Media Release

Five County Nature Festival Returns To Charlotte Harbor & The Gulf Islands

Rained Out In February, Family-Friendly Event Expected To Once Again Attract Thousands In October

PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. – When an annual nature festival boasts attendance in the thousands, repeating the event seems only ... well, natural. So it is with the Seventh Annual Charlotte Harbor Regional Nature Festival, a unique blend of environmental education and celebration.

Originally scheduled for Feb, 4, it was cancelled due to inclement weather. The festival is scheduled to make a triumphant return from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. Oct. 7 at the Charlotte County Sports Complex, 2300 El Jobean Road (State Road 776), Port Charlotte. Admission and parking are free.

More than 4,000 people attended last year’s festival, hailing from all over Florida, at least 17 other states and even Canada. What makes this event so popular? Three festival words – family, fun and Florida – are an unbeatable combination.

Sponsored by the Charlotte Harbor National Estuary Program, the Seventh Annual Charlotte Harbor Regional Nature Festival provides a family-friendly, fun-filled day to “connect with nature” and enjoy the area’s beautiful natural environment. Visitors can take a wagon ride or a guided walk in the Tippencanoe Environmental Park, spend time in the Children’s Discovery Zone, see live native animals, participate in hands-on activities, hear guest speakers, listen to lively music, visit more than 60 nature exhibits and much more.

The festival is also an opportunity to educate the public on topics affecting the natural environment of Southwest Florida, such as estuaries, native plants and animals, fossils, wildlife rehabilitation, water conservation and marine life.

The latest information about the festival is available on the website, www.CHNEP.org. For further details, contact event coordinator Lori Cook North at Lori@eventfulinc.com. Updates on the status of the festival due to weather conditions will be available by calling (239) 287-0780.

ABOUT CHARLOTTE HARBOR & THE GULF ISLANDS

Charlotte Harbor & the Gulf Islands – the name representing the diverse areas served by the Charlotte County Visitor’s Bureau – is Florida’s premier eco-tourism destination, encouraging our more than 350,000 annual visitors to “Take advantage of our good nature.” Located halfway between Tampa and Naples on the Southwest Florida Gulf coast, we offer world-famous fishing in the state’s second-largest harbor, a 270-square-mile aquatic preserve teeming with wildlife, five National Wildlife Refuges and 200 miles of kayak- and canoe-friendly waterways. We have been featured on SAIL magazine’s list of the “10 Greatest Places to Sail in the United States,” and ranked by Golf Digest as the “Third Best Place to Live and Play Golf in America.” For information about other area events, activities and attractions, contact the Charlotte County Visitor’s Bureau, 18501 Murdock Circle, Suite 502, Port Charlotte; (941) 743-1900, or call toll free at 1-800-652-6090 for a free Visitor’s Guide; or visit the website at www.CharlotteHarborTravel.com.

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