Artists and Writers, Thinking Out Loud ...

The Hermitage is hosting another event “Artists and Writers, Thinking Out Loud”today, Friday, May, 14 from 6 to 7 p.m.Author Crystal Wilkinson will discuss and read from her latest work, “Perfect Black,” a book of poems and legends about ancestry, culture, and the terrain of a Black girl becoming. Visual and multidisciplinary artist Lucy Kim will discuss her transition from traditional painting and photography to her less vision-centric, more visceral, three-dimensional work. Novelist Hari Kunzru will introduce and read from “Blue Ruin,” his third novel in a trilogy about music, literature, and visual art. Listen to the thinking that went into their work and join them in a Q & A afterward. Registration ($5 per person) is required. Hermitage Artist Retreat Beach is located at 6660 Manasota Key Road in Englewood. For more information call (941) 475-2098. 

Charlotte Players audience gets “Lucky” this month ...

Award-winning playwright Charles Busch, who penned Charlotte Players’ May offering, “You Should Be So Lucky,” is also an actor, screenwriter, and female impersonator. He is known for his appearances on stage, film and television.The play has been described as a contemporary Cinderella story set in Greenwich Village and reminiscent of the classic screwball comedies of the 1930s. Christopher, a shy and eccentric young electrologist, helps an elderly millionaire, Seymour Rosenberg, when the old man faints in the street.Rosenberg, touched by the young man’s generous spirit, becomes his benefactor and sends Christopher off to a fabulous charity ball where he meets his Prince Charming, in the form of a neurotic young publicist named Walter. Fate takes a turn when Rosenberg dies suddenly of a heart attack in Christopher’s electrologist chair and leaves half of his millions to Christopher.The other half of the estate goes to Rosenberg’s fiercely embittered daughter, Lenore, who threatens to contest the will. Christopher doesn’t stand a chance against the suburban matron from hell until Rosenberg shows up as a ghost, seen only by Christopher. Christopher and Lenore plead their case on an Oprah Winfrey-like show hosted by Wanda Wilson.The cast of excellent and experienced actors include Bill Olson, Neil Kasanofsky, Christine Ammend, Shawn Watkins-Yates, Sandi Wood and Jacquie Engle.Audiences only have seven opportunities to see “You Should Be So Lucky,” which opens at the Langdon Playhouse in Port Charlotte at 7:30 p.m. today, Friday, May 14. There are four other evening performances and 2 p.m. matinees on Sunday, May 16 and 23.Tickets are $22 for adults and $11 for students and may be ordered at charlotteplayers.org or by calling (941) 255-1022 between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. The Langdon Playhouse is located at 1182 Market Circle.

Edison & Ford Winter Estates hosts Film Festival ...

Edison and Ford Winter Estates will host the Fort Myers Film Festival today, Friday, May 14 from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Four films will be shown on the Henry Ford estate lawn, along the Caloosahatchee River where guests will watch movies under the stars. Films include an Edison silent picture, a production featuring the late Sam Galloway Jr. and two originals: “Stay Wild” and “A Greenlander”. The site is one of several locations hosting the Film Festival. The event is fitting since Thomas Edison invented the motion picture camera. His first films were without sound but nonetheless groundbreaking for the time. Guests will get to watch an original Edison silent film, while local musician Stephen Britain performs the piano score. The second picture, “Preservation Forever: Sam Galloway Jr. and the Restoration of the Edison and Ford Winter Estates” was produced by Ilene Safron of Main Sail Video Productions. It’s a tribute to the success of Sam Galloway Jr. and tells the story of his long history with the Estates.“Stay Wild”, directed by Lizzy Fowler, is a 16-minute story about Melissa Wilson - a young woman who moved to St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands, one of America’s most wild places. With more than half of the island conserved as a national park, the beauty of the landscape inspired a solution for the climate change within the American west. After graduating from Harvard University in Sustainability, her thesis continues to foster hope for wild places. “A Greenlander,” directed by Nicholas Jones is a 37-minute documentary. It follows Pierre Auzias, a French painter fully integrated in Uummaanaq, a settlement 450 miles north of the Arctic Circle in Greenland. Pierre speaks Greenlandic, travels by dog sled and teaches art therapy to neglected children.Refreshments will be available for purchase. Only a limited number of chairs will be provided, so guests are encouraged to bring a folding chair.  For everyone’s safety, masks are required. Tickets are $10 for Edison Ford members, $15 for non-members and may be purchased at edisonford.org.For more information on the 60 other films playing in the 11th Annual Fort Myers Film Festival around town May 12-16 visit fortmyersfilmfestival.com.

