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