The Fort Myers Dowtown Rotary is assising with parking as they did last year.  Avoid the Fuss Ride the Buss.

Park you cars downtown across from  Fist Watch in the old Boulevard Plaza.   There are buses every 15 minutes running downtown.

Thanks

ArtFest Fort Myers, Southwest Florida’s premier art festival takes place downtown Fort Myers on February 4 & 5, 2012 from 10 to 5 each day. Each year Fort Myers’ only free, two day art extravaganza, decorates our downtown with exceptional artwork, entertainment and children’s art activities.

Attendees enjoy and purchase artwork in a variety of mediums and prices from nationally recognized artists from across the country and around the world.

Its better than a gallery – there is lots of variety – you can talk to the artists – you can view the work of over 200 fine artists in a single weekend – you can introduce your children to the magic of original art.

Enjoy this amazing opportunity to see some of the most creative and exciting artwork to be exhibited anywhere in Florida this season.

ArtFest Fort Myers artists are rarely seen at other local art festivals. Their work is refreshing and new. It’s a perfect time to find that one of a kind piece for your home or collection!

Advance tickets on sale  at SouthWest Captial Bank,Vincents Salon , Tan USA,Finemark Bank at Riverwalk and the Franklin Shops

This video was from one of last years performers Memphis 56 and Andy Howl

In the Main Gallery
November 21st – December 31st

Alicia Schmidt:
40 Years a Retrospective

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Opening Reception: December 2nd, 5-7:30pm
Exhibiting: November 21st – December 31st
Gallery WALK & TALK: December 3rd from 10-11am
Members Gallery: Barbara Fewster
Theater Lobby: Lydia Fogaras Ljuboja M.D.

“Alicia Schmidt: 40 Years A Retrospective” will contain work dating back to 1971, including paintings, drawings and watercolors. The collection starts with traditional academic work, figures, landscape and portraits but also represents various turning points in Schmidt’s life as her work developed into a minimal style and then into abstract works.

Alicia has been a resident of Cape Coral since 1966, moving to SW Florida from Dunkirk, NY. Her work has been exhibited nationally and regionally in solo, group, and juried exhibitions and has been the recipient of many awards.

Art Walk and Tree Lighting December 2nd 2011

Fort Myers Art Walk offers great gift and holiday shopping options

December’s Fort Myers Art Walk and the Saturday Art Fair will offer some great holiday shopping options for local residents and tourists alike.

The first weekend of December will see new art exhibits, the official Christmas tree lighting, and a growing art fair in downtown Fort Myers.

The next monthly Art Walk will take place on Friday, Dec. 2, with local art galleries and art stops featuring new exhibits and shows. This regular cultural event draws between 1,500 and 2,500 people each month to the downtown River District.

Then on Saturday, Dec. 3, the organizers of Art Walk present the seasonal Saturday Art Fair. A new twist this year is the art fair is a juried event, showcasing individual artists at tables along the sidewalks of First Street. The Saturday Art Fair runs from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and is free to attend. Thirty-nine artists and art vendors are scheduled to be at December’s Saturday Art Fair.

The monthly Art Walk runs from 6 to 10 p.m. on the first Fridays of every month. The December Art Walk will include a dozen art galleries and art stops and will feature new art shows, live music, and the traditional after party.

An added bonus on Friday, Dec. 2 At Fowler White and Boggs

Downtown Fort Myers is kicking off the Holiday Season with the Holiday Stroll this Friday. Mayor Randy Henderson, who is standing in as Santa, will ride down First Street in a horse drawn carriage.
The prime spot to watch Mayor Randy Henderson ride down First Street in a horse drawn carriage is the front entrance of the law office of Fowler White Boggs – on the corner of First and Hendry.

Office staff will sweeten your wait with Holiday music, hot coffee and cookies. Please bring an unwrapped toy – FWB is a drop-off location for Toys for Tots. Toys and monetary donations will be accepted from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. to help as many local less fortunate children as possible to celebrate the Holidays.

Inside FWB’s office atrium, a 12 feet tall decorated Christmas tree is the center piece for amazing stained glass art displays by John C. Coleman.

  The carriage will head to Hendry Street, turn north and stop just north of Bay Street. The mayor will light the official downtown Christmas tree in the grassy median of Hendry Street. He will then travel to the Art of the Olympians at the river’s edge where fake snow will fall on strollers. The procession will turn around and head south on Hendry Street back to First. Turning east on First, the Mayor’s carriage will proceed to the Goodwill Festival of Trees at the Sidney and Berne Davis Art Center. First and Hendry streets will be closed temporarily during the stroll and tree lighting.

Some art highlights of the Friday, Dec. 2 Art Walk:

- Art of the Olympians: Showing an exhibition, Legends of ’68, featuring artwork from four dynamic USA Olympians from the 1968 Olympic Games (Rink Babka, Bob Beamon, Peggy Fleming, and Al Oerter), and a collection of works by Olympic Artist Steve Allen. Vocalists from the Young Artists Awards program will be performing holiday songs starting at 6:30 p.m.

