(This story was updated to add new information)
Looking for some entertainment in Southwest Florida?
Here are five fun things to do this weekend and beyond, including Bonita Springs Pride, the Sugarhill Gang and a pool party with country singer Scotty McCreery.
Plus we look at what's ahead in the coming weeks: The annual Arts for ACT Gala & Auction, comedian Howie Mandel, Oktoberfest at Fort Myers Brewing and more.
NOTE: Saturday's Marlon Wayans show at B.B. Mann has been postponed until May 3, due to Hurricane Helene.
To submit events, email the details to reporter Charles Runnells at crunnells@gannett.com .
Tropical Storm Helene: Canceled events, closings in Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Bonita Springs
1. Scotty McCreery pool party at Island Hopper
NOTE: Island Hopper's Thursday and Friday events have been canceled due to Tropical Storm Helene, except for Thursday's Jeffrey Steele concert with Gulf Coast Symphony. That's been rescheduled for Friday and moved to the Music & Arts Community Center (The MACC).The fest resumes Saturday. Country singer Scotty McCreery plays a poolside show on Fort Myers Beach and closes out the 10th-annual Island Hopper Songwriter Fest. Before that, though, the festival continues with concerts happening all week in various Lee County venues, including Sept. 27-29 on Fort Myers Beach. Most shows are free. McCreery plays at 5 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 29, at Pink Shell Beach Resort & Marina on Fort Myers Beach. Tickets are $75. island-hopperfest.visitfortmyers.com
2. Sugarhill Gang at Arts Bonita
New Jersey rap icons the Sugarhill Gang are best known for the sprawling, influential song “Rapper’s Delight." Rolling Stone magazine ranked it as No. 2 on its 2017 list of the “100 Greatest Hip-Hop Songs of All Time.” 7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 27. $60-$66. Arts Bonita Center for Performing Arts, 10150 Bonita Beach Road, Bonita Springs. 495-8989 or artsbonita.org
3. Farmer Mike's Fall Festival and Corn Mazes
Both Farmer Mike's locations celebrate the Halloween season with haunted and kid-friendly corn mazes, a pumpkin patch, sunflower picking, bounce houses, ax throwing, hay rides and more. This year’s haunted corn mazes have an alien invasion theme. This will be the festival's 10th year in Bonita Springs. Tickets are available online-only in 30-minute time slots. Prices vary. 6-10 p.m. Fridays, 9 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturdays, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Sundays, Sept. 28-Oct. 27. Farmer Mike's Farmer Mike’s U Pick is located at 26031 Morton Ave., Bonita Springs; and 8751 Gladioulus Drive, south Fort Myers. farmermikesupick.com
4. Bonita Springs Pride Festival
POSTPONED UNTIL DEC. 8 DUE TO HURRICANE HELENE. The new fest celebrates LGBTQ pride with drag performers and other live entertainment, vendors, food trucks, deejayed music, face painting and Bonita Springs Pride's recently crowned royal court. Noon to 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 28. $5 general admission for the indoor/outdoor event. VIP tickets are $200 and include a private room with air conditioning and a meet and greet with the royal court. Arts Bonita Center for Visual Arts, 26100 Old 41 Road, Bonita Springs. facebook.com/BonitaSpringsPride
5. Broadway Palm musical 'Chicago'
The Fort Myers dinner theater brings back the sexy, steamy musical about crime, criminals, and corruption in Prohibition-era Chicago. The show is packed with classic Broadway songs, including "All That Jazz," "Cell Block Tango," "Razzle Dazzle" and "Roxie." Sept. 27-Nov. 9. $75-$95. Broadway Palm dinner theater, 1380 Colonial Blvd., Fort Myers. 278-4422 or broadwaypalm.com
MORE THINGS TO DO THIS WEEK
'The Vagina Monologues' at Alliance for the Arts
