Lifestyle GATEWAY
Production
Stephen
Elizabeth
Sales
Margo Williams
Becky Pruitt
Miranda Ledbeter
Alyssa Debban
Accounting and Sales Support
Selina Koehler
Production Manager
Lee Nostrant
Production Department
Elaine Donholt
Ruth Nekoranec
Katie Heystek
Dianne Strout
Karen Kalisz
Michelle Feeney
Andie Reynolds
Travis Raque Director of Racquets at The Club at
It’s hard to unlearn basic things we’ve learned and routine habits created
Think brushing your teeth or riding a bike.
Tennis is one of those sports that you just can’t unlearn. If you’re like me, you played tennis at local park courts or clubs as a child. Whether seriously or
just for fun, it’s how many of us spent the lazy months of summer.
Personally, my family was mad about racquet sports. You could say my story began on a tennis court. My parents actually met at the tennis courts, so I have been imbued with all things tennis my entire life. I remember being crowded around the television watching Wimbledon on HBO at my grandmother’s house, as if it was yesterday. And don’t get me started on the celebrations we have watched, major moments, like Jimmy Connors’ historic run at the U.S. Open. So, it will come as no surprise that we were always on the tennis courts.
Although I made tennis my life, you may have taken a long hiatus and are now thinking you’d like to get back in the game. Trust me, you should have no problem hopping right back onto the courts. It’s like riding a bike.
Unlike riding a bike, we do sometimes forget the little things, like the proper way to hold a tennis racket. When coming back to the courts, whether a seasoned pro or beginner, the key is to give yourself grace. Remember, it’s about the love of the game, connecting with other players, getting in some muchneeded movement, and most of all, having fun.
I’m here to help re-introduce you to tennis, help you find your grip again, ease you back
into the flow, and make it fun to jump back into the game. Tennis is more than a game, it’s a way of life. There is no better time to get back into shape and back on the tennis (or pickleball) court than today. You owe it to yourself to enjoy the little things, like the joy of hitting that tiny yellow ball across the net.
Our tennis and pickleball programs are off to a great start this fall season with both of our women’s and men’s teams ready to bring home championship wins. We have a robust schedule of clinics, lessons, round robins, and events awaiting our members. It is a very exciting time to be a Gateway member and I invite you to join the club and be a part of the fun.
GATEWAY MEMBERS ENJOYING AN AFTERNOON OF BRIDGE
The club offers several games of Bridge each week including, Duplicate, Play and Learn, Dinner & Whine (Wine) as well as several casual games. If you are interested in learning more, please call (239) 561-1036.
GATEWAY’S (CHEF DAN’S) TWO BEAN CHILI
INGREDIENTS
5 pounds ground beef
1 tablespoon canola
3 each red bell peppers, medium diced
2 each green bell peppers, medium diced
¼ cup granulated garlic
2 cups dark red kidney beans, drained
2 cups cooked black beans
3 cups tomato paste
1 each No. 10 can diced tomatoes
1 cup chili powder
¼ cup onion powder
¼ cup cumin, ground
1 teaspoon black pepper, ground
¼ cup minced garlic
1.5 quarts beef stock
METHOD
In a large pot on medium-high heat, add oil and begin to sauté bell peppers, onions, and garlic until translucent with a little color. Add 2 quarts water and ground beef. Continue to sauté until beef is browned and cooked through. Add all dried spices. Stir to combine.
Add beef stock. Stir to combine. Add tomato paste. Stir to combine. Add all remaining ingredients (beans and tomatoes).
Continue to cook bringing chili to a slow simmer. Reduce heat to low and continue to cook for 2 hours.
Yield: 7 quarts
THE CLUB AT GATEWAY GOLF COURSE PROJECT
We are happy to report that the golf course is coming along as planned. All 18 holes have been sprigged, sodded and all of the bunker work is complete. The practice facility is almost done with only a small amount of the driving range that still needs to be sprigged. The amount of rain in August and the beginning of September was tough. And it’s only gotten worse. The sod farms in the middle of the state were unable to harvest their grass due to the mass amount of precipitation. We are still very confident in opening on December 1.
There are still some areas on the course where the sprigs washed out and we will be sodding those areas soon. The focus now is continuing to grow grass while aggressively eliminating weeds. Our team will also be cleaning out landscaping beds and making the course as beautiful as possible for our members and neighbors.
NO. 2 GREEN LOOKING BACK AT THE TEE BOX
NO. 4 – MOWING PATTERNS STARTING TO TAKE SHAPE!
