Annual Events in Fort Myers
It’s time to party! Fort Myers has more than its fair share of noteworthy annual festivals, so you’re sure to stay entertained during your visit. Whether you’re hoping to celebrate Celtic culture, American independence or tasty Gulf shrimp, Fort Myers has an exciting annual festival for each of these and many more. Don’t see an event that lines up with your travel plans? Check out our daily events and activities on-property at Pink Shell. Arts and crafts, nature tours and live music await!
Caloosahatchee Celtic Festival
January
Want to listen to more live Celtic music than you could ever dream of? The Caloosahatchee Celtic Festival is the place to go. With half a dozen Celtic performers, you’ll definitely get your fill of Irish music and dancing.
Edison Festival of Light
February
Embrace your inner inventor at the Edison Festival of Light. As the name implies, this event is put on in honor of Thomas Edison, the inventor of the lightbulb and part-time Fort Myers resident. Today, this festival includes a parade, crafts, a 5k, food trucks, a car show and more!
Fort Myers Beach Shrimp Festival
March
Shrimp cocktail, shrimp scampi and coconut shrimp—yum! These dishes are just the start of all of the mouthwatering shrimp plates served at the Fort Myers Beach Shrimp Festival. But there’s more to this quirky, yet beloved annual event than meets the eye. You’ll also get to celebrate tasty pink Gulf shrimp with a shrimp parade, shrimp pageant, shrimp eating contest and so much more. Can’t make it to the Fort Myers Beach Shrimp Festival? Get a taste of the area’s fresh, local shrimp right here at Rae’s Real Italian!
Taste of the Beach
May
Come hungry and leave happy. During the annual Taste of the Beach event in May, all of the best restaurants in Fort Myers come together. Each eatery serves up its signature dish for a chance to win an award—and some coveted bragging rights! Are you ready to be the judge?
Fourth of July
July
Fort Myers Beach’s Times Square is the place to be on the Fourth of July. After a day playing and lounging on Pink Shell’s picturesque private beach, make your way downtown in your chosen mode of transportation. From there, you can watch the incredible Fourth of July parade, enjoy special holiday happy hours at local restaurants and watch the fantastic firework show over the Gulf of Mexico.
Island Hopper Songwriter Fest
September
Calling all music lovers! Each September, the best songwriters in the country come together to participate in the Island Hopper Songwriter Fest. This event is filled with fantastic songwriting, incredible performances and all around good vibes. To make things even cooler, Pink Shell hosts one of the events during its annual pool party!
Roar Offshore
October
Start your (boat) engines! Roar Offshore is the national championship of powerboat racing. With boats speeding by at up to 180 miles per hour, you’ll be in absolute awe at this thrilling event in Fort Myers Beach. So what are you waiting for? Snag a seat near Salty Sam’s Marina and get ready to watch these pros in action.
Fort Myers Beach Christmas Boat Parade
December
Christmas parades are one thing, but Christmas boat parades are another. Each December, Fort Myers Beach puts on an incredible Christmas boat parade—just one of the many reasons to plan a Fort Myers Beach holiday vacation. This favorite Fort Myers event includes fabulous Christmas music, a fun atmosphere and dozens of brilliantly decorated boats sailing through Matanzas Pass.
New Year’s Eve & Fort Myers Beach’s Birthday
December
Enjoy double the fun when celebrating New Year’s Eve in Fort Myers Beach! Not only do you get to commemorate the start of a new year, you’ll also get to celebrate the birth of Fort Myers Beach, which was officially founded on New Year’s Eve in 1995. So to celebrate the town’s incredible birthday, you can eat free cupcakes, listen to live music and watch dazzling fireworks light up the sky. Happy birthday, Fort Myers Beach!
We stayed at Pink Shell and had an incredible time! The resort was loaded full with activities and amenities. You have the option of paddle boarding and kayaking the ocean for free. I was shocked to find out that the resort staff actually cleans and replaces linens every day unlike many resorts! Breakfast is included and it is DELICIOUS. The omelets are amazing. One thing you don’t want to miss is hanging out with Ranger Rob. He is the coolest guy! He took us on a 2 hour kayak tour and we saw several manatees and dolphins up close! The manatees swam right under our kayak! He also has games poolside and activities on the beach. You can ask him ANYTHING about nature and wildlife and he will know the answer! 10/10 recommend staying at pink shell!
We had a wonderful first family vacation with our almost two year old daughter! She had a great time and loved the pool and activities! Ranger Rob was wonderful and very knowledgeable! He was full of interesting information and very personable to talk to!
Overall, friendly staff and good amenities. We got there at 11 even though check in's at 4, and they were able to get a room early. All staff were super friendly and welcoming. There were multiple pools and enough chairs out by the beach for everyone. Rooms were very clean and came with a huge TV, a nice little balcony, a kitchen with all the utensils and cooking supplies you might need. Complimentary breakfast was also tasty and fully equipped. Can definitely see myself coming back if I need a weekend getaway in the future!
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Great place for a family getaway. Pools were clean and very good for kids, beach was well maintained and had plenty of room. Free kayaks and paddleboard rentals included. Breakfast was also included and was buffet style which we took advantage of every day. 15 min drive to Sanibel was also a plus for us.
This was my 5th time at the Pink Shell so you might say I absolutely love it! Staff is amazing, food is great and there are always activities for kids and us kids at heart. I also highly recommend the kayak tour with Ranger Rob! He’s extremely knowledgeable about wildlife and we had a blast! It was our first time kayaking and he was super helpful and patient with us. We were lucky enough to see dolphins extremely close to our kayak. What an amazing experience I will never forget!
The Pink Shell is a great place for a family vacation. They are on a beautiful spot on the beach, a short walk from Bowditch Point Park and close to Times Square,, with everything you need for a great trip. We stayed in one of the one bedroom villas and it was fantastic to have a full kitchen and laundry machine right in our room. The staff were friendly and helpful too. We'd totally go back.
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