Top 5 things to do this weekend in SW FL: Vintage Market Days, Island Hopper Songwriter Fest

Looking for some entertainment in Southwest Florida?

Here are five fun things to do this weekend and beyond, including Vintage Market Days and the 10th-annual Island Hopper Songwriter Fest with headliners Scotty McCreery and Jeffrey Steele.

Plus we look at what's ahead in the coming weeks: Hip-hop legends The Sugarhill Gang, actor-comedian Marlon Wayans, the new Bonita Springs Pride Festival and more.

To submit events, email the details to reporter Charles Runnells at [email protected].

1. 10th annual Island Hopper with Scotty McCreery, Jeffrey Steele

Country singers Scotty McCreery and Jeffrey Steele headline the sprawling, 10th-annual music festival. Dozens of singer-songwriters — mostly country-music artists — perform Sept. 20-22 on Captiva Island, Sept. 23-24 in Cape Coral, Sept. 25-26 in downtown Fort Myers and Sept. 27-29 on Fort Myers Beach. Most shows are free. Steele joins Gulf Coast Symphony at 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 26 at Florida Repertory Theatre. McCreery plays a pool party at 5 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 29 at Pink Shell Beach Resort & Marina on Fort Myers Beach. Tickets are $36-$75 for Steele, $75 for McCreery. island-hopperfest.visitfortmyers.com

2. Vintage Market Days at Lee Civic Center

The vintage and vintage-inspired market returns to Southwest Florida. The semi-annual show features more than 100 vendors from around the country selling clothing, jewelry, original art, antiques, home décor, outdoor furnishings and more. Plus live music and food. Friday through Sunday, Sept. 20-22. $8-$12 (free for ages 12 and younger). Lee Civic Center, 11831 Bayshore Road, North Fort Myers. vintagemarketdays.com/market/south-gulf-coast-florida

3. Florida Rep opens 27th season with 'Forever Plaid'

The downtown Fort Myers theater opens its 2024-25 season with the hit musical "Forever Plaid." Four young singers die in a bus crash on the way to their first big gig in the 1950s, but then the barbershop quartet gets to perform their show-stopping concert in the afterlife. The show is filled with '50s barbershop hits, including “Three Coins in the Fountain,” “Moments to Remember" and “Sixteen Tons." Sept. 20-Oct. 27. Discount previews are Sept. 17-19. Tickets start at $67. Artstage Studio Theatre at Florida Repertory Theatre, 2268 Bay St., downtown Fort Myers. 332-4488 or floridarep.org

4. Peace Day Pine Island Festival

Celebrate the International Day of Peace with this all-new event hosted by The Peace Cottage and Sacred Souls LLC.  Peace Day features more than 40 vendors selling jewelry, art, clothing and more; food trucks; live music from Calypso Magic, Kerri Moore, Dan Cook and more local acts; raffle drawings; a food drive for Pine Island Food Pantry; and a free kids area with face painting, a scavenger hunt and take-home creations. All proceeds benefit The Matlacha Hookers and their Hooked On Education Scholarship program. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 21. Free. St. James City Civic Association, 3300 Fourth Ave., St. James City. 443-0244 or sjccapi.org/events/peace-day-on-pine-island

5. The Warren Haynes Band at B.B. Mann

Grammy-winning Gov't Mile and Allman Brothers Band singer-guitarist Warren Haynes brings his solo band to Fort Myers. 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 20. $40-$100. Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall, 13350 FSW Parkway, south Fort Myers. 481-4849 or bbmannpah.com

MORE THINGS TO DO THIS WEEK

Shorts of the Fort Film Festival

This new festival celebrates Lee County's "unique landscapes and vibrant communities" with short films shot in Southwest Florida. All of the films are between 30 seconds and five minutes long. Prizes will awarded, including $1,000 for Best of the Fest. 6-10 p.m. Friday, Sept. 20. $10. Alliance for the Arts, 10091 McGregor Blvd. Fort Myers. 939-2787 or artinlee.org

Banda MS at Hertz Arena

The popular Mexican banda act returns to Hertz Arena. Their hits include “Hermosa Experiencia,” “No Me Pidas Perdón” and the international smash "Sin Evidencias." 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 21. $61-$350. Parking on site is $30, plus taxes and fees (no cash). Free parking next door at Miromar Outlets. Hertz Arena, 11000 Everblades Parkway, Estero.  948-7825 or hertzarena.com

Fall Home & Garden Show at Caloosa Sound

The 28th-annual Fall Home & Garden Show returns with more home-improvement products and presentations from contractors, remodelers and home specialists. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Sept. 21-22. Free. Caloosa Sound Amphitheater, 2000 W. First St., downtown Fort Myers. expomanagementinc.com

