Spring Starts Early in Punta Gorda/Englewood Beach | Events & Festivals

A bold statement we'll stand behind: there is no better place (outside of Ireland) to celebrate St. Patrick's Day than Punta Gorda.

Downtown Punta Gorda is the center of several parties, including the biggest, by Celtic Ray Public House, an authentic Irish pub, which closes an entire street for their all-day/all-night, music-filled party.

Learn more about Celtic Ray Public House on the Flavor Coast site.

The Gulf Theater at the Military Heritage Museum typically presents St. Patrick's Day with Blue Skye Pipes & Drums and the IceHouse Pub adds their fair share of revelry. Downtown Kava always chimes with with a creative twist.

Fishermen's Village also always throws a family-friendly St. Patrick's party.

Always keep an eye on Charlie Foxtrot Brewing in Port Charlotte: they often celebrate a few days early, over the weekend before the actual holiday. This is a great pre-party and you can still attend any of the other "official" events. 

Attention Foodies: spring is a great time to visit Punta Gorda/Englewood Beach, featuring several food fests:

• Babcock Ranch Seafood and Music Festival: mid-February
• Port Charlotte Greek Fest: late Feburary–early March (now in its 32nd year!)
• Babcock Ranch Reggae Festival: early March
• Taste of Punta Gorda and Beyond: always the first Sunday in March

If you miss any of those, you'll still be able to partake in the ongoing culinary happenings like Wine Tastings at Punta Gorda Chocolate & Wine: Saturdays; the Punta Gorda Long Lunch Tour: Wednesdays through April; several weekly Farmer's Markets; and countless independent restaurants to explore. Start exploring and planning with the Flavor Coast site and go from there, then savor to your stomach's content:

Punta Gorda/Englewood Beach is a very artistic and crafty area. No matter what time of the year you visit, you'll find an amazing array of art and culture:

Performance

• The Charlotte Players always present a spring show. 
• The Punta Gorda Short Film Festival: always in early March
• The Gulfshore Opera usually presents a spring show at the Charlotte Performing Arts Center near the end of March
• Rock out at the Southern Grand Slam Music Festival April 24 and 25 and/or drop in on the Babcock Ranch Jazz & Blues Fest April 25

Explore myriad other live concerts here.

Art & Culture

Spring is also full of art events:

The March iteration of the quarterly Sullivan Street Craft Festival is always early in the month, while the annual two-day Babcock Ranch National Art Show takes place in the middle of the month. The biennial National Art Exhibition at the Visual Arts Center runs 5-6 weeks, usually from mid February until late March. The next Exhibition will be in 2028.

Of course, Peace River Botanical & Sculpture Gardens is always a destination for art, craft, beautiful botanicals, and periodic national and international installations.

You'll find several galleries in the area as well, and we encourage exploration!

Spring Training is a huge part of the season here, but it deserves its own spotlight. If baseball is part of your spring plans, start with our full guide to Punta Gorda/Englewood Beach: Your Spring Training Home Base.