- Art League of Fort Myers: Opening reception for Small Packages exhibit.

- Arts for ACT Gallery: Opening reception for new show featuring artists Cheryl Fausel, Honey Costa, and Ron Evans.

- Coloring The World: Holiday art sale to include medal sculptures by Mac Worthington, paintings by Stephen Gray Blancett, jewelry by Raven, and pottery by Sandy Pond.

- daas Gallery: Opening reception for Earth: A Cry for Deliverance, a juried group exhibition.

- Gallery Showcase and Information Center at IberiaBank (Bayview Court at First Street). Art Walk T-shirts are available at this location as well as buttons, maps and brochures.

- HOWL Gallery: Kash N Karry Holiday Sale offers big savings on many art pieces including original art, framed art, T-shirts, and unframed posters & prints, available for immediate take home. Save up to 50% on select items.

- In One Instant: Holiday Salon: Photography and Gifts for the Season, with more than 20 different local and regional photographers represented.

- Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center: Final night of Goodwill Festival of Trees.

- Savvy on First: Featuring artists Bekki Shanklin and Trudy Hylant.

- Space 39 Gallery: Group art show. 

Nearly 50 participants make Art Walk successful each month and they include the Alliance for the Arts, AmeriDry, Art League of Fort Myers, Art of the Olympians, Arts for ACT Gallery and Boutique, Browtopia, Cigar Bar, Coloring The World, Cool Hand Luc’s, daas Gallery, Downtown House of Pizza, Enjewel, First United Methodist Church, Florida Repertory Theatre, Fort Myers Community Redevelopment Agency, The Franklin Shops, French Connection Cafe, Hampton Inn & Suites, Happenings A&E Magazine, Hideaway Sports Bar, Hotel Indigo, HOWL Gallery/Tattoo, Ichiban Japanese & Chinese Restaurant, IberiaBank, In One Instant Gallery of Photography, Legacy Harbour Hotel & Suites, Leoma Lovegrove Gallery, Linen Cottage, Lush French Bakery, Mad Hatter Galleries, Main Street Antiques, Market America Realty & Investments, Morgan House Restaurant, The Oasis Luxury Condos, Potomac Bead Company, Red Door Studio, Renaissance Creativity Center, River District Alliance, Rock Lake Resort, Savvy on First, Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center, Select Transportation, SKS PhotoShoot, Space 39 Gallery, Spirits of Bacchus, Twisted Vine Bistro, United Café, Bar & Bistro, The Veranda Restaurant, What’s Up Dogs?, Yanos Restaurant, and the Young Artists Awards Program.

Held the first Friday of every month from 6 to 10 p.m., Art Walk features local and national artwork in the downtown art galleries and several art stops in the Fort Myers River District. The evening culminates with an after party at 10 p.m. The December after party will be held at Spirits of Bacchus on Hendry Street.

Always a collector’s item, new Art Walk buttons will be available at galleries that night. Art Walk has its own T-shirt (in red or black). Shirts are available for a donation at the IberiaBank gallery showcase during Art Walk.

A free shuttle service courtesy of Select Transportation Inc., with stops planned near the art venues, and parking at the Harborside Event Center will be available for Art Walk patrons. Shuttle stops include The Oasis Condominiums, Art of the Olympians, and the Patio de Leon entrance at First Street.

A map of Art Walk, showing transportation and parking will be distributed by participating galleries. Art Walk is a rain or shine event. Art Walk was started by a group of art galleries and art enthusiasts and debuted in October of 2008. Art Walk is a River District Alliance event. For more information on Art Walk, participating galleries and links to gallery websites, visit www.fortmyersartwalk.com.

BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND: Michael Cavanaugh & the Edison pops Orchestra

Michael is the pianist / singer who was hand-picked by Billy Joel to open his Broadway musical Movin’ Out. Returning to the Edison stage, Michael will perform his newest show: “The Songs of Elton John, Billy Joel and More!”

Saturday, October 22, 2011
Purchase Tickets Online Now!

Gates open at 5pm | Concert begins at 7pm
Reserved Table Seating: $40 per person or
$400 per table of 10
General Admission: $20 in advance; $25 at gate

My good friends Stephanie Ink and Kimber Cook wanted me to let you know about this great event.

Fort Myers High School celebrates one hundred years of excellence at the inaugural Green and White Ball scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 22.

The public event will take place at Harborside Event Center and celebrates all past alumni and supporters who have contributed to the academic and athletic success of one of the most established schools in the state. The evening includes a welcome reception at 5 p.m. followed by dinner and an awards tribute at 6 p.m.  

Fort Myers High School will also pay homage to past “Greenies” and award the Greenie of Distinction honor to an alumnus or alumna who has demonstrated excellence in his or her professional life, service to the community and to FMHS.

Guests will enjoy a silent auction, performances by the Fort Myers High School Band and Riptide dance team, and presentation of colors by ROTC.

Currently ranked as the 72nd best high school in America by Newsweek magazine and the 90th best high school in America by The Washington Post, Fort Myers High School past alumni include distinguished citizens such as Sam Galloway, Barbara B. Mann, Berne Davis and political leaders U.S. Congressman Connie Mack and Representative Nick Thompson.

