May-June 2023

FINE ART BLACK & WHITE PHOTOGRAPHY

Clyde Butcher with his 8" x 10" large format camera

NEWS & PREVIEWS

On The Gulf

Fort Myers’ Fringe Fest

The Alliance for the Arts, in partnership with the Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre, presents the Inaugural Fringe Fort Myers Performing Arts Festival, hosting performances at the Alliance for the Arts and Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre, June 1-4. The four day festival features 40 performances, from one-person shows to dance and music concerts, to stand-up comedy and a Kids Fringe Fest.

Fringe Fort Myers follows the long-standing Fringe traditions of being 100% independent, 100% inclusive and 100% unique, with 100% of ticket sales going directly to the artists.

The festival kicks off June 1 at 5pm with a ‘Flamingle with the Artists’ reception in the gallery at the Alliance for the Arts, where guests can meet the artists. A preview show follows the reception at 6:30pm, where performers have three minutes to convince the audience to see their show. The reception and preview is open to the public. Following the Preview Show there will be one performance in each venue.

The festival continues June 2 when part of the Alliance for the Arts sidewalk along McGregor Blvd. will be devoted to the inaugural ‘Ministry of Silly Walks’ competition (inspired by Monty Python). The competitor with the silliest walk will receive two tickets to any show in the festival. Fringe’s outdoor music venue will open at 6pm (musicians to be announced).

On June 3 the festival opens at 10am and closes at 10pm, and will include the Kids Fringe Festival, featuring a Free Family ArtLab, a family friendly Alice in Wonderland interactive show and outdoor performances of aerialists and acrobats.

All shows, including Kids Fringe, will take the stages one final time on Sunday, June 4 until the closing ceremonies at the Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre at 5:30pm.

FRINGE FESTIVAL SCHEDULE

ALLIANCE FOR THE ARTS

Foulds Theatre

JUNE 1

7:30pm: Future Perfect (modern dance from Fort Myers)

JUNE 2

7pm: Flamencodanza (contemporary flamenco from Spain)

8:30pm: The Carousel of Burlesque (from Naples)

JUNE 3

5:30pm: Flamencodanza (contemporary flamenco from Spain)

7pm: The Carousel of Burlesque (from Naples)

8:30pm: Future Perfect (modern dance from Fort Myers)

JUNE 4

1pm: 7pm: Flamencodanza (contemporary flamenco from Spain)

2:30pm: The Carousel of Burlesque (from Naples)

4pm: Future Perfect (modern dance from Fort Myers)

OFF BROADWAY PALM

JUNE 1

7:30pm: tiny_Theatre presents: The Hunt for Milo (from Alabama)

JUNE 2

7pm: Southern Gothic Novel (drama from Naples)

8:30pm: Cold Feet (comedy variety show from Miami)

JUNE 3

5:30pm: Southern Gothic Novel (drama from Naples)

7pm: Cold Feet (comedy variety show from Miami)

8:30pm: tiny_Theatre presents: The Hunt for Milo (comedy from Alabama)

JUNE 4

1pm: Southern Gothic Novel (drama from Naples)

2:30pm: Cold Feet (comedy variety show from Miami)

4pm: tiny_Theatre presents: The Hunt for Milo (comedy from Alabama)

5:30pm: Closing Ceremonies

ALLIANCE FOR THE ARTS Classrooms

JUNE 1

7:30pm: The Light Bringer (onewoman show from Tampa)

JUNE 2

7pm: Francine Wolf - Please Don’t Tell My Kids (dramedy from Largo)

8:30pm: Paco Erhard - Worst. German. Ever (comedy from Germany)

JUNE 3

4pm: Francine Wolf - Please Don’t Tell My Kids (dramedy from Largo)

5:30pm: The Light Bringer (onewoman show from Tampa)

7pm: Paco Erhard - Worst. German. Ever (comedy from Germany)

JUNE 4

1pm: The Light Bringer (onewoman show from Tampa)

2:30pm: Francine Wolf - Please Don’t Tell My Kids (dramedy from Largo)

4pm: Paco Erhard – Worst. German. Ever (comedy from Germany)

Arts & Eats Café and select food trucks will offer food for purchase and a full cash bar

will be located in the Edwards building.

The Alliance for the Arts is located at 10091 McGregor Blvd. in Fort Myers. Broadway Palm is located nearby at 1380 Colonial Blvd. For more information, call 939-2787.

Circus Arts Conservatory Brings Steve Aoki to Sarasota

The Circus Arts Conservatory presents Wonderball, a brandnew concert experience, featuring twice Grammy Awardnominated electronic dance music artist and music producer, Steve Aoki. The event, a fundraiser benefiting its youth education programs, is May 12, 8pm in the Sailor Circus Arena.

During Aoki’s set, professional aerial artists will perform high above the floor, while stilt walkers and other circus artists will weave among the guests. Opening up for Aoki is New York’s DJ Peter DiCaro. During DiCaro’s set, students from the Circus Arts Conservatory’s Sailor Circus Academy and Booker Middle School & Sarasota High School magnet programs will perform. The venue will be decorated and lighted to convey the ambiance of an electronic dance music show, with special circus. Guests are encouraged to dress in their flashiest clubwear.

All ages welcome to the event;

Grammy nominated electronic dance musician, Steve Aoki will be performing May 12 in Sarasota.

alcohol and bar service will be available.

The Sailor Circus Arena is located at 2075 Bahia Vista St. in Sarasota. For information, call 941-355-9805.

New Play Readings at Florida Rep

Florida Repertory Theatre will hold its PlayLab Festival May 4-7 in the Historic Arcade Theatre. The lineup includes five plays by emerging and well-established writers.

Each of the festival playwrights works with a professional director and cast of actors and receives 15 hours to workshop and develop their piece before it has one public reading during the weekend festival. The plays are in consideration for a future premiere production by Florida Rep. The festival culminates with a playwright panel session moderated by Jason Parrish, Florida Rep’s associate artistic director.

PLAYLAB S CHEDULE

May 4 at 7pm: See Monsters of the Deep

May 5 at 7pm: Trouble (at the Vista View Mobile Home Estates)

May 6 at 2pm: One-Shot

May 6 at 7pm: Long Layover

May 7 at 4pm: Mountain Mamas

May 7 at 6:30pm: Playwright’s Panel

This season Florida Rep celebrates 25 years of producing professional, live theatre in the Fort Myers River District. Performances are held in the Historic Arcade Theatre and the ArtStage Studio Theatre, located 2268 Bay St. Call 332-4488 for information.

Mayfaire by-the-Lake Arts Festival Lakeland

T

he Polk Museum of Art’s Mayfaire by-the-Lake festival will again be held along the shores of Lake Morton in downtown Lakeland, Florida on May 13 & 14, 9am-4pm. The weekend festival showcases over 150 artists from nine states working in a variety of media, from painting and sculpture to woodworking, hand-crafted jewelry, and more.

The festival will also feature performances by the FrediDance Project, Samira Belly Dance, and Musical Hammers, among others, throughout the weekend on the Lakeland Public Library lawn. The festival will also include a Mayfaire Kids Zone featuring free hands-on art activities for children of all ages and abilities.

The Lakeland Runners Club will host the Annual Mayfaire 5K run on the evening of May 13.The run begins at 7pm near Lake Mirror and ends on Francis C.Promenade. Participants must register online by May 10.

The Polk Museum will be hosting an exhibition of past festival winners, ‘A Blast from the Past: Festival Favorites from the Permanent Collection.’

The Polk Museum of Art at Florida Southern College is located at 800 E. Palmetto St. in Lakeland. Call 863-688-7743 for information.

SpaceCon Returns to Cape Coral S

WFL SpaceCon returns to the German American Social Club of Cape Coral on June 10.The event celebrates comic book and sciencefiction culture and will feature game demonstrations, drop-in gaming, game tournaments, panels, vendors, costume contests, and live entertainment as well as photo and autograph ops with

comics, sci-fi, anime, gaming, and cosplay celebrities

The German American Social Club is located at 2101 SW Pine Island Rd. in Cape Coral. SWFL SpaceCon will be open 10am6pm. Kids under 12 are free (one free kids admission per paying adult. Visit www.swflspacecon. com for information.

Naples Art District Hosts Creativity in Paradise’

From May 1-10th, the Naples Art District will be offering more than 40 art classes and workshops in artists’ studios for all levels from beginners to experienced artists. Attendees can register directly with artists for workshops and learn new techniques in painting, jewelrymaking, ceramics, glass and fiber arts, and more. Among the workshops and classes are Geode Resin Art, Pastel Passions, Collage and Mixed Media, A Taste of Raku, Book Making, and Drawing to Music.

Evening events include a Naples Paint & Sunset Sip on the beach and the Artistry of Chocolate by Norman Love.

On May 3, 3-7pm, and May 4, 1-5pm, the Naples Art District opens to the pubic for free tours of working artist studios and the opportunity to meet artists and commission or purchase original artwork.

For information, call 249-1977.

Tamiami Trail Blazers Exhibit at Estero Historical Society

Developed in collaboration with the Southwest Florida Historical Society, the Estero Historical Society will host an exhibit on the Tamiami Trail Blazers thru May 27.

All Floridians today owe the Trail Blazers a debt of gratitude for the dangerous expedition they took in April 1923 to promote the need for a cross-state highway through the Everglades.

The Trail Blazers consisted of 21 businessmen and community leaders from the west coast of Florida driving one commissary truck, seven Model-T Ford and one Elcar automobiles, as well as an Indian guide and local Everglades expert. They followed unpaved Indian trails to travel from Fort Myers to Miami. The trip was expected to take three days, so when they failed to show up on the date announced they

The Estero Historical Society presents an exhibit about the Tamiami Trail Blazers, who drove coast-to-coast through the Everglades in 1923.

The Mayfaire by-the-Lake arts festival, May 13 & 14 in Lakeland, features more than 150 artists from nine states.

were presumed lost or dead, and their disappearance became a national news story. But after 17 additional days, when they finally arrived in Miami they were hailed as heroes and funding was obtained for a paved road that opened through the Everglades in 1927.

The Estero Historical Society is open Saturday 1-4pm. Private tours can also be arranged for groups of up to 6 persons on Tuesdays & Thursdays by appointment only.

The Estero Historical Society is located at 9285 Corkscrew Palms Blvd. in Estero Park. For information, call 272-1911.

Summer Circus in Historic Asolo Theatre

The Circus Arts Academy and The Ringling will present the annual Summer Circus Spectacular, featuring performances by some of the circus world’s most exciting acts, over nine weeks this summer. The show, which will take place at the Historic Asolo Theatre at The Ringling runs June 9-August 12. Show times are 11am & 2pm Tuesdays-Fridays and Saturdays, 2pm & 5pm.

In addition, Summer Circus Spectacular patrons can visit the Circus Museum at The Ringling on the day they attend a show for a discounted price.

The Historic Asolo Theatre at The Ringling is located at 5401 Bay Shore Rd. in Sarasota. For information, call 941-360-7399.

Independent Films Wanted For Naples Film Festival

Artis—Naples is seeking entries for the 2023 Naples International Film Festival, scheduled for October 26-29.

Films may be submitted in five categories: Narrative Features, Documentary Features, Short Films, Student Films (K-12) and Student Films (college/university). Cash prizes will be awarded in 12 categories. The deadline for early bird submissions is May

12, the regular deadline is June 16 and the final deadline is July 7.

In addition to a weekend full of films screened at the luxurious Silverspot Cinema in Naples, the festival will also feature select films to be screened on a 24-foot outdoor screen in beautiful Norris Garden on Artis—Naples’ Cultural Campus.

The closing night of the festival will feature a screening of E.T. with the Naples Philharmonic performing John Williams’ iconic score live, conducted by Principal Pops Conductor Jack Everly. For information, call 597-1900.

Meet Clyde Butcher at His Venice Studio

Clyde & Niki Butcher will be signing books and telling stories at their Venice Gallery & Studio on May 13, 10am-3pm.

Guests will see a unique behind-the-scenes view of Clyde’s art and his photographic process, gaining insights about how he captures the essence of the environment and how he gets his vision onto mural sized paper.

Clyde’s iconic photographs and Niki’s hand-painted photography will be on display in the showrooms.

The event is free, although

reservations are required. Every mom will get a gift.

Clyde Butcher’s Venice Gallery & Studio is located at 237 Warfield Ave. in Venice. Call 941486-0811 for information.

Writing Contest

The Gulf Coast Writers Association is seeking submissions for their annual Writing Contest, The contest is open to the public as well as GCWA members.