LOOKING AHEAD

Freedom Rocks at Lab Theater

Floridians For Democracy hosts this non-partisan event designed to bring the community together, show the importance of preserving democracy, encourage people to vote and raise money for a get-out-the-vote effort . Guest speakers include activists, writers and more. The musical group Common Ground plays patriotic music between the guest speakers. North Port resident Mark Evans will also perform a nonpartisan comedy act. 7 p.m. Monday, Sept. 23. Tickets are available for a suggested $40 donation. Space is limited. The Laboratory Theater of Florida, 1634 Woodford Ave., downtown Fort Myers. 218-0481 or laboratorytheaterflorida.com

Yngwie Malmsteem at The Ranch

Swedish guitar god Yngwie Malmsteem, known for his classically-inspired playing, celebrates the 40th anniversary of his solo debut album, "Rising Force." Show starts at about 8 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 26. $36-$102. The Ranch Concert Hall & Saloon, 2158 Colonial Blvd., Fort Myers. 985-9839 or theranchfortmyers.com

Broadway Palm musical 'Chicago'

The Fort Myers dinner theater brings back the sexy, steamy musical about crime, criminals, and corruption in Prohibition-era Chicago. The show is packed with classic Broadway songs, including "All That Jazz," "Cell Block Tango," "Razzle Dazzle" and "Roxie." Sept. 27-Nov. 9. $75-$95. Broadway Palm dinner theater, 1380 Colonial Blvd., Fort Myers. 278-4422 or broadwaypalm.com

The Sugarhill Gang at Arts Bonita

New Jersey rap icons The Sugarhill Gang are best known for the sprawling, influential song “Rapper’s Delight." Rolling Stone magazine ranked it as No. 2 on its 2017 list of the “100 Greatest Hip-Hop Songs of All Time.”  7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 27. $60-$66. Arts Bonita Center for Performing Arts, 10150 Bonita Beach Road, Bonita Springs. 495-8989 or artsbonita.org

Florida Rep conservatory's 'Freaky Friday'

The students of Florida Rep's conservatory program perform the new body-swapping musical 'Freaky Friday,' based on the 1972 novel and hit Disney movies. Friday through Sunday, Sept. 27-29. $30 for adults, $15 for students. Florida Repertory Theatre, 2268 Bay St., downtown Fort Myers. 332-4488 or floridarep.org

Punk As Folk, Vol. 1 at Nice Guys

The debut show in this planned concert series lets audiences experience a live recording session with five local and regional folk-punk acts: Gutterlove, Dave!Ja!Vu!, Skylar the Menace (of Go Read Theory), Sticky Steve and Comet Garden. All five bands will be recorded, and two songs from each set will be released in a cassette compilation by Roach & Roll Records and the nonprofit Love Your Rebellion (or LYR, which also organized the event). 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 27. $11 in advance, $15 at the door. Nice Guys Pizza, 1334 Cape Coral Parkway E., downtown Cape Coral.  facebook.com/loveyourrebellion

Bonita Springs Pride Festival

The new fest celebrates LGBTQ pride with drag performers and other live entertainment, vendors, food trucks, deejayed music, face painting and Bonita Springs Pride's recently crowned royal court. Noon to 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 28. $5 general admission for the indoor/outdoor event. VIP tickets are $200 and include a private room with air conditioning and a meet and greet with the royal court. Arts Bonita Center for Visual Arts, 26100 Old 41 Road, Bonita Springs. facebook.com/BonitaSpringsPride

Rapper YGTUT at Nice Guys

Tennessee rapper YGTUT's hits include "5 to 10," "Chad" (with Isaiah Rashad) and "G35." He's part of the Chattanooga hip-hop collective The House with Rashad. Tampa rapper Gat$ also performs at this show. 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 28. $12-$20. Nice Guys Pizza, 1334 Cape Coral Parkway E., downtown Cape Coral. tinyurl.com/3ru3nyer

Marlon Wayans at B.B. Mann

The actor-comedian Marlon Wayans brings his stand-up show to south Fort Myers. Wayans' hit movies include "White Chicks," "Little Man" and "Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood." He also starred for two seasons on the NBC family sitcom “Marlon." 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 28. $42-$92. Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall, 13350 FSW Parkway, south Fort Myers. 481-4849 or bbmannpah.com

— Charles Runnells is an arts and entertainment reporter for The News-Press and the Naples Daily News. To reach him, call 239-335-0368 (for tickets to shows, call the venue) or email him at [email protected].

Follow or message him on social media: Facebook (facebook.com/charles.runnells.7), X (formerly Twitter) (@charlesrunnells), Threads (@crunnells1) and Instagram (@crunnells1).

This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Fort Myers, Cape Coral things to do: Island Hopper, Vintage Market Days