Springtime brings plenty of spirit to the Gulf Coast. In Naples, a new professional soccer team hosts their historic first game. On Sanibel Island, a touring acrobatics troupe sticks the landing. And in Fort Myers, a reading festival invites local and nationally acclaimed authors to town. Immerse yourself in these and the following March events.
Through Mar. 9
Coming Home… at BIG ARTS Sanibel Island
Bonita Springs artist Mally Khorasantch showcases her oil-on-canvas collage works in an exhibition inspired by the artist’s personal experiences. Mally holds space for both loss and new beginnings with a mixture of magazine clippings, telegrams from her late husband’s travels honoring his memory, and botanical designs exalting the beauty of her home. Learn More
Mar. 1
Southwest Florida Reading Festival at Fort Myers Regional Library
With book signings, author presentations and crafts, Fort Myers Regional Library’s annual celebration of literature is filled with activities for adults, teens and kids. The event features an impressive lineup of celebrity authors, including Fort Myers native Annabell Tometich who shares her memoir, The Mango Tree: A Memoir of Fruit, Florida, and Felony. Learn More
Mar. 1 and 2
Bonita Springs National Art Festival at Riverside Park
The 25th anniversary year of Arts Bonita’s art festival draws to a close in its final weekend. The downtown celebration spotlights more than 200 national and international artists with works ranging from jewelry to home goods to paintings. Learn More
Mar. 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 15
Opera Naples’ Festival Under the Stars at Cambier Park and Wang Opera Center
The beloved two-week music festival continues, featuring winning vocal talents from Opera Naples’ international voice competition. On March 2, enjoy the final performance of Motzart’s The Magic Flute followed by a celebration of what would have been Luciano Pavarotti’s 90th birthday held at the Wang Opera Center on March 3. Giacomo Puccini’s La bohème takes the stage on March 6th and 8th, and Gilbert & Sullivan’s The Mikado resounds on March 7 and 9. A special joint performance of Sleeping Beauty with Gulfshore Ballet rounds out the festival on March 15 at the Wang Opera Center. Learn More
Mar. 2, 9, 16, 23 and 30
Naples Jewish Film Festival at Nina Iser Jewish Cultural Center and The Naples Players
Celebrate up-and-coming Jewish and Israeli cinema with this annual screening of new releases. On March 16, join writer and producer Daniel Robbins in a special screening of his film Bad Shabbos at The Naples Players. The 2024 winner of the Tribeca Film Festival explores interfaith relationships over a humorous Shabbat dinner gone wrong. This year, the festival features four films, including award-winning dramas Running on Sand and The Glory of Life, shown at Nina Iser Jewish Cultural Center. Learn More
Mar. 4-9
The Cher Show, The Broadway Tour Production at Artis—Naples
The glitz and glamour of the megastar and pop icon come to the Artis—Naples stage with the Tony Award-winning jukebox musical. The performance chronicles Cher’s storied career spanning more than six decades, with three actresses portraying the singer through all her stages from “Babe” to “Lady” to “Star.” Learn More
Mar. 4-14
Herman Maril at Harmon-Meek Gallery, Naples
American modernist artist Herman Maril’s understated, subdued style highlights the beauty of the everyday. The exhibit features works such as Breakfast and Cloisonné Lamp depicting scenes with straightforward simplicity and highlighting the beauty of the everyday. Herman’s works are widely exhibited in more than 70 museums, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Smithsonian American Art Museum. His estate has been represented by Harmon-Meek Gallery since 1989. Learn More
Mar. 6-16
Jersey Boys at TheatreZone, Naples
The New Jersey-born, 1960s rock ’n’ roll band Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons is revitalized in the Tony Award-winning musical Jersey Boys. The musical follows the rise and fall of the band in a documentary format told through the perspective of each band member. The iconic, high-energy production celebrates its 20th year since opening on Broadway in 2005, making it the perfect addition to TheatreZone’s 20th-anniversary season lineup. Learn More
Mar. 7-27
Art 4 the Senses: See, Smell, Touch & Sound at Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center, Fort Myers
Engage all four senses in this immersive experience by Naples artist Marvin Rouse. Inspired by his desire to extend the joy of art beyond its visual form, the exhibit invites guests can connect to the works through touch, interpreting the pieces through their fingertips. The show provides a feast for the senses with interactive portions that allow guests to become part of the art. On opening night, enjoy a live concert featuring jazz pianist Steve Blanco and a live painting by Marvin. Learn More
Mar. 8
FC Naples v. Chattanooga Red Wolves SC at Paradise Coast Sports Complex, Naples
Kick off FC Naples’ first-ever season with a historic home opener against South Carolina’s Chattanooga Red Wolves. Helmed by coach Matt Poland and based at the Paradise Coast Sports Complex, FC Naples brings professional soccer to the region. Cheer on the team from the stadium that seats 5,000 fans. Learn More
