NEWS BRIEFS

The City of Bonita Springs Citywide Cleanup is Feb. 24

The City of Bonita Springs will be hosting the annual Citywide Cleanup on Saturday, Feb. 24, from 9 a.m. to noon. The city asks volunteers who are participating in the cleanup to meet at the Banyan Tree Lot across from Riverside Park, 10520 Reynolds St., Bonita Springs) to register/check-in and pick up supplies.

Volunteers will be asked to pick up litter around the downtown Bonita Springs area. Gloves and trash bags will be provided to volunteers by the city. The Bonita Springs Citywide Cleanup is a great opportunity for students of all ages who need volunteer hours, as well as anyone looking to help their community.

For questions regarding the Citywide Cleanup, call 239-949-6262.

Estero Park hosts free “Movie in the Park”

Enjoy a free movie under the stars sponsored by Lee County Parks & Recreation at 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 24, at Estero Park, 9200 Corkscrew Palms Blvd., Estero. The 2023 PG-rated computer-animated comedy “Trolls Banded Together” will be the main feature. In this movie, we follow Poppy who embarks on a harrowing and emotional journey to reunite her favorite boy band and save them from an even worse fate than pop culture obscurity.

Food and shaved ice from various food trucks will be available for purchase. Guests are encouraged to bring blankets or chairs.

For directions and more information for Estero Park, contact David Castano at 239-533-1470.

Petting zoo joins annual Bonita Fest

Peaceluvin’ Farm, a 100 year-old historical property in Estero, will operate a petting zoo at the second annual Bonita Fest on Saturday, March 9, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. at Riverside Park in downtown Bonita Springs. The petting zoo will include a variety of goats, llama, alpaca and other small furry animals.

Admission to Bonita Fest is free and open to the public. Attendees will enjoy live music, food trucks and meet more than 25 local businesses exhibiting in the park. A variety of local craft beers and domestic favorites will be on draft and available for purchase from a beer truck provided by Sun Coast Beverage.

A family play area with bounce houses and the petting zoo is sponsored by Sunshine Ace Hardware. Live music will be performed by DJ Memphis On Air, Edith Diamond and The Yabo Brothers. Food trucks on site will be Viet Yum, Pansardo, Alligator Creek BBQ, Cocktails and Things and Between the Bunz.

Event proceeds will be donated to the Rotary Club of Bonita Beach Sunset and the Northside Naples Kiwanis Club. Businesses that would like to support the event via sponsorship or have a presence at Bonita Fest can email goatsofbonita@gmail.com to determine availability. For more event details follow GOATs of Bonita at facebook.com/goatsofbonita.

EsteroFest offers free family fun, Ben Allen Band concert

Mark your calendars and get ready for family fun at EsteroFest 2024. The Greater Estero Chamber of Commerce announced the return of the community event on Saturday, March 16, at Estero Community Park, 9200 Corkscrew Palms Blvd., Estero. With free general admission for everyone in the family from 1 to 9 p.m., enjoy live music, Kids Zone, and Business Expo showcasing the unique products and services of local organizations. You can also enjoy the beer and wine garden, learn from displays by Estero Fire Rescue and the Lee County Sheriff ’s Office, and indulge in delicacies from a wide variety of food trucks.

The Kids Zone is back from 1 – 6 p.m. and it’s bigger and better than ever before with everything your kids could want — bounce houses, games, crafts, face-painting, storytelling and kid-friendly food trucks.

At 6 p.m., nationally acclaimed Ben Allen Band, a locally grown sensation, will perform live. With VIP packages available at EsteroFest.org for a premium seat, easy parking and a free drink, you can enjoy the show in style. Don’t worry if you don’t have a VIP package, just bring a chair or blanket and settle in for an unforgettable night of music and fun.

A Business Expo from 1-5 p.m. showcases the unique and local talent, services, businesses and organizations that make Estero such a great place to live. If you’d like to showcase your business or organization to attendees in the Business Expo, reserve a vendor table or sponsorship, or see updated on the event, visit EsteroFest.org .

Parks & Rec reminds swimmers of upcoming temporary pool closure

The San Carlos Community Pool, 8208 Sanibel Blvd., Fort Myers will be closed Saturday, March 2, for the 2024 Lee County Senior Games swim meet. Signs have been posted at the site and online to inform pool patrons of the one-day closing. For a list of additional Lee County public swimming pools, visit www.leegov.com/parks/parkfinder.

Lee County Parks & Recreation is hosting this event, which attracts competitive senior swimmers in Lee County to qualify for the Florida Senior Games in December.

The pool will reopen Tuesday, March 5, with normal operating hours. County pools are closed Sundays and Mondays, except during summer. For more information about Lee County pools, visit www.leeparks.org/pools. For more information about the Florida Senior Games, visit floridaseniorgames.com/&nbsp ;

The post NEWS BRIEFS first appeared on Bonita Springs Florida Weekly .