Writers of all levels, from beginner to professional, published and those who have never been published, are asked to submit works in the adult and youth categories. Adults 18 years old and older can submit works for four categories: Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, and Children’s Stories. Submissions are being accepted from persons ages 11-17 years old can submit works in three Youth categories: Fiction, Nonfiction and Poetry.

There is no limit to number of submissions, but entrants may win only one prize. There is a fee to enter.

The deadline for entries, to

be submitted online, for both sections is midnight, May 31. Winners will be announced at the GCWA monthly meeting on July 15.

GCWA’s contest last year received recognition from Reedsy, a marketplace of freelance publishing professionals, as among the Best Writing Contests in the country.

The Gulf Coast Writers Association holds monthly meetings 10am-12pm on the third Saturday of each month. At monthly meetings, speakers and workshops offer expert advice and participants have the opportunity to read their works. Meetings are held at Word of Life Church, located at 6111 South Pointe Blvd. in Fort Myers. Meetings are open to the public. Entry forms, guidelines, judging criteria and additional information are posted on the GCWA website: gulfwriters.org.

World-renowned photographer, Clyde Butcher will be signing books and telling stories at his Venice Gallery & Studio on May 13.

The Summer Circus Spectacuar returns to The Ringling’s Historic Asolo Theatre in Sarasota, June 9-August 12.

“This time I ventured out a little bit to the Everglades, which is really one of the stranger places in our strange state.”

Florida Strange

by Julie Clay

PULITZER PRIZE-WINNING AUTHOR and humorist, Dave Barry has just released a new book, Swamp Story (Simon & SchuSter), set in everyone’s favorite swamp: the Florida Everglades. I checked in with the Florida transplant about Swamp Story, mysterious Everglades creatures, and a funny time when drugs fell from the sky. Ah, Florida.

•

I remember you from growing up in Massachusetts. I was always very entertained by your column in The Boston Globe. I also sincerely believed that you were local and only wrote for The Globe and was shocked to find out that your column was syndicated and you were actually not in Boston.

DAVE BARRY: Yeah. That happens to me over and over again. At one point my column ran in like 500 papers. A lot of people thought I was local and every now and then, people would say, “I saw you at the supermarket in Boise, Idaho.” And I’d be like, no, that wasn’t me.

You’ve actually been a Floridian since 1983?

Well, no, since ‘86. The Miami Herald hired me in ‘83, but I didn’t move here because I was terrified of Miami (laughs), until ‘86 when I kind of adjusted to the idea of ‘okay, I could actually live there.’ I grew up in a small town called Armonk, New York in Westchester County. It’s like 30 miles north of New York City. It’s basically a bedroom community now. When I grew up it was more like a small town where some of the folks commuted, but it’s more of an upscale address these days.

Tell me that you have a home up north to escape the Florida summers.

I do not (laughs). I do try to go somewhere for at least a couple of weeks every summer.

Living in Florida must have had some kind of an effect on your writing, especially with your latest book, Swamp Story, which is set in the Florida Everglades?

Yeah, it is a Florida book.

I contend that our state is maybe the strangest state in the union. The mixture of people and animals here is unlike anything else, and summertime brings it all out (laughs). I mean, there’s weird behavior yearround, but the book is very much the environment of Florida.

Why did you decide to set this particular story in the Everglades?

I wrote a book a few years ago called Best State Ever, which was basically a series of little pieces on mostly tourist attractions. I went up to Gatorland, in Orlando, and this place called Cassadaga, which is this weird, very psychic intensive city, known as the psychic capital of the world, and one of those uniquely Florida places. One that I loved was called the Skunk Ape Research Headquarters on Route 41 out in the Everglades. I love the term ‘Research Headquarters’ because basically what they do there is sell Skunk Ape t-shirts, (laughs) and whatever else they can sell. I hung out for a day with the guy who runs it, Dave Shelly, who claims to have seen the Skunk Ape and keeps the thing going. I just loved that there was this old school roadside attraction, the kind that Florida used to have so many of. Gradually they’re all disappearing and being replaced by either theme parks or hotels or whatever.

I thought it was great that they’re interested in the idea of these people out there in the swamp looking for this thing, and that gave me the idea of writing a book around people looking for a swamp thing. I started doing some research on the Everglades and seeing what other mysteries are allegedly out there. One of them was that there have always been rumors of lost treasure in the Everglades. To this day, people go out looking for it, so I thought I could maybe include that. And then the rest of it was, well, what else is going on?

I have a 23-year-old daughter who is constantly sending me TikTok videos.

“The mixture of people and animals here is unlike anything else, and summertime brings it all out.”

“Every now and then I write a novel. They’re all based in Florida because I think Florida’s just the most interesting place. “

This media phenomenon, how one little thing somebody does on their phone can become known to literally hundreds of millions of people. I just sort of mixed all those things together and added a romance, and that was the story that came out. it was really just like what are some things that are uniquely Florida? And you know, so naturally there’s a drug dealer (laughs). Always.

And you know I gotta get a newspaper guy in there.

And a gator.

Of course. A gator and a snake. Yeah, I had to have some wildlife. I called upon my friend, (fellow Floridian author) Carl Hiaasen for advice on how to treat the wildlife. I wanted to write a novel, so every now and then I write a novel. They’re all based in Florida because I think Florida’s just the most interesting place. Usually in the past they’ve been more Miamicentric, specifically urban Miami. This time I ventured out a little bit to the Everglades, which is really one of the stranger places in our strange state.

The story takes place right smack in the middle of Alligator Alley, but further south. Who are some of the characters?

I guess there’s always some of me in my books, like the character of Phil, who’s the alcoholic deadbeat dad who ends up wearing the monster head because he’s so desperate for money. Now obviously I haven’t done any of those things and I don’t consider myself an alcoholic, but I am an older ex-newspaper guy, navigating the strange new world of social media.

The rest of the characters include the guys trying to create the Everglades Melon Monster. That was my generic roadside attraction person trying to hustle and make a living in Florida trying to create something. Otherwise, nobody’s based on anybody in particular. These are the kinds of people that are attracted to this state.

What does the term ‘Florida cracker’ mean to you? Does it refer to the Slater character in the book?

Slater’s not a cracker, he’s a kind of interloper. The glades guys, the two brothers, I guess you could call them crackers. I think the word cracker has become a pejorative term, but there are people who are proud southern people who’ve lived in Florida for a long time.

And there are people out in the Everglades who are a different breed. There are people who call themselves gladesmen who love it out there and they feel that they’re slowly being pushed out, that the government and the people who want to preserve the Everglades as an ecological resource don’t want anybody living

out there. But these are people who’ve been there for generations. They survive out there and are proud of their survival skills and so on. I don’t know if you’d call them crackers, but they’re a proud group. I ended up running into a few in the course of researching the book, and they’re real, you know.

What methods of research were you doing?

The way we do research these days, a lot of it is just looking at your computer and going to Google and the more you look the more you find that there are all these specialized groups. But then I ended up driving out there a bunch of times just to see it. I wanted to have this setting that I put those characters in be somewhat realistic. There is no actual place that corresponds with what I described. People think the Everglades is nothing but swamp, with water everywhere, but it’s not. There are roads, there are islands or dry areas, so I spent a fair amount of time just driving around.

There are all these back roads that are just trails really, and people live on them way back there. They’re as far as they can be from civilization and there are, you know, various reasons for that, I guess. I’ve spent time out there just collecting atmosphere, and that’s the amazing thing about it.

One of the reasons I wrote the book, I guess, is that it’s right next door to Miami. It’s not that long a drive between, you know, unbelievably urban, modern, wild, crazy, super hyper-busy Miami and this kind of weird swamp where there’s nothing. But there is something if you look around. Then you keep going and you end up in Naples. You’re back to civilization.

Then you keep going and you’re in Chokoloskee and back to the Everglades.

That’s an interesting old town (laughs).

There are a lot of stories about how back in the day, Chokoloskee was a hideout for fugitives. It’s where people on the run would end up and where they’d hide the gold.

You could definitely do a book about the drug thing in the Everglades. One of the first stories I did when I came to Miami was about a Citizen’s Crime Watch meeting going on in Homestead. The chief of police was a guy named Kurt Ivy. He was at an outdoor meeting, talking to the citizens crime watch, and this bale of cocaine just falls out of the sky! (laughs) The smugglers’ plane was being chased by a customs jet, and

they were throwing bales of cocaine out. One of them landed right near them. They ended up forcing this plane to finally land in Naples. On the way they threw bales of cocaine out the whole time, so somewhere around the Everglades to this day, there are 75-pound bales of cocaine .

Well, that would explain the python explosion!

Yeah (laughs), that was the other thing that inspired me to mention the Python Challenge. I’ve written some columns about it, but I always wanted to incorporate the Python Challenge into a book just because it’s so strange that we invite people to come down and kill our giant snakes. And of course, it doesn’t work. The challenge is just a failure because the pythons can reproduce much, muchfasterthananybody cancatchthem.

You’re 75. Are you slowing your work down at all?

No, I’m actually at work on the next book, whichisa memoir. I was reluctant todoit.Imean, you think why would anybody care about my particular life? But I talked about it with my editor at Simon & Schuster, and I think I’m enjoying it. I hope the world enjoys it, but that’s what I’m doing, writing about growing up and becoming a humor columnist and the multitude of experiences I’ve had as a result of the weird job that I have.

You mentioned TikTok. Which social media outlets do you prefer?

Well, I’m kind of old school. I have a blog, but it’s not very personal. I used to write a humor column. People would send me articles about weird things happening, and I would write about them. When I stopped writing my column, people kept sending me things, so I started this blog. It’s basically a link to some story and a little comment about it, so that’s the extent of my involvement with social media. When you’re an author these days, you’re expected to do Instagram and TikTok and all that stuff, so I guess I will, but I’ll be guided by younger and smarter people than me on what I’m supposed to do.

I really enjoyed Swamp Story. I hope it becomes a movie sometime.

Somebody bought the rights to make a movie out of it, but that happens and then you never know. And may the hurricanes avoid both your side of the state and mine. •

“People think the Everglades is nothing but swamp, with water everywhere, but it’s not. There are all these back roads that are just trails really, and people live on them way back there.”

TAMPA & ST

PETERSBURG

•

Museum of the American Arts & Crafts Movement

355 4th Street • ST. PETERSBURG

727-440-4859

museumaacm.org

The only museum in the world dedicated exclusively to the American Arts & Crafts movement. Founded by local philanthropist and collector Rudy Ciccarello, the fivestory museum features stunning architecture and incredible works of art, light fixtures, windows, fireplaces, and more. The Arts and Crafts movement spread across America from approximately 1890-1930, espousing simplicity in design, honesty in materials, hand craftsmanship, and depicting the natural world in an industrial age. Museum exhibits feature furniture, pottery, tiles, lighting, textiles, photography, fine arts, woodblocks, and metalwork by the most important artists and studios of the movement, including Gustav Stickley, Charles Rohlfs, Frank Lloyd Wright, Tiffany Studios, William Grueby, Newcomb Pottery, Margaret Patterson, Greene & Greene.

The James Museum of Western & Wildlife Art

150 Central Avenue • ST. PETERSBURG

727-892-4200

thejamesmuseum.org

The Museum showcases art depicting the peoples, landscapes, and history of the American West, and wildlife of the world with more than 400 works of art including paintings, sculpture, jewelry, and artifacts by 20th and 21st century artists. The Museum’s collection features many early 20th century works by Western art pioneers and contemporary figurative Western paintings, created since 1980, as well as recent works by living Native American artists from the Southwest. Additionally, there are works featuring depictions of wildlife from around the world.

USF Contemporary Art Museum

University of South Florida • 3821 USF Holly Drive • TAMPA

813-974-2849

cam.usf.edu

The Museum showcases significant exhibitions of contemporary art by important emerging national and international artists from Florida, the United States, and around the world, including Africa, Europe, and Latin America. The Museum’s permanent collection comprises more than 5,000 modern works of art. The exhibition, ‘Rico Gatson: Visible Time” will feature a kaleidoscopic, life-size image of Zora Neale Hurston, author, anthropologist, filmmaker, and Floridian. It will will also showcase paintings and works on paper, as well as a mini-survey of videos, by the multimedia artist.

Museum of Fine Arts St. Petersburg

255 Beach Drive NE • ST. PETERSBURG

727-896-2667

mfastpete.org

The Museum has an encyclopedic collection of art from around the globe and across the centuries, with more than 18,000 works extending from antiquity to the present. The collection includes works by Georgia O’Keeffe, Claude Monet, Berthe Morisot, Auguste Rodin, Kehinde Wiley, Jacob Lawrence, and others, as well as ancient Greek and Roman, Asian, African, Art of the Americas and Native American art. The Museum’s photographic collection is one of the largest and most significant in the Southeast.

