Summer Festival, Bookstore Romance Day, Pop-Up Succulent Bar, and more. 
Happy Friday, Fort Myers. You know the drill – grab your coffee (or whatever you sip in the morning), kick back, and let Fort Myers Buzz serve up everything you need to know for the weekend ahead.
📰 In the news
Local happenings: Rebuild of the Cape Coral Parkway span with bike lanes, a new refrigerated truck to boost food deliveries, and SWFL’s teacher apprenticeship program — catch up here.
State-level stories: Island town racing to build a costly pipeline, thousands of flood damaged vehicles hitting driveways, and a road trip to Florida’s secret beachfront speakeasies — see what else is brewing.
National headlines: Federal judge orders fresh review of gray wolf safeguards, OPEC+ output increase pushes oil under seventy dollars, and a mislabeled pasta recall — peruse the best of the rest.
Highlights this week
- Celebrate back-to-school fun at Farmer Joe’s
- Explore creativity and intuition with SoulCollage
- Wave and cheer students back to school
- Hear how Periwinkle Park rebuilt after Ian
- Bid quarters to support exotic wildlife
- Compare home equity loans for free
🫶 We got your back
Pizza: Sure you could grab delivery, but sometimes you need a slice that sings with crispy crust and gooey cheese. Hit up pizza spots around Fort Myers and you’ll be planning your next pizza run before the last bite cools.
Cuisine: Florida’s food scene is a delicious identity crisis… Cuban sandwiches argue about salami, Greek divers trade nets for aprons, and key lime pies refuse to be green. These must-try Florida dishes prove every bite is its own adventure.
Organization: You spend a weekend lining up matching containers only to watch chaos sneak back three weeks later. Try these sustainable organization tips, practical hacks that work with your messy, beautiful life.
Florist: In need of a last-minute gift, a romantic gesture, or just some color in your life, Fort Myers Florist arranges petal-powered masterpieces that speak volumes without saying a word.
Family: An emergency vet visit could cost you $7,000+ (ask me how I know 🙃). From the initial fee just to be seen to x-rays, surgery, medicine, and aftercare, it adds up quicker than a chew toy turns into a crime scene. The good news? You could get up to 90% cash back on your vet bill with this pet insurance plan.
👀 Why just read it when you could be in it?
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📆 Around town this weekend
All events are subject to change without notice. This is entirely outside our control. Please check official event pages and social media for the most up to date information.
Today
🤼 Real Pro Wrestling: 10th Anniversary Show @ Millennial Brewing Co. | Friday (8/8) at 6:30pm – After ten years of piledrivers and promos, this anniversary show promises top-belt showdowns, craft beer flights, and more food-truck tacos than your diet can handle. Expect big slams, bigger personalities, and the crowning of a new Coastal Champion.
🎬 Captain America: Brave New World | Friday (8/8) at 6:30pm – Palm City Cinemas is rolling out a free screening of Captain America’s next chapter, because even heroes deserve a night off from ticket fees. No tickets needed, show up early, suit up, and pray you’re not stuck snackless on a first-come basis.
This weekend
🎡 Summer Festival @ Calusa Nature Center & Planetarium | Saturday (8/9) at 10:00am – Nothing screams end-of-summer like flinging rubber ducks at a target with lemonade in hand. Expect nature-themed carnival games, an obliging dunk tank, and enough ice cream, giveaways, and local flair to make your tongue and your neighbor green.
📚 Bookstore Romance Day@ Blinking Owl Books | Saturday (8/9) at 11:30am – If you need an excuse to swoon over a paperback and chain-eat wurst at our favorite local haunt, this is it. Bookmark bar, gourmet pups, and craft brews, plus a romance-themed writer’s circle. It’s the lovey-dovey blowout you didn’t know you needed.
🏠 Donefor – The Homecoming Show @ The Ranch Concert Hall & Saloon | Saturday (8/9) at 7:00pm – Think your weekend could use a soundtrack upgrade? Donefor is back on our home turf, ripping through new tracks with Bayfront View and Perfect Sequence, $20 GA, VIP meet and greets, and the crowd mojo locals do best.