NO. 9 GREENS COMPLEX – EQUIPMENT FOR LAKE BANK
PROJECT
SPRIGGED NO. 18
OF THE CLUBHOUSE FROM NO. 10 GREEN
VIEW
FRESHLY
NO. 15 GREEN AND APPROACH
TOP DRESSING NO. 7 GREEN
Gateway Women’s Club
JANICE EATON, LAUREL BORGIA, MARIANNE KOLLASCH AND DONNA MARCHETTI
GATEWAY WOMEN’S CLUB RECENTLY WELCOMED
JOE BRAUN, THE COLLABORATORY’S CPO
STEPHANIE MENA
By definition, collaboration is a partnership, the act of producing an outcome greater than one would develop alone. The Collaboratory was originally founded as the Southwest Florida Community Foundation in 1976. Building on a legacy of service, the evolved mission is to facilitate and support our community. As a result, The Collaboratory has distributed more than $120M throughout Southwest Florida communities.
Joe Braun is the Chief Philanthropy Officer at The Collaboratory. He brings along with him 22 years of experience in the nonprofit industry. Working with donors and community partners, The Collaboratory connects and leverages our region’s resources to address ongoing social problems by upskilling our workforce, increasing access to affordable housing and enhancing health and wellness for all. Braun believes that working together, we can move the needle and make a difference in many lives.
Eric Lane, Senior Philanthropy Advisor of Southwest Florida’s Community Foundation, spoke about supporting local nonprofits and local charities, addressing common community needs.
The Collaboratory’s focus includes grantmaking, fund development and management, community leadership, capacity building, and more. The Collaboratory granted $1,257,470 and 174 scholarships to local high school seniors, undergraduate, graduate students and adult learners from Charlotte, Collier, Glades, Hendry and Lee counties. The Collaboratory’s Future Makers Coalition in Fort Myers helps adults in Hendry County and across Southwest Florida overcome obstacles to pursue higher education and secure well-paying jobs.
The Collaboratory believes there is nothing more powerful than women supporting other women. In Southwest Florida more than 50% of the population is female. One of The Collaboratory’s objectives is to ignite women’s potential, transforming futures. The Women’s Legacy Fund has three goals: 1) Amplify the power women possess to
strengthen their communities through philanthropic giving. 2) Educate women and the community on current issues and philanthropic strategies. 3) Inspire women to become leaders in philanthropy.
BROADWAY PALM DINNER THEATRE
MARY MILLS
On October 3, a group sponsored by Gateway Women’s Club enjoyed an evening of dining and a wonderful production of the play Chicago. Chicago is a 1975 American musical with music by John Kander, lyrics by Fred Ebb, and book by Ebb and Bob Fosse. Set in Chicago in the jazz age, the musical is based on a 1926 play of the same title by Maurine Dallas Watkins about actual criminals and crimes on which she reported. The story is a satire on corruption in the administration of criminal justice and the concept of the “celebrity criminal.”
With an eye on the future, The Collaboratory’s next focus is on creating two coalitions for environments – natural ecosystems and our built environment. The Collaboratory is located at 2031 Jackson Street, Fort Myers, 33901, (239) 274-5900. You can learn more by visiting their website https://collaboratory.org.
BARB MCGUIRE, MARY MILLS, JUDY HAMMOND, LOIS BASS, MARGARET GILL
MONA ROBRISH, PAT KASELLA, MARGARET GILL, BARB MCGUIRE, JUDY OLEARY, MARILYN KESTLER, LOIS BASS, JUDY HAMMOND
BARB MCGUIRE, VICKY SCHMELZ, MARILYN KESTLER, JUDY HAMMOND, TAMMY PALMER, SANDRA KNIGHT
PRUDI FOURNIER, MARIANNE KOLLASCH, CAROL BROWN, MIMI ROSSI
DINING OUT
SUSAN ROBERTS
OPA! This familiar Greek expression evokes the joy and enthusiasm of feasting with family and friends. Embracing this Greek vibe, Gateway Women’s Club recently celebrated the magic of the Mediterranean at Mythos Authentic Greek Cuisine.
Mythos is a family-owned and operated restaurant located in the McGregor Point Shopping Center of Fort Myers. Owners Georgia Tsagkaris and Kostantinos Siskamanis proudly share their rich heritage from the picturesque island of Kalymnos. Passing down recipes from generations, Mythos pays tribute to its Greek roots. Each dish “transports you to the sun-kissed landscapes and warm hospitality of our beloved island,” says Manager (and daughter) Margieta Siskamani.