PETERSBURG ART MUSEUMS

The Dali

1 Dali Boulevard • ST. PETERSBURG

727-823-3767

thedali.org

The Museum celebrates the life and work of modern master, Salvador Dalí, one of the most influential and innovative artists in history, and features works from his entire career. The collection includes over 2,400 works from every era and in every medium of his creative life, including oil paintings, original drawings, book illustrations, prints, sculpture, photographs, manuscripts and an extensive archive of documents. Using artificial intelligence-based technology, ‘Dalí Lives’ creates an uncanny, lifelike version of the artist’s likeness, allowing visitors the opportunity to learn about his life and art by interacting with the artist himself on a series of screens throughout the Museum.

Florida Museum of Photographic Arts

1630 E. 7th Avenue Ybor • TAMPA

813-221-2222

fmopa.org

Dedicated to collecting, preserving, and exhibiting important historic and contemporary works by nationally and internationally known photographic artists. Located in the Waterfront Arts District in Rivergate Plaza’s Cube, a soaring six-story atrium acclaimed as one of the most impressive interior spaces on the west coast of Florida. The exhibition, Masters of Black & White III features photographs from the museum’s permanent collection and contributions from private collections, including works by Joel Meyerowitz, Larry Fink, Berenice Abbott, and Alen MacWeeney.

Tampa Museum of Art

Cornelia Corbett Center, 120 W. Gasparilla Plaza • TAMPA

813-274-8130

tampamuseum.org

Founded in 1920, the Museum hosts exhibitions that emphasize ancient, modern, and contemporary art, housing one of the largest Greek and Roman antiquities collections in the southeastern United States. The permanent collection also includes sculpture, photography, painting, new media, and more. The Museum features the 14,000 square-foot LED installation of Leo Villareal’s ‘Sky (Tampa)’ in the south facade and Jaume Plensa’s 23-foot tall cast iron sculpture in front of the north facade. On view thru the spring and summer is the exhibition, ‘Taking Pictures: Women of Independent Spirit,’ celebrating the anonymous women who shaped the evolution of ‘found photography.’

Chihuly Collection

Morean Art Center, 720 Central Avenue • ST. PETERSBURG 727-822-7872

moreanartscenter.org/chihuly-collection-location

A dazzling, permanent collection of world-renowned glass artist Dale Chihuly’s unique work. The first installation of Chihuly art in a building designed specifically for that purpose. The Collection is marked at the entrance by an iconic 20-foot sculpture created especially for the site. The Collection includes Ruby Red Icicle Chandelier, created specifically for the Collection, as well as several popular series works including Macchia, Ikebana, Niijima Floats, Persians and Tumbleweeds.

on the road again

Nby Jason MacNeil

EW YORK-BASED genre-bending roots group Donna The Buffalo have plied their acoustic-meets-electric Americana craft through sevral albums, constant touring and becoming a staple at many roots music festivals. But talking to multi-instrumentalist and singer, Tara Nevins one gets the sense the band, now into their fourth decade, haven’t gotten too big for their britches.

“Yes, it’s been three decades. That’s a pretty intense picture in my mind,” Nevins says. “We met and started 30 years ago, but it took a few years until we seriously started touring. We’ve known each other that long and played music together.”

In fact, the band celebrates the 13th anniversary of its self-titled debut this year. Oddly enough, in an era where anniversary tours supporting albums are almost obligatory, the anniversary almost comes as a slight surprise to Nevins.

“You’re saying our first album is celebrating its 13th anniversary?” she asks, incredulous. “I didn’t even know that. Wow, that’s very interesting. We don’t think so much about 30 years. We just keep playing music and traveling. We don’t want to constantly remind ourselves of that. ‘Oh are we ancient?’ No we’re just out there playing music.”

Donna The Buffalo, performing in June at the Center for the Arts in Bonita Springs, began playing old-time traditional fiddle music before expanding their horizons and going electric. Nevins says the chemistry within the band was there from the start. However, there was no notion the group might have staying power or become a lifelong career.

“We still played all the fiddle music and the old-time music,” she recounts. “Eventually I brought an accordion and started playing more of the other traditional [styles of] music, weaving them into our music without even trying, really. It was exciting to go from playing traditional music, acoustic traditional music, into this electric music. We took our influences with us and it was just something new. It was exciting and we loved it. We loved writing songs and it just took off on its own. We thought, ‘This is really awesome. This is really fun.’ We just kept doing it.”

Part of that drive comes from the core duo and founding members, Nevin and guitarist/singer Jeb Puryear. She says Puryear is like family (his son is Nevin’s godson), while both share a similar love for a wide array of music. Nevins also says Puryear’s biggest strength as a musician is simply being the real deal.

“He’s talented in many ways, but he has a real commitment to being authentic in his approach to music and in his expression through music,” she says. “It comes from a very authentic place. To have that power and authenticity and intention in your music is very powerful.”

Donna The Buffalo released their last studio album, Dance In The Street in 2018. Nevins says the band is in the process of writing new material, but haven’t reached the recording stage for the next album. While some groups and artists were inspired during the dark days of the pandemic

and created new music, Nevins says the band didn’t find that special creative spark.

“Jeb and I tried writing a bunch during the pandemic, but there was this depressing element to it that affected both of us,” she says. “We didn’t do much writing at all during the pandemic. We tried but there wasn’t an inspirational time in the right direction for the kind of music that we write. It didn’t really happen. But the process of songwriting hasn’t changed. Sometimes you sit down and try to write a song and other times the song idea comes to you and the song just comes out. That’s all the same through time, it’s just whether that time is inspirational.”

Nevins says although states slowly but steadily began lifting restrictions regarding social gatherings, Donna The Buffalo took a slow, deliberate approach to getting back on the post-pandemic road.

“It was very arduous in a way because we started playing again, but we didn’t just go play gigs,” Nevins, who contracted coronavirus while on tour, says. “I was having to make sure that the audience was eight feet back from the stage and everyone had to be wearing masks. And we didn’t want people coming to the show unless they were vaccinated or had their vaccination cards. There was a stress to that and even though we were thrilled to be playing again there were these parameters that made it feel weird and nerve-wracking.”

“Now that things have loosened up we just go play. We’re all emotionally scarred by the whole experience whether you’re a musician or not a musician. On some deep level there was a pandemic scar. But we’re still pulling ourselves out of it and having fun out there playing. Playing again felt like it was finding your life again.”

Part of that life during their touring has been carving their own little niche when it comes to festivals. Donna The Buffalo formed the longstanding Finger Lakes Grassroots Festival in their hometown of Trumansburg, New York, which takes place in late July. The group also had a hand in launching two newer festivals: the Shakori Hills Grassroots Festival in North Carolina in May, and the Virgina Key Grassroots Festival in Florida this past March.

Nevins says the festivals can be a workload, but they have a great team working with them on each event. This year, Nevins will also be coordinating what has become a special multi-day Grassroots Culture Camp before the Finger Lakes Grassroots Festival.

“That’s four days where somebody can come and immerse themselves in all kinds of worships: banjo, fiddle mandolin, pedal steel and songwriting,” she says. “You name it. Different types of music, different traditions of music, dance, yoga, movement. Every night there’s a dance and culturally themed dinner that goes with the dance. It’s really wonderful and super fun.”

Besides the festivals, Donna The Buffalo will be busy this summer touring throughout the states. The group is also slated to play the iconic Levon Helm Studios in Woodstock, New York in early August, a place

“Sometimes you sit down and try to write a song and other

again

close to Nevins’ heart, where one of her career highlights transpired.

“That’s a very cool place,” she says. “It’s a hallowed hall. Levon Helm lived there and I was fortunate enough to record a record there called Wood and Stone. Larry Campbell produced it and Levon actually played drums on two songs. Levon was just an amazing person. Talk about authenticity and soulfulness. He was the most amazingly soulful musician and a really incredible person. His whole legacy and who he was just permeated the place.

Nevins promises fans in Bonita Springs should be in for a treat. “Just another rocking Donna The Buffalo show,” she says. “We play a mix of our new songs, our standards and favorites. We always love coming to Florida. Florida is almost like one of our home states. We have so many friends in Florida. We’re looking forward to playing Bonita Springs.” •

Donna The Buffalo perform June 8 at the Center for the Arts Bonita Springs.

other times the song idea comes to you and the song just comes out.”

“Bo is a folk hero because there are endless mythical stories that are impossible to beieve — until you realize they really happened.”

Superman in Cleats

by Andrew Elias

IF ASKED, MANY SPORTS JOURNALISTS and most of his teammates and adversaries on the field, will name Bo Jackson as the greatest athlete they have ever seen. His almost supernatural feats playing baseball and football, both as a student and as a professional, as well as his achievements in track and field, are legendary.

Outside the sports world, most people are familiar with Jackson from his ‘Bo Knows’ television commercials and print ads for Nike’s ‘Just do it.’ ad campaign. But few know the story behind the superstar and cultural icon — the true story of the very private and reserved man behind the outsized public image.

Jeff Pearlman has written a wonderful biography, including both the famous and less-known tales of his amazing and too-short career, as well as an inciteful look at his incredible journey from challenged childhood to world-famous athlete.

I asked Pearlman about his book, The Last Folk Hero: The Life and Myth of Bo Jackson (Mariner Books)

•

For those unfamiliar with Bo Jackson — please explain who he was, what he did, and how he became a pop culture icon.

JEFF PEARLMAN: I mean, if there’s anyone reading this who has never heard of Bo Jackson — he’s simply the greatest athlete who has ever walked the earth. And that’s not exaggeration. He’s a guy who was an All-Star in the Major Leagues, a Pro Bowler in the NFL, a guy who played three sports at Auburn and probably could have been an Olympic sprinter had he followed that path. He won the Heisman Trophy, he held three high school state track & field records in Alabama. He climbed walls (YouTube it!), he broke bats over knees and heads (also YouTube it!), he ran over steroid-infused linebackers, and blew past every barrier one could imagine. He was Superman in cleats.

Why were you interested in writing Bo Jackson’s biography?

Because, as a boy, he was a deity to me. Growing up I had his posters on my walls. I saw Bo as something I could never possibly imagine. I mean, one of my favorite baseball players was Rickey Henderson — Bo was faster than Henderson. One of

my favorite football players was Walter Payton — Bo was stronger and more powerful than Payton. So, just thinking back to his heyday and realizing there’d never been a definitive Bo book — I was in.

How did you research the book — and how were you able to distinguish between fact and fiction?

I interviewed 720 people, and sought to verify everything through as many eye-witnesses as possible. I also dug through 10,000 pages of old articles and read every related book imaginable. I also got pretty lucky – Bo’s autobiography, Bo Knows Bo , dropped in 1990, and his ghost writer, the late Dick Schaap, donated all his notes and transcripts to the Auburn University Library. I was able to get all of that. Amazing material.

What is your definition of a ‘folk hero’ — and why does Bo Jackson fit the bill?

Nowadays we see everything. E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G If Steph Curry burbs, we see it. If LeBron ties his shoe wrongly, we’ll get it via Twitter. It’s all there for our consumption. But, pre-social media, there are all these stories about guys like Bo and Mickey Mantle and Earl Campbell — on and on. Stuff we hear about, but are unable to call up and watch. Bo is a folk hero because there are endless mythical stories that are impossible to believe — until you realize they really happened.

Why do you think that Bo Jackson is the ‘last’ folk hero?

Because nowadays everything that happens appears on a screen eight seconds later. Bo was the biggest, the fastest, the strongest. But many of the stories are... just stories. Also, we get enough of a glimpse to be believers. Bo climbing the wall in Baltimore is physically impossible. Can’t be done. Yet there he is, on YouTube, doing it. So we have a taste.

What were Bo Jackson’s biggest challenges — personally and professionally?

He grew up one of thirteen kids to a single mom in rural Alabama, in a three-room house with no running water and an indifferent father living across town with his own family. He had a severe stutter, was held back a grade, myriad anger issues. You try overcoming all that.

Professionally, the biggest challenge probably

grew up one of thirteen kids to a single mom in rural Alabama, in a three-room house with no running water and an indifferent father living across town with his own family.”

“He

“He’s simply the greatest athlete who has ever walked the earth. He was Superman on cleats.”

illustration by andrew elias

came in early 1991, when his hip was yanked from his socket and everyone gave his career up for dead. Bo wound up playing two and a half Major League seasons after that — on a plastic hip designed for your grandparents! It’s bonkers.

What are two of the biggest myths about Bo Jackson?

One: That he jumped over the hood of a Volkswagen. True.

