Sanibel and Captiva celebrate annual Luminary Festival
Periwinkle Way will sparkle and shine this Friday with a little help from organizations within the community.
Since the Luminary Festival’s inception, the Sanibel-Captiva Rotary Club has been in charge of filling bags with sand and a candle and placing them along Periwinkle Way. The City of Sanibel provides the club with two trucks to carries the members.
‘It’s a time for the whole island community to come together,” said Chet Sadler, a member of the Sanibel-Captiva Rotary Club.
After the bags are set up, the Sanibel-Captiva Kiwanis Club lights all the candles before the Luminary Festival begins at 5:30 p.m.
“Lighting the candles is fun for all of us. My favorite thing is seeing many great friends when we are walking up Periwinkle Way and seeing the lights and all the decorations,” said Jerry Edelman, a member of the Sanibel-Captiva Kiwanis Club.
Cliff Nolan of the Sanibel Captiva Lions Club said that his club serves as the clean-up crew.
“We’ve been doing it forever,” Nolan said.
The 32nd annual Luminary Fest will carry on as usual this year with one exception: The Sanibel Chamber of Commerce decided to do away with the trolleys. Ric Base, president of the Sanibel Chamber of Commerce, said the idea behind getting rid of the trolleys is to bring the festival back to more of a community event. Base is hoping that this year the festival will be more intimate.
“The event was getting too large for the island, we’re going back to the old way this year,” Base said.
Since there are no trolleys this year, parking will be available at Jerry’s Center, Tahitian Gardens, Periwinkle Place, The Village Shops, Olde Sanibel Shoppes and the Bailey’s Shopping Center.
“There will be lots of signage up for parking,” Base said.
On the east end of Sanibel, Pinocchio’s will offer roasted chestnuts, sparkling cider and handcrafted frozen confections. Gepetto’s Beach Foodies will have holiday demos, savory appetizers, and holiday bakery sweets; Lighthouse Cafe will offer hot dogs and ale; Tuttle’s will have live reggae music by Punda Melia; the Sanibel Sea School will have a mariachi band, grilled mullet, beer, wine, snacks and surf videos; Huxter’s Market & Deli will have live music by Box Car Swing, a champagne tasting and food and the Sporty Seahorse Shops will have free refreshments in the garden.
The Jerry’s Shopping Center will offer pictures with Santa, a wine tasting and a saxophone musician; the Boy Scouts will be handing out hot dogs and soda; The Tahitian Gardens will have refreshments at Cip’s Place and Eileen Fisher while Shiny Objects, Cheeburger Cheeburger and Aventures in Paradise will have appetizers and drinks. Live music will be provided by Certified Band.
Periwinkle Place will have pictures with Santa from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. The Children’s Education Center of the Islands will take the stage at 5:45 p.m. After the choir, Malibu Duo will play live music from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
St. Michael & All Angels Church will feature a brass quintet and hot cider and refreshments. The Village Shops will have jazz music, food and drinks. The Palm Ridge Plaza will offer food and refreshments. The Grinch will make a comeback this year at RE/MAX of the Islands.
Olde Sanibel Shoppes will have brass music and sing-a-long carols throughout the night and refreshments. At the Bailey’s Shopping Center, live music, pizza, drinks and wine tastings will be offered.
“My favorite aspect is the gathering of our community and the special sense of the holidays in the air. I love walking down the shared use path next to the roadside city park where the city has put in holiday lighting,” said Calli Johnson, project manager at Bailey’s.
George and Wendy’s Seafood Grille will offer food and drink specials from 6 to 9 p.m.
The Luminary Festival will take place on Andy Rosse Lane on Captiva the following night.