The third annual Island Hopper Songwriter Fest now has 60 confirmed songwriters, bringing more talent, more free performances and more venues to music fans along the Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel in Southwest Florida. Matanzas on the Bay on Fort Myers Beach will be a venue for a variety of singer-songwriter performances during the festival, taking place Sept. 30 through Oct. 2 on Fort Myers Beach.
Free and open to the public, all performances at Matanzas on the Bay will take place on the lower deck and the waterfront restaurant will offer guests $13 buckets of domestic beer throughout the festival weekend. Matanzas on the Bay also offers free boat dockage and car parking for guests to utilize throughout the weekend, providing festival-goers easy access to the wide array of scheduled performances.
On Friday, Sept. 30, singer-songwriters Dave Fenley and Tim McGeary will perform at 7 p.m., followed by Jeff Prince and Phillip White at 8:15 p.m. and Karla Davis and Taylor Loren at 9:30 p.m. On Saturday, Oct. 1, Dave Gibson and Jeff Prince will perform at 2:15 p.m., followed by TerryLynn Melody and Crys Matthews at 3:30 p.m., Gary Hannan and Julianne Ankley at 7:15 p.m. and Kylie Sackley and Phillip White at 8:30 p.m. The final day, Sunday, Oct. 2, will feature performances by Matt Backer and Bobby Tomberlin at 1 p.m., followed by Bill LaBounty and Frank Myers at 2:15 p.m.
Island Hopper Songwriter Fest is presented by Lee County Visitor & Convention Bureau, iHeartMedia, Cat Country 107.1 and BMI, the largest music rights organization in the U.S. For more information visit www.islandhopperfest.com. Follow the festival hashtag #islandhopper on Twitter and other social channels. Photos available upon request.
Matanzas on the Bay and Petey’s Upper Deck are best known for waterfront views, fresh seafood and old Florida ambience and is located at 416 Crescent St. on Fort Myers Beach on Estero Bay. The restaurant serves lunch and dinner daily, as well as caters to special occasions and private parties. As part of its commitment to use as many locally sourced products as possible, Matanzas on the Bay offers fresh produce in partnership with Oakes Farm, rum from the Wicked Dolphin Rum Distillery and draft beer from Fort Myers Brewery. Its upstairs sports bar, Petey’s Upper Deck, is popularly known for its Dave’s Dockside Pizza, named the best pizza on Fort Myers Beach. The restaurant is located adjacent to the Matanzas Bayside Inn waterfront accommodations, just steps away from the Fort Myers Beach entertainment district. Free car parking and boat dockage is available. To book your party or for more information, call 239-463-3838 or visit www.MatanzasontheBay.com.
