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Charlotte County Jazz Society launches concert season with Fred Johnson
The Charlotte County Jazz Society (CCJS) will begin its season of curated performances on Monday, Oct. 12. This year’s inaugural concert features vocalist Fred Johnson, who puts his unique talents in jazz scat vocals and improvisation on display. Johnson’s list of the artists who…

More than just music
At just 12 years old, Troy Quinn’s parents took him to see legendary film composer John Williams perform at the Hollywood Bowl. It was his first time hearing an orchestra — and it would define the course of his life. Emmy-nominated for the PBS special “A Night at the Oscars with…

Gulf Coast Writers Association announces September workshop
Gulf Coast Writers Association (GCWA) is announcing the program for its September meeting. All are invited to attend on Saturday, Sept. 19, when award-winning novelist Joni M. Fisher will speak on writing suspense and thrillers. This workshop shows writers how to build tension…

The Cuban experience
I have long been intrigued by the often-tumultuous relationship between the United States and Cuba. My first memory of Cuba was during the Cuban Missile Crisis. I must have been 12 at the time and I was living in Delaware when my mother suddenly decided to go down and check out…

Saving Great Art
Art restoration rarely begins with the whack of a hammer. The conservation or restoration of any art — of any objects deemed worthy of sharing across time — requires sophisticated skill, delicacy and experience. Until something happens, that is. When a man named Laszlo Toth hid a…

And the winners are…
For the 16th year, Florida Weekly’s readers have proven themselves to also be writers. From May to July, we ran a series of 10 photo prompts for our annual Writing Challenge, and our readers sent 419 short stories in response. Now, we begin our next weekly series to give you the…

Beatles, Benise and folk music: September strikes different chords
Gulf Coast Symphony mixes familiar favorites, genre-spanning concerts and unexpected entertainment throughout September, offering a musical and performance palette for all tastes. “It is a journey across countries, cultures and musical traditions. The connective tissue is not…

SOTD 9/7/26: Eternity by shy blossom
The WMNF Song of the Day for September 7, 2026 is “Eternity” by shy blossum There’s a quiet strength in watching an artist grow up right in front of you, and shy blossom, Punta Gorda’s own Adriana McDonald, is blooming! Raised around live music and backed by a supportive family…

Use your heirlooms and create a memory or two
After a lifetime of collecting, there’s one thing that still amazes me: It’s the capacity of a single item to trigger a memory. That happened to me one Saturday afternoon while I was shopping at my local hospice resale store. I’d traversed the store twice and found nothing. Then…

Honoring Dolly Parton
After a year of celebrating Dolly with all sorts of shows locally from “Threads” at Artis—Naples and “9 to 5” with The Naples Players, Naples joined the world in expressing adoration for the star through her 80th year. In Charlotte County, a writer shared his commentary on her…

In praise of diverse minds
“The world needs all kinds of minds,” said Dr. Temple Grandin. The animal scientist addressed Southwest Floridians in Babcock Ranch on Saturday, Aug. 22, with that resounding message. Grandin — who has written dozens of books on autism and insights into animal sciences — shared…

Charlotte Players suggests you “Don’t Talk to the Actors” in comedy opener
Charlotte Players opens its 2026-27 season at the Langdon Playhouse with “Don’t Talk to the Actors,” a hilarious comedy by acclaimed playwright Tom Dudzick. Audiences can enjoy this witty and fast-paced production from Sept.10 through 20 at the intimate Langdon Playhouse in Port…