Greek cuisine is a magnificent marriage between vibrant flavors and timeless tradition. Mythos does not cut short on either. Gateway Women’s Club members and guests enjoyed old-world classic dishes infused with an array of savory blends of citruses, oils, herbs, cheeses, and grilled meat. GWC’s feast began with a variety of starters including Greek salad, egg lemon soup, hummus, dolmathes (stuffed grape leaves),
saganaki, and pita. Saganaki is cheese flambéed at the table with showy flames accompanied by shouts of “OPA!” (According to legend, “flaming saganaki” originated in 1968 in Chicago’s Greektown.) The culinary journey continued with tasty entrees, including souvlaki, moussaka, pastichio, and gyros. The evening concluded with GWC members and guests indulging in Mythos’ irresistible homemade baklava. The evening was complete with Gateway Women’s Club members, family and friends creating memorable moments and diners exclaimed, “You feta believe that we will be returning soon!”
ALEXIS ROOSA, STEPHEN AND JOANN MONTALBANO, AND CANDIE STEINMAN
CAROL AND GARY BROWN
GRACIE HRINDA AND DONNA THAYER
ELEANOR AND RANDY STUART
GLENDA AND ARTHUR ZIEGLER
SIT AND STITCH
ELEANOR STUART
The next Sit and Stitch meeting will be hosted by Laurel Borgia on November 11 at 1 p.m. Please contact Laurel if you plan to attend. Her information can be found in the GWC Directory. The group includes many GWC members working on different projects. The members are still working on projects for Hospice and scarves for college-attending students who were in foster care. Any GWC member is welcome to join.
BRIDGE
Bridge 101 will meet November 5 and 19 at Hampton Park Amenity Center at 10 a.m. Please contact Susie Kravetz by phone or email, (her information is in the GWC Directory) to let her know if you are attending. The group needs a number count and names of attendees so you can get in the gate. They welcome anyone who plays bridge.
OPA!
KEN AND DOROTHY FREDA
LAUREL BORGIA
BOOK CLUB
BARBARA HANLIN
The GWC Book Club plans to meet on Tuesday, November 12 at 7 p.m. at the home of Laurel Borgia. Sandy Schwartz will lead the discussion of The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray. Jan Hartzell will be the cohostess. Please R.S.V.P. to Laurel by November 10. Her contact information is in the GWC Directory.
The Personal Librarian tells the intriguing tale of Belle de Costa Greene, a black woman who lived a double life as a white person and became the personal librarian to J.P. Morgan, one of the wealthiest men in America during the early 20th century.
SPECIAL EVENT
KATHY FLAHERTY
The Gateway Women’s Group recently went to List Distillery –Mr. Tom’s Spirits. The Distillery was founded in 2015 by Austrian Tom List. It is a small artisan distillery on Evans Avenue in Fort Myers. Marcell, the tour guide, showed the attendees around the distillery explaining how various types of liquor were made. They saw the bottling and how they checked it. Their products include
Vodka, Gin, Rum, Bourbon, Whiskey, and Cream Liqueurs. They personalize liquor bottles by engraving them. You can buy the bottles with or without liquor. The following people attended this very informative and exciting tour: Mary Mills, Janet and Tom, Wanda and Joel Davies, Eleanor and Randy Stuart, Kathy and Jeff Fabisiak, Glenda and Art Ziegler, Dorothy and Kenneth Freida,
Carol and Gary Brown, Mary Anderson, and Kathy Flaherty. After this wonderful tour, the group was invited to taste several delicious liquors.
Mark Your Calendar For The Craftie Ladies’ Fall Craft Fair
THE
CRAFTIE LADIES OF ST. JOHN XXIII CATHOLIC CHURCH
The Craftie Ladies of St. John XXIII Catholic Church are once again having their Fall Craft Fair.
If you’ve been to one of our craft fairs before, you know we have a large variety of top quality, homemade items for sale. In addition to our well-known, exquisite quilts, afghans and handknit and crocheted items, there will be pillows, table runners, placemats/napkins, handmade rosaries, jewelry, mother/daughter aprons, tooth fairy pillows, novel baby items, lots of lovely holiday décor, including our fabulous wreaths, and so much more!
Some of our always fabulous raffle baskets include BBQ, Evening in Paris, Chocolate, Cat, Dog, and Layette baskets, plus more made by our wonderfully talented women. The drawing for each basket will take place at 1 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 10. You don’t have to be present to win!
