What to do in Naples, Bonita in December: TheatreZone musical, comedy, concerts and more
HOLIDAY EVENTS
Chanukah Festival of Lights: The Jewish Federation of Greater Naples invites the public to its free, community-wide celebration of Chanukah at 5 p.m. Monday, Dec. 11, at Mercato on the Lawn, 9110 Strada Place in Naples. Event will include lighting of menorah candle holder, music by the Naples Klezmer Revival Band, balloon creations, crafts and songs and Israeli food, donuts and chocolate Chanukah gelt. jewishnaples.org.
Candlelight Christmas Carols: Free event Friday, Dec. 15, at Cambier Park, 755 Eighth Ave. S., benefiting America’s Children Development Program Inc. and HOPE4KIDS. 5:30 p.m. pre-caroling food and beverages, with caroling set for 6:30-8 p.m. Bring lawn chairs, blankets. A food truck will be onsite, and refreshments, beer, and wine can be purchased.
Check out our complete list of holiday events at naplesnews.com.
OTHER EVENTS, MUSEUMS, MORE
Palm Cottage: The oldest house in Naples is open. Self-guided tours are available with docents on hand to answer questions. No RSVP needed. A seven-month project helped restore the 1895 building after Hurricane Ian roared through Southwest Florida on Sept 28, 2022. More at NaplesHistoricalSociety.org or 239-261-8164.
Visit a museum: Collier County has a rich history, and there's five museums to learn about it — Collier Museum at Government Center (Naples), Museum of the Everglades, Immokalee Pioneer Museum at Roberts Ranch, Naples Depot Museum, and Marco Island Historical Museum. Visit colliermuseums.com to learn more.
Revs Institute: The Revs Institute has reopened after being closed two months for maintenance. Schedule a visit at revsinstitute.org or 239-687-7387. The car museum ― among the top 10 in the U.S. ― is at 2500 S. Horseshoe Drive, near Naples Airport.
COMEDIANS AT OFF THE HOOK
Christian Johnson: The comedian performs standup at 7 p.m. Monday, Dec. 11-Wednesday, Dec. 13, at Off The Hook Comedy Club, 2500 Vanderbilt Beach Road, No. 1100. $25 general admission, plus a fee. offthehookcomedy.com or 239-389-6901
SOLD OUT ― Matt Rife: The comedian performs standup Dec. 14-17 at Off The Hook Comedy Club, 2500 Vanderbilt Beach Road, No. 1100. offthehookcomedy.com or 239-389-6901
Will Burkart: The comedian performs standup at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 19, and 6:30 and 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 20, at Off The Hook Comedy Club, 2500 Vanderbilt Beach Road, No. 1100. $25 general admission, plus a fee. offthehookcomedy.com or 239-389-6901
Bryan Callen: The comedian performs standup at 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 21; 6:30 and 8:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 22; and 6 and 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 23, at Off The Hook Comedy Club, 2500 Vanderbilt Beach Road, No. 1100. $30 general admission, plus a fee. offthehookcomedy.com or 239-389-6901
Dale Jones: The comedian performs standup at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 26, Wednesday, Dec. 27, and Thursday, Dec. 28, at Off The Hook Comedy Club, 2500 Vanderbilt Beach Road, No. 1100. $25 general admission, plus a fee. offthehookcomedy.com or 239-389-6901
Anthony Rodia: The comedian performs standup at 6:30 and 8:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 29, and 6 and 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 30, at Off The Hook Comedy Club, 2500 Vanderbilt Beach Road, No. 1100. $35 general admission, plus a fee. offthehookcomedy.com or 239-389-6901
Anthony Rodia: The comedian performs two New Year's Eve standup shows, 6 and 9 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 31, at Off The Hook Comedy Club, 2500 Vanderbilt Beach Road, No. 1100. General admission is $110, with VIP $130, and each includes dinner, plus a fee. VIP suite of five is $650, plus fee. offthehookcomedy.com or 239-389-6901
CAMBIER PARK CONCERTS AND MORE
Stardust Memories Big Band: Group has returned for its 10th season, performing outdoor, evening concerts. Musicians play songs from legendary American big bands including Glenn Miller, Tommy Dorsey, Count Basie, Artie Shaw and Duke Ellington. Concerts start at 7 p.m. and are in Cambier Park, Naples (Monday nights), and at Riverside Park, Bonita Springs (Tuesday nights) ― a total of 12 performances. Shows are Jan. 22-23; Feb. 5-6; Feb. 19-20; March 11-12; March 25-26; and April 8-9. Suggested donation of $5 per person requested. stardustmemoriesbigband.com
Naples Jazzmasters Dixieland Band: 2-4 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 6, indoors at River Park Community Center, 301 11th St. N., Naples. Other concerts are set for the same time and place Jan. 6, Feb. 3, March 2 and April 6. All concerts free but donations greatly appreciated and needed. naplesjazzsociety.com
Live music at Miromar Outlets: Enjoy musicians playing on the plaza, between Ford’s Garage & Naples Flatbread and in the Restaurant Piazza. More at miromaroutlets.com.
