Charles RunnellsFort Myers News-Press
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Looking for some entertainment in Southwest Florida?
Here are five fun things to do this weekend and beyond, includingcomedian Sebastian Maniscalco and the annual Holiday Nights at the Edison & Ford Winter Estates. Plus we look at what's ahead in the coming weeks.
To submit events, email the details to reporter Charles Runnells at crunnells@gannett.com.
1. Sebastian Maniscalco at Hertz Arena
Popular comedian Sebastian Maniscalco brings his This Ain’t Right Tour to Southwest Florida. 7:30 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, Dec. 4-5. $65.50. Limited seating Wednesday, but there are plenty of seats for Thursday’s show. Parking on site is $30, plus taxes and fees (no cash). Free parking next door at Miromar Outlets. Hertz Arena, 11000 Everblades Parkway, Estero. 948-7825 or hertzarena.com
2. Holiday Nights at The Edison Estates
The Edison & Ford Winter Estates shine with thousands of holiday lights and decorations for this 49th-annual event. Plus guided or self-guided Estates tours, visits from Santa Claus and a Children's Holiday Tree Trail featuring dozens of trees decorated with handmade ornaments from Lee County school children. Nov. 29-January 5. Closed Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, Dec. 24-25. $20 admission ($10 for ages 13-19, $2 for ages 6-12, free for younger). Lee County residents get a $5 discount every Monday (ID required). Edison & Ford Winter Estates, 2350 McGregor Blvd., Fort Myers. 334-7419 or EdisonFord.org
3. Florida Rep's 'The Murder of Roger Ackroyd'
A world-premiere adaptation of the classic Agatha Christie mystery novel filled with secrets, red herrings, plot twists and the tangled mystery of a murdered aristocrat. Only legendary sleuth Hercule Poirot can solve this case. Adapted into a play by Florida Rep regular Mark Shanahan. Nov. 29-Dec. 15. Tickets start at $67. Discount previews Nov. 26-27. Florida Repertory Theatre, 2268 Bay St., downtownFort Myers. 332-4488 orfloridarep.org
4. Holiday House Christmas Stroll in downtown Fort Myers
The Fort Myers Woman’s Community Club unveils its second-annual Holiday House Christmas Stroll. Club members decorated business windows all along First Street for the holidays. This year’s theme is “Christmas Stories Through The Eyes of a Child.” Opens Friday night, Nov. 29, and continues through Dec. 31. Free. First Street in Downtown Fort Myers.fmwcc.net/house
5. Christmas/Hanukkah comedy 'Greetings' at Players Circle
Tom Dudzick's touching play about a family blessed with a holiday miracle. Players Circle Theater calls it a "miraculously funny" comedy involving a Catholic boy who brings home his Jewish/atheist fiancée for Christmas. Nov. 29-Dec. 22. $40-$55. Discount previews Nov. 25-27. Players Circle Theater, 13211 McGregor Blvd., Fort Myers. 800-3292 or playerscircletheater.com
MORE THINGS TO DO
Off Broadway Palm's 'Another Night Before Christmas'
A cynical social worker gets her humbug attitude adjusted in this musical comedy about a “burglar” with twinkling eyes and a stomach that shakes like a bowlful of jelly. Nov. 28-Dec. 25. $55-$70. Broadway Palm dinner theater, 1380 Colonial Blvd., Fort Myers. 278-4422 or broadwaypalm.com
Sanibel Island Tree Lighting Ceremony
Watch the lighting of the city's 20-foot-tall Christmas tree at Sanibel Community Park, snack on cookies and take photos with Santa. The tree and other decorations will be displayed until the end of December. 5 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 30. Free. Sanibel Community Park, 2231 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel Island. sanibel-captiva.org
Festival of Trees at Davis Arts Center
The 18th-annual event showcases uniquely decorated Christmas trees and wreaths loaded with gifts. The trees and wreaths are raffled to benefit Goodwill Industries of Southwest Florida and the Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center. Vote for your favorite tree and buy raffle tickets to win one. Thursday through Sunday, Dec. 5-8. Preview party Wednesday, Dec. 4. $2 (free for ages 4 and younger). Raffle tickets are $10 each with package deals available. Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center, 2301 First St., downtown Fort Myers.sbdac.com/fot-preview
Holiday Stroll in Bonita Springs
Riverside Park comes to life with holiday lights, themed photo opportunities and nightly music from dusk to 9 p.m. (unless another event is scheduled). To celebrate the city’s 25th anniversary, this year’s event features extra lights and holiday decorations. Presented by the City of Bonita Springs. Dec. 1-Jan. 1. Free. Other activities include Holiday in the Park (4:30-8:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 3) and the movie “The Santa Clause” shown on an outdoor screen (starting at dusk Friday, Dec. 6). Riverside Park, 10451 Old 41 Road, Bonita Springs. 949-6262
SW-FloridaCon in Estero
The comic and pop-culture convention returns with more celebrity guests, anime and pop-culture vendors, a cosplay contest and panel discussions. The celebrity roster includes comic-book artist Dexter Vines and anime voice actor Laurie Hymes. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 1. $20 (free for ages 10 and younger with an accompanying adult). Embassy Suites, 10450 Corkscrew Commons Drive, Estero.swfloridacomiccon.com
LOOKING AHEAD
William S. Burroughs and Laurie Anderson exhibit at FSW
Last chance to see "Language Is A Virus," an exhibit that pairs literary giant William S. Burroughs ("Naked Lunch," "Junkie") and pioneering avant-garde artist/musician Laurie Anderson (“O Superman") for the first time, according to Rauschenberg Gallery. Anderson and the late Burroughs, who died in 1997, were friends and collaborators. The exhibit explores language as "a transformative force, a carrier of ideas and a potential weapon." It features never-before-seen original paintings blasted by shotgun and “bowling ball canon," works on paper, unique manuscripts/publications, personal artifacts and handwritten lyrics. Now through Saturday, Dec. 7. Free. Bob Rauschenberg Gallery at Florida SouthWestern State College, 8099 College Parkway S.W., Building L, south Fort Myers. 489-9313 or rauschenberggallery.com
Santa's Block Party at Davis Art Center
Santa takes a ride down First Street on a fire truck and ends up at Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center for this annual block party. Kids and their families can take photos with Santa, do holiday arts and crafts, decorate cookies, touch a firetruck, ride a train, write letters to Santa and U.S. military, watch student performances and buy ice cream from Scoops on First. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 7. Free admission ($6 per child for workshop, free for adults). Takes place outside Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center, 2301 First St., downtown Fort Myers. 333-1933 orsbdac.com
— Charles Runnells is an arts and entertainment reporter for The News-Press and the Naples Daily News. To reach him, call 239-335-0368 (for tickets to shows, call the venue) or email him at crunnells@gannett.com.
Follow or message him on social media: Facebook (facebook.com/charles.runnells.7), X (formerly Twitter) (@charlesrunnells), Threads (@crunnells1) and Instagram (@crunnells1).
