Fort Myers Entertainment

While daytime in Fort Myers can be spent enjoying natural and historical attractions, the city is not specifically known for its evening entertainment scene. Visitors staying in the Fort Myers Beach area will find the best selection of tourist focused entertainment, while those prepared to explore the downtown area will find a scene favoured by locals, with bars and nightclubs on offer.

Nightlife

Fort Myers’ night scene is perhaps a little staid for hardcore party goers and those looking for a holiday with hedonistic nights are probably heading for the wrong place. However, the city does have a variety of bars and a modest selection of nightclubs. There’s no definitive bar or party area in the city, but visitors looking to partake in the consumption of alcohol will find venues in both the downtown and Fort Myers beach areas. College Parkway is home to a few nightclubs, while Main street has others, but hip visitors might find the scene a little straight for their tastes.

Theatre and Music

Fort Myers’ cultural scene is a modest one and visitors will find only a handful of venues dedicated to theatrical and musical presentations. The Barbara B Mann Performing Arts Hall is one of the highlights and it regularly features internationally famous productions such as Miss Saigon, Les Misérables and Phantom of the Opera. The venue also plays host to big name comedians and singers. Meanwhile, at the Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre, visitors can enjoy quality Broadway productions while enjoying one of the most lavish dinner buffets on offer in the city. For live music, various bars around the city feature local bands in the evenings, with blues music being a particular favourite.

Festivals

There are a number of annual festivals that are unique to the city, with highlights including:

• The three-week long Edison Festival of Light pays tribute to the life and work of Thomas Edison and offers a variety of attractions including orchid shows, science and invention fairs, block parties and a sailing regatta (February).
• Fort Myers Beach Shrimp Festival offers fun and delights for seafood fans with a fun-packed family weekend that includes attractions such as the shrimp parade, Queen’s ball and shrimp festival exhibits (March).
• Fort Myers Beach Offshore Grand Prix is a week-long event held for charity that includes a motorcycle poker run, concerts and a parade and block party as well as two days of serious racing (May).
• The Southwest Florida Folk and Blues Festival is an annual festival featuring live performances from resident and travelling folk and blues musicians (October).
• The Fort Myers Beach Sand Sculpting Festival draws huge crowds as local and visiting artists turn their hands to the medium of sand sculpture (November).

The city also has a number of theatre complexes showing up-to-date releases, which include the Edison Park 8, AMC Merchants Crossing 16 and the Regal Bell Tower 20.