Two: That in high school he hit a baseball so high that by the time it came down in left field he was rounding third. Also true.

What are two of the most amazing facts about Bo Jackson?

I mean, there are so many. But I’ll say, One: He ran the 40 [yard dash] in 4.13 [seconds] in college. A four, one, three!

Two: In high school Bo set a national record for home runs in a season with 20 — and missed seven games to compete in track.

What are two stories that encapsulate the

essence of Bo Jackson — on the field and off?

One: Several years ago Bo was at an autograph show in Anaheim, California. His former Raiders teammate, Greg Townsend, was also at the show. The two hadn’t seen one another in years and after hugging, Greg asked Bo to sign a couple of items. Bo said, “I’m gonna have to charge you.” Greg was dumbfounded. Bo said, “If I do it for you for free, I’ll have to do it for everyone.” But Bo is a weird dude — cheap yet giving, embracing yet suspicious.

Two: One of Bo’s first days with the Raiders in 1987, Head Coach Tom Flores has him run the 40 [yard dash] on grass in pads. Bo runs a 4.19. Flores doesn’t believe it and has him run again. Bo does it 4.17.

If you had to describe Bo Jackson in five words, what would they be?

Unparalleled. Gifted. Ornery. Suspicious. Ruthian. •

“In high school he hit a baseball so high that by the time it came down in left field he was rounding third.”

Rocking Through Space & Time

by Jason MacNeil

Upon hearing the Willie Nelson’ debut album, Russell believed the piano player was stealing his riffs. It was only then he was informed the piano player was Russell himself.

IF THERE WAS A VENN DIAGRAM of popular music through the 1960s & 1970s you’d be hard-pressed to find session musicians with more album credits than Los Angeles’ The Wrecking Crew and Motown’s The Funk Brothers. But as much as those players were relied on, even fewer would have ties to works by The Rolling Stones, Frank Sinatra, Sam Cooke, Willie Nelson, and The Everly Brothers, to name just a few.

Over the last few years during the pandemic, author and musician Bill Janovitz made sure this late artist would be recognized and celebrated for his incredibly adventurous career. The result is The New York Times bestselling biography, Leon Russell: The Master of Space and Time’s Journey Through Rock & Roll History (HacHette Books).

“I mean I’ve got great reviews but a New York Times bestseller about a Leon Russell biography?” Janovitz admits. “That was not on my bingo card, as they say.”

The nearly 600-page book is a meticulously researched tome on Russell starting with his early days touring with Jerry Lee Lewis, his ridiculous amount of session work, his stellar early solo albums and work with Joe Cocker on the 1970 landmark album Mad Dogs & Englishmen. The personal and professional roller coaster continued over the decades through to his 2010 critically acclaimed, Grammy-nominated album with Elton John entitled The Union until his death in 2016.

Janovitz says he originally thought of penning a book on Mad Dogs & Englishmen, the famed ensemble featuring Russell as musical director and Cocker, which resulted in a seminal live album and film. But his agent suggested otherwise.

He says, “My agent, in all his wisdom, said, ‘You know it’s probably too narrow a focus.” He adds, “Then about a year later he was presented with the opportunity to work with Leon’s estate. He said his widow was looking for somebody to write a book about him. I wrote a letter saying I thought I should be considered to do it. Then, shortly thereafter, I had a conversation with his widow, Jan.”

He approached the book chronologically in terms of

research and writing. When a certain era of Russell’s career needed to be fleshed out, he sought out the people in Russell’s inner circle and beyond regarding that specific period.

“When you interview 130-140 people very few of them didn’t have a great slate of stories,” Janovitz says. “I talked to Eric Clapton for about an hour and he alone had some really great things to share. Then there are guys like Cheech Marin. There are all kinds of side stories that I had to cut out — just funny stories.”

One such amusing anecdote was Russell listening to Willie Nelson’s 1962 debut album, And Then I Wrote in the ‘70s at Willie’s home. Upon hearing the album Russell believed the piano player was stealing his riffs. It was only then he was informed the piano player on the album was Russell himself.

Russell was in demand when he arrived in Los Angeles at the tender age of 18. Russell’s almost innate musical versatility made him one of the most sought after session players in the early ‘60s and beyond.

“He was not only playing rock & roll but he was playing light jazz in the supper clubs. And he came from a classical foundation as a kid,” Janovitz explains. “So he brought those three prongs to popular music. One thing he hadn’t played at all was country music only as much as it informed rock & roll. A lot of people think of him returning to his gospel and country roots which he didn’t have, although those were two of his major pillars later on. He was a really omnivorous music digester. He really liked all music and I think that shows.”

Following the years as a session musician, Russell branched out working as a member in Delaney & Bonnie before his time with Joe Cocker, writing and performing on Cocker’s self-titled sophomore effort.

After the phenomenal success of Cocker’s Mad Dogs & Englishmen album, tour and film, Russell upped the ante with his impressive 1970 self-titled debut. The record featured his signature ‘A Song For You’ as well as a jaw-dropping line-up of guest appearances: Ringo Starr, Charlie Watts, George Harrison, Mick Jagger, Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood, among others.

Janovitz says, “He’s sort of like

His debut album featured a jaw-dropping line-up of guests: Charlie Watts, Ringo Starr, George Harrison, Mick Jagger, Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood, among others.

going through these sessions like, ‘Well, now I got Eric Clapton, now I got Steve Winwood, now I got two Beatles and two Stones playing different tracks.’” He adds, “I think he was certainly impressed and grateful, but at the end of the sessions he walks out of there almost in a daze like it all happened in a dream for him. It really didn’t hit him until the end of it. Even when he has George Harrison and Ringo Starr in there he’s got John Lennon, Yoko Ono, Stephen Stills and Graham Nash just hanging out. It’s the stuff that rock dreams are made of.”

Yet after years of success in the early ‘70s, Russell’s career began to take a turn for the worse, both in terms of album sales and often grandiose plans which resulted in financial chaos.

“I hadn’t anticipated how interesting and compelling the material in Leon’s life would be from 1976 until the comeback,” Janovitz admits. “Those years in darkness proved to be a really compelling story.”

While speaking to the likes of Eric Clapton, Bruce Springsteen, Randy Newman, Elton John and Willie Nelson for the book, Janovitz says the anecdotes could fill hundreds more pages. But three things surprised the author the most. One

was how his signature ‘A Song For You’ wasn’t inspired by a female but a longtime friend. Another was how adept Russell was as an arranger “during a time when it meant something.” Finally, Russell — who battled agoraphobia as a child and later depression — discovered in his later years that he was ‘probably on the autism spectrum somewhere.’

If there was one bright spot in the twilight of Russell’s career it had to be The Union, a duets album in 2010 with Elton John which revitalized Russell’s work and shined a spotlight on his history. As producer, T-Bone Burnett comments, Russell “had become willfully obscure, like he almost did this to himself.”

“It really was Elton coming back to his own characterization of paying a debt to this guy, who was his idol,” Janovitz says. “Elton gets [on the television show], Spectacle: Elvis Costello With... and he does a great impression of Leon’s playing, then speaks about how much Leon meant to him.” Elton then contacted Leon and made the album, which was a great return to form, not just for Leon but for Elton as well, with Elton getting back to his roots.

“It got great notoriety, they toured all the daytime and nighttime talk shows, they did big shows together, and it was nominated for a Grammy. It was a hit record and it got Leon back out there. That’s how Russell came back into my view as well. I remember seeing him during that tearful acceptance speech during the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and just thinking, ‘Wow, what a story.’”

Perhaps the one bittersweet aspect about the writing process was Russell’s longtime friend, Jimmy Karstein passing away before Janovitz had a “readable manuscript.” Janovitz says Karstein, who died in 2022, was an “absolute peach of a guy” who acted as a guide for the author while he visited Tulsa, Oklahoma in the summer of 2021.

Janovitz thinks Karstein would be pleased with how the book turned out. “Oh, I think so,” he says. “I wanted to make sure the people who were close to him felt like I got it right and I got their perspectives right. I’ve gotten nothing but great feedback from people that I talked to. That means more to me than anything else.” •

“I talked to Eric Clapton for about an hour and he had some really great things to share.”

Growing Into Themselves

by Pat Simms-Elias

MEMOIRS BY TWO REMARKABLE singer/songwriters, Stories I Might Regret Telling You, by Martha Wainwright and Maybe We’ll Make It, by Margo Price, share the common thread of love for their craft and their children. They take readers on different, extraordinary journeys, from the families they were born into, to the making of their own branch on the family tree. Martha and Margo reveal their unique experiences with startling honesty, relating the complexities of life, death and everything in-between, evoking every depth of emotion. They explain the origins of songs and use lyrics from their own and other songwriters to help tell their stories. Discoveries about themselves including the pain and joy of writing and performing, the compulsion of creativity and facing the challenges of being a female artist, and then a female artist with children, in the music industry, were moving tales.

Stories I Might Regret Telling You

Martha Wainwright

(HacHette Books)

Wainwright released her debut self-titled album to critical acclaim. Her latest album, Love Will Be Reborn was released this past year in conjunction with this memoir, which was on the National Best Sellers list within a week of release.

Daughter of folk music legends Kate McGarrigle and Loudon Wainwright III, and baby sister to Rufus Wainwright, Martha has had to find her own voice and this memoir lets us hear her deeply personal perspective.

Living in Canada, the United States and overseas with her unconventional family and friends, such as her aunt Anna McGarrigle, Leonard Cohen, Suzzy Roche, Richard and Linda Thompson and Emmylou Harris, helped form Martha’s world. Stories about her relationships with her mom, dad, brother, lovers, marriage, divorce, parenting and the people who influenced and inspired her are complicated and yet relatable.

According to Martha, it was an intimidating environment to live in, but her journey continues to help her believe in herself and reflect on the past

through a more developed lens of “forgiveness and acceptance”.

At the end of her book she writes, “I would like to thank everyone named in this book for showing me who I am.” After reading it you may better understand who she is as well.

Maybe We’ll Make It Margo Price

(University of texas Press)

Grammy-nominated, Nashville-based Margo Price recently released her memoir, Maybe We’ll Make It and latest album, Strays. Currently playing concerts and festivals, often performing with artists such as Willie Nelson and Chris Stapleton, she is the only female on the Board of Farm Aid and is obviously one busy mama.

Price came from a small farm town in Illinois and dreamed of new places and experiences and making music. She witnessed heartache up close at a young age when her Grandparents lost the family farm and later as a devastated mom. It has been her dogged determination — writing and performing wherever she could and never giving up, hanging on even when life slammed her down very hard — that kept her going. She says her life becomes her lyrics. As she sings, “I put a hurtin on the bottle.” Margo has great empathy and speaks her mind about many issues. She’s been lucky to have lots of unconditional love from her supportive extended family and long time husband, songwriting partner and music collaborator, Jeremy Blain Ivey — her “one true love” — as well as her children.

The story of her development as an artist — and a person — who, by almost any means necessary, is making it by sticking to her beliefs and doing it her way, makes for a interesting read. •

Margo witnessed heartache up close at a young age when her grandparents lost the family farm.

Daughter of folk music legends Kate McGarrigle and Loudon Wainwright III, Martha has had to find her own voice.

What Goes On

MONDAY 1

•50 Years After - Tribute to the Woodstock Generation: Concert. Venice Performing Arts Center, 1 Indian Ave, bldg. 5, Venice.

7:30p. 941-218-0658.

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

•Danny Sinoff - The Genuis of Jerome Kern: Jazz piano. Players Circle Performing Arts Center, Shell Factory, 16554 N Cleveland Ave, N Fort Myers. 7-10p. 800-3292.

TUESDAY 2

•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.

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

WEDNESDAY 3

EVENTS & EXHIBITIONS

•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.

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

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

•Natasha Pearl Hansen: 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.

•Open Mic: Music, comedy, poetry. Howl, 4160 Cleveland Ave, Ft Myers. 8-11p. Free. 332-0161.

THURSDAY 4

•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: Rookery Bay National Research Reserve, Environmental Learning Center, 300 Tower Rd, Naples. 5:30-7p. rsvp. Free. 530-5977.

•Art Reception: Wine & cheese. Cape Coral Art League, 516 Cultural Blvd, Cape Coral. 5-6:30p. Free. 772-5657.

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

•Clinton Jackson: Snappers Comedy Club, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7:30p. 4795233.

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

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

•Opera al Fresco - Latin Infusion!: Gulfshore Opera outdoor concert. Alliance for the Art, 10091 McGregor Blvd, Ft Myers. 7p. Bring chairs. 529-3925.

