lifeXpressions photography blog | Naples Baby Photographer | Fort Myers Children's Photographer | Estero Family Photographer

Despite the rainy night we’re having, this weekend is shaping up to be another fun one in Southwest Florida!

DNA Lifeprint Event – Saturday, March 13th at Sutherlin Nissan – FREE

The DNA LifePrint Child Safety Event and endorsed by John Walsh, America’s Trusted Name In Fighting Crime is coming to Fort Myers this weekend. This program provides parents with the vital tools recommended by the FBI and The Department Of Justice.  In fact, the program is being donated to our community by Sutherlin Nissan this weekend.  The location of the event is 13985 S. Tamiami Trail, Fort Myers on Saturday, March 13th, 2010 9:30am – 2:00pm.

Biometrics is the newest and most advanced technology available today for obtaining fingerprints. We are privileged to be able to use the same equipment presently used by Federal Agencies, Law Enforcement, and the US Military. Law Enforcement know that time is critical in the recovery of a missing child. The Biometric Technology our program brings to parents allows their child’s fingerprints to be immediately submitted into the FBI Database as soon as they are reported missing. When the child’s fingerprints are entered into the FBI Database, the fingerprints become immediately available to all law enforcement agencies throughout the United States.

You will receive the following DNA kit ($14.95 value) when you bring your child with you to this event:

FBI Certified Biometric 10 Digit Fingerprint Profile.

High resolution full color Digital Photograph of your child.

A Child Safety Journal which will provide law enforcement officials with all the necessary vital information about your child and other important facts they will need immediately after a child is reported missing.

A Home DNA Identification Kit that is easy to use and lasts through generations.

There is no data basing on Saturday: After each child goes through the line, parents are handed a Child Safety Journal (which contains the Biometric Fingerprints and Digital Photo) and a DNA Kit. The DNA Kit contains detailed instructions on how to use the DNA Kit at home. The only record of the visit is handed to you to take home: The event sponsor keeps no records on file. You will also be given John Walsh’s Child Safety Tips. All the information provided at this Child Safety Program is recommended by child safety experts and law enforcement officials to be updated every 6 months.

If a child becomes missing, parents greatly increase their chance of quickly recovering their child if they immediately provide, a FBI Certified Biometric 10 Digit Fingerprint Profile, a DNA Sample, a High Resolution Full Color Photograph, and Current Statistical Information.

Parents Please Bring Your Children to this FREE Child Safety Program!  For more information, click here.

52nd Annual Shrimp Festival – Fort Myers Beach, ALL WEEKEND!

Come on down to the beach this weekend and take part in this fun festival!!  There will be a parade, lots of crafts, food, music, and…SHRIMP!  For a complete rundown of activities all weekend, click here.

Coors Light Open – Fort Myers Country Club – ALL WEEKEND!

The Fort Myers Country Club is a joy to play. Designed by the great Donald Ross in 1916 and opened in 1917, it is one of the oldest facilities on the west coast of Florida and the Fort Myers Country Club plays like golf should be! Golfers find it to be a fun quality place. Walking is permitted every day of the year and any time of the day and rarely does a home come into play on the course. The “Fort”is truly a course of the ages.

The “Fort” also possesses another tradition. The Coors Open, a Pro-Am golf tournament that began in 1963 and is the longest running event in Southwest Florida. The 48th Annual Coors Open will be held this weekend, March 12-13,2009. One local writer refers to the Coors Light Open as the biggest little tournament in the United States. He´s so right! There is no charge for admission; no fee for parking and spectators can walk right next to the players! Wow, no wonder half of Southwest Florida comes to watch!

The Fort is set in a unique and warm setting in the heart of Fort Myers. The “Fort”is only one mile south of the Thomas Edison Home and fact tells us that Mr. Edison, Mr. Henry Ford and others loved to play the “Fort”in the 1920´s.

Fort Myers Country Club is located at 3591 McGregor Boulevard – you can’t miss it!  Hope to see you all there!

For those of you here in town, this is the big parade weekend!  The Edison Festival of Lights Grand Parade to be exact.  Because so many of us who live here make this an annual tradition and have for many, many, many years – it will be the focus of this weeks’ Around Town Post.  Read on for more information:

72nd Edison Festival of Lights Grand Parade, Saturday, February 20th at 7:00 p.m. – Downtown Fort Myers

This weekend, we will be celebrating the Innovation of Thomas Alva Edison and the Quality of Life of Southwest Florida in the 72nd Edison Festival of Lights Parade.  This parade has been named One of North America’s Top 100 Events and One of the Top 20 Events in the Southeast.  The Grand Parade is a two-hour extravaganza featuring national & local marching bands, floats, local government and law enforcement officials, a famous Grand Marshall and more. The parade brings the entire Southwest Florida community out in celebration of the life and achievements of our local winter resident, Thomas Edison. This event is free to the public.  For a complete route map, click here.

There are many great places to view the Grand Parade. If you would like reserved seating you can purchase Street Seat tickets which are sold by local non-profit groups and set up all along the parade route. A list of participating organizations will be located here at the website under Tickets as the time approaches. Otherwise arrive early with your chairs and blankets and pick a great spot by consulting the parade route map here at the website under About Us/General Information.

