Arts & Culture
Punta Gorda/Englewood Beach is a very artful area, with galleries and museums, and festivals, exhibits, and cultural experiences year-round, like the return of the exclusive ZimSculpt exhibition to the Peace River Botanical & Sculpture Gardens in 2025.
Read on for an overview of our fascinating arts, culture, and history scene.
Galleries
From the 30-acre Peace River Botanical & Sculpture Gardens to the cozy Hatch Gallery, there's art everywhere in Punta Gorda/Englewood Beach.
There are three galleries and a great gift shop at the Visual Arts Center, and plenty of arts and crafts shows throughout the year, great for browsing and shopping. Downtown Punta Gorda boasts an artists' co-operative gallery, Sea Grape Gallery, and a space where the public can interact with working artists, the Artisan Atelier of Punta Gorda.
Click below for a virtual tour of the Peace River Botanical & Sculpture Gardens:
Live Performance
The area offers performances of all kinds, courtesy a variety of cultural institutions in the area. This means you can enjoy everything from classical music to polished community theater, from professional opera productions to nationally- and internally-known stand up comedians and national musical tribute groups, and everything in between.
History
The destination is also rich in history. Explore Historical Markers commemorating sites like the Hotel Punta Gorda, which opened in January of 1888. It was one of the first buildings of any kind built in the area and served guests like Thomas Edison. And keep an eye out for the History in the Parks markers across the area, like the one in Randy Spence Park outlining when Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer filmed a Tarzan feature, as well as some serials, in the El Jobean area in 1931. The crew stayed at the El Jobean Hotel and used our Southwest Florida wilderness to represent the jungle. They even brought the famous Leo the Lion, the MGM trademark and icon, with them!
Click here to explore all things historical in the area, like self-Guided Tours and much more.
Military Friendly
We are also a military-friendly community, from the veteran discounts offered at local businesses to our memorial parks, representation in one of Punta Gorda's historical murals, and our designation as a Florida Purple Heart entity.
Featured Events
Minor League Baseball at Charlotte Sports Park
- Recurring daily
Catch the baseball stars of tomorrow with the Florida Complex League. Games take place at the…
The Parrot: Live Music Resource
- Recurring weekly on Friday
The Parrot Magazine online is your one-stop shop to discover live music in the area.
A Day Out with Dad at the Military Heritage Museum
Celebrate fatherhood with an unforgettable day with your family at the Military Heritage Museum!…
Electric Blues Extravaganza at Fishermen’s Village
Don’t miss the Electric Blues Extravaganza at Fishermen’s Village, with amazing music on both the…
Punta Gorda Downtown Farmer's Market
- Recurring weekly on Saturday
Voted the best small market in Florida and 15th in the USA, you can find a large number of vendors…