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Annual Fort Myers Beach events to set sail

3 min read

Are you looking for something fun to do this weekend? Two major events collide into one seafaring weekend on Fort Myers Beach.

The 51st annual

Summerset Regatta

A tradition on Fort Myers Beach can now say it is more than a half-century old.

The 51st Annual Summerset Regatta is schedule off of Fort Myers Beach Friday, Oct. 7, and continue through Sunday, Oct. 9.

Hosted by the Caloosahatchee Marching and Chowder Society sailing club, the regatta will begin with a Skipper’s meeting Friday; races on Saturday and awards and festivities on Sunday.

Events for race participants are:

– Skipper’s Meeting: 6:30 p.m., Friday, Oct. 7, Bonita Bill’s.

– Post-race cocktail party: 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 8, Bootleg-ger’s Barbecue at Salty Sam’s Marina.

– Awards dinner: 5:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 9, DiamondHead Resort and Spa.

According to CMCS’s website, the regatta began 51 years ago after a group of local sailors placed an ad in the newspaper to see if anyone would want to race sailboats from Fort Myers Beach to Naples. That classified ad became the end of summer celebration and annual race for the area. It’s the oldest continuous regatta in Southwest Florida, and has raced in different areas each year. CMCS also claims the title to the oldest sailing club in Lee County, with more than 228 members.

The Summerset Regatta is the first regatta to be scored in the 2016-2017 Boat of the Year racing series for Southwest Florida.

CMCS Commodore Don Lawson expects 50 to 60 boats to participate in the six different classes.

Around four buoy races will occur Saturday in the Gulf of Mexico offshore of Fort Myers Beach, beginning at 9:25 a.m. On Sunday, the CMCS will hold a distance race and a “fun race” for cruising sailboats beginning at 10:20 a.m.

Lawson said the best place to watch the races is out on Fort Myers Beach.

For more information, or to enter the races, visit summersetregatta.com.

Argggg you ready

for Pirate Fest?

The seas will be busy on both sides of the island Friday, Oct. 7, through Sunday, Oct. 9, as the 11th Annual Pirate Festival takes place in the Back Bay and Bay Walk, near Old San Carlos Boulevard..

The fun begins Friday at 4 p.m., with a 21 and up pub crawl and adult costume contest.

Then, Saturday and Sunday the raid on Fort Myers Beach continues with a bazaar filled with vendors on Old San Carlos Boulevard, a live sea battle in the bay, live music and children’s activities.

A $5 donation is requested for those buccaneers 12 years old and up.

For more information about the event, go to fmbpiratefest.com.