🌵 Pop-Up Succulent Bar @ Peace River Botanical & Sculpture Gardens | Sunday (8/10) at 9:00am – Ready for some dirt therapy? Every Sunday our pop-up succulent bar lets you build the sassiest mini-terrarium with zero gardening guilt. Pots become tiny masterpieces with colorful moss, sparkly stones, and tiny treasures. No green thumb required, just good vibes.
🎎 Anime Fest Summer 2025 @ Hilton DoubleTree Hotel | Sunday (8/10) at 10:00am – Take a break from the usual beach shuffle and dive into a day of cosplay, manga hunts, and offbeat trivia right here in Fort Myers this summer, with kids going free so you can actually enjoy some adult conversation. Costumes encouraged, sanity begrudgingly optional.
👕 The NewKollections @ Miceli’s Restaurant | Sunday (8/10) at 4:30pm – Ready to trade your couch for something that doesn’t involve reruns? Head over to Miceli’s for The NewKollections, a laid-back showcase of fresh local art and clever wares. Good wine, better banter, and the only dress code is shoes.
Next week
🎩 A Gentlemen’s Welcome 2025 @ James Stephens Elementary | Monday (8/11) at 8:00am – Assemble at James Stephens Elementary for the Gentlemen’s Welcome on the first day of school, where we’ll out-cheer the junior varsity crowd and give these kids a welcome they’ll actually remember. Bring a spare uniform, some paper, or just your loudest air horn.
💎 Ocean Treasures Sea Glass Wire Wrapped Pendant Class @ Centers for the Arts Bonita Springs | Tuesday (8/12) at 5:30pm – Skip the usual happy hour for a sea glass jewelry jam, where you’ll geek out over frosty beach finds, master wire wrapping, and snag a mini history lesson on coastal gems. Walk away with a pendant and earring set, with dinner and drinks covered.
🔨 Quarter Auction for Octagon Wildlife Sanctuary @ Torched Bar and Grill | Tuesday (8/12) at 6:00pm – If you’ve dreamed of channeling your inner game-show host while cheering on exotic misfits, grab a $3 paddle to support critter crew at Octagon Wildlife Sanctuary. Bid on oddball treasures, shop local vendors for cash and carry, and test your luck in a 50/50 raffle.
Wanna see more? Browse our full events calendar →
🎶 Live music & entertainment
- 8/8 The Crank Up’s @ Bayside Burger – 7 pm
- 8/8 The Dazzling DelRays @ Sneaky Pete’s – 7:30 pm
- 8/8 20 Watt Tombstone and more @ Nice Guys Pizza – 8 pm
- 8/8 Danny Masters Band @ Ralph’s Place – 8 pm
- 8/9 Nostaljah @ Backyard Social – 6 pm
- 8/9 Charlie Pace @ Fort Myers Brewing – 6 pm
- 8/9 Peace Ave @ TT’s Tiki Bar – 7:30 pm
- 8/9 Breakfast Club @ Sneaky Pete’s – 7:30 pm
- 8/10 Gordon Russell @ RAD Corkscrew Winery – 2 pm
🏠️ Price is right – Fort Myers edition
How it works: We’re going to give you some facts about a home for sale, including a picture of the outside, the kitchen, and one additional room. Your job? Guess how much it’s listed for (preferably before you click to find out).
Listed by: Jessica Nolan (Keller Williams Realty Fort Myers and the Islands)
With over 4,000 square feet of living space, this Carillon Woods stunner packs in five bedrooms, a den, a bonus room, and two primary suites—one with a private balcony for morning coffee runs, the other ready for guests or in-laws. Soaring 16-foot ceilings and oversized windows keep things bright, while French doors lead to a screened lanai with a built-in BBQ, pool, and pool bath for year-round splash sessions.
The kitchen’s breakfast bar and dining nook handle everything from pancake stacks to pizza nights. Three-car garage, new roof, and three-zone HVAC mean comfort is covered. Community perks include tennis, pickleball, dog park, and quick access to schools, shopping, and the beach.
Make your guess, then (and only then)… see how much it costs →
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