What’s Happening in SWFL This October

Broadway Palm Dinner Theater (Buy your ticket here)

• Hairspray |  Broadway’s Tony-Award Winning Best Musical | October 4-8, 11-15, 18-22, 24-28  |  Baltimore’s Tracy Turnblad is a big girl with big hair and a big heart. Follow her journey in 1962 from outsider to teen celebrity overnight.

Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center 
New art exhibit every month from local to world-renowned artists. This month’s exhibit is open from October 6th – 17th. Call ahead for gallery hours for other times, 239.333.1933. $1 Donation Entry Fee. This month’s exhibits feature:

• Oddities Rising | This exhibition showcases ‘roadside salvage’ pieces that have been repurposed into fascinating pieces.
• Wicked Walk | The fifth annual Wicked Walk celebrates art and music in Lee County Schools and the achievements of student artists – with a spooky twist.
• Latin Dance with Angela | The first Wednesday of every month, the Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center honors the art of movement with a fun dance lesson from local singer/dancer Angela Hicks. No cover fee and open to the public from 6:30 – 7:30 PM October 4th.
• Wine & Paint | The third Wednesday of every month, the art center holds an evening painting event. Tickets are $45 and can be purchased here. You will be supplied with a canvas, paint brushes and paint, and 2 glasses of wine. October 17th from 6:30 – 8:30 PM.
• ​Halloween Party on the Rooftop | Come out on October 27th for an evening of party fun on the rooftop at Sidney’s. Tickets are $10, and can be purchased here. Come dressed in your best Halloween costume as there will be an award for Best Costume!
• Friday Nights at Sidney’s: Tropical Jazz Group | Bring friends and family out on October 13th to enjoy music, drinks, and a night of fun all with a stunning 360 view of the Caloosahatchee. Donations are encouraged. Music will be from 8 – 11, but the rooftop bar is open starting at 6 PM!

Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall (Purchase tickets here.)

• Joe Gatto: Night of Comedy | You won’t want to miss the chance at seeing internationally-known “Impractical Jokers” star Joe Gatto right here in SWFL. This show will be on October 19th at 7:30 PM. Buy your tickets before they are gone!
• SWFL Symphony: R.E.M. Explored | Come out to see one of Lee County’s incredible orchestras for an evening of breathtaking musical performances by Carl Marsh, David Mallamud, Mike Mills, and Robert McDuffie. Buy your tickets for October 21st at 7:30 PM!
• ​Broadway Divas | Enjoy a night filled with musical masterpieces by the Gulf Coast Symphony which will pay homage to the incredible women on Broadway! October 28th at 7:30PM!
• ​Hogwarts Halloween: Family Concert | An enchanting afternoon of music and magic that brings the spellbinding world of Harry Potter to life in a not so spooky Halloween concert. Dress in your wizarding finest. Festivities begin October 29th at 1:00 PM.

​Gator Mike’s Frightmare on 78 | October 6, 7, 13, 14, 20, 21, 27, 28 
Gator Mike’s annual nightmarish event returns this October with creepy characters, chilling scenes, and horrific challenges.  Frightmare on 78 has been scaring guests since 1992 and has grown every year.  Purchase tickets onsite or online!

South Cape Save Second Base Walking Pub Crawl | October 7 | 7 PM – 11 PM
Join the South Cape Hospitality & Entertainment Association for a 21+ charity pub crawl to benefit Partners for Breast Cancer Care. Each attendee will be given a passport that should be stamped with all the 10 locations in South Cape participating in the pub crawl. All-inclusive tickets are $15 now, or $20 day of the event. Buy your tickets here!

Matchbox Twenty | October 7 | 6 PM | Hammond Stadium Ft. Myers
To honor the one year anniversary of Hurricane Ian, the Charity Pros are presenting “Hurricane Heroes”, an all-star concert featuring Matchbox Twenty, Red Hannah, and Don Felder. Buy your tickets here.

ESPN SWFL | October 8 | 12 – 2 PM | Torched Bar & Grill in Cape Coral
Come out to the popular Torched Bar and Grill for an afternoon of sports with ESPN SWFL!

SWFL Business Networking Meeting | October 11 | 11:30 AM – 1:30 PM | Beef O’ Brady’s Cape Coral
Join the business men and women of Cape Coral for a completely free networking event at the Beef O’ Brady’s on Santa Barbara. There are no limits to what business types can participate, it is all about building connections!

Walk for Wishes 2023 | October 14 | 7:30 AM | Florida Gulf Coast University
The annual charity 5K for the Make-A-Wish foundation is almost here! 100% of the proceeds go to the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Register for $20 for adults, and $10 for children 12 and under.

Oktoberfest | October 20-22, 27-29 | German-American Social Club of Cape Coral
You are not going to want to miss out on the 38th annual Oktoberfest, also one of the Cape’s biggest events of the year! The last two full weekends of October will be filled with music, great food, activities, dancing and more! Visit www.capecoraloktoberfest.com for more information and to purchase your tickets!

Halloween Ball | October 21 | 7:00 PM | Four Freedoms Park in Cape Coral
Dress in your best costume and dance the night away to Thriller!! Costume contests, Live DJ, and BYOB!  21+ event. The cost is $20 per person.  Pre-register here!

Trunk or Treat & Movie | October 27 | 6 – 8 PM | Cape Coral City Hall
The 2nd Annual Trunk-or-Treat will include candy giveaways, music, and skele-fun for all ages. Costumes are encouraged! Various City departments will staff informational tables. The Nightmare Before Christmas will start at approximately 7:00pm, but get there early to enjoy dinner from our onsite food truck and grab a good spot! Blankets & lawn chairs are encouraged!

Fort Myers Home and Remodeling Show | October 27-29 | Lee Civic Center
Check out this completely free 3 day event in North Fort Myers. The times for each day are different, for more information visit here.

Halloween Bar Crawl | October 28 | 4 PM – 12 AM | Downtown Fort Myers
Join ‘Crawl With Us’ for a night of spooky fun in Downtown Fort Myers. 500 crawlers are expected! Tickets can be purchased here. 5+ venues in Downtown Ft. Myers are participating in the crawl!

Cape Coral Downtown Farmers’ Market – Open Saturdays from 8 AM – 1 PM in Club Square. One of the largest markets in Southwest Florida!

Coconut Point Farmers’ Market – Open Thursdays from 9 AM – 1 PM at Coconut Point Mall in Estero.

Cape Coral Parks & Recreation recently released the Fall Activity Calendar.  You can also click here for a full month of activities!

Calusa Nature Center is full of events as well. Be sure to check their calendar for their next Nature Hike or Alligator Talk!

J.N. Ding Darling Wildlife Refuge is open.   Visitor and Education Center, Nature Store and Administration building are open 9am to 4pm. CLOSED on Fridays. Click here for more information.

The Shell Factory always has so much to do.  Check out their website for live performances and upcoming events!

Edison Ford Winter Estates offers more than 20 acres of historical buildings and gardens including the 1928 Edison Botanical Research Laboratory.  Open 363 days a year, closed Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.  Click here for information.

Naples Zoo offers Collier County residents free zoo admission on the first Saturday each month. Plan your visit, click here for more information.

Sky Zone Trampoline Park is always working to invent epic new ways to play, gather and compete. Bounce the day away or schedule that special birthday celebration! Learn more here.