Ketanji Brown Jackson lights up stage at Broadway musical “& Juliet”
Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson treated “& Juliet” fans to a special performance for one night only!
- Southwest Florida’s entertainment season features major events from January through April, including concerts, festivals, and Broadway shows.
- Numerous art festivals will take place across the region, offering free admission to view and purchase various forms of art.
- The Baker Museum in Naples is celebrating its 25th anniversary with special exhibits, including works by Tamara de Lempicka and Ansel Adams.
- Major annual events include the Edison Festival of Light Grand Parade, the Naples St. Patrick’s Day Parade, and the Fort Myers Beach Shrimp Festival.
Entertainment season is heating up in Southwest Florida. And some of the area’s biggest events happen between now and April.
Huge concerts. Touring Broadway blockbusters. Gigantic parades. Bustling art festivals. The 100th-anniversary tour for basketball magicians The Harlem Globetrotters. They’re all happening in the next four months.
Here are our picks for the top concerts, musicals, festivals and other events happening in Fort Myers, Naples and the rest of Southwest Florida. Check your favorite local theaters, venues and arts groups to see what else they have planned.
The Baker Museum’s 25th anniversary
It’s a big year for The Baker Museum at Artis―Naples.
The Naples museum celebrates its 25th anniversary with a season packed with great exhibits, including Art Deco painter Tamara de Lempicka (now through February 2026) and renowned nature photographer Ansel Adams (March through August 2026).
The museum’s permanent collection spans three floors and includes large-scale glass works by the renowned Dale Chihuly and mind-blowing paintings by surrealist superstar René Magritte.
Info: The Baker Museum at Artis—Naples, 5833 Pelican Bay Blvd., Naples. 597-1900 or artisnaples.org
Art festivals from Fort Myers to Naples
Art-festival season has finally arrived, and you’ll find all kinds of art at these sprawling, outdoor events: Paintings, sculptures, jewelry, photography, handmade purses and lots more.
Even better: Admission is usually free.
Many festivals are scheduled to happen between now and the end of April in Naples, Bonita Springs, Fort Myers, Cape Coral and the rest of Southwest Florida. Here are some of the biggies:
- Bonita Springs National Art Festivals series: Jan. 10-11, Feb. 7-8 and March 14-15 at Riverside Park, downtown Bonita Springs. artsbonita.org/artfest
- Cape Coral Art Festival and Marketplace: Jan. 10-11 on Cape Coral Parkway between Del Prado Boulevard and Southeast 10th Place, downtown Cape Coral. capecoralartfestival.com
- Art Fest Naples Invitational: Jan. 17-18 at Fleischmann Park, Naples. artfestnaples.com
- Uptown Naples Fine Art Festival: Jan. 24-25 at Pelican Bay, Naples. artfestival.com
- Mercato Art Celebration: Jan. 24-25 at Mercato, North Naples. naplespicasso.com
- Art in the Park: The first Saturday of the month from January through April. naplesart.org
- 20th anniversary Coconut Point Art Festival: Feb. 14-15 at Coconut Point shopping center, Estero. artfestival.com
- ArtFest Fort Myers: Feb. 7-8 on Edwards Drive between Heitman and Lee streets, downtown Fort Myers. ArtFestFortMyers.com
- Naples National Art Fair: Feb. 20-22 in Cambier Park, downtown Naples. naplesart.org
- Naples Fine Art Show: March 14-15 at Coastland Center, Naples. hotworks.org
- Naples Downtown Art Fair: March 21-22 in Cambier Park, downtown Naples. naplesart.org
- Fort Myers Fine Art Show: April 11-12 at JetBlue Park, Fort Myers. hotworks.org
Theater season, major musicals
Broadway smash “& Juliet” reimagines Shakespeare with a surprising twist: Juliet lives and goes on a journey of self-discovery in Paris — all set to a pop soundtrack packed with hits by Britney Spears, Bon Jovi, Katy Perry, Backstreet Boys and more.