Zach Bartholomew Trio: Musicians play music of pianist/composer Vince Guaraldi, including songs from the beloved holiday cartoon "A Charlie Brown Christmas." Audiences will also learn more about Bartholomew's life and career. 2 and 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 12. $35. Arts Bonita Center for Performing Arts, 10150 Bonita Beach Road, Bonita Springs. 239-495-8989 or artsbonita.org
Marie Osmond: Famous singer, actor and TV host performs a holiday show with an orchestra at Seminole Casino Hotel. 8 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 12. $129. Seminole Casino Hotel, 506 S. First St., Immokalee. 239-658-1313 or moreinparadise.com
Steve Miller Band: Pop-rockers with hits like “The Joker,” "Jungle Love” and “Abracadabra” perform at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 13. $46-$106. Parking on site is $30 (no cash accepted). Hertz Arena, 11000 Everblades Parkway, Estero. 239-948-7825 or hertzarena.com
Holiday Pops: Conductor Radu Paponiu leads Naples Philharmonic, joined by the Naples Philharmonic Chorus and Naples Philharmonic Youth Chorus. Program to be announced. Thursday through Sunday, Dec. 14-17. $52-$86. Artis-Naples, 5833 Pelican Bay Blvd., Naples. 239-597-1900 or artisnaples.org
Tuba Christmas: Annual concert in Sugden Plaza has become a Naples tradition. Concert begins at 6:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 15. fifthavenuesouth.com
Jason Marsalis: Renowned jazz drummer, youngest son of late jazz pianist Ellis Marsalis Jr., patriarch of New Orleans' famous Marsalis music family, plays at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 16. $42-$49. Arts Bonita Center for Performing Arts, 10150 Bonita Beach Road, Bonita Springs. 239-495-8989 or artsbonita.org
Gulf Coast Big Band: Group performs holiday concert of cool jazz starting at 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 17, at Naples' Cambier Park Bandshell, 755 Eighth Ave S. Count Basie's "Jingle Bells," an intricate jazz rendition of "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer," and Charlie Brown's "Christmas Time is Here" are on the music menu. Free, bring a chair. Scholarship donations for local music students are appreciated. Visit our website for more information: gulfcoastbigband.com
Rose Max: Brazilian bossa nova singer-songwriter performs with guitarist-producer Ramatis at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 22. $35. Arts Bonita Center for Performing Arts, 10150 Bonita Beach Road, Bonita Springs. 239-495-8989 or artsbonita.org
COMING IN JANUARY
Naples Dixieland Jazz Band: 2-4 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 7, at Cambier Park, Sixth Avenue South and Eighth Street South. Other concerts are set for the same time and place Feb. 11, March 10 and April 21. Please bring lawn chairs. All concerts free but donations greatly appreciated and needed. naplesjazzsociety.com
THEATER, INCLUDING GULFSHORE PLAYHOUSE MUSICAL
"Winter Wonderettes": Holiday musical is set in a small-town hardware store, a quartet in the spirit of the Andrew Sisters treats the audience to timeless Christmas classics in a merry and interactive show. Performances at various times through Dec. 17 at the Norris Center, 755 Eighth Ave. S. Tickets from $40. gulfshoreplayhouse.org or (239) 261-7529
"Home for the Holidays": Annual musical at TheatreZone, 13275 Livingston Road, Naples, runs Dec. 15-17. Uplifting songs for the holiday season. Tickets from $50. theatre.zone or at the box office, 888-966-3352, ext. 1.
FAMILY FUN
Holiday Boat Parade: Marco Island's Christmas Island Style continues at 6 p.m. Dec. 16 with the 35th annual boat parade. Sign up to decorate your boat and join the float here. Watch from restaurants on the water from Olde Marco to the Esplanade.
