If you enjoy cracking open a cold one or consider yourself a craft beer connoisseur, The Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation’s (SCCF) annual “Beer in the Bushes” is the ultimate springtime event for you.

The fundraising event and beer garden will host 10 local micro-breweries at the event on April 20th from 6 to 10 p.m. Participating breweries include Naples Beach Brewing, Momentum Brewhouse, Fort Myers Brewing Co., Bury Me Brewing, Millennial Brewing, Palm City Brewing South Cypress Brewing Coastal Dayz and Big Blue Brewing.

In addition to beer, local food trucks will be onsite to keep guests satisfied as they sip. Live music by Langhorn Slim and the Law as well as Tameca Jones will also be on-site.

All-white attire is requested for a night celebrating positivity, community, and music.

Tickets are available at www.beerinthebushes.com. All proceeds generated by the event will support SCCF’s mission of conserving coastal habitats and aquatic resources on Sanibel and Captiva and in the surrounding watershed. All tickets include $10 in TruxBux redeemable for dinner choices from any of the trucks.

The smoke-free rain-or-shine event is open to ages 21 and older. SCCF requests that attendees dress in all white attire to celebrate a night of positivity, community, and music.

The event takes place at the SCCF Nature Center, located at 3333 Sanibel-Captiva Road on Sanibel. Parking is limited – please carpool to the event if possible.

About the Sanibel Captiva Conservation Foundation:

Founded in 1967, SCCF (The Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation) is dedicated to the conservation of coastal habitats and aquatic resources on Sanibel and Captiva and in the surrounding watershed. From the earliest days, SCCF has been known as a land trust with an impressive acquisition record. The story of SCCF’s land conservation efforts spans almost five decades on the islands on Sanibel, Captiva, Buck Key, Albright, York, Coconut and the Long Cut preserve on Pine Island.

Today, SCCF is the largest private landowner on Sanibel Island. The group manages more than 1,200 acres on Sanibel plus more than 600 additional acres on Captiva and other islands. SCCF also facilitated the acquisition and fundraising for an additional 470 acres currently managed by the State of Florida or the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. This environmental success story has been made possible by the generous support of conservationist donors and public sector partners, particularly the City of Sanibel and the J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge.

 

Over the last 50 years, SCCF program areas have grown to include Wildlife & Habitat Management, Sea Turtle Research, and Monitoring, Environmental Education, Natural Resource Policy, a Marine Research Laboratory, and a Native Landscapes & Garden Center.

Last month, Sanibel Island was recognized by MSN on their “The best beaches in the U.S.” list.

Here’s what MSN had to say about our beautiful island:

“Collecting shells along the beach is a popular pastime in Sanibel, located in the Gulf of Mexico along Florida’s southwest coast. Sanibel sits right alongside Captiva Island, and together they share more than 15 miles of some of the best beaches in the U.S.”

Other beaches on the list include Poipu Beach in Hawaii and Venice Beach in California.

If you are unfamiliar with our beautiful barrier island, Sanibel is known for our shell filled beaches, historic 19th-century lighthouse and fishing pier, the sunny causeway islands, miles upon miles of bike paths and the J.N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge that covers approximately half of the island.

Located 22-miles from Southwest Florida International Airport, Sanibel is an isolated, nature-lovers’ paradise sitting on the edge of the Gulf of Mexico. Only 12 miles long and three miles at the widest, exploring every inch of the island is easy and fun.

Currently the only buildings on the island taller than two stories date before 1974, and there are no fast food or chain restaurants allowed on the island except a Dairy Queen and a Subway, which were on the island before the laws were enacted.

It is our pleasure to welcome all visitors to our special island. Our historic gulf front cottages are the perfect destination for those seeking the ever elusive “Old Florida” experience. Gulf Breeze Cottages, forget the stresses of everyday life and soak up the sun, live on the sand, and relish the feeling of the warm gulf breeze on your skin.

We would love to speak with you about your next getaway. Please give us a call at 1.800.388.2842 or 239.472.1626 to discuss your upcoming Sanibel Island vacation.

The Sanibel Shell Festival turns 82 when the annual event opens on Thursday, March 9^th. Located at the Sanibel Community house at 2173 Periwinkle Way, this event is one of Sanibel Islands biggest attractions and attracts thousands of visitors and guests each spring.

