Festival Fun in Naples, Marco Island & The Everglades

Food festivals

Naples, Marco Island and the Everglades is renowned worldwide for the variety of incredible restaurants. Whether you prefer a fresh catch, a local delicacy, or international flavours, you’ll find an array of gourmet, cosmopolitan and laid-back culinary delights, including street food dining options allowing you to truly savour your time in Paradise. The delicious flavours of Florida’s Paradise Coast await! Annual events include Sizzle Dining Restaurant Week which occurs every September 2023 in the Naples area. Over 50 of the best restaurants from Cape Coral down to Marco Island offer a 3 course prix fixe for the duration of the three-week festival.

The Annual Stone Crab Food Festival take place in the Tin City section of downtown Naples which comes alive in celebration of the Paradise Coast’s signature seafood, stone crab. As many as 25,000 people turn out to dig into fresh-caught stone crab claws, enjoy live music and other entertainment, and browse arts-and-crafts tents and assorted vendors. This popular festival marks the unofficial kickoff to stone crab season, which runs from 15 October to 1st May.

The Naples Seafood & Music Festival takes place on the ground of the Italian American Club in North Naples in February. restaurants and other purveyors will be showcasing and selling their seafood specialties, along with sides, vegetarian dishes and desserts. Alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages will also be served. The stage will be rollicking with an array of local and regional rock, blues, R&B, country and reggae acts.

The Everglades City Food Festival also takes place in February.  This small town really knows how to throw a party. Up to 50,000 people flock to this fishing village (located a half-hour’s drive from downtown Naples) to enjoy rides, arts and crafts, concerts and, the star attraction, stone crab — along with other delights from the sea.

Celebrating the finest tipples!

Beer lovers unite for the 12th Annual Brew-Ha-Ha Craft Beer Festival! Enjoy an evening filled with unlimited sampling of 50+ craft beers, live music from West Wave, food trucks, games, contests and much more.

Naples Craft Beer Festival take place in March celebrating the art and craft of brewing, this festival showcases a wide variety of beers from more than 30 breweries throughout Florida, the U.S. and world, all of which are available for tasting. Food vendors and local music acts will be on hand. The festival runs on Pedestrian Plaza at the Bayfront centre in downtown Naples.

The Naples Winter Wine Festival is returning from 26-28 January 2024. The Festival is ranked among the top 10 arts and entertainment events for wealthy Americans. This ranking by the Luxury Institute is based on exclusivity, quality and prestige and it's fair to say this event doesn't come cheap!  All profits go to children in need and this is one of THE social events of the year!

For the flower and beer enthusiasts, Blooms & Brews takes place at Naples Botanical Gardens on 13 April 2024 -  sip a brew and relax. Enjoy live music while savouring a variety of local craft brews.

Art festivals

Kick off your adventure with a visit to an art festival that celebrates the Floridian culture and environment. The Marco Island National Fine Art Show takes place in March 2024. This showcases artistic talents such as ceramics, painting, jewellery, sculpture, metal, wood, mixed media 2D and 3D and photography from around 200 artists. The Fine Art Show will take place in the newly renovated Veteran’s Memorial Park. The Evening on Fifth in Naples is a festival of live musical performances up and down the sidewalks of 5th Avenue South, plus dining, shopping, and more. Take in the local experience and enjoy exposure to some great artists. Movies on the Lawn are held every month, this event shows popular movies, from Jaws to Encanto, that bring the community together. Fancy a dance? On 3 November 2023, there will be a Billy Joel & Elton John Tribute Concert at the newly renovated Paradise Coast Sports Complex. 

Nature-themed festivals

For nature enthusiasts there is a range of events to take in the environment around you and soak up memorable experiences. For the boating aficionados, the Naples Boat Show at Sugden Regional Park which takes place in January is a highlight not to miss. The Naples Boat Show is the largest premier recreational show in the Naples-Marco Island area.

Nightlights in the garden are in January and December at the Naples Botanical Garden. This beautiful setting is great for photography and amazing for families. Enjoy the sunsets with sunset at the cove Wednesdays and Saturdays until April 2024.

Naples Flower Show & Garden Market takes place in April 2024 and emphasises the amazing flora in the area that creates beautiful blooms due to the temperatures in the region.

Swamp buggy races

Celebrating over 74 years of Swamp Buggy Racing, this wonderful, messy, and explosive sport is the only one of its kind! Swamp buggy races have a long history in Naples, Florida. This exciting and high-action sporting event is well-entrenched in the region’s traditional practices. Traditionally, the region is quite difficult to navigate, especially in the Everglades area, with its murky bogs and thick woods, getting from one point to another is hard, and people usually used rafts and small boats to get around. After the Second World War, aircraft tyres and other war surplus vehicles such as the jeep found their way into the locality, and it was not long before these and many other parts were included into the Tumble Bug. Several decades later into the eighties and nineties, tractor tyres that were commonly used in agriculture became popular to be used in what was already then called Swamp Buggies. You can see this great sport in Naples all year round.