Proceeds from the event benefit the athletic, band and ROTC booster clubs, and the founding of an alumni association.

Individual tickets for the Green and White Ball are only $55 each; tables of eight can be reserved for $550.  For more information, email greenandwhiteball@gmail.com.  

My good friend Lydia Black says there is lot to do for the whole family.  Eventsfortmyers.com will be there to cover the great day.

Come sample the many ways you can get involved and experience the arts in Southwest Florida! Watch area performing groups sing, dance, play instruments and act in mini-performances on the open air amphitheater stage. Witness creativity unfolding before your eyes as local visual artists demonstrate their talents in painting, drawing, sculpting and mixed media demonstrations.

Cultural Organizations

Art League of Fort Myers * Art Poems * ArtFest Fort Myers * Artful Missions * Arts For Act * Broadway Palm Dinner Theater * Calusa Carvers * Cape Coral Art Studio * Cultural Park Theater * Cute as a Button Creations * Florida Repertory Theatre * Gulf Coast Symphony * Gulf Coast Writers Association * Imaginarium Science Center * Laurel Fine Arts Foundation * LMHS Arts in Healthcare * Music Together * Nerveana Medical * Pan American Alliance * Pushing Daisies * Signature Chamber Concerts * Southwest Florida Symphony * Southwest Florida Craft Guild * Southwest Florida Historical Society * Southwest Florida Symphony * Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center * Symphonic Chorale of Southwest Florida * Tracy Theriault Designs * Weavers of Char-Lee * WGCU Public Media

Artists & Authors

Andrea Trank * Be the Breath * Bill North * Bruce Wm. Walsh * David Hammell * Dominick Bello * Doug MacGregor * Geoff Coe * Pamela Cupp * Terry Lynn Spry * The Tube Dude

Performers

Creative Theater Workshop * Dance Alliance * Dance Warehouse * Jeanne Bochette/Gulf Coast Dance * Flutist Kat Epple * Kellyn Celtic Arts Irish Dance Academy * Noah Waddell * North Fort Myers Academy for the ArtsSW Florida Fencing Academy * Young Artists Awards

Performance schedule:

10:25     Creative Theater Workshop – Preview of the musical comedy “Dear Edwina”

10:50     Kellyn Celtic Arts Irish Dance Academy – Irish and Highland dances

11:25     Dance Warehouse – Competitive dance — lyrical, hiphop, jazz, musical theater (ages 4-16)

11:50     Gulfcoast Dance

12:15     Young Artists Awards – Award-winning vocalist Sam Bostic

12:40     Oficina da Capoeira – Brazilian artform combining elements of martial arts/dance

1:05        N Fort Myers Academy – Perform jazz, pompon, lyrical dances with dramatic scenes

1:30        Noah Waddell – 10-year-old Noah will perform classic piano scores of major composers

1:55        Dance Alliance – Perform “Monster Mash” with interactive audience participation

2:20        S.W. Florida Fencing Academy – The art and science of modern fencing

Special appearences by: Chick-Fil-A * Florida Virtual School * Lee County Library System BookMobile * Fort Myers Fire Department * Shy Wolf Sanctuary

Kids can win a free week of summer camp by creating their own piece of “fall-themed art” by downloading this form and bringing it to the festival on October, 22nd.

Cultivating Carrots and Peace in Your Garden

Cheryl Wilfong, author of The Meditative Gardener: Cultivating Mindfulness of Body, Feelings, and Mind, will visit Fort Myers as part of the week long Living MindFULLy Festival.  On Friday, September 23 at 7 p.m., Cheryl will be at the Eco Center at Rutenberg Park to read from and discuss her book.

In her wise, down-to-earth book, the Vermont Master Gardener and mindfulness meditation teacher offers a rich bouquet of meditations. Her gentle, friendly, and humorous tone creates a nurturing environment in which to practice mindfulness in our very own gardens. Wilfong invites us to stroll beside our flowerbeds, appreciating them just as they are, and noticing the joy they bring us. We may not have done all the weeding or planting we had hoped, but appreciate that we are doing the best we can.

The Meditative Gardener nourishes the seed of enlightenment that is already growing in your heart. Use the tools of mindfulness and kindness to discover how to cultivate your garden and your meditation practice at the same time. Other spiritual gardening books tell us how to create a tranquil garden. The Meditative Gardener supports us in simply finding tranquility in the garden beside the front door. Instead of being a busy bee, simply be.

LivingMindFULLY project partners include: Lee County Parks & Recreation, Hearts’ Path to Mindful Living, Integrative Mindfulness, HD PR Group, Renaissance School, Lee County Alliance for the Arts, SW FL Naturally, and Cypress Cove Retirement Community.  Proceeds from this event will benefit the 501(c)3 on-profit organization, Hearts’ Path to Mindful Living.  This group’s mission is to promote supportive, life-affirming mindfulness-based programs teaching powerful methods for reducing stress, contributing to health and well-being. 

Walk Flyer 9 5 2011