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 first full weekend of October is one of the busiest of the season. The Fort Myers Oktoberfest takes over the downtown River District from Friday through Sunday with free admission and a Munich-style beer hall, FC Naples hosts the New York Cosmos on Saturday night, the Saturday farmers markets are running across all five areas, and Marco Island has an international film festival screening at its arts center. Here is what is on the calendar.

Friday, October 2

Fort Myers: the Oktoberfest opens downtown

The headline event of the weekend is the Fort Myers Oktoberfest in the downtown River District, October 2-4, with free admission and free parking. Friday night runs 5 to 10 PM on First Street, and like the sessions all weekend it is a Munich-style beer hall scene: long tables, live music, German food, and steins under the lights of the historic storefronts. Times and the full lineup are on the official Fort Myers Oktoberfest site. If the River District is new to you, our Fort Myers area guide introduces downtown and the neighborhoods around it.

Ashley McBryde at Barbara B. Mann

Country singer-songwriter Ashley McBryde brings the Into The Wild Tour to Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall on the campus of Florida SouthWestern State College Friday at 8 PM. It is one of the biggest concert nights of the weekend, and it sits right across the Caloosahatchee from downtown, so you can pair it with an early stop at the Oktoberfest if you want a full evening. Showtimes and tickets are published by the venue.

Saturday, October 3

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 fresh produce, flowers, and baked goods lined up along the street; hours and vendors are on the Third Street South market page and the City of Naples page. Up in North Naples, the Vanderbilt Farmers Market at the Galleria Shoppes at Vanderbilt runs Saturdays 8 AM to 1 PM this time of year, rain or shine. 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 seasonal Bonita Springs Farmers Market reopens for the year Saturday at the Promenade at Bonita Bay, 8 AM to noon, and runs every Saturday through May; 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: FC Naples hosts the New York Cosmos

Saturday night, FC Naples hosts the New York Cosmos at Paradise Coast Sports Complex Stadium on City Gate Boulevard North, kickoff at 7 PM. The date doubles as CCPS Family Soccer Night, co-presented by Collier County Public Schools and Arthrex, which makes it a family-friendly community outing with tickets from about $24. More details and the stadium are on the Paradise Coast Sports Complex venue page and the CCPS Family Soccer Night listing. The complex sits in the southeastern part of Collier County, a useful part of the map if you are weighing the area for a move; our Naples area guide covers that stretch of the county.

One Night in Memphis at Artis-Naples

If a concert hall is more your pace, One Night in Memphis plays Artis-Naples on Pelican Bay Boulevard Saturday at 7:30 PM, a live tribute to Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Johnny Cash. The same evening, the Baker Museum at Artis-Naples has the exhibition Stories in Glass and Ceramics from the Sibrack Collection on view, opened in late September. Programming and ticket links are on the Artis-Naples events page. The venue sits in the Pelican Bay area of North Naples, a neighborhood covered in our Naples area guide.

Marco Island: an international film festival

On Marco Island, the Marco Island Center for the Arts (1010 Winterberry Drive) screens the 29th annual Manhattan Short Film Festival Saturday at 2 PM, a global short-film program that runs September 24 through October 4, with tickets about $10 to $15. It is a relaxed afternoon activity that works for couples and families alike. Screening details are on the Marco Island Center for the Arts site, and our Marco Island area guide covers the island if you are also considering life there.

Fort Myers: Oktoberfest all day, Candlelight at night

Back in Fort Myers, the Oktoberfest runs its longest session Saturday, noon to 10 PM in the River District. A few blocks away, Florida Repertory Theatre hosts Candlelight concerts that evening: a tribute to Fleetwood Mac at 6 PM and a tribute to Queen at 8:30 PM. That pairing is a full day in downtown Fort Myers, and the Naples Daily News October roundup has more ideas across the region if you want to plan further ahead.

Sunday, October 4

Fort Myers: one last day of the Oktoberfest

The festival's final session runs Sunday from noon to 5 PM in the River District, so there is one more chance for live music, German food, and a relaxed walk through downtown Fort Myers. 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.

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.

Frequently Asked Questions

A note from the author: I'm Catalina Quintero, a bilingual REALTOR with The Miranda Group at Premiere Plus, 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.