March Calendar

Who’s on First: A Nightmare Comedy. Four people find themselves living the same hour over and over again. Playing Fridays and Saturdays from March 7– 22 at the Norris Center in Naples. 213-3049.

FOR THE KIDS
Annual Rubber Duck Race. Numbered rubber ducks race through Monroe Canal, and the first ones across the finish line win prizes. Music, raffles and other games will also be available. March 8 at Woody’s Waterside in St. James City. 283-0888.

Imaginarium. Travel through time with Lucy: The Story of Human Origins, an exhibit of fossils and artifacts spanning 50 million years; and Be the Dinosaur, an interactive prehistoric exhibit, all this month. 337-3332.

Magic Carpet Concert. A free one-hour concert designed to introduce children to the symphony orchestra at Galloway Ford in Fort Myers on March 9. 489-1800.

Playhouse Disney Live! Join the popular Disney pals onstage at Germain Arena, March 22 at 12:30 and 3:30 p.m. 948-7825.

Seussical Jr. The Naples Players’ junior set, KidzAct Youth Theatre, performs the mischievous musical based on the works of Dr. Seuss, March 24–25 at 5 and 7 p.m. at Sugden Community Theatre. 263-7990.

FESTIVALS & FAIRS
Annual Designer Showcase. The International Design Center in Estero hosts its series of workshops and seminars, titled "The Art of Design," through March 2. 418-1500.

Antiques Show. The Naples Woman’s Club annual show is March 6–8, with a preview party on the 6th from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the NWC Clubhouse. 262-6331.

Art in the Park. Naples’ oldest outdoor art festival features artwork by Naples Art Association members, as well as food and entertainment. March 1 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Cambier Park in downtown Naples and on Park Street by The von Liebig Art Center. 262-6517.

Artists’ Studio Tour. Tour the homes and studios of eight internationally recognized artists, and enjoy art, food and conversation along the way, March 2–3. 597-1900.

Bonita Blues Festival. Enjoy blues bands, food and shopping at Riverside Park in Bonita Springs, March 15 from noon to 8 p.m. 947-0715

Bonita Springs Art Festival. A nationally ranked festival featuring more than 200 artists, March 1–2 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at The Promenade at Bonita Bay. 261-6100.

Book Launch. A Naples-based author and illustrator debut You and Me Make Three, a children’s book for divorced families, at the Ritz-Carlton, Naples, March 12. 289-3817.

Circus Sarasota. The performers bring their act (complete with big top tents, acrobats and clowns) to Miromar Outlets in Estero, March 11–30. (941) 355-9335.

Country Jam. Collier County Parks & Recreation holds this music festival March 8 at the Collier County Fairgrounds. 252-4000.

Goddess Night. An evening devoted to empowering and enriching women, with presentations, discussions and dinner, March 13 at The von Liebig Art Center. 262-6517.

Meet the Designer. Jewelry designer Charles Krypell will be at Sanibel’s Lily & Co. Jewelers, March 7–8. 472-2888.

Naples Art and Antiques Show. The nationally acclaimed show takes a new twist this year, featuring contemporary art as well as traditional antiques. March 6–8 at Trinity-by-the-Cove Episcopal Church. 262-0353.

Naples Artcrafters Show. Fine art and crafts show featuring the work of local artists, March 8 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Cambier Park. 352-3036.

Naples-Marco Island Antique Car Club Show. Check out classic cars at Naples Depot, March 1 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. 860-2726.

Old Florida Festival. Celebrate Florida’s past at this living history event, March 1 and 2 at the Collier County Museum. 774-8476.

The Promenade at Bonita Bay. Bonita Bay Nights are the second Thursday of every month, and Sunday Jazz Jams are the last Sunday of the month. The Second Annual Canine Prom—which will culminate with the crowning of a king and queen—is March 15 from 1 to 4 p.m. 261-6100.