•PlayLab Festival: Play reading - See Monsters of the Deep. Florida Repertory Theatre. ArtStage Studio Theatre, 2267 1st St, Ft Myers. 7p. 332-4488.

•Samantha Natalie: Concert. Marco Island Center for the Arts’ Arts Center Theatre, Marco Town Center Mall, 1089 N. Collier Blvd, Marco Island. 5:30p. 642-7270.

FRIDAY 5

•Art Reception: Alliance for the Arts, 10091 McGregor Blvd, Ft Myers. 5-7a. 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.

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

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

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

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

•Staged Reading: New Play Contest Winners. Laboratory Theater of Florida, 1634 Woodford Ave, Ft Myers. 8p. 218-0481.

SATURDAY 6

•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.

•Brandon Robertson Quartet: Jazz concert. Center for the Performing Arts Bonita Springs, 10150 Bonita Beach Rd, Bonita Springs. 7:30p. 495-8989.

•Cash, The Killer and The King: Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Elvis Presley tribute concert. Venice Performing Arts Center, 1 Indian Ave, bldg. 5, Venice. 7p. 941-218-0658.

•Clinton Jackson: Snappers Comedy Club, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 6 & 8:30p.

479-5233.

•Fort Myers Mighty Mussels vs Dunedin Blue Jays: Minor league baseball. Beer fest. Hammond Stadium, 14400 Six Mile Cypress Pkwy, Ft Myers. 6p. 768-4210.

•Gulf Coast Chamber

Orchestra: Mendelssohn’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream concert w Gulfshore Ballet. Music & Arts Community Center, 13411 Shire Ln, Ft Myers. 7:30p. 277-1700.

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

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

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

•PlayLab Festival: Play reading - One-Shot. Florida Repertory Theatre. ArtStage Studio Theatre, 2267 1st St, Ft Myers. 2p. 332-4488.

•PlayLab Festival: Play reading - Trouble (at the Vista View Mobile Home Estates). Florida Repertory Theatre. ArtStage Studio Theatre, 2267 1st St, Ft Myers. 7p. 332-4488.

•PlayLab Festival: Play reading – Long Layover. Florida Repertory Theatre. ArtStage Studio Theatre, 2267 1st St, Ft Myers. 7p. 332-4488.

•Staged Reading: New Play Contest Winners. Laboratory Theater of Florida, 1634 Woodford Ave, Ft Myers. 8p. 218-0481.

•The Music of ELO: SWFL Symphony Pops concert w former members of ELO. BB Mann Hall, 13350 FSW Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7:30p. 418-1500.

SUNDAY 7

•Fort Myers Mighty Mussels vs Dunedin Blue Jays: Minor league baseball. Hammond Stadium, 14400 Six Mile Cypress Pkwy, Ft Myers. 12p. 768-4210.

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

•Gulfshore Opera: Outdoor concert & dinner. Carmelo’s, 321 W Retta Esplanade, Punta Gorda. 7p. rsvp. 529-3925.

•John Crist: Comedy. BB Mann Hall, 13350 FSW Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7p. 481-4849.

•Marlon Wayans: 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.

•PlayLab Festival: Play reading – Mountain Mamas, followed by Playwright’s Panel. Florida Repertory Theatre. ArtStage Studio Theatre, 2267 1st St, Ft Myers. Show 4p, panel 6:30. 332-4488.

•Rockin’ for Veterans: Randy Jackson concert. The Ranch Concert Hall & Saloon, 2158 Colonial Blvd, Ft Myers. 5p-12a. 985-9839.

•Staged Reading: New Play

The Brandon Robertson Quartet perform May 6 at the Center for the Arts in Bonita Springs. For information, call 495-8989.

Contest Winners. Laboratory Theater of Florida, 1634 Woodford Ave, Ft Myers. 2p. 218-0481.

•The Music of ELO: SWFL Symphony Pops concert w former members of ELO. Charlotte Performing Arts Center, 701 Carmelita St, Punta Gorda. 4p. 418-1500.

•The Rowdy Bards: Irish pub music. Point Ybel Brewing, 16120 San Carlos Blvd, Ft Myers. 4-7p. Free. 603-6535.

MONDAY 8

•Danny Sinoff - The Bobby Darin Songbook: Jazz piano. Players Circle Performing Arts Center, Shell Factory, 16554 N Cleveland Ave, N Fort Myers.

7-10p. 800-3292.

•Gid Pool Comedy Show: Comedy. Lemon Bay Playhouse. 96 W Dearborn St, Englewood.

7:30p. 941-475-6756.

•Musical Conversations: Discussion w Maestro Raffaele Livio Ponti. Punta Gorda Symphony. Isles Yacht Club, 1780 W Marion Ave, Punta Gorda. 6:30p. Free. 941-205-5996.

TUESDAY 9

•Art Reception: Marco Island Center for the Arts, 1010 Winterberry Dr, Marco Island.

5:30-7p. Free. 394-4221.

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

•Songwriters on the Plaza: Free acoustic ACMA showcase concert. Downtown Ft Myers Library, S Cornog Plaza, 1651 Lee St, Ft Myers. 6-7:30p. Free. 691-4069.

•Venice High School Spring Concert: Venice Performing Arts Center, 1 Indian Ave, bldg. 5, Venice. 7p. Free. 941-2180658.

WEDNESDAY 10

•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.

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

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

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

•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.

•Open Mic: Music, comedy, poetry. Howl, 4160 Cleveland Ave, Ft Myers. 8-11p. Free. 332-0161.

•Sierra Club Calusa Group Meeting: Tice Fire Station, 9351 Workmen Way, Ft Myers. 6-8p. Free. 218-1354.

•Venice High School Jazz Bands Spring Concert:  Venice Performing Arts Center, 1 Indian Ave, bldg. 5, Venice. 7p. Free. 941-218-0658.

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

THURSDAY 11

•Evening on Fifth: Live music, dancing, art demos & exhibits, dining, shopping along 5th Ave S, Naples. 6:30-9:30p. Free. 692-8436.

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

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

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

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

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

FRIDAY 12

•Art Reception: Cape Coral Art Center, Rubicond Park, 4533 Coronado Pkwy, Cape Coral. 5-7p. Free. 574-0802.

•Fort Myers Mighty Mussels vs Tampa Tarpons: Minor league baseball. Post-game fireworks. Hammond Stadium, 14400 Six Mile Cypress Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7p. 768-4210.

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

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

•Matt Stone: Elvis tribute concert. The Belle Theatre, 2708 Santa Barbara Blvd, #135, Cape Coral. 8p. 323-5533.

•Miami Ballet: Cinderella w Naples Philharmonic. ArtisNaples, 5833 Pelican Bay Blvd, Naples. 7p. 597-1900.

•Tammy Pescatelli: Off the Hook Comedy Club, 2500 Vanderbilt Beach Rd, #1100, Naples. 630 & 8:30p. 3896901.

•Venice High School Orchestra

Concert:  Venice Performing Arts Center, 1 Indian Ave, bldg. 5, Venice. 6p. 941-218-0658.

•Wonderball: Fundraiser w DJ Steve Aoki, cocktails, dinner, auction, concert, afterparty. Michael’s on East, 1212 S East Ave, Sarasota. 7p, Steve Aoki 9:30p. rsvp. 941-355-9805.

SATURDAY 13

•Americana Community Music Association: Abby Posner concert, Fred Ball opens. All Faiths Unitarian Congregation, 2756 McGregor Blvd, Ft Myers. 7-9:30p. 691-4069.

•Bear Webb: Comedy. Marco Island Center for the Arts’ Arts Center Theatre, Marco Town

Center Mall, 1089 N. Collier Blvd, Marco Island. 7:30p. 642-7270.

•Fort Myers Mighty Mussels vs Tampa Tarpons: Minor league baseball. Hammond Stadium, 14400 Six Mile Cypress Pkwy, Ft Myers. 6p. 768-4210.

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

•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.

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

•Matt Stone: Elvis tribute concert. The Belle Theatre, 2708 Santa Barbara Blvd, #135, Cape Coral. 8p. 323-5533.

•Mayfaire by-the-Lake: Free outdoor fine arts festival. Art show, art activities, family activities, Children’s Art Tent, live entertainment, food trucks. Polk Musuem of Art, Lakeland Library front lawn, Lake Morton, Lakeland. 9a-4p. Free. 863-6887743.

•Melissa Etheridge: SWFL Event Center, 11515 Bonita Beach Rd SE, Bonita Springs. 7p. 245-9910.

•Mother’s Day Concert: Arts Planet students. Rookery Bay National Research Reserve, Environmental Learning Center, 300 Tower Rd, Naples. 2-3p. rsvp. Free. 530-5977.

•Music in the Garden: Hat Trick. 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: Musical Postcards concert. Sarasota Opera House. 61 N Pineapple Ave, Sarasota. 7:30p. 941-9533434.

•Studio Tour: Book signing, meet Clyde Butcher. Clyde Butcher’s Venice Gallery & Studio, 237 Warfield Ave S, Venice. 10a-3p. Free. rsvp. 941486-0811.

•Tammy Pescatelli: Off the Hook Comedy Club, 2500 Vanderbilt Beach Rd, #1100, Naples. 6:30 & 8:30p. 3896901.

SUNDAY 14

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

•Fort Myers Mighty Mussels vs Tampa Tarpons: Minor league baseball. Hammond Stadium, 14400 Six Mile Cypress Pkwy, Ft Myers. 12p. 768-4210.

•Matt Stone: Elvis tribute concert. The Belle Theatre, 2708 Santa Barbara Blvd, #135, Cape Coral. 3p. 3235533.

•Mayfaire by-the-Lake: Free outdoor fine arts festival. Art show, art activities, famly

activities, Children’s Art Tent, live entertainment, food trucks. Polk Museum of Art, Lakeland Library front lawn, Lake Morton, Lakeland. 9a-4p. Free. 863-6887743.

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

•Teen Improv Troupe:  Comedy. Venice Theatre, 140 Tampa Ave W, Venice. 7:30p. 941488-1115.

MONDAY 15

•Jimmy Mazz: Songs Across America concert. Lemon Bay Playhouse. 96 W Dearborn St, Englewood. 7:30p. 941-4756756.

TUESDAY 16

•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.

•EarShot Reading: Concert. Artis-Naples, 5833 Pelican Bay Blvd, Naples. 7p. 597-1900.

WEDNESDAY 17

•Fort Myers Int’l Film Festival Opening Night Gala & Screening: Screening, live music, cocktails. Davis Art Center, 2301 1st St, Ft Myers. Cocktails 5:30p, film 7p. 8106323.

•Fort Myers Int’l Film Festival: Outdoor screening. Edison & Ford Winter Estates, 2350 McGregor Blvd, Ft Myers. Cocktails 5:30p, film 7p. 8106323.

•Music of Henry Mancini: Concert w Naples Philharmonic. Artis-Naples, 5833 Pelican Bay Blvd, Naples. 6 & 8:30p. 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.

•Open Mic: Music, comedy, poetry. Howl, 4160 Cleveland Ave, Ft Myers. 8-11p. Free. 332-0161.

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

THURSDAY 18

•Fort Myers Int’l Film Festival: Screenings & panel discussions. Davis Art Center, 2301 1st St, Ft Myers. 5-11p. 8106323.

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

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

Marlon Wayans is appearing at Off the Hook Comedy Club in Naples, May 5-7. Call 389-6901 for information.

What Goes On

•Spunky Robinson: Snappers Comedy Club, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7:30p. 4795233.

FRIDAY 19

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

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

•Art Reception: Venice Art Center, 390 Nokomis Ave S, Venice. 5-7p. Free. 941-4857136.

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

•Eli Young Band: Concert. Seminole Casino Hotel, 506 S 1st St, Immokalee. 8p. 800218-0007.

•Fort Myers Int’l Film Festival: Screenings & panel discussions. Davis Art Center, 2301 1st St, Ft Myers. 5-11p. 8106323.

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

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

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

SATURDAY 20

•Backyard Bluesfest: Selwyn Birchwood, Reggie King Sears Band, Tommy Lee Cook & The Buckingham Blues Band. Buckingham Blues Bar, 5641 Buckingham Rd, Ft Myers. 2-6p. 693-7111.

•Fort Myers Int’l Film Festival: Screenings & panel discussions. Davis Art Center, 2301 1st St, Ft Myers. 5-11p. 8106323.

•Free Community Day: Music, art, activities, family event. Artis-Naples, 5833 Pelican Bay Blvd, Naples. 12-4p. 597-1900.

•Gulf Coast Writers Association Meeting: Guest speaker. Word of Life Church, 6111 South Points Blvd, Ft Myers. 10a-12p. Free. 770-9067885.

