Fort Myers and the surrounding islands and neighborhoods are preparing for a busy start to 2026, with a variety of events, new attractions, and business reopenings announced for January and the coming months.
This month marks the return of several popular annual events. The Tour de Cape, now in its 34th year, will take place January 17-19 in Cape Coral. Organized by Cape Coral Parks and Recreation, the event offers activities including a 5K run, children’s rides, and multiple bike tours ranging from 15 to 100 miles. Details are available at tourdecape.net.
Downtown Fort Myers will host the Caloosahatchee Celtic Festival on January 24-25 at the Caloosa Sound Amphitheater. According to organizers: “Embrace the magic of Celtic tradition at this much-anticipated festival. The 22nd anniversary event returns with a full weekend of Celtic vibes, heritage and Guinness.” More information can be found at fortmyers.gov/2123/Celtic-Festival.
The Fort Myers Seafood and Music Festival is scheduled for January 30 through February 1 in downtown Fort Myers. The festival will feature fresh seafood sourced from Florida’s coastal waters as well as live music performances from regional artists. For more details visit paragonfestivals.com/festival/fort-myers-seafood-music-festival.
Looking ahead, several major events are planned for late winter and early spring. The Southwest Florida Ag Expo runs from February 26 to March 8 under the theme “Roots ’n’ Rides: A Celebration of Tradition,” offering entertainment, midway rides, livestock shows, and family activities (swflagexpo.com). Baseball fans can look forward to spring training games hosted by both the Boston Red Sox (February 20-March 23) at JetBlue Park and the Minnesota Twins (February 20-March 24) at Lee Health Sports Complex/Hammond Stadium in Fort Myers.
In accommodations news, Casa Ybel Resort and Thistle Lodge on Sanibel Island have reopened after three years of renovations following hurricane damage. Reservations are now being accepted at casaybelresort.com. Additionally, White Pelican Villas is set to open in early 2026 after redevelopment on Sanibel Captiva Beach Resorts’ property that was previously destroyed by Hurricane Ian.
Visit Fort Myers has announced a partnership with Kind Traveler to promote sustainable travel options in the region. Participating hotels offer guests an opportunity to contribute part of their booking fee to local organizations focused on sustainability initiatives (visitfortmyers.com/kind-traveler).
South Seas Resort recently opened Captiva Landing—a new water-themed attraction featuring slides, splash zones, a lazy river, cabanas, food services, an arcade, and a kids’ nature club—available exclusively to registered guests or Club Captiva owners (southseas.com).
Several area attractions have updates or special programming for early 2026:
– Edison and Ford Winter Estates will hold a jazz concert featuring Liz “Honey” Heath on January 31 as part of its Rhythm on the River series.
– Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum & Aquarium has introduced shelling walks and sunrise strolls on select dates through April.
– Port Boca Grande Lighthouse & Museum has reopened following repairs; visitors can again climb both historic lighthouses by reservation.
– Lovers Key State Park continues offering free guided nature programs.
– CREW Trust provides guided hikes across four trail systems in Bonita Springs each year.
A new digital pass called Sanibel Wild Mile allows visitors easy access via mobile device to natural attractions around Sanibel Island (visitfortmyers.com/digital-passes/sanibel-wild-mile). Another initiative—Parks, Points & Perks—encourages exploration of over thirty parks throughout Lee County with prizes available for participants.
For dining options, Legno Italian Kitchen has opened in Santini Plaza on Fort Myers Beach with scratch-made cuisine plus live music and comedy nights. South Seas Resort also launched Beach House restaurant on Captiva Island as part of its growing culinary lineup.
The Beach Bar on Fort Myers Beach has reopened after nearly three years; its new open-air structure is designed for storm resilience.
Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) continues expanding air service offerings from carriers such as Allegiant Air, American Airlines, Breeze Airways, Delta Air Lines, JetBlue Airways, Porter Airlines, Southwest Airlines, Sun Country Airlines and United Airlines (flylcpa.com).
Local media coverage highlights writer Sallie Lewis retracing Anne Morrow Lindbergh’s steps along Sanibel and Captiva Islands seventy years after her book “Gift from the Sea” was published (gardenandgun.com/feature/where-to-retrace-anne-morrow-lindberghs-footsteps-on-sanibel-and-captiva-islands).
The calendar features numerous other festivals throughout winter and spring including art fairs in Cape Coral and Bonita Springs; weekly programs at J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge; concerts like Yacht Rock Revue; car shows; wildlife festivals; reading festivals; film festivals; parades; food events like Taste of the Islands; mural fests; sports tournaments such as tarpon fishing competitions; seashell celebrations; MangoMania; songwriter showcases; Oktoberfest celebrations; writers conferences; sand sculpting championships—and more across communities served by Visit Fort Myers.