The jukebox musical finally comes to Southwest Florida this January and February with two week-long runs at Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall in Fort Myers and Artis—Naples in Naples. And that’s not all that’s happening onstage in Fort Myers, Naples and Cape Coral.
The 2026 lineup of plays and musicals includes two Agatha Christie murder mysteries (“The Mousetrap” at Gulfshore Playhouse and “And Then There Were None” at Fort Myers Theatre), bloody Sondheim musical “Sweeney Todd” (Cultural Park Theatre); heartwarming play “Tuesdays With Morrie” (Florida Rep), the musical adaptation of the beloved Louisa May Alcott novel “Little Women” (Players Circle Theater) and lots more.
Here’s a look at all those and more notable shows happening this season in Southwest Florida:
- Beloved musical “Fiddler On The Roof” (Jan. 3-Feb. 14 at Broadway Palm)
- Country musical “Always … Patsy Cline” (Jan. 6-25 at Florida Repertory Theatre)
- Literary adaptation “Little Women: The Musical” (Jan. 6-25 at Players Circle Theater)
- Agatha Christie murder mystery “And Then There Were None” (Jan. 8-25 at Fort Myers Theatre)
- Murder mystery “Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap” (Jan. 15-Feb. 15 at Gulfshore Playhouse)
- Murderous revenge musical “Sweeney Todd” (Jan. 23-Feb. 1 at Cultural Park Theatre)
- Memoir adaptation “Tuesdays With Morrie” (Jan. 27-March 1 at Florida Rep’s ArtStage Studio Theatre)
- Sun Records rock musical “Million Dollar Quartet” (Jan. 28-Feb. 14 at the Music and Arts Community Center, aka “The MACC”)
- Shakespeare-inspired pop musical “& Juliet” (Jan. 27-Feb. 1 at Artis—Naples, Feb. 3-8 at B.B. Mann Hall)
- Provocative drama “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time” (Feb. 4-March 1 at The Naples Players)
- Hilariously inaccurate “historical” epic “Gutenberg: The Musical” (Feb.5-15 at TheatreZone)
- Movie adaptation “Back to the Future: The Musical” (Feb. 17-22 at B.B. Mann Hall)
- Enduring Andrew Lloyd Webber musical “Cats” (Feb. 20-April 4 at Broadway Palm)
- August Wilson “Century Cycle” drama “Two Trains Running” (Feb. 20-March 8 at Lab Theater with Theatre Conspiracy)
- Movie adaptation “9 To 5: The Musical” (Feb. 27-March 14 at The Belle Theatre)
- Oscar Wilde’s witty comedy classic “The Importance of Being Earnest” (March 1-April 4 at Gulfshore Playhouse)
- ABBA megahit musical “Mamma Mia!” (March 10-15 at B.B. Mann Hall)
- Political satire “November” (March 13-29 at The Studio Players)
- Trop-rock-packed musical “Jimmy Buffett’s Escape to Margaritaville” (March 20-29 at Cultural Park Theatre)
- Neil Diamond musical “A Beautiful Noise” (March 24-29 at Artis—Naples)
- Tony Award-winning “growing up and growing old” musical “Kimberly Akimbo” (April1-5 at B.B. Mann Hall)
Info: Learn more about these and more shows at artisnaples.org (Artis—Naples in Naples), bbmannpah.com (B.B. Mann in Fort Myers), thebelletheatre.com (The Belle Theatre in Cape Coral),broadwaypalm.com (Broadway Palm in Fort Myers), culturalparktheatre.org (Cultural Park Theatre in Cape Coral), floridarep.org (Florida Repertory Theatre in Fort Myers), ftmyerstheatre.com (Fort Myers Theatre in Fort Myers), gulfshoreplayhouse.org (Gulfshore Playhouse in Naples), laboratorytheaterflorida.com (The Laboratory Theater of Florida), gulfcoastsymphony.org (The MACC in Fort Myers), naplesplayers.org (The Naples Players in Naples), playerscircletheater.com (Players Circle Theater in Fort Myers), thestudioplayers.org (The Studio Players in Naples), theatreconspiracyfl (Theatre Conspiracy), theatre.zone (TheatreZone in Naples)
Harlem Globetrotters’ 100 Year Tour at Hertz Arena
The world-famous basketball wizards dazzle audiences everywhere they go. Now they’re back again at Hertz Arena — this time celebrating 100 years of trick shots, gravity-defying dunks and endless entertainment.