Come and join us on:
Saturday, Nov. 9 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, Nov. 10 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The Craftie Ladies came together 15 years ago. The group has grown to nearly 40 talented and dedicated women. All proceeds go directly back into the community. Just a few causes we donate to:
A.C.T.
Blankets And Blessings
Eva’s Closet
St. John XXIII Villas
St. Martin De Porres
We hope to see you at our Fall Craft Fair at St. John XXIII Catholic Church Parish Life Center, located on Palomino Lane, just north of Daniels Parkway. Stop by, have a chat and maybe get some early shopping done.
Whispers Of God…
DR. MARK P. GONZALES, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ROYAL PALM ASSOCIATION OF CHURCHES, SBC
HURRICANE GRACE
“Really, God? A n o t h e r hurricane?”
Full disclosure here. That was my first heart-gut reaction when foreboding forecasts of Milton blew up our screens. And boy I was miffed. Three, count ‘em, three this year: Debby, Helene, and Milton haunting and hurling their way to ravage many parts and lives in our state.
“Come on, God. You can do better than this! Where is all that grace you promised us all through the Scripture?”
Yeah, it took me a couple of days to let the clanging noise of my gut reactions settle down so I could hear His whispers in that emotional storm and the literal storm to come. Then I heard His gentle voice:
“My grace, all kinds of grace, is right in front of you, my son. You can drink as little or as much as you like.” Then He reminded me:
“I never promised that I’d keep you from the storms. I promised that I’d keep you through the storms.”
Oh yeah, right, John 16. Jesus specifically said: “In this world you will have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”
Okay. So how does that work exactly?
First, we need to be honest with ourselves and others that life is totally unpredictable, surely uncontrollable, and universally unfair. This is the result and impact of God’s gift of free will to us, and our abuse of it to sin and ravage ourselves and others—hence, TONS of tribulation. (Let’s read that again.)
So, let’s not blame God for the tribulations.
But secondly, and here’s the good news, the Lord is willing to be right there with us, always, with His “grace upon grace.”
Throughout history, though we have done tons of great things, we have also done tons of bad things at every level of life: personal, cultural, societal, and global corruption, indoctrination, contamination, manipulation, invasion, and domination. And nature itself was impacted by Adam and Eve’s original sin so that the planet itself groans with hurricanes, tornados, earthquakes, wildfires, volcanic eruptions, droughts, famine, pestilence, and more.
So, as we all watched the rollercoaster weather forecasts of Milton’s pending destruction with daily dread, none of us knew how bad it would be in our town or home, though the cone of predictability was remarkably accurate. Kudos to them! And that is when Lindy and I began drinking more and more of His grace.
The grace whispers to prepare well.
The grace whispers to help others. The grace whispers to pray through.
The grace whispers to heed warnings.
The grace whispers to obey authorities. The grace whispers to keep hope. The grace whispers to trust Him.
About that last one. Trust Him to do what? Keep us unscathed from the hurricane? Send it somewhere else? Jesus said as much in Gethsemane when facing an undeserved and unfair horrific death on the cross when he asked the Father to “take this cup away from me, but not my will, but Thy will be done.” The Father didn’t take it away. He allowed human free will to take its course on His
own Son. But . . . He was WITH him the entire time, and He used it to accomplish far deeper things that couldn’t be seen at the time. That’s God’s way.
In short, the harder and deeper we may get hit by all kinds of hurricanes in life, the deeper God is … with His grace, His strength, His comfort, His healing, His rebuilding, and His purposes. And we are seeing that becoming more and more available to weary and wounded people, all around a world littered with tribulation. Some were hit very hard this time around.
Others were not. But whatever the case at your house, my friends, whether now or later, there is plenty of grace available to you, directly from the gentle hand and heart of God. Just keep listening.
Receiving His Grace with you, Pastor Mark
Articles, videos and podcasts: markpg.org. Write and share at mark@quillpress.org. Hear me every Saturday at 8 a.m. on 91.5 FM.
Bestselling Authors Headed To Fort Myers This March
MELISSA BAKER, FESTIVAL COORDINATOR
Lee County Library System will be bringing in more than two dozen authors for the 26th annual Southwest Florida Reading Festival this March. Authors for all ages are coming to Fort Myers to showcase their books and meet fans from
10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, March 1, 2025. The free event will be held on the beautiful outdoor campus of the Fort Myers Regional Library, located at 2450 First St. downtown.
