Fri & Sat 10:30a. rsvp. 8a-sunset daily. 463-4588.

•Lynn Hall Park: Temporarily Closed.950 Estero Blvd, Ft Myers Beach. 229-7356.

•Manatee Park: 10901 Palm Beach Blvd, Ft Myers. Free butterfly garden tours Sun 9a thru Mar. Free. 690-5030.

•Matanzas Pass Preserve:  Temporarily Closed.119 Bay Rd, Ft Myers Beach. 707-3015.

•Myakka River State Park:  13207 SR 72, Sarasota. Canoeing, camping, paddling, hiking & bicycling horseback riding trails, wildlife tours by air-boat & tram, scenic drive, guided walks. 8a-sunset daily. 941-361-6511.

•Naples Preserve: Eco-center. 1690 Tamiami Tr N, Naples. Free. 261-4290.

•North Collier Regional Park: 15000 Livingston Rd, Naples. Free. 652-4512.

•Oscar Scherer State Park: 1843

S Tamiami Tr, Osprey. Hiking & bicycling trails, paddling, camping. 8a-sunset daily. 941-483-5956.

•Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve: 7791 Penzance Blvd, Ft Myers. Boardwalk, interpretive center open Tue-Sun 10a-4p. Guided boardwalk walks daily 9:30a. rsvp. Dawn-dusk. Free. 533-7550.

•Stump Pass Beach State Park: 900 Gulf Blvd (south end of Manasota Key, Englewood). Hiking, paddling, guided tours. 8a-sunset daily. 941-964-0375.

•Veterans Park: 55 Homestead Rd, Lehigh Acres. Free. 369-1521.

•Wa-Ke-Hatchee Park: 16730 Bass Rd, Ft Myers. Free. 432-2154.

•Buckingham Blues Bar: 5641 Buckingham Rd., Ft Myers. Live music select nites. Free open blues jam Wed 8-11p w Tommy Lee Cook & The Buckingham Blues Band; Free Backyard Bluesfest: select Sun 3-6p. 693-7111.

•Buddha Bar: 12701 McGregor Blvd, Ft Myers. Live music select WedSun nites. 482-8565.

•Cape Cabaret: 4725 Vincennes Blvd, Cape Coral. Live music WedSat 7-10p & Marty Stokes Band select Sun 1:30-5:30p. 549-3000.

•Coastal Dayz Brewery: 2161 McGregor Blvd, Ft Myers, Live music select nites & Sat 2-5p. Free. 204-9665.

•Coldwater Oyster Market: 5611 Six Mile Commercial Ct, Ft Myers. Live music select nites. Free. 220-5918.

•Downtown Social House: 1406 Hendry St, Ft Myers. Live music in garden afternoons. Free.

337-7646.

•Eight-Foot Brewing: 4417 SE 16th Pl, #11, Cape Coral. Live music Sat

6-9p. Free. 337-7646.

•Fort Myers Brewing Company: 12811 Commerce Lake Dr, #27, Ft Myers. Live music Wed 6-9p, Thu

6:30-9:30p, Fri & Sat 7-10p, Sun

2-5p. Free. 313-6576.

•Lobby Bar: Luminary Hotel, 2200 Edwards Dr, Ft Myers. Wed nites Nov 2-Jan 1: Frank Sinatra Tribute. Free. 314-3723.

•Point Ybel Brewing Company: 16120 San Carlos Blvd, Ft Myers. 2nd & last Thu: Irish jam 6-9p; Sat: Jeff Lyons 1-5p. Free. 6036535.

•Riptide Brewing: 987 3rd Ave N, Naples. Live music Fri & Sat nites 7-10p. Free. 228-6533.

•Riptide Brewing: 28120 Hunters Ridge Blvd, Bonita Springs. Live music Fri & Sat 7-10p. Free. 949-9945.

•Roadhouse Café: 15660 San Carlos Blvd, Ft Myers. Live jazz 6:30-9:30p. Wed: Danny Sinoff Trio; Thu: Jazz-Matics; Fri: Tony Boffa & Friends; Sat: Danny Sinoff Quartet; Sun: Ricky Howard. 415-4375.

•Snappers Laugh-In Comedy Café: 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. Comedians Thu-Sat nites. 479-5233.

•South Street City Oven & Grill: 1410 Pine Ridge Rd, # 4, Naples. Live music select Fri-Sun 8-11p. Free. 435-9333.

•South Street City Oven & Grill: 8845 Founders Square Dr, Naples. Live music select Fri-Sun 8-11p. Free. 435-9333.