Juvenile tarpon research net pull ...

The Lemon Bay Conservancy invites you to take part in its on-going tarpon research. The next tarpon research net pull will be on Saturday, May 15 at Lemon Bay Conservancy’s Wildflower Preserve. Assist in pulling in the large seine net on Lemon Creek as Lemon Bay Conservancy researches the creek’s juvenile tarpon population in a joint project with FWC.  To participate in this fun program, sign-up with LBC president, Jim Cooper. Jim can be reached at jcoop43@comcast.net or at (941) 979-6258. Start time for this activity is 8 a.m.

A day of Celtic music ...

Don’t miss this special event featuring authentic Celtic bands and musicians noon to 4 p.m. on Saturday, May 15 atPunta Gorda’s Fishermen’s Village. Music will line the promenade in all sections of the Village and in Center Court. Presented by Fishermen’s Village, The CulturalHeritage Center of Southwest Florida and New World Celts.Admission and parking are free. More info see fishville.com. Bands performing are: Clover’s Revenge, West of Galway, The Black Velvet Band, Whiskey Dregs and Eireann’s Call. Fishermen’s Village is located at 1200 W Retta Esplanade, Punta Gorda.

SWFL WingFest & Craft Beer Festival ...

The aroma of freshly cooked chicken wings will fill the air in downtown Punta Gorda on Saturday, May 15 for theAnnual Southwest Florida WingFest & Craft Beer Festival in the City Marketplace in downtown Punta Gorda.Up to 20 chicken wing teams will set up their booths in an effort to persuade the judges and the general public that their wings are King! Teams may consist of friends, family, service organizations, clubs, non-profits, businesses, or just about anyone who has the desire to make great wings. Download wing team registration forms online at puntagordawingfest.com. The Pro Division wing winners will receive $750, while the Amateur Division winner takes home $500 and bragging rights, and a trophy and prizes will be awarded for the top three places.There will also be a $750 Award for People’s Choice – Best overall wing. What goes better with wings than an ice cold beer? At the festival, thirsty attendees will have an opportunity to sample different beers from small breweries not always readily available in our area. Specialty beers will be available by samples or by the bottle.In addition to the wings & beer, there will be a full slate of activities including a hot wing eating contest. Merchandise vendors will be on hand as well as other food vendors when you’re ready to take a break from all those chicken wings.Gates open at 3 p.m. Live music begins at 3:15 p.m. with acoustic performer Marty Moss.Charlotte County’s favorite The Boogiemen rock n soul revue takes the stage at 4:15 p.m.The Greg Billings Band will light up the stage at 5:30 p.m. with a 90 minute performance!Advance tickets as well as VIP Tables are available online now at PuntaGordawingfest.com.

Five Guys Car Show ...

The next Five Guys Car Show will be happening on Saturday, May 15. The show is in the parking lot at 1900 Tamiami Trl, Port Charlotte, next to Chick-fil-A. Show times are from 3 to 6 p.m.Free drinks with meal purchase for car show participants. There will be judging/trophies, door prizes and a 50/50 raffle.Music by Tom’s Traveling Tunes. There’s a $5 registration/donation. 

Island Dog Boutique ...

Select bags of Orijen, Natural Balance, Honest Kitchen and more are now on sale for 30 percent off at Boca Grande’s Island Dog Boutique & Supply Company. These food items are either just out of date or will soon be.If you would like to buy any of these for the Suncoast Humane Society food drive, take 40 percent off and the foods will be delivered the first Monday in June.The store is now carrying Myristin supplements for hip and joint health. The main ingredient, Cetyl Myristoleate, is a fatty acid and an immune system modulator. It controls arthritis at the cellularlevel and the other ingredients repair the damage at the joints. Along with MSM, glucosamine, turmeric and other great ingredients to help repair the damage at the joint level.   Does your dog need help traveling? Is your dog afraid of fireworks and thunderstorms?  We have many helpful options to make this fear less frightful for all. Calming treats with CBD from Treatibles, Composure supplements, True Leaf hemp calming chews and more! Stop by for the right option for your pet. Hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Located in the Railroad Plaza in downtown Boca Grande. For more information call (941) 964-9663. 