The Southwest Florida Reading Festival is a time-honored tradition in the community, with attendees coming back year after year to hear author presentations and have their books signed. This outdoor celebration gives fans the opportunity to meet and greet a diverse lineup of bestselling
authors, participate in arts and crafts and discover the latest books and digital resources offered by the library. There will also be food truck vendors, storytelling programs, youth writing award presentations and a free book given away for every child and teen attending the event.
“The Lee County Library System is honored to share the power of reading with the community, and this year’s authors won’t disappoint!” states Melissa Baker, Festival Coordinator.
The lineup of award-winning talent includes a mix of authors from all genres, from crime thrillers and mysteries to cozy fiction and romance. Youth authors will feature teen fantasy, thrillers and rom coms, along with picture books, easy readers, chapter books and nonfiction.
These are just a few of the highly anticipated writers that will be a part of the event:
Reed Farrel Coleman is The New York Times bestselling author of over 30 novels, including six in the Jesse Stone series for the estate of the late Robert B. Parker. He
is a four-time recipient of the Shamus Award for Best P.I. Novel of the Year and a four-time Edgar Award nominee in three different categories. He has also received the Authors on the Air Book of the Year Award, the Scribe, Audie, Macavity, Barry and Anthony Awards.
Lisa Genova is a Harvard educated neuroscientist and The New York Times bestselling author of numerous books, including Still Alice which was adapted into an Oscar–winning film starring Julianne Moore, Alec Baldwin and Kristen Stewart. Her TED talks on Alzheimer’s disease and memory have been viewed over eleven million times.
Jean Kwok is the award-winning, New York Times and international bestselling author of The Leftover Woman, Searching for Sylvie Lee, Girl in Translation and Mambo in Chinatown . Her work has been published in more than 20 countries and taught in schools across the world. All of her novels are in development for film and television.
Returning festival author and fan favorite Debbie Macomber is a #1 New York Times bestselling author and one of today’s most popular writers with more than 200 million copies of her books in print worldwide. Macomber’s novels have spent more than 1,000 weeks on The New York Times bestseller list, with 15 hitting the #1 spot. Celebrated as “the official storyteller of Christmas,” Macomber’s annual Christmas books are beloved and six have been crafted into original Hallmark Channel movies.
The Lee County Library System is honored to share the power of reading with the community, and this year’s authors won’t disappoint!
YOUTH AUTHORS
Renée Ahdieh is the #1 New York Times and internationally bestselling young adult author of The Wrath & the Dawn series, the Flame in the Mist series and The Beautiful quartet. Emilio Sloth’s Modern Manners is her debut children’s picture book.
Molly Idle is the Caldecott Honorwinning creator of the picture book Flora and the Flamingo and a flock of books featuring Flora and her Feathered Friends. She is also the author and illustrator of the mermaid tales Pearl and Coral. Her most recent picture books are Witch Hazel and I Don’t Care.
Megan McDonald is the creator of the widely popular and awardwinning Judy Moody and Stink series for older readers. She is also the author of three Sisters Club stories, two books about Ant and Honey Bee and many other books for children, including her brandnew series for young readers, The Fairy Door Diaries.
The full list of authors can be viewed on the festival’s website at www.ReadFest.org or by downloading the festival’s mobile app “SWFL Reads” at the App Store or Google Play. Anyone with the app already downloaded from last year will need to perform a software update to see the newly loaded content.
Attendees who want more exclusive access to meet and mingle with this year’s festival authors can do so at An Evening with the Authors, a fundraising dinner scheduled to take place at the waterfront Burroughs Home and Gardens on the evening of Friday, February 28. Tickets will be available by mid-November on the festival website.
The Lee County Library System has 13 branches to serve Lee County residents. Library programs are always free and open to the public. For more information about other library services and programs offered, visit www.leelibrary.net or call (239) 479-4636.
Sponsors Needed For The 2nd Annual ‘Bourbon & Bubbly’ Event To Benefit Golisano Children’s Hospital
THE EVENT IN JANUARY IN FORT MYERS WILL BENEFIT THE HOSPITAL’S PLANNED PEDIATRIC SURGERY CENTER
Sponsors are needed for the 2nd Annual “Bourbon & Bubbly” event planned for Jan. 30, 2025 from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. at the Burrough’s Home in Fort Myers to benefit Golisano Children’s Hospital Pediatric Surgery Center.