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

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

SUNDAY 21

•Fort Myers Int’l Film Festival: Screenings & panel discussions. Davis Art Center,

2301 1st St, Ft Myers. 5-11p. 8106323.

•K-Von: 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.

MONDAY 22

•Fort Myers Int’l Film Festival Afterparty: Twisted Vine, 2214 Bay St, Ft Myers. Starts 11p. 810-6323.

•Fort Myers Int’l Film Festival Awards Ceremony: Champagne & dessert, screening, Broadway Palm Theatre, 1380 Colonial Blvd, Ft Myers. 7p. 810-6323.

TUESDAY 23

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

WEDNESDAY 24

•After Hours in the Aquariums: Tours, refreshments. Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum, 3075 SanibelCaptiva Rd, Sanibel. 5:30-6:30p. 395-2233.

•Isiah Kelly: 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.

•Open Mic: Music, comedy, poetry. Howl, 4160 Cleveland Ave, Ft Myers. 8-11p. Free. 332-0161.

THURSDAY 25

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

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

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

•Murder Junkies: Live band. Music, comedy, poetry. Howl, 4162 Cleveland Ave, Ft Myers. 4p. 332-0161.

•Naples Philharmonic Patriotic Pops: Concert. Artis-Naples, 5833 Pelican Bay Blvd, Naples. 8p. 597-1900.

FRIDAY 26

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

•Brit Floyd: Pink Floyd tribute concert. Hertz Arena, 11000 Everblades Pkwy, Estero. 8p. 948-7825.

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

•Naples Philharmonic Patriotic Pops: Concert. Artis-Naples, 5833 Pelican Bay Blvd, Naples.

8p. 597-1900.

•The Nelly Neff Band: Live music. Sidney’s Rooftop Sculpture Garden, Davis Art Center, 2301 1st St, Ft Myers.

8-11p. Free. 333-1933.

SATURDAY 27

•Americana Community Music Association: Summer of Love open mic concert. All Faiths Unitarian Congregation, 2756 McGregor Blvd, Ft Myers.

7-9:30p. 691-4069.

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

•History Walk: Downtown landmarks, McSwain Home tour. Bonita Springs Historical Society. Starts at Liles Hotel History Center, Riverside Park, 27580 Old 41 Rd, Bonita Springs. 10a. 992-6997.

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

SUNDAY 28

•Brad Williams: Off the Hook Comedy Club, 2500 Vanderbilt Beach Rd, #1100, Naples. 6p. 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.

TUESDAY 30

•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.

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

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

WEDNESDAY 31

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

•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.

JUNE

THURSDAY 1

•Art Reception: Visual Arts Center, 210 Maud St, Punta Gorda. 5-7p. Free. 941-6398810.

•Art Vibe: FSW State College Student exhibition reception. BIG ARTS Center, 900 Dunlop Rd, Sanibel. 7p. 395-0900.

•Crystal Powell: Snappers Comedy Club, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7:30p. 4795233.

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

•Fringe Fort Myers Reception: Meet artists, preview. Alliance for the Arts, 10091 McGregor Blvd. Reception 5p, preview 6:30p. rsvp. Shows at Alliance for the Arts & Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre, 1380 Colonial Blvd, Ft Myers. 939-2787.

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

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

FRIDAY 2

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

•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.

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

•Fort Myers Mighty Mussels vs St Lucie Mets: Minor league baseball. Post-game fireworks. Hammond Stadium, 14400 Six Mile Cypress Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7p. 768-4210.

•Fringe Fort Myers: Art exhibits, music. Ministry of Silly Walks competition, music starts 6p, bands tba. Alliance for the Arts, 10091 McGregor

Paintings by Margaret Schebly Hodge are on view at the Alliance for the Arts in Fort Myers. For information, call 939-2787.

Blvd. Shows at Alliance for the Arts, 10091 McGregor Blvd & Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre, 1380 Colonial Blvd, Ft Myers. 12p-10p. 939-2787.

•Michael Blackson: Off the Hook Comedy Club, 2500 Vanderbilt Beach Rd, #1100, Naples. 6:30 & 8:30p. 3896901.

•Schism: Tool tribute band. The Ranch Concert Hall & Saloon, 2158 Colonial Blvd, Ft Myers. 7p-12a. 985-9839.

SATURDAY 3

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

•Fort Myers Mighty Mussels vs St Lucie Mets: Minor league baseball. Hammond Stadium, 14400 Six Mile Cypress Pkwy, Ft Myers. 6p. 768-4210.

•Fringe Fort Myers: Art exhibits, music, dance, theater performances, films. Kids Fringe Festival, free family ArtLabs, interactive Alice in Wonderland show, aerialists & acrobats. Alliance for the Arts, 10091 McGregor Blvd. Shows at Alliance for the Arts & Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre, 1380 Colonial Blvd, Ft Myers. 10a-10a. 939-2787.

•Michael Blackson: Off the Hook Comedy Club, 2500 Vanderbilt Beach Rd, #1100, Naples. 6:30 & 8:30p. 3896901.

•Trey Kennedy: Comedy. BB Mann Hall, 13350 FSW Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7p. 481-4849.

•Ugly Kid Joe with Fozzy: Concert, Pistols at Dawn open. The Ranch Concert Hall & Saloon, 2158 Colonial Blvd, Ft Myers. 5p-12a. 985-9839.

SUNDAY 4

•Fort Myers Mighty Mussels vs St Lucie Mets: Minor league baseball. Hammond Stadium, 14400 Six Mile Cypress Pkwy, Ft Myers. 12p. 768-4210.

•Fringe Fort Myers: Art exhibits, music, dance, theater performances, films. Alliance for the Arts, 10091 McGregor Blvd & Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre, 1380 Colonial Blvd, Ft Myers. 10a-5:30p. Closing ceremonies 5:30p Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre, 1380 Colonial Blvd, Ft Myers. 9392787.

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

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

•Naples Philharmonic Pro-Am: Concert w amateur musicians. Artis-Naples, 5833 Pelican Bay Blvd, Naples. 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.

•The Rowdy Bards: Irish pub music. Point Ybel Brewing, 16120 San Carlos Blvd, Ft Myers. 4-7p. Free. 603-6535.

TUESDAY 6

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

league baseball. Hammond Stadium, 14400 Six Mile Cypress Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7p. 768-4210.

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

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

FRIDAY 9

•Art Reception: Cape Coral Art Center, Rubicond Park, 4533 Coronado Pkwy, Cape Coral. 5-7p. Free. 574-0802.

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

•Fort Myers Mighty Mussels vs Clearwater Threshers: Minor league baseball. Post-game fireworks. Hammond Stadium, 14400 Six Mile Cypress Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7p. 768-4210.

•House of Cheer: Cheerleading performance. BB Mann Hall, 13350 FSW Pkwy, Ft Myers. 8p. 481-4849.

•Jim Breuer: Off the Hook Comedy Club, 2500 Vanderbilt Beach Rd, #1100, Naples. 6:30p.

389-6901.

Blvd, Marco Island. 7:30p. 642-7270.

•Festival of Great Organ Music: Concert. Artis-Naples, 5833 Pelican Bay Blvd, Naples. 3p. 597-1900.

•Fort Myers Mighty Mussels vs Clearwater Threshers: Minor league baseball. Hammond Stadium, 14400 Six Mile Cypress Pkwy, Ft Myers. 12p. 768-4210.

•Jim Breuer: Off the Hook Comedy Club, 2500 Vanderbilt Beach Rd, #1100, Naples. 6p. 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.

TUESDAY 13

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

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

WEDNESDAY 7

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

•Mike Paramore: 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.

•Open Mic: Music, comedy, poetry. Howl, 4160 Cleveland Ave, Ft Myers. 8-11p. Free. 332-0161.

THURSDAY 8

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

•Donna the Buffalo: Americana concert. Center for the Performing Arts Bonita Springs, 10150 Bonita Beach Rd, Bonita Springs. 7:30p. 495-8989.

•Evening on Fifth: Live music, dancing, art demos & exhibits, dining, shopping along 5th Ave S, Naples. 6:30-9:30p. Free. 692-8436.

•Fort Myers Mighty Mussels vs Clearwater Threshers: Minor

•Sammy Obeid: Off the Hook Comedy Club, 2500 Vanderbilt Beach Rd, #1100, Naples. 8:30p.

389-6901.

•Staged Reading: Theatre. Center for the Performing Arts Bonita Springs, 10150 Bonita Beach Rd, Bonita Springs.

7:30p. 495-8989.

SATURDAY 10

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

•Fort Myers Mighty Mussels vs Clearwater Threshers: Minor league baseball. Beerfest. Hammond Stadium, 14400 Six Mile Cypress Pkwy, Ft Myers. 6p. 768-4210.

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

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

•Music in the Garden: Havy Rodriguez & the Miami Splash Band. Naples Botanical Garden, 4820 Bayshore Dr, Naples. 122p. 643-7275.

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

•Shane Gillis: Comedy. BB Mann Hall, 13350 FSW Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7 & 9:30p. 481-4849.

SUNDAY 11

•Dat Phan: Comedy. Marco Island Center for the Arts’ Arts Center Theatre, Marco Town Center Mall, 1089 N. Collier

•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.

WEDNESDAY 14

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

•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.

•Open Mic: Music, comedy, poetry. Howl, 4160 Cleveland Ave, Ft Myers. 8-11p. Free. 332-0161.

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

•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. Alliance for the Arts, 10091 McGregor Blvd, Ft Myers. 5-8p. Free. 939-2787.

THURSDAY 15

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

FRIDAY 16

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

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

Gordon Lightfoot will be performing June 14 at the Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall in Fort Myers. Call 481-4849 for information.

What Goes On

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

SATURDAY 17

•Americana Community Music Association: Rebekah Pulley concert, Boz opens. All Faiths Unitarian Congregation, 2756 McGregor Blvd, Ft Myers. 7-9:30p. 691-4069.

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

•Grease in Concert: Tribute concert. Venice Performing Arts Center, 1 Indian Ave, bldg. 5, Venice. 7p. 941-218-0658.

•Gulf Coast Writers Association Meeting: Guest speaker. Word of Life Church, 6111 South Points Blvd, Ft Myers. 10a-12p. Free. 770906-7885.

•Swamp Gas: Live bandsMommy’s Lil Monsterz,Burned at the Stake open. Music, comedy, poetry. Howl, 4162 Cleveland Ave, Ft Myers. 4p. 332-0161.

SUNDAY 18

•DeRay Davis: 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.

WEDNESDAY 21

•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.

•Open Mic: Music, comedy, poetry. Howl, 4160 Cleveland Ave, Ft Myers. 8-11p. Free. 332-0161.

THURSDAY 22

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

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

•Rondell Sheridan: Snappers Comedy Club, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7:30p. 4795233.

FRIDAY 23

•Art Reception: Venice Art Center, 390 Nokomis Ave S, Venice. 5-7p. Free. 941-4857136.

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

•Nirvanna: Nirvana tribute band. The Ranch Concert Hall & Saloon, 2158 Colonial Blvd, Ft Myers. 5p-12a. 985-9839.

•Rondell Sheridan: Snappers Comedy Club, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7p. 4795233.

SATURDAY 24

•Americana Community Music Association: Jason Wilbur concert, Bruce Gallant opens. All Faiths Unitarian Congregation, 2756 McGregor Blvd, Ft Myers. 7-9:30p. 6914069.

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

•Rondell Sheridan: Snappers Comedy Club, 8595 College

Pkwy, Ft Myers. 6 & 8:30p. 479-5233.

•Stage 2 Improv: Comedy. Joan Jenks Auditorium, Golden Gate Community Center, 5701 Golden Gate Pkwy, Naples. 7:30p. 389-9192.

SUNDAY 25

•Jimmy Shubert: Off the Hook Comedy Club, 2500 Vanderbilt Beach Rd, #1100, Naples. 6p. 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.

TUESDAY 27

•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. 4958989.

WEDNESDAY 28

•After Hours in the Aquariums:  Tours, refreshments. BaileyMatthews Shell Museum, 3075 SanibelCaptiva Rd, Sanibel. 5:306:30p. 395-2233.

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

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

•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 29

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

•Art Reception: Visual Arts Center, 210 Maud St, Punta Gorda. 5-7p. Free. 941-6398810.

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

•James Yon: Snappers Comedy Club, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7:30p. 4795233.

•Open Mic: Music, comedy, poetry. Howl, 4160 Cleveland Ave, Ft Myers. 8-11p. Free. 332-0161.

FRIDAY 30

•Fort Myers Mighty Mussels vs Lakeland Flying Tigers:  Minor league baseball. Post-game fireworks. Hammond Stadium, 14400 Six Mile Cypress Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7p. 768-4210.