The Main Street Garage is located at the corner of Jackson and Main Street with the entrance on Main Street.  The City of Palms Garage is located at the corner of Bay and Monroe with the entrance on Monroe.  Parkers will have until 5:00 pm to enter the City of Palms Garage at the Monroe entrance.   The Monroe entrance will close at 5:00 pm and parkers will have to use the Main Street Garage or find parking elsewhere.   The garage entrance closes (does so every year) because of the parade route and the pedestrian traffic.  There is a pay on entry event fee charge of $4 when entering the garages.    Parkers may park at the meters and in the Zip Zone at no charge.  Parkers are subject to being towed for parking in privately owned parking lots.

History of the Parade

In 1885, Thomas Alva Edison built his winter home in Fort Myers, Florida on the Caloosahatchee River. Throughout the 50 years Edison wintered in Fort Myers, he dedicated time in support of local charities and projects. He died in 1931, having successfully received over 1,000 patents for his inventions.

The idea of a celebration to commemorate Edison’s life of achievement evolved into the Edison Pageant of Light in 1938, with a Coronation Ball, a parade, a band concert and a memorial service, which began following Edison’s death. The successful three-day event needed to accommodate a growing series of events, which later increased to a week-long festival, then ten days, and finally to two full weeks.

In 1988, demand for more public events was great, but the pageant membership available to provide volunteer leadership for more activities was limited. The choices were to limit the growth of the public events of the Pageant so they could be handled by Pageant volunteers, or create a new public corporation to assume the responsibility for all events open to the public.

In a unanimous vote, the board of directors of the pageant elected to turn over all the public events of the Edison pageant of Light to the new non-profit corporation, the Edison Festival of Light. This paved the road to the possibilities of civic celebration in which the entire community could participate. In 1989, the new organization, the Edison Festival of Light, Inc. officially assumed responsibility for all of the Pageant’s public events.

There’s something for all ages! Come and join in celebrating the spirit of Edison, during Southwest Florida’s greatest family tradition, The Edison Festival of Light!

I know, I know.  It’s Superbowl weekend.  But, life does go on – right? Haha!  Well, considering I’m not a huge football fan and am only going to a Superbowl party to catch up with old friends, I thought I’d better figure out what else was going on this weekend.   Here we go:

Professor Patches Magic Show, Cape Coral Yacht Club – Friday 2/5 at 7:00 p.m.

Do something magical Friday night and take your kids to see Professor Patches!  Voted the best entertainer in SWFL by Gulfshore Life Magazine, Professor Patches will amaze children and adults alike. This would be the perfect event to bring the grandparents too!  Doors open at 6 for free kids’ activities.  The show begins at 7:00 p.m.  Tickets are $5 per person; call (239) 574-0806 for more information.

Cape Coral BIKE NIGHT – Downtown Cape Coral, Saturday 2/6 5:00 – 10:00 p.m.

Like to ride?  Well, get down to  Cape Coral Bike Night – Easy Riders Magazine says “it’s the place to be.” Join us on February 6th, 2010 from 5-10pm in Downtown Cape Coral for the best bike night in all of Southwest Florida. Our October and December events packed the streets with crowds of over 12,000 people for just one night.  Enjoy tasty food and beverages and do some shopping with merchandise from the area’s best vendors. There’s live music for everyone to enjoy and biker games for the serious competitor in you. The streets of Downtown Cape Coral will be closed to regular traffic just for this event and neighborhood restaurants, bars and hotels are ready to serve you.  For more information, click here.   Remember to Watch Out For Motorcycles!

Art Festival – ALL WEEKEND, River District {Downtown} Fort Myers

Art Fest Fort Myers, Southwest Florida’s premier art festival takes place downtown Fort Myers on February 6 & 7, 2010 from 10 to 5 each day. Each year Fort Myers’ only free, two day art extravaganza, decorates our downtown with exceptional artwork, entertainment and children’s art activities.  Attendees enjoy and purchase artwork in a variety of mediums and prices from nationally recognized artists from across the country and around the world.  Its better than a gallery – there is lots of variety – you can talk to the artists – you can view the work of over 200 fine artists in a single weekend – you can introduce your children to the magic of original art. Enjoy this amazing opportunity to see some of the most creative and exciting artwork to be exhibited anywhere in Florida this season!  For more details, click here. {The photo featured below is the stunning work of one of the artists featured at the festival – John Brady}.

Happy Friday everyone!  We made it through another chilly week here in Southwest Florida and I’m personally very happy the temperature has warmed up just a smidge!   Get out and enjoy it before the next front comes through.

6th Annual Nature Festival – Rookery Bay Estuary, Naples:  ALL WEEKEND!

Check out the Southwest Florida Natural Festival Friday through Sunday for guided field trips to area wildlife hotspots, an array of local wildlife programs, live birds of prey and other programs at the Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. For more information, call 417-6310 or visit www.rookerybay.org/nature-fest-2010.

Antique Appraisal Day – Crowne Plaza (Bell Tower), Fort Myers, Saturday 1/16/10