Submitted By: Susan Bennett
Latin music lovers will rock the day and night away Saturday, Sept. 16, when well-known internationally-acclaimed artists from Cuba, Puerto Rico and South America perform at the first-ever Fort Myers Latin Music Festival at the Caloosa Sound Amphitheater on Edwards Drive in downtown Fort Myers.
The family-friendly event will include music, food trucks, and a kids’ zone with four bounce houses and will run from noon to 10 p.m.
Headlining the music festival will be some of the most well-known artists in Latin music along with rising stars in the music industry. Among the performers will be:
- Osmani Garcia is a popular Cuban singer and songwriter known for the catchy and upbeat reggaeton and Latin music. Garcia participated in the National Festival of Cuba and received several awards. He co-founded El Duo de Cristal, which played three domestic Cuban tours with songs reaching number one on the Cuban charts
- Lucy Grau is a Miami-based singer and songwriter who has been dubbed the “Latin Disco Queen” for her soulful and electrifying performances. She masters both English and Spanish as she proves in her hits “Last Dance” and “On the Radio” (salsa version), the Donna Summer classics she chose as a rendition to the late singer.
- The Celia Cruz All Stars is a group of musicians and singers who once played with the legendary “Queen of Salsa,” Celia Cruz. Fans call the group “classic Celia” with a funky, contemporary twist.
- Bianca Leony was born in Miami of Cuban-American parents who made the Latin rhythm part of her soul. Her grandmother Bianca Varela was a renowned opera singer in Cuba and is the inspiration for Leony’s music.
The festival also will feature some rising Florida Latin stars, including Joe Hernandez y su Orchestra Classica, Sessi, Aivy and DJ LEXX.
The festival will showcase a variety of Latin music genres, including salsa, bachata, merengue, reggaeton, and more, according to organizers.
“Attendees can enjoy Latin cuisine, shop for unique crafts and souvenirs and experience the vibrant and colorful atmosphere of the festival,” said organizer Eddie Latour of Nice Guys Productions. “ The festival promises to be a fun-filled celebration of Latin culture that will bring people together and create lasting memories.”
The event is presented by Hyundai of Fort Myers with a dozen other sponsors providing support.
A portion of the proceeds from the festival will support local non-profit organization Music aLIVE SWFL, formed in October, 2022, in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian to preserve and promote live music in Southwest Florida. Music aLIVE SWFL will provide financial assistance, education and other support to local musicians and others that support the live music industry, Latour said.
Tickets are $40 presale and $50 at the door. Children under age 5 are free. VIP tickets cost $150 and include VIP parking, buffet dinner from 3 Pepper Burrito, exclusive walk-in bathrooms, meet and greet with the performers, a VIP tent with shade and a designated area to dance by the stage. Tickets can be purchased here.
For more information, visit www.niceguysproduction.com