They’ll perform at 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 8. Tickets are $37-$175.
Info: Hertz Arena, 11000 Everblades Parkway, Estero. 948-7825 or hertzarena.com
Venezia Renaissance Faire in Bonita Springs
The fourth-annual Venezia Renaissance Faire takes you back to the days of knights and chivalry. The fun includes medieval and Renaissance-era games (including a life-sized chess match), jousting, stage performers, food, a medieval marketplace, costumed characters and lots more.
The Bonita Springs event returns for two weekends: Jan. 10-11 and 17-18. Tickets $20 for one day, $35 for all weekend ($12-$20 for ages 3-12).
Info: Next to Bonita Springs Poker Room, 28001 Old 41 Road, Bonita Springs. veneziarenaissancefaire.com
Cars on 5th and the 2026 Naples Automotive Experience
The Naples Automotive Experience is the biggest event of the year for car lovers: A weekend’s worth of car-themed events that include the ever-popular Cars on 5th.
The 22nd-annual Cars on 5th Concours takes place Saturday, Feb. 7, in downtown Naples. It features more than 400 vintage, prototype and modern cars on display on Fifth Avenue South. The lineup includes Ferraris, Porches, Corvettes, McLarens, Lamborghinis, Aston Martins and Maseratis.
The event draws as many as 20,000 people every year.
The bigger Naples Automotive Experience also features wine tastings, cigars, vendors and special events.
Info: naplesautomotiveexperience.org
Opera Naples’ 20th season
Opera Naples’ annual Festival Under the Stars — the only outdoor winter opera festival in the United States — returns with more than two months of events, including the operas “Turandot,” “Scalia/Ginsburg” and “The Elixir of Love.”
The fest takes place Jan. 24 to March 14 at both Naples’ Baker Park and Opera Naples’ Wang Opera Center.
Artistic director Ramón Tebar says he’s particularly excited about the opera “Scalia/Ginsburg” (Feb. 21-22). The story — about the unlikely friendship between politically opposed U.S. Supreme Court justices Antonin Scalia and Ruth Bader Ginsburg — is a must-see show for this politically divided time, he said in September 2025.
“We see more division, more polarity in our communities…” he said. “(But) you can disagree with your neighbor and still be friend and be cordial, not enemies.”
The festival is part of Opera Naples’ ongoing 20th-annual season, which also includes The Luciano Pavarotti Foundation Opera Naples International Voice Competition. That second-annual event features young singers competing for contracts with top opera houses.
It’s part of an ongoing collaboration with the widow of legendary opera tenor Luciano Pavarotti’s widow, Nicoletta Pavarotti, and the Luciano Pavarotti Foundation.
Info: 963-9050 or operanaples.org
Big concerts, big names
Some huge musical acts and otherwise cool shows are coming to Southwest Florida between January and April: Barry Manilow’s final shows at Hertz Arena, actor Bill Murray and his blues-rock band at B.B. Mann Hall, disco legends KC and the Sunshine Band at Seminole Casino Hotel and so much more.