The three-day festival, also known as one of the longest running shell shows in the world will be open all weekend (March 7-9) and feature judged artistic and scientific displays, local vendors and organizations and more!

According to the Sanibel Shell Club:

The first Community Fair was held in 1928 on the porch of the Old Island Inn and was a miniature county fair with baked goods, “fancy work,” and homemade gifts offered for sale by the ladies of Sanibel to help the community. It was considered quite a success. As a matter of adding interest the ladies brought boxes of their pretty Sanibel shells to show the visitors. This had so much appeal that the next year when the Fair was held on the porch of Casa Ybel Hotel, more shell displays were added and people began to come across on the ferry from Fort Myers to see them. They also came to take home some of the toothsome fresh coconut pies and cakes that the island ladies baked for the sale. Thomas Edison and Henry Ford were among the more distinguished visitors at this Fair. Pictures taken of them on the porch of Casa Ybel viewing the shells are still in existence.

By the next year, the Fair had grown in size and popularity to such proportions that the men of the community got together and decided to build the existing Community House to take care of this, by now, annual event. Francis Bailey remembers that at one of the early fairs they had produce and poultry shows because he recalls getting a ribbon for his Bantam chickens, although he isn’t sure whether it was first or second place award.

The judges for the 82nd Annual Sanibel Shell Show 2019 are as follows:

Scientific Division: David Green, Houston, Texas; Duane Kauffman, Sarasota, Florida & Goshen, Indiana.

Artistic Division: Marci Chamberlin, Palm Beach, Florida and Andover, Massachusetts Linda Koestel Green, Houston Texas. 

Parking is free and a $5 donation includes admission to the exhibit halls plus one free admission to the Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum.

Excited to explore J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge during your stay? There is so much to experience if you will be visiting the park in March or April of 2019.

The sixth annual “Ding” Darling Wednesday Film Series kicks off its bi-weekly showings this winter with a schedule of seven films that explore facets from pollinators and coral to wild Florida and the war on coal.

Join the “Ding” Darling Wildlife Society for free film showings in the “Ding” Darling Visitor & Education Center with sponsorship from Sanibel-Captiva Beach Resorts. Seating is limited and on a first-come basis.

The following films will be shown throughout the event:

March 6- JANE

This film tells the story of Jane Goodall, using never-before-seen footage.

March 20- Invasion of the Giant Pythons

Pythons, originally from southeast Asia, escape from pet shops due to hurricanes or they are released into the wild of Florida by irresponsible keepers. The documentary shows how Florida’s native wildlife deals with this problem. Additionally, host Nigel Marven meets a group of scientists studying and catching Burmese pythons in Florida.

April 3- Saving Atlantis

Produced by a team of award-winning filmmakers and researchers, Saving Atlantis follows those who are fighting to uncover the causes of coral decline and find solutions before it’s too late. Combining the ecological impacts and human toll of hundreds of millions of people worldwide who depend on coral reefs for their very survival, Saving Atlantis charts an emotional exploration of some of our planet’s greatest natural wonders at a tipping point in their ecological history.

In addition to the Film Series, “Ding” Darling also plays host to the 2019 Lecture Series.

Join locals and visitors for free lectures and book signings at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. in the “Ding” Darling Visitor & Education Center Auditorium.

Seating is limited and available on a first-come basis. Early arrivals can save their seat and one extra. Saved seats must be filled 15 minutes before lecture time or they will be assigned to the next people waiting in line. All lectures are approximately one hour.

For more information, call the Society at 239-472-1100 ext. 4 or visit dingdarlingsociety.org. Speakers marked with an asterisk will have book signings following their lectures.

*March 1- Warner Shedd “Owls Aren’t Wise and Bats Aren’t Blind: A Naturalist Debunks Our Favorite Fallacies about Wildlife”

March 8- Yve Morrell- “The Big Year: A First for Women”

March 15- Jeremy Conrad, “Sea Level Rise: Globally & Locally”

March 22- Dusty “Wildman” Crum, Robbie & Geoff Roepstorff, Mike Kirkland, “Pythons: The Hunters, the Science”

March 29 – Lauren Blickley, “Drastic Plastic – Turning the Tide on Plastic Pollution”

April 5- Dr. Jerry Lorenz, “Flamingos & Spoonbills: Pink Canaries in a Coal Mine”

*April 12- Denege Patterson, “Five Islands Never Flooded: A Tour of the Islands of Pine Island Sound”