March Events Calendar

Dance

Forever Tango. All the sizzle and sensation of the Latin dance drama, at 8 p.m. March 17 at the Barbara B. Mann. Information: 481-4849.

Miami City Ballet. The company headed by Edward Villella presents its premiere of the comic Coppelia, at 8 p.m. March 18 and 19 at the Phil. Information: 597-1900.

Pilobolus. The latest from the always-intriguing modern dance ensemble, at 8 p.m. March 20 at the Phil. Information: 597-1900.

Film

Open City. This 1945 Italian film starring Anna Magnani and Aldo Fabrizi will be shown at 2 p.m. March 20 at the Naples branch of the Collier County Library as part of the Foreign Film Series, with English subtitles. To register, call 263-7768.

Classic Film Series. At the Collier County Library: Million Dollar Legs, March 6, Naples branch; White Heat, March 18 at Naples branch and March 19 at headquarters; The Blue Angel, March 26 at headquarters and March 27 at Naples branch. Information: 263-7768.

Miscellaneous

Raid on Gopher Ridge Civil War Encampment and Reenactment, March 1 and 2 at the Immokalee Pioneer Museum at Roberts Ranch, to benefit the Friends of the Collier County Museum education programs and exhibits. Adults $3, students $1. Information: 774-8476.

Naples Porcelain Artists Club Annual Show and Sale. Complimentary appraisal of antique hand painted porcelain, plus door prizes and a raffle, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. March 1 at Emmanuel Lutheran Church, Naples. Information: 261-1111.

Southwest Florida and Lee County Fair. Continuing through March 9 at the Lee Civic Center. Information: 543-8368.

Home & Condo's Dream Home 2003. The Natural Evolution, offering a look into the future of sustainable and environmentally friendly building, continues through March 31 at The Estates at TwinEagles. Information: 594-9980.

Hope For Children 10K. A 10K and 5K road race, 5K race walk and a 5K individual and family/corporate team fitness walk beginning at 7 a.m. March 9 in Pelican Bay to benefit the Cancer Alliance of Naples. To register, call 436-4673.

Lee County Reading Festival. Book lovers can count on mingling with authors Tim Dorsey, P.J. Parrish, Connie May Fowler, Ad Hudler, Randy Wayne White and many more at this fourth annual event, set for 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. March 8 at Centennial Park. Panels, puppet shows, a storybook parade, a poetry slam and, of course, a free book for every child are part of the event. Free; call 461-2924 for more info.

Arts and Crafts Show. Benefits the American Cancer Society of Southwest Florida. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. March 12 and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. March 13 behind the Marco Walk Plaza. Information: 433-9318.

Naples Antiques Show and Sale. Set for March 12-15 at Trinity-by-the-Cove Episcopal Church, with a gala preview at 5 p.m. March 12. To benefit Collier County charities; call 262-3987.

Evening on Fifth. Stroll downtown and admire its galleries and shops, from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. March 13. Information: 435-3742.

Bonita Tomato/Seafood Festival. Celebrating both delectable menu items, from 4 to 11 p.m. March 21 and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. March 22 at the Bonita Recreation Complex. Information: 334-7007.

Dig the Arts. The United Arts Council of Collier County's annual celebration of the local arts, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. March 29 at Lowdermilk Park. A Caribbean Celebration party precedes the event, at 7 p.m. March 28 at Atlantic States Bank, at $75 per person. Information: 263-8242.

What It's Worth. Gulfshore Life is a co-sponsor of this event, which brings Phillips de Pury & Luxembourg to town to perform valuations of some of your favorite items. From noon to 4 p.m. March 29 at the Promenade in Bonita Springs, and 1 to 5 p.m. March 29 at the Village on Venetian Bay in Naples. Information: 594-9980, ext. 216.

Music

Naples Philharmonic Orchestra Pops Series. Erich Kunzel leads the orchestra on A Trip to Austria, March 1 and 2, followed by a special Phantom of the Opera performance, March 25-30 at the Phil, which includes a showing of the Lon Chaney classic film. Information: 597-1900.

Naples Concert Band. Free concerts at 2 p.m. March 2 and 23 in Cambier Park. Information: 263-9521.

Naples Music Club. The club presents music from Northwestern University (3 p.m. March 2) and a scholarship winners' recital (3 p.m. March 16), both at Gulf Coast High. Information: 435-1105.

Symphony on Sanibel. Florida Repertory Theatre and the Southwest Florida Symphony team up to present Stravinsky's Soldier's Tale, at 7 p.m. March 2 at Schein Hall, BIG Arts. Information: 418-1500.

Bluegrass Concert and Jam. Join in the acoustic jam session from 2 to 5 p.m. March 2 at the Buckingham Community Center in Fort Myers. Admission is $5. Information: 626-5399.

Naples Music Club. Presenting music from Northwestern University, 3 pm. at Gulf Coast High. Information: 390-2157.

