CAPTIVA, Fla. — The 10th Annual Island Hopper Songwriter Festival kicked off with a vibrant mix of local and national talent, bringing music lovers and musicians together to celebrate the art of songwriting.
WATCH AS CAPTIVA COMMUNITY CORRESPONDENT ANVAR RUZIEV HANDS THE PERFORMERS A GUITAR TO SHOWCASE THEIR TALENTS:
Musician Casey Page, a Cape Coral resident, is taking part in the festival for the first time.
"What I love about this event is that it pulls in Nashville songwriters and songwriters that are more established, along with local people, or maybe people who are just starting out like me," she shared.
With a guitar in hand, Page performed a heartfelt song, embodying the spirit of the festival.
In addition to individual artists, groups like brothers Cabe and Holt Rieck, who attend Florida Gulf Coast University, highlighted the festival’s focus on songwriting.
"This is one of the only festivals we've really been to that truly focuses on songwriting and everything we value in music," they said after treating the audience to one of their original songs.
The Hall Sisters of the Bennett Hall Band, visiting from Nashville, were also excited to perform. "We love this area. We love to come vacation down here, so it's really fun to come and listen to other great songwriters too," Presley Hall. Their performance was a mix of country charm and heartfelt storytelling, adding to the festival's unique atmosphere.
The impact of the festival goes beyond music. Miriam Dotson, Communications Manager for the Lee County Visitor and Convention Bureau, emphasized the substantial economic benefit the event brings to the area.
"It's definitely hundreds of thousands of dollars of economic impact that comes to us from people booking their hotel rooms, flights, rental cars, and even renting homes in one of these beautiful places on Captiva."
But for the artists, the festival is about more than just dollars and cents. Musicians Sheena Brook and Brian Sutherland reflected on the importance of connection.
"The shows are great, but the best part of this for us is honestly hanging out, sitting around the pool, sitting around a fire, playing songs and talking," they shared, capturing the laid-back yet creative energy of the festival.
The Island Hopper Songwriter Festival runs until September 29th, offering ten days of music, storytelling, and connection across Lee County. For a full schedule of events, visit https://www.island-hopperfest.visitfortmyers.com/schedule