Golisano Children’s Hospital plans to open an outpatient pediatric surgery center adjacent to the main campus. The surgery center will provide a calming environment for standard procedures such as tonsillectomies, adenoidectomies, and ear tube placements, freeing up resources for pediatric neurosurgery, emergent cases, fractures and more in the hospital’s surgery unit. The center will help to reduce wait times, increase efficiency, lower costs and improve access to emergency services.
Guests are invited to step into “A Night at the Cabaret,” beginning with a cocktail hour featuring bourbon and sparkling bubbly, followed by dinner.
Sponsorship opportunities include $15,000 Presenting Sponsor, $7,500 Gold Sponsor, $5,000 Silver Sponsor and $2,500 Bronze Sponsor. Individual tickets are $150.
For more information about sponsorships, visit LeeHealthFoundation.org/event/ BourbonAndBubbly.
About Golisano Children’s Hospital
Golisano Children’s Hospital, a nationally recognized facility for safety and quality care, is one of five acute care hospitals within Lee Health. Established in 1994, Golisano is the only designated children’s hospital in Southwest Florida, with over 500,000 visits a year, serving patients from six surrounding counties. Ranked as a Top Children’s Hospital by Leapfrog, a Solution for Patient Safety network hospital, an Asthma-Friendly Hospital and a certified center for children with autism, Golisano offers over 30 specialty pediatric services in various locations across Southwest Florida. Lee Health opened the current hospital building in May 2017 which includes 135 beds and comprehensive neonatal and pediatric services. For more information,visit GolisanoChildrensSWFL.org.
ArtFest Fort Myers High School Art Competition – Art Under 20
In this rapidly evolving world, it is more important than ever to keep challenging opportunities available to our community’s students. Their education needs to create skills and knowledge that connect in evolving ways. The arts – visual and performing –fulfill that need.
Art Under 20 was created through ArtFest Fort Myers’ dedication to the fact the arts are essential to the complete education of our youth. The arts teach students innumerable lessons – that are critical to success in the everevolving creative economy that lies ahead. The arts teach youth that there are several paths to take when approaching problems and that all problems can have more than one solution.
DID YOU KNOW?*
Youth who participate in the arts are
• 4 times more likely to be recognized for academic achievement
• 3 times more likely to be elected to class office within their schools
• 4 times more likely to participate in a math and science fair
• 3 times more likely to be awarded for school attendance
• 2 times more likely to read for pleasure
Continue the conversation! What is your passion for the arts as part of a complete education for youth?
*Americans for the Arts
Accepted research shows impressive benefits of arts in education – encouraging students to stay in school, succeed in school, succeed in life and succeed in work. Art Under 20 Sponsor Suncoast Credit Union supports the belief that arts in education is a vibrant part of our community and everyone benefits from it.
Art Under 20 exhibit and competition at ArtFest Fort Myers the first weekend in February provides a professional setting for students to display their artwork and compete for $10,000 in annual cash awards. Over the past 24 years, 5,500-plus students have participated from all Lee County high schools and have won $175,000 in total awards.
All Lee County high school students (public, private and home-schooled) are invited to participate in Art Under 20. Entries are accepted in seven categories: digital, drawing, mixed media, painting, photography, 3-dimensional and art created using recycled materials.
People and organizations that believe in supporting art opportunities for our youth can support Art Under 20 in a variety of ways. Some include creating additional award categories, providing scholarship funds for winners, or
hosting art experiences for participants. Contact ArtFest Fort Myers for more information.
Art Under 20 Entry Forms and more information are available through all Lee County high school art departments or at ArtFestFortMyers.com/au20. The deadline to enter for the 2025 Art Under 20 is December 4, 2024.
ArtFest Fort Myers, Southwest Florida’s premier art festival, takes place February 1 and 2, 2025 in the Fort Myers River District. Join 200 artists from across the
county: the largest high school art exhibit and competition in south Florida with free interactive art experiences for children of all ages and a community stage with continual performances and fine food and entertainment.
QUICK FACTS
WHAT
Southwest Florida’s premier art festival featuring 200 national artists, high school art competition, street chalk art competition, children’s art activities, fine food and entertainment
ART UNDER 20
Located in the 3,000-square-foot tent at the west end of the art festival under the U.S. 41 bridge.
WHEN AND WHERE AND PARKING
• February 1 and 2, 2025, Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Downtown Fort Myers River District on Edwards Drive
• Look for bright Event Parking signs and flags.
• Parking lots adjacent to festival, remote parking with trolley service, street parking and city garages are open.