Here are some of the coolest shows hitting town on early 2026:
- Classic rockers Kansas (Jan. 10 at Artis—Naples)
- Southern Fried Swamp Jam with The Marshall Tucker Band, Molly Hatchet and more (Jan. 17 at Seminole Casino Immokalee)
- Bluegrass act Appalachian Road Show (Jan. 17 at Arts Bonita in Bonita Springs)
- Staind singer Aaron Lewis (Jan. 30 at Seminole Casino Immokalee)
- Disco greats KC and the Sunshine Band (Feb. 13 at Seminole Casino Hotel)
- Classic rockers Styx and Cheap Trick (Feb. 25 at Hertz Arena)
- Singer-songwriter Paul Anka (March 7 at B.B. Mann)
- Australian country-pop act Little River Band (March 13 at Caloosa Sound Amphitheater)
- Pop superstar Barry Manilow’s last shows at Hertz Arena (March 16-17 at Hertz Arena)
- Country singer Parker McCollum (March 26 at Hertz Arena)
- Wisconsin rock band BoDeans 40th anniversary tour (March 27 at Arts Bonita)
- Country star Tracy Byrd (March 28 at The Ranch Concert Hall & Saloon)
- Violinist Joshua Bell with the Naples Philharmonic (April 2-4 at Artis—Naples)
- Grammy-nominated blues great John Primer (April 4 at Arts Bonita)
- Rock legends Santana (April 8 at Hertz Arena)
- Actor Bill Murray & his Blood Brothers Band (April 21 at B.B. Mann)
- Pop-country singer Maren Morris (April 25 at B.B. Mann)
Info: You can find out more about all of these upcoming concerts at artsbonita.org (Arts Bonita), artisnaples.org (Artis—Naples), bbmannpah.com (B.B. Mann Hall), CaloosaSoundAmp.com (Caloosa Sound), hertzarena.com (Hertz Arena), theranchfortmyers.com (The Ranch) and moreinparadise.com (Seminole Casino Hotel)
Wonder Gardens celebrates 90 years in Bonita Springs
The Wonder Gardens is the oldest roadside attraction in Southwest Florida ― even older than Fort Myers’ popular Edison & Ford Winter Estates.
Now everyone is invited to celebrate The Wonder Gardens’ major milestone, its 90th birthday, with two days of events.
First up, there’s a 90th Birthday Evening Celebration from 6-9 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 31. It includes food from local restaurants, adult beverages, live entertainment, animal encounters, a live auction and more. Tickets are $250-$500.
Then there’s Family Day at the Gardens from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 1. The event includes music, food, interactive programs, animal interactions, games and more. Tickets are $50 ($25 for ages 3-12).
The botanical garden and animal refuge features more than 300 rescued, rehabilitated and non-releasable animals, including gators, macaws, turtles, flamingoes and the new Otter Grotto exhibit.
Info: The Wonder Gardens, 27180 Old 41 Road, Bonita Springs. 992-2591 or wondergardens.org
World Ukulele Day in Bonita Springs
Downtown Bonita Springs comes alive with the joyful sound of ukuleles at the second-annual World Ukulele Day, part of an international celebration of the tiny, easily mastered stringed instrument.
Live ukulele performances and other events take place noon to 6 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 1, at various downtown Bonita venues. Admission is free.
The lineup includes community jams, workshops, a brunch and free live music, including headliners Lil Rev with Ray Cyrgrymus.
Info: worldukuleleday.com
Cape Coral Bike Night
Three times a year, Cape Bike Night packs downtown Cape Coral with motorcycles, cold beer, hot food, vendors and lots of hard-hitting rock ‘n’ roll.
The five-hour block party returns with two more Saturday events in early 2026. They take place Feb. 14 and April 11 along Southeast 47th Terrace from Vincennes Street to Coronado Parkway. Admission is free.
Motorcycles are no longer allowed to parked along Southeast 47th Terrace, though, due to safety concerns and new residential developments in downtown Cape Coral/South Cape. Instead, they must park in one of two designated areas.
Info: 573-3128 or ccbikenight.com
Edison Festival of Light Grand Parade
Every year, thousands of people cram the streets of downtown Fort Myers for the Edison Festival of Light Grand Parade — and some crowd estimates go as high as 200,000.
The giant parade typically boasts about 150 units, including high-school marching bands, emergency vehicles, dancers and more than 50 floats — all celebrating Fort Myers’ most famous snowbird, inventor Thomas Edison.
Now in its 88th year, it’s one of the biggest night parades in the Southeast United States.
The Feb. 21 grand parade caps about two weeks of events in Fort Myers called the Edison Festival of Light, including a children’s parade, a garden festival, foot races, a sing-along concert and a pet parade.
