Page 54 - Travel Guide to Florida 2020

SOUTHWEST FLORIDA

ARTS AND CULTURE
Think of Southwest Florida and images of
splendid beaches immediately come to
mind. However, the region has a strong
tradition of arts and culture told in its
architecture, galleries, museums and
theaters.
In Naples, art galleries line downtown
streets, where you will also find free exhibi-
tions at the Naples Art Association and
lively performances at Sugden Community
Theatre and Gulfshore Playhouse. Artis–
Naples brings still more performance arts
and is home to the Naples Philharmonic and
the world-class Baker Museum of Art. Year-
round, the region hosts art shows including
downtown’s prestigious Naples National Art
Festival in February, the Stay in May Festival
in April/May and the Naples International
Film Festival in October.
In the past few years, neighboring Bonita
Springs has jumped on the arts bandwagon
with the expansion of the Center for the Arts
to a second campus with performing arts
and a film center, which hosts another
annual international film festival. In
summer 2016, the Southwest Florida
Performing Arts Center opened with a
world-class theater, state-of-the-art culinary
kitchen and modern event space.
The art scene in Fort Myers centers around
its historical downtown River District, where
Art Walk takes place the first Friday of the
month and Music Walk the third Friday. The
HISTORIC ANNA MARIA CITY PIER • BRADENTON AREA CVB nationally acclaimed Florida Rep, housed in
the Historic Arcade and Artstage Studio
5 MUST-SEE from September through May. The Sidney &
theaters, offer a wide variety of performances
Berne Davis Art Center presents a range of
ATTRACTIONS
events including art exhibitions, concerts,
and educational experiences for children.
1 EDISON AND FORD WINTER ESTATES, FORT MYERS: A handful of art galleries completes
edisonfordwinterestates.org
downtown’s artistic landscape. Watch as
2 EVERGLADES NATIONAL PARK GULF COAST VISITOR CENTER, EVERGLADES CITY: Alliance for the Arts turns Fort Myers’ royal
nps.gov/ever/planyourvisit/gcdirections.htm
palm-lined McGregor Boulevard into a
3 J.N. “DING” DARLING NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, SANIBEL ISLAND: pedestrian-friendly art district of its own.
fws.gov/refuge/jn_ding_darling
Downtown Punta Gorda’s riverfront
4 NAPLES BOTANICAL GARDEN: architecture recalls the boom years of the late
th
naplesgarden.org
19
century with Victorian mansions,
5 THE RINGLING, SARASOTA: handsome government buildings and colorful
vernacular homes. Browse the galleries of the
ringling.org
Visual Arts Center (VAC), which hosts the
Peace River National Art Festival in March.

52 2020 TRAVEL GUIDE TO FLORIDA