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

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

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

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

ongoing Theater

•Always a Bridesmaid:  thru May 20. Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre, 1380 Colonial Blvd, Ft Myers. 278-4422.

•Beauty & the Beast: May 11-21. Fort Myers Theatre, 16120 San Carlos Blvd, #5, Ft Myers. 323-6570.

•Big Sexy - The Fats Waller Revue: thru May 28. Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe, 1012 N Orange Ave, Sarasota. 941366-1505.

•Bob Marley’s Three Little Birds:  thru May 9, selected matinees. Broadway Children’s Theatre, 1380 Colonial Blvd, Ft Myers. 980-5674.

•Disney’s Descendants - The Musical: Jun 30-Jul 2. Fort Myers Theatre, 16120 San Carlos Blvd, #5, Ft Myers. 323-6570.

•Fame - The Musical: May 18-

27. Florida Repertory Theatre’s Education Conservatory Program. Historic Arcade Theatre, 2267 1st St, Ft Myers. 332-4488.

•Footloose: May 26-Jul 1. Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre, 1380 Colonial Blvd, Ft Myers. 278-4422.

•Godspell Jr: May 17-21. The Naples Players. United Church of Christ, 5200 Crayton Rd, Naples. 263-7990.

•Graceland and Asleep on the Wind: thru May 7. Venice Theatre, 140 Tampa Ave W, Venice. 941-488-1115.

•How I Became a Pirate: Jun 2-30, selected matinees. Broadway Children’s Theatre, 1380 Colonial Blvd, Ft Myers. 980-5674.

•Kids Onstage: Jun 16 & 17. Charlotte Players, Langdon Playhouse, 1182 Market Circle, Port Charlotte. 941-255-1022.

•Lobby Hero: thru May 16. Florida Repertory Theatre, ArtStage Studio Theatre, 2267 1st St, Ft Myers. 332-4488.

•Man of La Mancha: May 10-Jun 11. Asolo Repertory Theatre, Mertz Theatre, Florida State Center for the Performing Arts, 5555 N Tamiami Tr, Sarasota. 941-351-8000.

•Modern Works Festival: May 3-7. Urbanite Theatre, 1487 2nd St, Sarasota. 941-321-1397.

•Mornings at Seven: May 12-21. Charlotte Players, Langdon Playhouse, 1182 Market Circle, Port Charlotte. 941-255-1022.

The Marie Selby Botanical Garden in Sarasota presents the exhibition, ‘Tiffany - The Pursuit of Beauty in Nature’ thru June 25. For information, call 941-366-5731.

Broadway Palm in Fort Myers presents ‘Footloose,’ May 26-July 1. For information, call278-4422.

•Murder at the Howard Johnson’s: May 19-Jun 4. The Studio Players, Joan Jenks Auditorium, Golden Gate Community Center, 4701 Golden Gate Pkwy, Naples. 389-9192.

•Murder Most Elite: thru Jun 4. Wed-Sun. Murder Mystery Dinner Train. Seminole Gulf Railway, 2805 Colonial Blvd, Ft Myers. 275-8487.

•Now and Then: Jun 7-25.

Lemon Bay Playhouse. 96 W

Dearborn St, Englewood. 941475-6756.

•Pinky’s Players: May 19-21.

Venice Theatre, 140 Tampa Ave W, Venice. 941-488-1115.

•Private Lives: May 11-21.

Cultural Park Theatre, 528

Cultural Park Blvd, Cape Coral. 772-5862.

•Rock of Ages:  May 4-7.

TheatreZone, G & L Theatre, Community School of Naples, 13275 Livingston Rd, Naples. 888-966-3352.

•Rodgers & Hammerstein’s

Cinderella: Jun 9-18. The Belle Theatre. 2708 Santa Barbara Blvd, #135, Cape Coral. 323-5533.

•Seussical Jr: May 26-28.

Youth theater. 2708 Santa Barbara Blvd, #135, Cape Coral. 323-5533.

•Sister Act: thru May 20.

Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre, 1380 Colonial Blvd, Ft Myers. 278-4422.

•Spy Noir: Jun 7-Sep 3 WedSun. Murder Mystery Dinner Train. Seminole Gulf Railway, 2805 Colonial Blvd, Ft Myers. 275-8487.

•Stage It! Ten-Minute Play Festival: May 11-21. Center for the Performing Arts, 10150 Bonita Beach Rd, Bonita Springs. 495-8989.

•Summer Circus Spectacular: Jun 9-Aug 12. Circus Arts

Conservatory. Historic Asolo Theatre, 5401 Bay Shore Rd, Sarasota. 941-359-5700.

•That Must Be the Entrance to Heaven: Jun 9-Jul 9. Urbanite Theatre, 1487 2nd St, Sarasota. 941-321-1397.

•The Amateur Killer: thru May 14. Lemon Bay Playhouse. 96 W Dearborn St, Englewood. 941475-6756.

•The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged): May 5-21. Venice Theatre, 140 Tampa Ave W, Venice. 941-488-1115.

•The Foreigner:  thru May 7. Marco Players. Arts Center Theatre, Marco Town Center Mall, 1089 N. Collier Blvd, Marco Island. 642-7270.

•The Foreigner: thru May 7. Players Circle Theatre. Shell Factory, 16554 N Cleveland Ave, N Fort Myers. 800-3292.

•The Play That Goes Wrong: May 1-26. The Naples Players. Kizzie Hall, Sugden Theatre, 701 5th Ave S, Naples. 263-7990.

Art Galleries

•Aldo Castillo Gallery: Miromar Design Center, 10800 Corkscrew Rd, Estero. Thru May 6: Hugo Diaz - Art in Motion. Mon-Sat 10a-5p. 312375-8887.

•Aldo Castillo Gallery: 1634

5th Ave S, Naples. Tue-Sun 11a-7p. 312-375-8887.

•Alliance for the Arts: 10091 McGregor Blvd, Ft Myers. May

5-Jun 9: Margaret Schnebly

Hodge; Jun 16-Jul 29: Joan Sonnenberg Retrospective. Theatre Gallery— May 5-Jun

9: Barbara Yeomans. Members Gallery— May 5-Jun 9: Lee County Art Educators; Jun

19-Jul 29: Summer Arts

Camp. Tue-Fri 9a-5p & Sat 9a-1p. Receptions 1st Fri 5-7p. 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. May 9-20: N Sarasota County Schools; Jun 1-Aug 5: Regional show. Mon-Sat 10a-4p. 941365-2032.

•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.

•Baker Museum: Artis-Naples, 5833 Pelican Bay Blvd, Naples. thru May 7: Love Stories from the National Portrait Gallery; thru Jul 16: Florida

Contemporary; thru Oct 15: Naples Collects; thru 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.

•BIG ARTS: 900 Dunlop Rd, Sanibel. Jun 9-Jul 22: FSW State College students. Mon-Fri 9a-4p. 395-0900.

•Bob Rauschenberg Gallery:  FSW State College, Humanities Hall, 8099 College Pkwy SW, Ft Myers. thru Jun 17: The Exquisite Moving Corpse. Mon-Fri 10a-4p & Sat 11a-3p. 489-9313.

•Creative Liberties Artist Studios & Gallery: 901-B

Apricot Ave, Sarasota. Thu-Sat

10a-3p, Sun-Wed by appt, 3rd Thu 5-7p. 941-799-6634.

•Creative Liberties Artist Studios, Gallery & Academy: 927 Lime Ave, Sarasota. ThuSat 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. May 5-28:

Stan - Kiss This. Wed-Sun 10a-

3p. Receptions 1st Fri 6-10p. 590-8645.

•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.

•Florida Gulf Coast University

•Naples Art Institute: 585 Park St, Naples. Thru Jun 11: Miradas de Mujeres - Isabelle de Borchgrave & the World of Frida Kahlo; Jul-Oct: Naples Invitational. 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.

•Ringling College of Art & Design: 2700 N Tamiami

Tr, Sarasota (Basch & Smith Galleries: Thompson Academic Center, 2363 Bradenton Rd; Cooley Photography Center: 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). MonFri 10a-4p. 941-359-7563.

•Bokeelia Art Gallery: 8315 Main St, Bokeelia. Wed-Sun 10a-5p. 738-5280.

•Cape Coral Art Center:  Rubicond Park, 4533 Coronado Pkwy, Cape Coral. thru May 25: Florida Society of Goldsmiths; May 5-25: Abstracted Reality; Jun 2-Jul 27: Another Man’s Treasure. Mon-Sat 9a-4p. Receptions second Fri of month. 574-0802.

•Cape Coral Art League: 516 Cultural Park Blvd, Cape Coral. May 4-15: Looking Up. Silent Auction viewing Mar 2-29 11a4p. Mon-Th 11a-4p. Receptions 1st Thu. 772-5657.

•Center for the Visual Arts Bonita Springs: 26100 Old 41 Rd, Bonita Springs. Thru June 14: Stephen JohnsonMetamorphosis; May 8-11: High School Students Showcase; May 19-Jun 24: Elizabeth Williams; May 19-Jun 24: About Texture. 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 & Wed-Sat 10a-8p. 281-8180.

•Clyde Butcher’s Big Cypress Gallery: 52388 Tamiami Tr, Ochopee. Daily 10a-5p. 6952428.

•Clyde Butcher’s Venice Gallery & Studio: 237 Warfield Ave, Venice. Tue-Fri 10a-4:30p. 486-0811.

•Coco Art Gallery: Art Council of SWFL Gallery. Coconut Point Mall, 8074 Mediterranean Dr, Estero. May 3-24: SWFL Fine Craft Guild. Tue-Sun 11a-5p. 949-3073.

•Coco Art Gallery: Art Council of SWFL Gallery. Coastland Center, 1900 Tamiami Tr S, Naples. Wed-Sun 12-6p. 4363530.

•Creative Liberties Artist Residencies at Gaze Modern Gallery: 340 Central Ave, Sarasota. Mon-Fri 9a-6p & Sat 10a-5p. 941-799-6634.

Art Galleries: 10501 FGCU Blvd S., Ft Myers. Wasmer Gallery– thru May 5: Senior Projects. Mon-Fri 10a-4p. 590-7199.

•Fogartyville Community Media & Arts Center: 525 Kumquat Cr, Sarasota. Thru May 22: Earth Day Exhibit.

Mon & Tue 5-7p & by appt. 941894-6469.

•Gardner Colby Gallery: 386 & 365 Broad Ave S, Naples. MonSat 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 11a9p. 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.

•High Tide Studio & Gallery: 995 Central Ave, Naples. Tue-Sat 10a-4p & by appt. 228-6934.

•HW Gallery: 462 9th St N, Naples. Mon-Sat 10a-5p. 2636640.

•Island Visions: 2224 First St, Ft Myers. Sun-Thu 11a-6p, Fri & Sat 11a-9p. 282-0452.

•Larimart Gallery: 2359

Vanderbilt Beach Rd, Galleria

Shoppes, #410, Naples. Mon-Fri

10a-7p & Sat 10-3p. 276-0448

•Marc Harris Wildlife Photography Gallery: The Ritz-Carlton Tiburon, 2600 Tiburon Dr, Naples, By appt. 789-7027 283-3354.

•Marco Island Center for the Arts: 1010 Winterberry Dr, Marco Island. Thru May 2:

Adult Student Show; May 8-Jul

3: The Artists in Question Answered in Fiber. 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. 249-1977.

•Ringling Museum of Art: 5401 Bay Shore Rd, Sarasota. thru May 28: Gods & LoversPaintings & Sculpture from India; thru Jan 2024: As long as there is sun, as long as there is light; thru Sep 4: Reclaiming Home - Contemporary Seminole Art; May 6-Aug 6: From the Chambers - John Sims Memorial; May 20-Oct 15: Lorna Bieber. Circus Museum. Bayfront Gardens. Gardens of Ringling Guided Tour: Thu 10:30a. Daily 10a-5p, Thu 10a8p. 941-359-5700.

•Rookery Bay Environmental Learning Center: 300 Tower Rd, Naples. May 2-Jul 28: 100 Years of Collier County’s Waterfront - Paul Arsenault paintings. Tue-Sat 9a-4p. 530-5940.

•Sanibel Captiva Art League: Exhibitions at Sanibel Public Library, 770 Dunlop Rd, Sanibel— thru Jul 3: Fab 5 Artists; Jul 3-Sep 25: Home Sweet Home. Meetings 3rd Thu Sanibel Community House, 2173 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel. 1-3p. 322-8593.

