What To Do This Weekend in Naples, Bonita Springs, Estero, Marco Island, and Fort Myers

Looking for things to do this weekend in Naples, Bonita Springs, Estero, Fort Myers, and Marco Island? The third weekend of October is a full one: Boo at the Zoo returns to the Naples Zoo, the Marco Boat Show fills the marina, the Florida Everblades open their home season at Hertz Arena, and the Fort Myers Brewing Oktoberfest runs all weekend. Here is what is on the calendar for October 16-18.

Friday, October 16

Fort Myers: Oktoberfest at the brewery

The 12th annual Oktoberfest at Fort Myers Brewing Company runs Thursday through Sunday at the brewery on Commerce Lakes Drive in south Fort Myers, and admission is free. Friday is a big night: food trucks roll in from 3 PM, Weaver & Wilkins play at 3 PM, and Ben Allen Band headlines at 7 PM. There are more than 50 beers and seltzers on rotation, and the whole thing is family and pet friendly. The full schedule is on the Fort Myers Brewing Oktoberfest page. If you are getting to know the area, our Fort Myers area guide covers the neighborhoods around the brewery and the rest of the city.

Fort Myers: Music Walk in the River District

The October Music Walk takes over the downtown River District Friday from 6 to 10 PM, with free live music spilling out of bars, restaurants, and venues along First Street. It is one of the most reliable nights of the month in Fort Myers, and it is free to wander. The official River District calendar lists the lineup. If downtown Fort Myers is new to you, our Fort Myers area guide introduces the River District and the neighborhoods around it.

Fort Myers: Candlelight at the Music & Arts Community Center

Friday night, the Music & Arts Community Center, home of the Gulf Coast Symphony on Shire Lane, hosts two Candlelight concerts: Queen vs. ABBA at 6 PM and Coldplay & Imagine Dragons at 8:30 PM, both with hundreds of candles lighting the stage. Tickets are on the Fever page for Fort Myers. Pair it with an early stop at Music Walk a few blocks away and you have a full evening in downtown Fort Myers.

Marco Island: the Marco Boat Show opens

The Marco Boat Show opens Friday and runs through Sunday at the Marco Island Yacht Club on Bald Eagle Drive, 10 AM to 5 PM each day. It is billed as the largest in-water boat show in the Naples and Marco Island area, with new boats, dealer displays, and marine vendors along the floating docks. Admission runs about $18 to $20, and kids 12 and under get in free with a paying adult. Details are on the Marine Industries Association of Collier County page. If you are considering island life, our Marco Island area guide walks through the neighborhoods and the waterfront.

Old Naples: the Bon Marché Autumn Sidewalk Sale

In downtown Naples, the Bon Marché Autumn Sidewalk Sale runs Thursday through Sunday on Third Street South, 10 AM to 7 PM, with the street's shops and restaurants spilling out onto the sidewalks in the French-themed market style. It is a pleasant way to spend a fall afternoon in Old Naples. The Third Street South events page has the details. Old Naples is covered in our Naples area guide and in this look at North Naples versus downtown Naples.

Saturday, October 17

Farmers markets across the five areas

Saturday morning has a market for every corner of the region. In Old Naples, the Third Street South Farmers Market runs 7:30 to 11:30 AM year-round, with produce, flowers, and baked goods along the street; hours are on the Third Street South market page. Up in North Naples, the Vanderbilt Farmers Market at the Galleria Shoppes at Vanderbilt runs Saturdays 8 AM to 1 PM. In Fort Myers, the Fort Myers Farmers Market takes over the Downtown Culinary District on First Street from 9 AM to 1 PM, listed on the City of Fort Myers calendar. And in Bonita Springs, the Bonita Springs Farmers Market runs every Saturday through May at the Promenade at Bonita Bay, 8 AM to noon; the season's hours are on the Promenade at Bonita Bay market page. For a look at the neighborhoods behind each market, our Naples area guide and this comparison of North Naples versus downtown Naples cover Old Naples and the north side.

Naples: Boo at the Zoo returns

Boo at the Zoo at the Naples Zoo at Caribbean Gardens returns for its second weekend Saturday and Sunday, October 17-18, from 9 AM to 4:30 PM, with a third weekend October 24-26. It is the zoo's family Halloween event: costumed characters, trick-or-treating, and live shows along the garden paths. Tickets and details are on the Naples Zoo Boo at the Zoo page. The zoo sits on Goodlette-Frank Road near the Gordon River, a few minutes from downtown; our Naples area guide covers the surrounding neighborhoods.