Eve Ensler’s popular play features various female characters delivering monologues in an uplifting celebration of the female body, sexuality and the spirit of womankind. The Occasional Players stage a reader's theater production of the show with actors performing with script in hand. The cast includes former Broadway star Joan Marshall and local performers Helen Dixon, Eileen Moran, Mary Lou Williams, Mary Charles and others. All proceeds go to the Alliance for the Arts. 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 27-29. $20. Alliance for the Arts, 10091 McGregor Blvd. Fort Myers. 939-2787 or artinlee.org
Florida Rep conservatory's 'Freaky Friday'
The students of Florida Rep's conservatory program perform the new body-swapping musical 'Freaky Friday,' based on the 1972 novel and hit Disney movies. Friday through Sunday, Sept. 27-29. $30 for adults, $15 for students. Florida Repertory Theatre, 2268 Bay St., downtown Fort Myers. 332-4488 or floridarep.org
Punk As Folk, Vol. 1 at Nice Guys
NOTE: THIS EVENT HAS BEEN POSTPONED DUE TO TROPICAL STORM HELENE. A NEW DATE WILL BE ANNOUNCED NEXT WEEK. The debut show in this planned concert series lets audiences experience a live recording session with five local and regional folk-punk acts: Gutterlove, Dave!Ja!Vu!, Skylar the Menace (of Go Read Theory), Sticky Steve and Comet Garden. All five musical acts will be recorded, and two songs from each set will be released in a cassette compilation by Roach & Roll Records and the nonprofit Love Your Rebellion (or LYR, which also organized the event). 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 27. $11 in advance, $15 at the door. Nice Guys Pizza, 1334 Cape Coral Parkway E., downtown Cape Coral. facebook.com/loveyourrebellion
Rapper YGTUT at Nice Guys
Tennessee rapper YGTUT's hits include "5 to 10," "Chad" (with Isaiah Rashad) and "G35." He's part of the Chattanooga hip-hop collective The House with Rashad. Tampa rapper Gat$ also performs at this show. 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 28. $12-$20. Nice Guys Pizza, 1334 Cape Coral Parkway E., downtown Cape Coral. tinyurl.com/3ru3nyer
LOOKING AHEAD
Oktoberfest at Fort Myers Brewing
The brewery celebrates October with four days of special-release craft beer, 15 food trucks offering German-inspired food and more, live music and stein-hoisting competitions. The musical lineup for the 12th-annual event includes The Ben Allen Band, Rock Republic, Chasing Denver and Gator Nate. Thursday through Sunday, Oct. 3-6. Free. Fort Myers Brewing Co., 12811 Commerce Lakes Drive, Unit 28, south Fort Myers. 313-6576 or fmbrew.com
Belltober Beer Festival at Bell Tower
Celebrate fall with seasonal beer to sample, live performances, games, vendors, a mac-n-cheese contest featuring dishes from Bell Tower restaurants, a themed photo booth, ax throwing and more. 6-9 p.m. Friday, Oct. 4. $30-$40 admission includes beer and food samples, while supplies last. All proceeds benefit United Way of Lee, Hendry and Glades. Takes place throughout Bell Tower Shops, 13499 U.S. Highway 41, south Fort Myers. 489-1221 or belltowerfl.com
Arts for ACT Gala & Auction
The 35th-annual art auction is the biggest fundraiser of the year for the nonprofit agency Abuse Counseling & Treatment Inc. Art and luxury items will be auctioned off. The night also includes food, drinks, dancing, raffle drawings, live music from the Original Studio 54 Band and a best-dressed contest. 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 5. $150. Caloosa Sound Convention Center at Luminary Hotel & Co., 1375 Monroe St., downtown Fort Myers. 939-2553 or event.gives/artsforact2024
Howie Mandel at B.B. Mann
Actor and TV personality Howie Mandel is best known as a judge for 11 seasons on the TV competition "America's Got Talent." He previously played ER resident Wayne Fiscus on the NBC medical drama "St. Elsewhere" and voiced the adorable character Gizmo in the hit comedy-horror movies "Gremlins" and "Gremlins 2: The New Batch." 7 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 6. Tickets are $35-$70. Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall, 13350 FSW Parkway, south Fort Myers. 481-4849 or bbmannpah.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 ).
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Top 5 things to do this weekend in SW FL: Scotty McCreery, Bonita Springs Pride
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