Mar. 8 — Sept. 21
Entangled in the Mangroves at Artis—Naples, The Baker Museum
In an ode to the Everglades, Artis—Naples, The Baker Museum’s modern art curator, Dianne Brás-Feliciano, showcases the beauty of the wetlands and the impacts of climate change in this exhibit of works from nine South Florida artists featuring works in mediums from video installations to drawings to sculptures. On March 21, arts meet advocacy in a panel discussion featuring three of the exhibit’s artists—Jennifer Basile, Amalia Caputo and Gretchen Scharnagl—moderated by Dianne. Learn More
Mar. 9
24 Hour Festival at Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center, Fort Myers
Artists of all ages and mediums push their creativity to the limit with this epic race against the clock from Ghostbird Theatre Company. Participants are assigned prompts by the company’s artistic director, Barry Cavin, and return to the Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center in just 24 hours to present their time-crunched masterpiece. Take in all the chaotic fun of sleep-deprived genius at this performance of the completed works. Learn More
Mar. 12 — Apr. 13
Man of La Mancha at The Naples Players’ Kizzie Theater
The globally renowned, five-time Tony Award-winning musical loosely retells Miguel De Cervantes’ novel Don Quixote with a play-within-a-play format featuring vivacious musical numbers like “The Impossible Dream” and “Dulcinea.” Set during the Spanish Inquisition, the play begins with Miguel being jailed for foreclosing on a monastery, leading him to act out the adventures of Don Quixote from prison. Learn More
Mar. 14
Lewis Black: Goodbye Yeller Brick Road at Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall, Fort Myers
Beloved for his time on the Daily Show and voice acting as Anger in Pixar’s Inside Out, comedian Lewis Black returns to Barbara B. Mann for the last time. Filled with his signature finger-pointing comedy poking fun at the chaos of everyday life, the brand-new special is a grand finale to his storied touring career. Learn More
Mar. 15
Naples St. Patrick’s Day Parade
Celebrate Irish culture and all the fun of St. Patrick’s Day with the Naples St. Patrick Foundation’s annual parade through Downtown Naples, starting at the corner of Third Street South and ending in front of the Naples City Hall. The parade is the largest privately funded parade in the state, drawing more than 40,000 visitors annually. Learn More
Mar. 14 and 15
Naples Flower Show & Garden Market at Naples Botanical Garden
The Naples Garden Club’s annual event is back with a presentation of artful floral arrangements and exotic plants in the Naples Botanical Garden. The event is the largest juried flower show in the region, and the 2025 theme, “Lights, Camera, Action,” promises to bring swoon-worthy displays and educational demonstrations held throughout the garden. Learn More
Mar. 18 — Apr. 13
SHOUT! The Mod Musical at Historic Arcade Theatre, Fort Myers
Honor the beehive-touting, go-go boot-donning powerhouse women of the 1960s London music scene with this Off-Broadway musical featuring iconic pop ballads from music icons including Dusty Springfield, Petula Clark and Lulu. The musical follows five unnamed women in different life stages as they navigate the decade’s evolving perception of gender roles. Learn More
Mar. 20
The Peking Acrobats at BIG ARTS Sanibel Island
The high-flying acrobatic performance comes for an evening of astonishing displays of strength, flexibility and technical prowess. The Guinness World Records-honored group combines Chinese acrobatics, festive pageantry and special effects in a vibrant evening of mind-boggling tumbling tricks and balancing acts. Learn More
Mar. 21-23
Fort Myers River Fest in Downtown Fort Myers
Paragon Festivals and the Fort Myers River District Alliance present live music performances from Florida-based Caribbean, reggae, rock and jazz bands set against Downtown Fort Myers’ scenic waterfront. During the festival, explore a marketplace of vendors and munch on food options ranging from seafood to vegetarian. Learn More
Mar. 25, 27 and 29
Rusalka (Multiple Locations)
The haunting fairy tale opera by Czech composer Antoním Dvořák comes to Arts Bonita, the Norris Center and Burnt Store Presbyterian Church with Gulfshore Opera’s performance of the timeless tale. Comparable to Hans Christian Andersen’s The Little Mermaid, the opera showcases a love story featuring a water nymph who exchanges her voice for a chance to find love with a human prince. Learn More
Mar. 28 — Apr. 13
Lend Me A Tenor at Golden Gate Community Center, Naples
The Studio Players perform Ken Ludwig’s screwball comedy bringing all the hilarity and chaotic antics that ensue when an Italian opera star goes missing before his local opera debut and the show’s presenter attempts to cover for him while appeasing a flurry of passionate fans and the star’s temperamental wife. Learn More
Mar. 30
Gulf Coast Symphony’s 30th Anniversary Concert Celebration at Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall, Fort Myers
Join Gulf Coast Symphony in commemorating 30 years of bringing stellar musical talent to Southwest Florida with an evening filled with special guest performances, returning acts and a lineup of fan-favorite musical selections. Learn More