Free in Fort Myers: Art Walk and Music Walk downtown, riverfront movie nights, trails and marshes, the library, farmers markets and holiday events.
Last checked Oct. 8, 2026. Sources: the Fort Myers River District, the City of Fort Myers’ events calendar, parking page and park pages, Lee County Parks and Recreation, the Lee County Library System and the venues’ own websites, linked below. “Free” here means free to get in; some places charge for parking, and that is noted.
A lot of Fort Myers costs nothing: the downtown street nights twice a month, movie nights on the river, miles of paved trail and boardwalk, a 56-acre marsh, the downtown library, and a run of free holiday events from Halloween to New Year’s Eve. Here is the list, with the catches.
At a glance
- Free and downtown: Art Walk (first Friday) and Music Walk (third Friday)
- Free parking: downtown street parking all weekend and after 5 p.m. on weekdays
- Free with paid parking: Lakes Park splash pad, Six Mile Cypress Slough boardwalk, Manatee Park
- Free this season: Halloween candy crawls, the Edison and Ford Fall Festival and more, below
Downtown
- Art Walk: first Friday of every month, 5 to 9 p.m., on the closed streets around First and Hendry, with art, music and artist vendors.
- Music Walk: third Friday, 6 to 10 p.m., same streets: soloists, bands, DJs and drummers.
- Palm City Cinema: Reels on the River: free city movie nights at Centennial Park, 2000 W. First St. Next: 6:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 9, 2026.
- Centennial Park: a 10-acre city park on the Caloosahatchee with a fishing pier, a playground and pavilions.
- Fort Myers Regional Library, 2450 First St.: open Monday to Saturday; closed Sunday.
- Parking: the city says on-street parking downtown is free all weekend and after 5 p.m. on weekdays.
More on our River District guide.
Trails and nature
Free to enter, no parking fee listed:
- Billy Creek Preserve and Filter Marsh, 4320 Woodside Ave.: a 56-acre city marsh with walking and bike trails, bird watching and on-leash dog walking.
- North Colonial Yarbrough Linear Park: a city bike trail from Metro Parkway to Ortiz Avenue.
- John Yarbrough Linear Park: a six-mile paved trail, dawn to dusk, trailhead at 14608 Six Mile Cypress Parkway.
Free to enter, parking charged:
- Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve, 7751 Penzance Blvd.: a 1.2-mile boardwalk and free guided walks. Parking $1 an hour, up to $5 a day.
- Lakes Park, 7330 Gladiolus Drive: the splash pad, paths and Fragrance Garden. Parking $1 an hour or $5 a day.
- Manatee Park, 10901 State Road 80: wild manatees in the warm-water canal from late December to February. Parking $2 an hour or $5 a day.
Details on our walking and biking trails page.
Markets
- Fort Myers Culinary District Farmers Market: Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., downtown.
- McGregor Local Farmers Market, 5011 McGregor Blvd.: Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- Lakes Park Farmers Market: Wednesdays, October to May.
All are free to browse. Details: farmers markets.
For kids
- Lakes Park splash pad: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily (parking charged).
- JCPenney Kids Zone, Edison Mall: a free craft from 11 a.m. to noon on the second Saturday of each month, according to the mall.
- Tice Community Pool, 4515 Glenwood Ave.: free summer swim hours; in 2026 they ran weekdays from noon to 4 p.m. starting June 15.
More on kids’ activities in Fort Myers.
Free holiday events
Events that are free or list no admission charge:
| Date (2026) | Event | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Saturday, Oct. 17 | Trunk or Treat, 5 to 6:30 p.m. | First Christian Church, 2061 McGregor Blvd. |
| Saturday, Oct. 24 | Ghosts and Ghouls Candy Crawl, 5 to 8 p.m. | Gulf Coast Town Center |
| Friday, Oct. 30 | Candy Crawl, 4 to 6 p.m., ages 12 and under | Edison Mall |
| Saturday, Oct. 31 | Fall Festival, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., free to attend | Edison and Ford Winter Estates |
| Friday, Dec. 4 | Holiday Artisan Market, 5 to 9 p.m. | River District |
| Thursday, Dec. 31 | Downtown NYE Celebration, fireworks at midnight | First and Hendry |
Full details: Halloween events, holiday lights and Christmas events and New Year’s Eve.
Related: things to do this weekend, parks and trails and date night in Fort Myers.
Frequently asked questions
What is free to do in Fort Myers this weekend?
Downtown street parking is free all weekend, the Culinary District Farmers Market runs Saturdays 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., and trails such as John Yarbrough Linear Park and Billy Creek Preserve are free. Our things to do page has this weekend’s events.
Are Art Walk and Music Walk free?
They are held on public streets, and the River District lists no admission charge. Art Walk is the first Friday of the month, 5 to 9 p.m., and Music Walk the third Friday, 6 to 10 p.m., on the streets around First and Hendry downtown.
Are there free outdoor movies in Fort Myers?
Yes. The city’s Palm City Cinema: Reels on the River shows free movies at Centennial Park, 2000 W. First St.; the next listed is 6:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 9, 2026.
Which Fort Myers parks are free?
City parks and trails such as Centennial Park, Billy Creek Preserve and North Colonial Yarbrough Linear Park have no entry fee. Some Lee County parks, such as Lakes Park, Manatee Park and Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve, charge for parking only.
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