Sunsets of Boca Grande ...

The team at Boca Grande’s newest ladies apparel boutique Sunsets of Boca Grande has a great selection of terrific fashions. Team members at the store are available for after hours private shopping. Give them a call and set up an appointment to have the entire store to yourself!  Sunsets of Boca Grande is located in the Depot Building at 443 4th Street West. Call (941) 855-9834 for more information.

Guided hike at Tippecanoe II Preserve ...

Join Charlotte Harbor Environmental Center, Inc. on a guided walk through Tippecanoe II Mitigation Preserve in Port Charlotte on Sunday, May 16 from 9 to 11 a.m.This 150-acre preserve is home to several families of the threatened Florida scrub jay. Meet in the parking lot. Please call (941) 475-0769 to register or for more information. All participants are required to wear face masks during the program.The Tippecanoe II Mitigation Area is located at Joppa Ave in Port Charlotte.  For information see checflorida.org. 

Pulitzer Prize Winner Michael R. Jackson: Just Sittin’ Here Lookin’ at The Hermitage ...

It’s been a heck of a year and Michael R. Jackson has just been “sittin’ here lookin’,” as his grandma used to say, holed up in his tiny New York City apartment during a hurricane of political, cultural, and epidemiological upheaval - and way too much social media! The music within him has largely been suppressed during this time, but now a lot is coming up, and as he joins us live on Friday, May 21 at 6:30 p.m. on The Hermitage Beach sharing music and stories, Jackson might just need somebody to hold his hair back!He is a 2021 Hermitage Fellow and the recipient of the 2020 Pulitzer Prize in Drama. Jackson’s Pulitzer Prize and New York Drama Critics Circle winning musical “A Strange Loop” was called “a full-on laparoscopy of the heart, soul, and loins” and a “gutsy, jubilantly anguished musical with infectious melodies” by Ben Brantley for The New York Times. Hermitage Artist Retreat Beach is located at 6660 Manasota Key Road in Englewood. Registration for this outdoor, beachfront event is $5/person and is required. To register call (941) 475-2098 or go to hermitageartistretreat.org.

Party Cove Yacht Club Annual May Daze ... 

Enjoy two days of live music on the water at an event honoring our fallen warriors.This family friendly boating event will take place on Saturday, May 22, and Sunday, May 23, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. Come by boat to the Party Cove Marker located at 20 ICW, in Placida. This annual event supports K9s For Warriors Project. 

Seagrass wading trip at Cedar Point ...

Join Charlotte Harbor Environmental Center, Inc. for a wading adventure through the seagrass beds of Lemon Bay on Saturday, May 22 from 9 to 11 a.m.Participants will be guided approximately a half-mile to the wading site, where they will collect and view creatures of the bay. Wear closed-toe shoes and clothes that may get wet during the trip. Participants are also encouraged to wear sunscreen and insect repellent and to bring plenty of drinking water. Advance registration is required. Call (941) 475-0769 for more information or to register. Meet in the Cedar Point parking lot near the restrooms at 9 a.m. The Cedar Point Environmental Park is located at 2300 Placida Rd. in Englewood.

Celebration of life ...

There will be a celebration of life for Michael Weddle on Monday, May 24 from 4 to 8 p.m. at the Crowninshield Community House on 2nd Street, in Boca Grande.Food and beverage will be served. Please bring a dessert if you like ... to represent his sweetness.  

Punta Gorda Seafood & Music Festival ...

All are invited Friday, May 28 through Sunday May 30 to the premiere of the Punta Gorda Seafood & Music Festival at the Punta Gorda City Marketplace, 115 Tamiami Trail, in Punta Gorda. Enjoy delectable foods cooked fresh onsite including seafood, meat and vegetarian dishes. There will be live musical entertainment. Between performances, shop the Marketplace of arts, crafts and select fine products. So come relax, enjoy great food and powerful live music performances. Pets are allowed!