•Sanibel Public Library: 770 Dunlop Rd, Sanibel. Sanibel Captiva Art League exhibits–thru Jul 3: Fab 5 Artists; Jul 3-Sep 25: Home Sweet Home. Mon-Fri 9a-35p. 472-2155.

•Sarasota Art Center: 707 N Tamiami Tr, Sarasota. May 9-20: N Sarasota Schools; Jun 1-Aug 5: Regional 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 Benson; thru May 7: Sara Berman’s Closet; thru Jun 25: A Beautiful Mess - Weavers & Knotters of the Vanguard. Tue-Sun 11a-5p. 941-309-4300.

•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— May 5-26: Divine Hypocrisy - David

Acevedo; Jun 2-29: The Key to Creativity. Capital Gallery— May 5-25: Spectrum of Nature; Jun 2-29: My Family AntiAutobiography. Mon, Tue & Thu 10a-5p, Wed & Fri 10a-10p. 337-1933.

•Sweet Art Gallery: 852 1st Ave

The Rookery Bay Environmental Learning Center in Naples presents an exhibition of paintings by Paul Arsenault, May 2-July 28. For information, call 530-5940.

What Goes On

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.

Thru August 31: Mark Hunt.

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. Daily 10a-5p. 340-6467.

•Venice Art Center:  390

Nokomis Ave S, Venice.

May 3-11: S Sarasota County School Show; May 19-Jun 25:

Memories; Jun 23-Jul 20:

Passion. Mon-Fri 9a-4p. 941485-7136.

•Visual Arts Center:  210

Maud St, Punta Gorda.

Main Gallery— thru May 11: Charlotte County High School; May 12-20: Charlotte County Elementary School; May 24-Jun 20: Water Water

Everywhere; Jun 26-Jul 17:

Summertime. Goff Gallery— thru May 11: Charlotte County Middle School; May 13-Jun 14:

Art with Meaning. Rebecca Hall— thru May 11: Charlotte County Middle School; May

17-Jun 14: Jessica McKnight

Photography; Jun 19-Jul

17: Portrait Studio & Life

Drawing. Mon & Fri 10a-4p, Tu-Thu 10a-7p, Sat 10a-2p. 941-639-8810.

•Zero Empty Spaces: Bell Tower Shops, 13499 S Cleveland Ave, #181, Ft Myers.

Grand Opening May 13, 5-8p. Daily 12-5p. 844-427-8788

Attractions

•Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Seminole Tribe of Florida Museum: Big Cypress Seminole Indian Reservation, 30290 Josie Billie Hwy, Clewiston. Daily 9a-5p (boardwalk 9a-4p). 877902-1113.

•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 SanibelCaptiva Rd, Sanibel. Tue-Fri 11a-3p. 395-2233.

•Bishop Museum of Science & Nature: 201 10th St W, Bradenton. Exhibits, manatee habitat, planetarium. Tue-Sat 10a-5p & Sun 12-5p. 941-7464131.

•Burroughs Home & Gardens: 2505 First St, Ft Myers. Tours Tue-Thu 11a. rsvp 337-9505

•Butterfly Estates: 1815 Fowler St, Ft Myers. Tue-Sun 9a-2p. 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. Sunrise-sunset. 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. Holiday Lights Dec 9-23 & 26-30. Tue-Sun 10a-4p. 275-3435.

•Cape Coral Historical Museum:  544 Cultural Park Blvd, Cape Coral. Wed-Fri 11a4p & Sat 10a-2p. 772-7037.

•Children’s Museum of Naples: North Collier Park, 15080 Livingston Rd, Naples. Exhibits— thru May 10: Peru Explored; thru Jul: Inventioneers LabWoodworking. Sun-Tue & Thu-Sat 10a-5p. Closed Sep 10-16. 514-0084.

•Collier County Museum at Government Center:  3331 Tamiami Tr E, Naples. Thru Aug 8: 1923 - Exploring Collier County’s Founding Year. MonSat 9a-4p. Free. 252-8476.

•Conservancy of SWFL: 1495 Smith Preserve Way, off Goodlette Frank Rd. Nature Center, exhibits, kayaking, nature walks, electric boat ecotours. 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 8a1p. 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. 6572253.

•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: 1 Wildlife Dr, Sanibel. Wildlife viewing, education Center. Wildlife drive: Sat-Thu 7a-5p; Visitor center: Sat-Thu 9a-5p. 4721100.

•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 Historical Society: Estero Park, 9285 Corkscrew Palms Blvd, Estero. Thru May 27: Tamiami Trail Blazers. Sat 1-4p. Free. 272-1911.

•Historic Palm Cottage

Museum & Norris Gardens:  Naples Historical Society, 137 12th Ave. S, Naples. Cottage tours: Tue-Sat 12-4p rsvp; Guided garden tours: 1st & 3rd Thu of month 10a. Tue-Sat 124p & Sat 1-4p. Free. 261-8164.

•Holocaust Museum & Cohen Education Center: 975 Imperial Golf Course Blvd, # 108, Naples. Guided tours. Wed, Thu, Sat, Sun 1-4p. Closed May 8-Jul 10. 263-9200.

•IMAG History & Science Center:  Exhibits, activities, live sea life touch-tank & feedings, films. Thru May 14: Tutankhamun - Return of the King. 2000 Cranford St, Ft Myers. Mon-Sat 10a-5p & Sun 12-5p. 321-7420.

•Immokalee Pioneer Museum at Roberts Ranch:  1215 Roberts Ave W, Immokalee. . Tue-Sat 9a-4p. Free. 252-2611.

•Marco Island Historical Museum:  180 S Heathwood Dr, Marco Island. 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. 941-3665731.

•Marie Selby Botanical Gardens: Historic Spanish Point, 337 N Tamiami Tr, Osprey. thru Sep: Seeing the Invisible. Daily 10a-5p daily. 941-366-5731

•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

•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 rsvp. Tours begin & end at Franklin Shops, 2200 1st St, Ft Myers. 945-0405.

•Williams Academy Black History Museum:  Clemente Park, 1936 Henderson Ave, Ft Myers. Wed-Fri 11a-4p & Sat by appt. Free. 332-8778.

•Wonder Gardens:  27180 Old 41 Rd, Bonita Springs. Botanical gardens, animals, alligator feedings. Guided tours Thu-Mon 1p. Daily 10a-2p. 992-2591.

Parks

•Alison Hagerup Beach: 14790 Captiva Dr, Captiva. Dawndusk. Parking fee. 472-2472

•Bailey Homestead Preserve: Temporarily Closed. Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation. 1300 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel. 472-1932.

Story of the SWFL Mounted Patrol. Mon-Sat 9a-4p. Free. 695-0008.

•Museum of the Islands: 5728 Sesame Dr, Bokeelia. Tue-Sat 11a-3p. 283-1525.

•Naples Botanical Garden:  4820 Bayshore Dr, Naples. Exhibitions– thru Jun 11: Mexico as Muse by Isabelle de Borchgrave; thru Sep 10: Frida & Her Garden; thru Sep

4: Viva la Vida; Fogg Café exhibit— thru May 29: Origins

- Patricia Cavazos. Music in the Garden: 2nd Sat. Birding tours: Tue 8a. Tours daily 10a1p on hour. May- daily 9a-5p, Wed 9a-8p; Jun- daily 9a-2p. 643-7275.

•Naples Depot Museum:  Temporarily Closed. 1051 Fifth Ave S, Naples. Mon-Sat 9a-4p. Free. 262-6525.

•Naples Zoo at Caribbean Gardens:  1590 GoodletteFrank Rd, Naples. Wildlife & botanical exhibits. Daily 9a-4:30p. 262-5409.

•Peace River Botanical & Sculpture Gardens: 5827 Riverside Dr, Punta Gorda. thru May 14: Leoma

Lovegrove’s Caribbean Colors exhibit; meet Leoma Sat 10a1p. Dogs welcome Tue. TueSun 9a-4p. 941-621-8299.

•Rookery Bay Environmental Learning Center:  300 Tower Rd, Naples. May 2-Jul 28: 100 Years of Collier County’s Waterfront - Paul Arsenault paintings. Exhibits, daily programs, guided boat & kayak tours. Tue-Sat 9a-4p. 530-5940.

•Sanibel Historical Museum & Village: Temporarily Closed. 950 Dunlop Rd, Sanibel. 472-4648.

•Bonita Beach Park:  27954 Hickory Blvd., Bonita Springs. Free. 533-7444.

•Bowditch Point Regional Park:  50 Estero Blvd, Ft Myers Beach. Free. 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 hikes. 8a-sunset daily. 941575-5816.

•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. 248-1609.

•Everglades National Park:  Gulf Coast Visitor Center, 815 Oyster Bar Ln. Everglades City. 695-3311.

•Fakahatchee Strand

Paintings by Mark Hunt are on view thru August 31 at Things I Like by Catherine in Naples. For information, call 778-4665.

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. 8am-sunset 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; wildlife lectures Wed 10:30a. 8a-sunset daily. 463-4588.

•Lynn Hall Park:  950 Estero Blvd, Ft Myers Beach. Free. 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 TueSun 10a-4p. Guided boardwalk walks Wed 9:30a. Guided ‘wet walks’ select Sat & Wed 9:30a & 1p Sep & Oct, rsvp. Dawndusk. 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. 3691521.

•Wa-Ke-Hatchee Park: 16730 Bass Rd, Ft Myers. Free. 432-2154.

Live Music & Comedy

•Americana Community M usic Association Listening Room: All Faiths Unitarian Congregation, 2756 McGregor Blvd, Ft Myers. Select FriSun 7p. 691-4069.

•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 2-6p. 693-7111.

•Buddha Bar:  12701 McGregor Blvd, Ft Myers. Live music select Wed-Sun nites. 4828565.

•Cape Cabaret: 4725

Vincennes Blvd, Cape Coral.

Live music Wed-Sat 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.

•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

Libraries

•Bonita Springs:  10560 Reynolds St, Bonita Springs.

Mon, Wed, Thu 10a-6p, Tue 128p, Fri & Sat 9a-5p. 533-4860.

•Cape Coral-Lee County:  921 S.W. 39th Ter, Cape Coral.

Mon-Wed 9a-8p. Thu 9a-6p, Fri & Sat 9a-5p. 533-4500.

•Captiva: Temporarily Closed. 11560 Chapin Ln, Captiva. 533-4890.

•Collier County Library Headquarters: 2385 Orange Blossom Dr, Naples. Mon-Thu 9a-8p, Fri & Sat 9a-5p. 252-7311.

•Dunbar-Jupiter Hammon: 3095 Blount St, Fort Myers. Tue 12-8p, Wed & Thu 10a-6p, Fri & Sat 9a-5p. 533-4150.

•East County Regional:  881 Gunnery Rd N, Lehigh Acres.

Mon-Wed 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 10a6p 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.

•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 10a-6p, Fri & Sat 9a-5p. 941-964-2488

•Lakes Regional: Temporarily Closed.. 15290 Bass Rd, Ft Myers. 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. 5334320.

•Northwest Regional: 519 Chiquita Blvd N, Cape Coral. Mon, Wed, Thu 10a-6p, Tue 12-8p, Fri & Sat 9a-5p. 5334700.

•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 9a1p. 472-2483.

•South County Regional: 21100 Three Oaks Pkwy, Estero. Mon-Wed 9a-8p, Thu 9a-6p, Fri & Sat 9a-5p. 5334400.

•South Regional: 8065 Lely Cultural Pkwy, Naples. MonThu 9a-8p, Fri & Sat 9a-5p.

•Vanderbilt Beach: 788 Vanderbilt Beach Rd, Naples.

Tue-Thu 10a-6p, Fri & Sat 9a-5p. 252-7160.

2-5p. Free. 313-6576.

•Howl: 4160 Cleveland Ave, Ft Myers. Open mic Wed

8-11p; live music select nites.

332-0161

•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-Sat & select Sun, 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.

•Point Ybel Brewing

Company: 16120 San Carlos Blvd, Ft Myers. 2nd & last

Thu: Irish jam 6-9p; Sat: Jeff Lyons 1-5p. Free. 603-6535.

•Rack ‘em Spirits & Times: 1011 SE 47th Ter, Cape Coral. Live music select Fri & Sat nites. Free. 540-7225.

•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 FriSun 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 WedSat nites. 204-9949.

•The Ranch Concert Hall & Saloon : 2158 Colonial Blvd, Ft Myers. Live music select Fri & Sat nites. 985-9839.

•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.

Lee County Sports Complex • Hammond Stadium 14400 Six Mile Cypress Parkway • Fort Myers 768-4210

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

The Baker Museum in Naples presents ‘Love Stories,’ paintings from the National Portrait Gallery, thru May 7. For information, call 597-1900.