Movies on the Lawn: See “National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation" at 5:45 p.m. Dec. 19, on the Mercato event lawn. Bring chairs and blankets. Mercato’s event lawn is at 9127 Strada Place, Naples. Films, which are on the third Tuesday of the month. More at experiencemercato.com
ART EXHIBITS
Botanical Revolution: Artist Tamara Kostianovsky utilizes repurposed clothing and other textiles to create dynamic works of sculpture that reference humankind’s connections to nature by echoing the forms of birds, tree stumps, plants and cow carcasses. This exhibition, the artist’s first in the southeastern United States, will include new work inspired by the bird and plant life of Southwest Florida. Exhibition runs through April 7 on first floor of the Baker Museum, 5833 Pelican Bay Blvd., Naples. artisnaples.org or 239‑597‑1111
KARAOKE, MORE MUSIC, TRIVIA AND MORE
Karaoke: 7 p.m. Thursdays at Z's Music Kitchen, 12655 Tamiami Trail E., Naples. Visit Z's Music Kitchen on Facebook.
Open Jam: 7-10 p.m. Tuesday's Z's Music Kitchen, 12655 Tamiami Trail E., Naples. Enjoy music and food. More at 239-304-9552 or zsmusickitchen.com.
Jebry's Jazz and Blues Jam Session: 6 to 9 p.m. every Monday at Dogtooth bar and restaurant, 5310 Shirley St., Naples. 239-431-7004.
Karaoke: 10:30 p.m. Mondays and Tuesdays at Sneaky Pete's, 3465 Bonita Beach Road SW, No. 120, Bonita Springs. 239-498-8887. sneakypetesbonita.com
Trivia: 7:30-9:30 p.m. Tuesdays at South Street City Oven and Grill at Goodlette Corners, 1410 Pine Ridge Road, Suite 4, Naples.
Trivia: 7:30-9:30 p.m. Wednesdays at South Street City Oven and Grill at Founders Square, 8845 Founders Square Drive, Naples
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FARMERS MARKETS
Third Street South Farmers Market: 7:30-11:30 a.m. Saturdays on Third Street South. Fresh produce, flowers, pastas, seafood, baked goods, prepared foods, jams, relishes, fresh-roasted coffee, more. Music, dog treats.
St. Paul’s Farmers Market: 8 a.m.-noon Saturdays at 3901 Davis Blvd., St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Naples. Gift shop and unique boutique.
Golden Gate Community Farmers Market: Open year-round, Saturdays 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays at 4701 Golden Gate Parkway, Golden Gate; Sundays 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Sundays at 11725 Collier Blvd., Golden Gate. Visit farmermarket2.com for more.
Immokalee State Farmers Market: Open 7 a.m.-7 p.m. daily year-round at 424 New Market Road E., Immokalee. For more, call 239-658-3505 or visit fdacs.gov.
Friends of Koreshan Sunday Market has returned. It's open 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Sundays at a new location, Three Oaks Town Center, 18731 Three Oaks Parkway, south Lee County. More on Facebook
Inyoni Organic Farm: This 6-acre all-organic farm offers online ordering with Saturday pickup on the farm. Learn more at facebook.com/inyoniorganicfarm.
Estero Farmers Market at Miromar Outlets: Open 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturdays near Corkscrew Road entrance; 10801 Corkscrew Road, Estero. Find it on Facebook for more.
Pine Ridge Road Farmers Market: Open 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Sundays at 3370 Pine Ridge Road, North Naples. Find it on Facebook for more.
Marco Island Farmers Market: Wednesdays through April 10, 2024, at Veterans Community Park, 901 Park Ave. Find more information here.
OTHER EVENTS
Collier Fruit Growers Inc. Food Club: Meets twice monthly, weekly every Thursday, from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. at IFAS – Collier Fair Grounds, 14700 Immokalee Road, outside to the left of the butterfly garden. The club also meets monthly 7-9 p.m. on the third Monday at the Greater Naples Fire Rescue Dept., 14575 Collier Blvd., Naples. Enter through the east door (Collier Boulevard) side of the Administration Building. collierfruit.org.
Dave Osborn is the regional features editor of the Naples Daily News and News-Press. Follow him on Instagram and Threads @lacrossewriter and on Twitter @NDN_dosborn.
This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: Things to do in December in Naples: Holiday events, concerts and more