Naples: free jazz at Norris Community Center

The Naples Jazzmasters, the Naples Jazz Society's Dixieland and swing band, play a free concert Saturday from 1 to 3 PM at Norris Community Center on Eighth Avenue South. It is part of the city's Saturday concert series, and donations are appreciated but not required. The City of Naples page has the details. The community center sits a few blocks from the beach, in the Aqualane Shores area covered in our Naples area guide.

Estero: Everblades home opener at Hertz Arena

Saturday night, the Florida Everblades open their home season at Hertz Arena on Everblades Parkway in Estero, puck drop at 7 PM against the Orlando Solar Bears. The team raises its fifth Kelly Cup championship banner before the game, so the building should be loud. Tickets are on the Hertz Arena events page. The arena anchors the Estero sports and entertainment district, and our Estero area guide covers the communities around it.

Fort Myers: a full day at the brewery

Back at Fort Myers Brewing, Saturday is the biggest day of the Oktoberfest: food trucks from noon, a DJ from 3 to 7 PM, a free stein hoist competition at 5 PM, and Rock Republic headlining at 7 PM. It is free to get in and family friendly, so it works for an afternoon or an evening. The Fort Myers Brewing Oktoberfest page has the day-by-day lineup.

Marco Island: Art in the Park and the boat show

On Marco Island, Marco Island Art in the Park runs Saturday and Sunday at Veterans Community Park off Park Avenue, with more than 60 local and regional artisans selling painting, pottery, jewelry, and more. The official artist listing confirms the October 17-18 dates. The Marco Boat Show also continues at the yacht club, 10 AM to 5 PM. Our Marco Island area guide covers the island if you are also considering life there.

Sunday, October 18

Naples: one more day of Boo at the Zoo

Boo at the Zoo runs its second day Sunday, 9 AM to 4:30 PM, so families still have a full day of trick-or-treating and live shows. It is also the easiest day to explore an area you might be considering for a move. Drive through Naples, Bonita Springs, Estero, Fort Myers, or the communities on Marco Island to get a feel for day-to-day life, and if you are relocating to Southwest Florida, our relocation guide walks through what to expect.

Marco Island: Art in the Park and the boat show close

Sunday is the final day for both Marco Island Art in the Park at Veterans Community Park and the Marco Boat Show at the yacht club, so it is a good day to spend on the island. If you are weighing which coast feels right for a second home, this Naples versus Marco Island comparison is a practical place to start.

Fort Myers: Oktoberfest wraps up

The Fort Myers Brewing Oktoberfest closes Sunday with a brunch-style day: doors open at noon, food trucks all afternoon, and live music from Matt Walden & Zack Couron at 3 PM. It is a relaxed way to end the weekend. The Fort Myers Brewing Oktoberfest page has the details.

Naples: The Surrealist International at the Baker Museum

At Artis-Naples, the Baker Museum has the exhibition The Surrealist International on view, with a lecture program Sunday, October 18; the museum is on Pelican Bay Boulevard in North Naples. Exhibition and event details are on the Artis-Naples events page. The venue sits in the Pelican Bay area, a neighborhood covered in our Naples area guide.

A slow day at the beach

October is when the area starts to feel like itself again: mornings are cooler, the sun is softer, and the water is still warm from summer. Lowdermilk Park and Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park in Naples, Barefoot Beach Preserve in Bonita Springs, Lovers Key State Park below Fort Myers Beach, and Tigertail Beach on Marco Island are all reliable choices (state parks charge parking, so go early). If you are weighing which coast feels right for a second home, this Naples versus Marco Island comparison is a practical place to start. Past editions of this weekly guide live in the Weekend Guide archive.

This Week's Community Spotlight: Golisano Children's Museum of Naples

Each week Catalina features a local business that makes Southwest Florida special. This week it is Golisano Children's Museum of Naples in North Naples, the hands-on children's museum at 15080 Livingston Road inside North Collier Regional Park with a 4.5-star rating on Google from more than a thousand reviews. It pairs interactive exhibits for kids from babies through age twelve with a sensory-friendly Wednesday session, which makes it a dependable family stop on a cooler or rainy fall day. Read the full Naples Community Spotlight, or explore the area through our Naples area guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

A note from the author: I'm Catalina Quintero, a bilingual REALTOR with The Miranda Group at Premiere Plus Realty, Co., serving Naples, Bonita Springs, Estero, Fort Myers, and Marco Island. Every week I put this guide together from dated, published event listings, so things can shift and it always pays to confirm the official pages before you head out. If you're exploring Southwest Florida with a move in mind, email or text me any time.