Sanibel Music Festival 2008. Hear a range of musicians and genres, including the American Chamber Players, March 1; pianist Olga Kern, March 4; the Opera Theater of Connecticut, March 8; the Weilerstein Trio, March 11; Brentano String Quartet, March 15; the Boston Chamber Music Society, March 18; and the Emerson String Quartet, March 25. All concerts at the Sanibel Congregational Church at 8 p.m. 336-7999.

Sanibel Shell Show and Fair. Join shell aficionados at this annual event, March 6–8 at the Sanibel Community House. 283-7417.

St. Patrick’s Day Celebration. Enjoy the annual parade in downtown Naples with traditional Irish ales and food March 15 and 17 at McCabe’s Irish Pub. (888) 403-8778.

The Village on Venetian Bay. Celebrate the luck of the Irish with St. Patrick’s Day party featuring traditional Irish band and a cookout, March 13 from 6 to 9 p.m. And enjoy live music, dining and shopping on the first Thursday of each month during Village Nights. 261-6100.

SPORTS & OUTDOORS
Florida Everblades. Our local ECHL team takes on the Mississippi Sea Wolves, March 7, 8 and 11; and the Gwinnett Gladiators, March 26, 28 and 29. All games at 7:30 p.m. at Germain Arena. 948-7825.

Historic Walking Tours. See Fort Myers’ River District and learn about its development, Wednesdays this month at 10 a.m. beginning at the Southwest Florida Museum of History. 332-5955.

Tour de Friendship. A bike ride through scenic Southwest Florida on March 30. The tour starts at the Immokalee Friendship House in increments of 16, 31 and 62 miles. 657-4090.

Naples Botanical Garden. A Walk in the Woods, a two-hour look at six Florida habitats, is offered March 5, 14, 19 and 26 at 10:30 a.m. 643-7275.

Naples Zoo. See what the animals do when the sun goes down through night vision scopes, March 5. 262-5409.

LECTURES & LEARNING
Cape Coral Arts Studio. Fine arts and crafts classes for all levels are offered March 4 to April 21. Also, workshops in contemporary portrait painting, March 1; and still life painting, March 29. 574-0802.

Doris Kearns Goodwin. The acclaimed historian and Pulitzer Prize-winning author speaks at the Naples Grande Beach Resort as part of the Naples/Fort Myers Town Hall speakers series, March 20. 261-6524.

Lunch with the Arts. International documentary photographer Brynn Bruijn discusses her current exhibition Curiouser and Curiouser: What a Wonder Is This World! at The von Liebig Art Center, March 31. 262-6517.

Meet the Author luncheon. Florida-based author James W. Hall discusses his latest novel Magic City at The Club at Grandezza in Estero, March 11 at 11:30 a.m. 992-4965.

Painting demo and workshop. Learn from painter Paul Leveille with a life model and a demo, March 4–5 at the Sanibel-Captiva Art League. 395-4518.

Syd Kitson. The chairman and CEO of Kitson & Partners speaks about the Babcock Ranch community, March 4 at The Conservancy of Southwest Florida. 643-7822.

Theatre workshops. An actor’s perspective of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, March 6, 13 and 20; intensive tap dancing workshops, March 8–9; vocal technique classes, March 5, 12 and 19; musical audition help session, March 1; technical theatre workshop, March 10, 17, 24 and 31; and producers’ workshop, March 15. All classes at Sugden Community Theatre. 434-7340, ext. 14.

Thomas Hoving. The former director of the Metropolitan Museum of Art speaks about the newest addition to his series of autobiographies in The Artful Tommy—A Zigzag Life through Parks, Museums, TV, Magazines and Illicit Antiquities at the Phil’s Hayes Hall, March 8 at 10 a.m. 597-1900.

Visiting artist demonstrations and workshops. Subjects this month include big brush watercolor and the use of pastels, March 30 to April 4 at the Center for the Arts in Bonita Springs. 495-8989.

All area codes 239 unless otherwise noted.Submit events for this calendar to jenniferf@gulfshorelifecom