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

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.

The public art installation, dubbed The Butterfly Project, features a 3foot long glass mosaic alligator and over 150 unique mosaic butterflies that were donated by 90 artists. The collaborative project, organized by Lynch in July of 2011, includes artwork from Russia, Cyprus, The Netherlands and Australia, among other places.

Lynch believes in the transformative power of art. The mural was originally created to re-energize the outdoor space under the nature center’s museum but the project quickly became a vehicle to support the center‘s programs and revitalize the facility. “I wanted to add public art to the list of attractions that the Calusa Nature Center offers the community”, she said, “but once I started putting the butterflies onto the wall, I realized that visitors were interested in becoming part of the project. That’s when I partnered with the Calusa Nature Center and created the Buy-a-Butterfly program.”

Through the Buy-a-Butterfly Program, visitors can purchase a commemorative mosaic butterfly in honor of a loved one for $100. Artist Eve Lynch then hand cuts the glass and creates the mosaic that ultimately ends up on the wall as a permanent part of the art installation. 50% of the proceeds are donated back to the Calusa Nature Center to help the non-profit continue to provide programming to the community.

Volunteer Mariah Brooks, who purchased the program’s first commemorative butterfly, did so to memorialize her friend that had recently passed away from cancer. “I had wanted to do something for her but nothing felt right until I heard about the butterflies”, she said. “This way she’ll be around all the animals at Calusa Nature Center.”

For more information on the Buy-a-Butterfly program or to purchase a butterfly, please visit The Butterfly Project website, http://butterfly-project.blogspot.com/p/buy-butterfly.html You can also call or visit the Calusa Nature Center at 3450 Ortiz Ave., Fort Myers, FL 33905 | (239) 275-3435 or contact artist Eve Lynch at krakenmosaics@gmail.com

About the Artist

Fort Myers based artist Eve Lynch works in many mediums but is currently focusing on glass mosaic. Her work has been featured in exhibits throughout Southwest Florida and in California and the United Kingdom. The Butterfly Project is her second donated art installation in Fort Myers. Her first, The Messina Mural Project, is a permanent outdoor art gallery at the J.H. Messina Children’s Center on Fowler Street in Fort Myers. You can purchase work directly from the artist at http://krakenmosaics.com

Paint the Down Town Purple is coming again in honor of Relay for Life

Fort Myers — The American Cancer Society Relay For Life of Downtown –River District is just around the corner.  The downtown will be tied in Purple Ribbon Symbolizing   their support  for the Relay for life starting May 1^st-7th   Many area businesses will have their windows painted in honor of painting the Downtown Purple.  Thank you  to those business have supported this event.  Downtown House  of Pizza,  Starbucks,Franklin Shops,Bennetts  Florida Rep and Joes Crab Shack.

. This “celebration of life” brings the Lee County community together in a unified effort to fight cancer.

Former and current cancer patients, their families, businesses, civic organizations, and the public are invited to take part in this exciting team event. Relay For Life takes place from 5:00PM on May 6^TH  until 11:00AM on May 7th at Centennial  Park.

The evening will be filled with performances by local talent like Fellow Bliss and the Hot Flashes with Lee County Commissioner Tammy Hall as a special guests. An exhibit and sale of ‘Art by Kids with Cancer’ will be featured  as part of May’s Art Walk.

Teams from companies, churches, organizations, hospitals, and schools collect donations and can win individual and team prizes for their efforts.

“Relay For Life brings the progress against cancer to the forefront,” said Don Molloy, event chair. “Many participants are our family, friends, and neighbors who have dealt with cancer themselves.

“The funds raised enable us to continue our investment in the fight against cancer through research, education, advocacy, and patient services,” said Beth Hayes. “Thanks to the generosity of corporate sponsors like 21^st Century Oncology,  Professionals in Urology , and Way –FM  the money raised by participants goes directly to the American Cancer Society’s lifesaving programs.”

Information about how to form a team or become involved in Relay For Life is available from the American Cancer Society at 239-936-1113. For more information on cancer, call the American Cancer Society at 1-800-ACS-2345, available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, or visit www.cancer.org.

There were 300  available for the inside.   We are now selling tickets for the outside concert Simulcast on a bigscreen  for the cost of $10 a donation to the Pace Center for Girls and Rotary International cause of Stop Polio Now.

They will be selling tickets for the outside venue on the street that evening or you can pick them up at the above locations or at the Downtown Rotary Office.