Island Hopper Songwriter Fest to feature free live performances
Now in its ninth year and spanning over 10 days, the Island Hopper Songwriter Fest will kick off on Captiva with an abundance of performances at six different venues.
The festival began because September is the “neediest” month in Southwest Florida and the Lee County Visitor and Convention Bureau wanted to drive the economy by putting heads in beds, as that is how it is funded.
Lee County VCB event lead Nancy MacPhee said that in the beginning, the festival was held for two weekends — one on Fort Myers Beach and the other on Captiva. In order to bring room nights and overnight stays to the area, they bridged the two weekends with midweek performances in downtown Fort Myers. This yea, Cape Coral venues have been added.
With the islands still recovering from Hurricane Ian, she said they are encouraging attendees to arrive on Captiva by boat or carpooling or scheduling an Uber. This year, songwriters performing on the island will get around by Uber.
“Captiva is still recovering and there are limited places to park and limited lodging available,” MacPhee said. “This year, the lodging is slim pickings out there.”
She added that the ‘Tween Waters Island Resort & Spa is ready for boats.
“Arrive by boat. The venues are only so big. They are intimate small type of performances,” MacPhee said.
On Captiva, the festival will run from Sept. 22-24 at the South Seas Island Resort performance tent, The Mucky Duck, The Green Flash, ‘Tween Waters, RC Otter’s Island Eats and Keylime Bistro. The Captiva Cruises performance were already sold out as of last week.
“When you hear many of them,” MacPhee said of the songwriters scheduled to sing this year. “Eighty percent of their songs are recognizable and are on the radio. It’s really kind of fun.”
The festival will continue in the Cape on Sept. 25-26 at the Nauti Mermaid Dockside Bar & Grill at The Westin Cape Coral Resort at Marina Village, Gather, High Tide Social House and Pinchers. Downtown Fort Myers is the next stop on Sept. 27-28 at City Tavern, the Banyan Hotel Fort Myers, Downtown Social House, Luminary Hotel and Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center.
The final days will be held on Fort Myers Beach from Sept. 29 through Oct. 1 at the Pink Shell Beach Resort & Marina, DiamondHead Beach Resort, Matanzas Inn, Lighthouse Tiki Bar & Grill, Bayside Park and Mound House.
MacPhee said they work with BMI, the largest organization representing songwriters and rights with songs, which calls for songwriters to participate in the festival.
“Many of them are alum because they come back year after year,” she said, adding that this year there is a very good group of new songwriters.
As for the venues, MacPhee said they only use BMI-licensed venues that are in a walkable footprint with parking and hotels nearby.
“We are luring people in out of the area to spend a couple of days and we want them not to get back into the car,” she said. “It is 10 days. In a songwriter’s festival world, it is probably the longest. It’s a big undertaking. While we would love to touch every community, we think it is a model that other people can replicate. It has worked for us, and we encourage other communities to do the same.”
MacPhee said last year’s estimated attendance was about 13,000 people over the course of the 10 days. Pre-COVID in 2019, the festival attracted 21,000 — the largest crowd since its inception.
“The storm hit two days after Island Hopper,” she said of Ian. “Some new friends kept in touch and checked on us. Our partners at BMI and some of the songwriters themselves organized a benefit for the Lee County hospitality workers.”
MacPhee said the fundraiser helped 400 hospitality workers.
“The reaction and hospitality from our bars, hotels and staff, they love everything about Fort Myers island beaches and neighborhoods,” she said.
For more information about the festival, visit www.IslandHopperFest.com.
…..
IF YOU GO
What
9th Island Hopper Songwriter Fest
When
Sept. 22 through Oct. 1
Where
Captiva, Cape Coral, Fort Myers and Fort Myers Beach
…..
ISLAND HOPPER SONGWRITER FEST ON CAPTIVA
‘Tween Waters Island Resort & Spa, 15951 Captiva Drive
SEPT. 22
– 7 p.m.: Adam Ezra and Ben Burgess
– 8:30 p.m.: Dylan Altman and Bobby Tomberlin
SEPT. 23
– 2 p.m.: Tyler James Bellinger and Stevie Rees
– 3:30 p.m.: Sheena Brook, Sonia Leigh and Angie K
– 6:30 p.m.: Kat Higgins and Stevie Rees
– 8 p.m.: Tim James and Frank Myers
SEPT. 24
– 10 a.m. Tim James and Kat Higgins
– 1:30 p.m. Clint Daniels and Catie Offerman
– 2:45 p.m. Tyler James Bellinger and Kat Higgins
Keylime Bistro, 11509 Andy Rosse Lane
SEPT. 22
– 7 p.m.: Monallo and Stevie Rees
– 8:30 p.m.: Sheena Brook and Ava Suppelsa
SEPT. 23
– 2:15 p.m.: Clint Daniels and Adam Ezra
– 3:45 p.m.: Dylan Altman and Tim James
– 6:45 p.m.: Sarah Hardwig and Alan Bradford
– 8:15 p.m.: Tyler James Bellinger and Sonia Leigh
SEPT. 24
– 1:30 p.m.: Alan Bradford and Emily Shackleton
– 2:45 p.m.: Holt and Cabe and Ben Burgess
The Mucky Duck, 11546 Andy Rosse Lane
SEPT. 22
– 7:15 p.m.: Tyler James Bellinger and Sonia Leigh
– 8:45 pm.: Angie K and Tim James
SEPT. 23
– 2:15 p.m.: Emily Shackleton, Monallo and Coretta King
– 3:45 p.m.: Bobby Tomberlin and Kat Higgins
– 6:30 p.m.: Sheena Brook and Adriana McDonald
– 8 p.m.: Clint Daniels and Coretta King
SEPT. 24
– 1:30 p.m.: Bobby Tomberlin and Sonia Leigh
– 2:45 p.m.: Frank Myers and Dylan Altman
RC Otter’s Island Eats, 11506 Andy Rosse Lane
SEPT. 23
– 2 p.m.: Sarah Hardwig and Adriana McDonald
– 3:30 p.m.: Holt and Cabe
– 6 p.m.: Ben Burgess and Adam Ezra
SEPT. 24
– 1:15 p.m.: Ava Suppelsa and Adriana McDonald
– 2:30 p.m.: Stevie Rees and Monallo
South Seas Island Resort performance tent, 5400 Plantation Road
SEPT. 22
– 7:15 p.m.: Kat Higgins, Coretta King and Alan Bradford
– 8:45 p.m.: Frank Myers and Clint Daniels
SEPT. 23
– 6:30 p.m.: Ava Suppelsa and Emily Shackleton
– 8 p.m.: Dylan Altman and Angie K
The Green Flash, 15183 Captiva Drive
SEPT. 22
– 7 p.m.: Sarah Hardwig and Emily Shackleton
– 8:30 p.m.: Holt and Cabe and Adriana McDonald
SEPT. 23
– 2:15 p.m.: Ben Burgess and Ava Suppelsa
– 3:45 p.m.: Frank Myers and Alan Bradford
– 6:30 p.m.: Holt and Cabe and Monallo
– 8 p.m.: Bobby Tomberlin and Barbara Chamberlain
SEPT. 24
– 1:15 p.m.: Sarah Hardig and Adam Ezra
– 2:30 p.m.: Coretta King and Sheena Brook