Info: edisonfestival.org
Collier County Fair, Southwest Florida Ag Expo
Carnival rides, farm-animal exhibitions, live music and plenty of deep-fried food: Southwest Florida’s two biggest fairs happen this February and March.
First up is the third-annual Southwest Florida Ag Expo (Feb. 26-March 8), which replaced the long-running Southwest Florida & Lee County Fair. The renamed event is being run by the Lee County government, but features pretty much everything the old event did.
Then there’s the Collier County Fair (March 19-29). That popular annual event celebrates its 50th anniversary this year.
Both fairs draw thousands of people every year.
Info: SWFLAgExpo.com or collierfair.com
Southwest Florida Reading Festival
It’s the biggest event of the year for Southwest Florida readers: A day packed with bestselling authors, book signings, book presentations and more.
The 27th-annual The Southwest Florida Reading Festival features more than two dozen acclaimed and bestselling authors, including:
- Literary fiction novelist Wally Lamb (“The River Is Waiting,” “I Know This Much Is True”),
- Thriller author Brad Thor (“Edge of Honor,” “Black Ice”),
- Historical fiction novelist Fiona Davis (“The Stolen Queen,” “The Magnolia Palace”),
- Youth writer Dan Gutman (creator of the “Rappy the Raptor” and “My Weird School”series),
- And husband-and-wife creators Trisha Speed Shaskan and Stephen Shaskan (“Punk Skunks,” the “Q & Ray” series).
All the writers will chat with fans, sign books and take part in presentations. The March 7 fest also includes activities for all ages, food, vendors and a free book for every child and teen attending. Admission is free.
Info: readfest.org
50th annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Naples
Southwest Florida’s biggest St. Patrick’s Day event of the year draws more than 40,000 people to see its floats, marching bands, fire engines, dancers and more — all decked out in green and shamrocks to celebrate the holiday.
The two-hour-plus event is considered to be the biggest privately funded parade in Florida. And they’ve been doing it for 50 years.
The parade got its start in 1976 when Father Thomas Goggin led a group from St. Louis, Missouri, around the St. Ann Catholic Church grounds in Naples.
Parade organizers are inviting everyone to come out and celebrate their golden anniversary.
“This milestone is a testament to the enduring spirit of our city,” they wrote in November 2025 on Facebook, ”and we invite everyone to help us make this celebration the biggest and best yet.”
Info: The parade starts at 11 a.m. Saturday, March 14, at the corner of Third Street South and 10th Avenue. It’ll turn onto Fifth Avenue South and then onto Eighth Street South to finish in front of City Hall. Free. naplesparade.com
Fort Myers Beach Shrimp Festival
If you love shrimp, this is the place to be: The Fort Myers Beach Lions Club Shrimp Festival.
The 68th-annual fest returns March 7-8 with its annual parade, 5K run, Blessing of the Fleet, arts-and-crafts fair, a shrimp-eating contest and a week-long Shrimp Crawl featuring shrimp-themed drinks and dishes at many Beach bars and restaurants.
It’s all to celebrate the island’s enduring shrimp industry. Various events are scheduled all over the island. Everything is free.
Info: fortmyersbeachshrimpfestival.com or facebook.com/ShrimpFestFMB
Stars On Ice at Hertz Arena
The popular ice-skating show returns April 16 to Hertz Arena with a roster of U.S. and world champions, past and present — many of whom will compete in the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy.
The biggest star of the night is reigning two-time world champion Ilia Malinin, aka the “Quad God.” He’s the first and only skater to land a quadruple axel in competition.
The lineup also includes Olympic gold medalists and six-time U.S. ice-dance champions Madison Chock & Evan Bates, world silver medalist Isabeau Levito and reigning U.S. Champion Amber Glenn.
Tickets are $16-$206.
Info: Hertz Arena, 11000 Everblades Parkway, Estero. 948-7825 or hertzarena.com
Charles Runnells covers arts and entertainment for The News-Press and the Naples Daily News. To reach him, call 239-335-0368 or email [email protected]. Follow or message him on Facebook(@charles.runnells.7), Instagram (@crunnells1) and X (@CharlesRunnells).
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