History
2024
On the festival’s 10th anniversary, a sentiment of “the show must go on” prevailed as Hurricane Helene blew into town on day seven of the 10-day event – but that didn’t stop the grand finale pool party at the Pink Shell Beach Resort & Marina! In two days, Pink Shell shoveled out tons of sand from their pool and refilled it so headliner Scotty McCreery of American Idol fame could wow fans. Also prevailing was five-time Grammy nominee Jeffrey Steele performing with The Gulf Coast Symphony. (It was successfully rescheduled for the day after the storm!) Singer-songwriters performed up and down Andy Rosse Lane on Captiva Island, on a sunset cruise aboard the Lady Chadwick, at the Tarpon Point Marina in Cape Coral, and in various charming venues in downtown Fort Myers’ historic River District. Festive Fort Myers Beach was the perfect setting to conclude the amazing – and unstoppable – festival, with performances at longtime favorite venues like Matanzas on the Bay and Yucatan Beach Stand as well as the Margaritaville Beach Resort, which made its Island Hopper debut.
2023
In its ninth year, Island Hopper Songwriter Fest welcomed energetic and passionate performances by a vareity of talented BMI singer-songwriters from Nashville and nationwide. New this year were performances at waterfront venues in Cape Coral as well as new experiences including a songwriter sunset cruise and music at a historic attraction. This year hosted over 70 singer-songwriters including ACM Award Winning Acoustic Guitarist of the Year, Charlie Worsham; award-winning songwriter and country artist, Ben Burgess; Grammy nominee, Bobby Tomberlin; NBC’s “The Voice” contestants Nelson Cade; among many others. The festival concluded with headliner Chris Janson at the Pink Shell Pool Party on Fort Myers Beach with special guest, Kristian Bush of Sugarland.
2022
In it's eighth year, Island Hopper Songwriter Fest just keeps getting better and better. An unforgettable headliner, Gary LeVox, performed at the closing pool party concert at the Pink Shell Beach Resort on Fort Myers Beach. We welcomed a diverse group of singer songwriters with a variety of genres played across beautiful islands and tropical-themed and eclcetic venues around the Fort Myers area. We hold this particular festival close to our hearts as we had an amazing 10-days, filled with incredible music experiences and made so many unforgettable memories. This festival concluded just days before Hurricane Ian made landfall on our shores and forever changed the landscape of our destination. We cling tight to the many wonderful memories made in 2022 and look forward to the recovery of our area and the new memories and new experiences that will emerge in the future festivals to come.
2021
Featured performances by headliners Michael Ray, Jimmy Allen, and Kylie Morgan along with an amazing lineup of talented singer-songwriters across Captiva Island, downtown Fort Myers, and Fort Myers Beach.
2019
Imagine sitting poolside at The Pink Shell Beach Resort & Marina during sunset watching Rodney Atkins close out the festival. The moment was magical as friends and family gathered to sing along to his hit "Watching You." This year also saw a riverside performance by Gone West, featuring Colbie Caillat, plus Ryan Hurd in historic downtown Fort Myers. The Florida Repertory Theatre graced attendees with an eclectic performance by Kristian Bush accompanied by the Gulf Coast Symphony. This was a year unlike any other!
2018
Welcome to the age of personalized schedules and planning at your fingertips! The year 2018 marked the launch the official Island Hopper mobile app which is currently available for iOS and Android users. Year four also saw over 80 songwriters plus eight special ticketed events, including two house parties on Captiva Island, a songwriter dinner and wine pairing in downtown Fort Myers and the Women in the Round Show featuring some of music's best female songwriters. Other notable headliner performances included LOCASH and Midland.
2017
Only days after the arrival of Hurricane Irma, the community rallied together to produce the festival as we welcomed a record-breaking 84 songwriters to Island Hopper. Notable performances included Lindsay Ell and Brooke Eden who rocked in downtown Fort Myers, while RaeLynn performed on Fort Myers Beach. The year 2017 also brought new programming to the now-iconic pool at 'Tween Waters Island Resort & Spa.
2016
Festival-goers were star-struck in year three by the performance of Maren Morris, headliner at Pink Shell Beach Resort & Marina. She certainly made a splash at her pool party performance on Fort Myers Beach following her Grammy nomination for Best Country Solo Performance for her smash hit, “My Church.” Parmalee brought a crowd to downtown Fort Myers for their performance at the historic Florida Repertory Theatre. The festival also welcomed the tradition of a songwriter workshop, giving festival-goers the opportunity to sit down with a Hall of Fame songwriter and perfect their songwriting abilities.
2015
Following the success of the inaugural event, the Island Hopper Songwriter Fest grew from two weekends to 10 days, featuring midweek performances in historic downtown Fort Myers. In its second year, Island Hopper welcomed over 70 songwriters, including LoCash and Jana Kramer. An exclusive brunch performance and a Captiva Island house party were can’t-miss events!
2014
The inaugural Island Hopper Songwriter Fest took place over two consecutive weekends on Captiva Island and Fort Myers Beach. In what was an Island Hopper first, one of the most memorable performances happened on Captiva Island at the private home of renowned American painter and graphic artist Robert Rauschenberg. This performance marked the first time the artist’s home was open to the public. Other notable performers included Kristian Bush, Thompson Square and Grammy-nominated songwriter Tim James, who penned the No. 1 single “My List” by Toby Keith.