•Space 39 Art Bar & Martini Lounge: 39 Patio de Leon, Ft Myers. Live music select Wed-Sat nites. 204-9949.

•The Barrel Room: Temporarily Closed. Twisted Vine, 2214 Bay St, Ft Myers. 333-2225.

•Fort Myers Beach: Temporarily Closed. 2755 Estero Blvd, Ft Myers Beach. Mon-Sat 9a-5p. 765-8162.

•Golden Gate: 2432 Lucerne Rd, Naples. Mon-Thu 10a-6p, Fri &Sat 9a-5p. 252-4542.

•Immokalee: 417 N First St, Immokalee. Tue-Thu 10a-6p, Fri & Sat 9a-5p. 252-7073.

•Johann Fust Community: 1040 W 10th St, Boca Grande. Tue-Thu 10a6p, Fri & Sat 9a-5p. 941-964-2488

•Lakes Regional: 15290 Bass Rd, Ft Myers. Temporarily Closed. 533-4000.

•Marco Island: 210 S Heathwood Dr, Marco Island. Mon-Thu 10a-6p, Fri & Sat 9a-5p. 252-7064.

•Naples: 650 Central Ave, Naples. Mon-Thu 9a-8p, Fri & Sat 9a-5p.

•North Fort Myers: 2001 N Tamiami Tr, N Ft Myers. Mon, Wed, Thu 10a-6p, Tue 12-8p, Fri & Sat 9a-5p. 533-4320.

•Northwest Regional: 519 Chiquita Blvd N, Cape Coral. Mon, Wed, Thu 10a-6p, Tue 12-8p, Fri & Sat 9a-5p. 533-4700.

•Pine Island: 10701 Russell Rd, Bokeelia. Tue-Thu 10a-6p, Fri & Sat 9a-5p. 533-4350.

•Riverdale: 21471 N River Rd, Ft Myers. Mon-Fri 10a-4p. 533-4370.

•Sanibel: 770 Dunlop Rd Sanibel. Mon & Thu 9a-8p; Tue, Wed, Fri 9a-5p; Sat 9a-1p. 472-2483.

•South County Regional: 21100 Three Oaks Pkwy, Estero. MonWed 9a-8p, Thu 9a-6p, Fri & Sat 9a-5p. 533-4400.

•South Regional: 8065 Lely Cultural Pkwy, Naples. Mon-Thu 9a-8p, Fri & Sat 9a-5p.

•Talking Books: 1651 Lee St, Ft Myers. Mon-Fri 9a-5p. 533-4780.

•Vanderbilt Beach: 788 Vanderbilt Beach Rd, Naples. Tue-Thu 10a-6p, Fri & Sat 9a-5p. 252-7160.

Live Music & Comedy

•Americana Community Music Association Listening Room: All Faiths Unitarian Congregation, 2756 McGregor Blvd, Ft Myers. Select Fri- Sun 7p. 691-4069.

•Matanzas on the Bay: Temporarily Closed. 414 Crescent St, Ft Myers Beach. 463-3838.

•Millennial Brewing: 1811 Royal Palm Ave, Ft Myers. Live music Fri nites 6-9p. Free. 271-2255.

•Off the Hook Comedy Club: 2500 Vanderbilt Beach, Naples. Comedians Thu-Sun & select Tue & Wed nites. 540-7867.

•Ollie’s Pub: 1019 Cape Coral Pkwy, Cape Coral. Tue: Open jam; live music select Fri & Sat nites. 540-7867.

•Palace Pub & Wine: 1317 Cape Coral Pkwy, Cape Coral. Live music & burlesque select nites. 217-0919.

•The Ranch Concert Hall & Saloon: 2158 Colonial Blvd, Ft Myers. Live music select Fri & Sat nites. 985-9839.

•The Rhythm House: 16440 S Tamiami Tr, Ft Myers. Tue & Sat 6:30-9:30p. 466-8326.

•The Stage: 9144 Bonita Beach Rd SE, Bonita Springs. Live tribute bands select nites. 405-8566.

•Whiskey Park: 3300 Mercantile Ave, Naples. Open mic Sun 8:30p-12:30a; live music Fri & Sat 9:30p-1a. 263-6777.

•Z’s Music Kitchen: 12655 Tamiami Tr E, Naples. Live music select Fri & Sat 6-9p. 304-9552.

The Tribby Art Center at Shell Point presents the exhibition, Styled Steel March 24-April 29. For information, call 415-5667