Sanibel Music Festival. The Magic of Music offers a mix of chamber, opera and other forms of lovely sounds, March 4-25. On the schedule: pianist Olga Kern (2001 Cliburn competition gold medalist), March 4; the Juilliard String Quartet, March 8; the Rubio String Quartet, March 11; the New York Chamber Soloists, March 15; coloratura Elizabeth Futral, March 18; the Opera Theater of Connecticut's concert version of Cosi fan Tutti, March 22; and the Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra, March 25. All performances are at 8 p.m. at the Sanibel Congregational Church; call 336-7999 for ticket info.

Vanderbilt Presbyterian Church Concert Series. Dueling Organs IX with Joseph Golden and Jim Cochran, 7:30 p.m. March 8 and 9, $20; Combined choirs of Vanderbilt and First Presbyterian churches, 7:30 p.m. March 22 and 23. All at Vanderbilt except March 23 at First Presbyterian. Information: 597-5410.

Southwest Florida Symphony Stained Glass Series. The Symphony Chorus and the Symphony Brass Ensemble join for With Clarion Voice, at 3 p.m. March 9 at Faith Presbyterian Church. Information: 418-1500.

Naples Jazz Society Concerts. Naples swings with the sounds of the Dan McMillion Jazz Orchestra, at 8 p.m. March 3 at the Sugden (263-7990); while the Bill Allred Classic Jazz Band brings ragtime, Dixieland and more to Florida Repertory Theatre in Fort Myers, at 8 p.m. March 24 (332-4488).

Naples Philharmonic Chamber Series. The Reaching Out program presents a MozartFest, at 8 p.m. March 6 at Temple Shalom and 7 p.m. March 7 at San Marco Church. Information: 597-1900.

Philadelphia Piano Quartet. Oboeist John Mack joins the quartet in performances of Bach's Trio Sonata for oboe, violin, cello and piano and Britten's Fantasy Quartet for oboe and strings, at 2 p.m. March 9 at Edison Community College and 8 p.m. March 10 and 11 at Sugden Community Theatre. Information: 434-8505.

Count Basie Orchestra. Still swinging, still growing, with 19 performers onstage at 8 p.m. March 9 at BIG Arts' Schein Hall. Information: 395-0900.

The Band of the Grenadier Guards/The Pipes and Drums of the Scots Highlanders. Pageantry and percussion, at 8 p.m. March 10 and 11 at the Phil. Information: 597-1900.

The Ten Tenors. Classical, operatic and pop music from this Down Under ensemble, at 8 p.m. March 12 at Barbara B. Mann. Information: 481-4849.

Naples Philharmonic Orchestra Classical Series. Choral Masterworks features the voices of the Philharmonic Center Chorale on works by Brahms, at 8 p.m. March 13-15 and 2 p.m. March 16 at the Phil. Also on the bill: Tchaikovsky and Shostakovich. Information: 597-1900.

Southwest Florida Symphony Pops Series. Get into Sounds of New Orleans, with guest conductor Alfred Savia and trumpeter Byron Stripling, at 8 p.m. March 14 and 15 at the Barbara B. Mann. Information: 418-1500.

Dick Hyman. Composer/arranger Hyman riffs on Jazz Improv on the Classics, at 3 p.m. March 15 in the Phil's Daniels Pavilion. Information: 597-1900.

Tony Kenny's Ireland. Music, comedy and dance with that Gaelic flavor, at 7:30 p.m. March 16 at Barbara B. Mann. Information: 481-4849.

Louis Armstrong Society Jazz Band. Swing with a Salute to Satchmo, at 8 p.m. March 16 at the Phil. Information: 597-1900.

Philadelphia Piano Quartet. Go from Classics to Jazz with the quartet and the Bill Mays Trio, at 8 p.m. March 17 and 18 at the Sugden. Information: 434-8505.

Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme. The vocal duo in their farewell tour, at 7:30 p.m. March 20 at the Barbara B. Mann. Information: 481-4849.

Southwest Florida Symphony Classical Series. Violinist Elmar Oliveira joins the orchestra in Symphonic Fantasies, featuring Saint-Saëns' Phaeton, Lalo's Symphonie espagnole and Berlioz's Symphonie fantastique, at 8 p.m. March 21 and 22 at the Barbara B. Mann. Information: 418-1500.

James Galway. The master flutist performs at 8 p.m. March 22 at the Phil. Information: 597-1900.

UU Performing Arts Society Concert. Sarasota's New Artists Piano Quartet will perform in this series at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Fort Myers, at 3 p.m. March 23. Information: 275-2640.

Gulf Coast Symphony. The orchestra re-creates a Viennese Ball atmosphere, at 7:30 p.m. March 23 at the Barbara B. Mann. Information: 472-6197.

Russian Blue Jazz Quartet. In performance at 8 p.m. March 23 at BIG Arts' Schein. Information: 395-0900.

Larry Gatlin and the Gatlin Brothers. The country stars turn up at 8 p.m. March 23 at the Phil. Information: 597-1900.

Ruth Laredo/Concerts with Commentary. Albeniz and de Falla: Spanish Dazzlers is the title for Laredo's program at 8 p.m. March 24 in the Phil's Daniels Pavilion. Information: 597-1900.

Nelson Riddle Orchestra with Harry Connick Sr. In concert at 7:30 p.m. March 27 at the Barbara B. Mann. Information: 481-4849.