Looking to ring in the New Year on the right note? Cape Coral and surrounding Southwest Florida communities are offering many ways to welcome 2025 and say goodbye to 2024.

In the Cape, the city is hosting its second annual New Year’s Eve Celebration & Ball Drop with a party in the South Cape featuring a national headlining band and two different ball drops. The free festivities will take place on New Year’s Eve from 6 p.m. to midnight along Southeast 47th Terrace between Southeast 6th Place and Southeast 11th Place.

Thousands are expected to attend the special city event and enjoy music from the Baha Men, Deb & the Dynamics and DJ Rifik.

To accommodate attendees of all ages, two New Year’s Eve countdowns will take place with synchronized pyrotechnics scheduled for 8 p.m. and midnight.

“Each year we do the event we get better at it,” said Cape Coral Special Events Coordinator Todd King. “It’s fun to implement some new things after last year. We’re excited about the variety of different circus performers we’re going to have on the street. We want a positive-vibe New Year’s celebration for all to enjoy.”

The streets will be closed to traffic as attendees enjoy free live music, entertainment, vendors, food trucks, photo spots, face paining, countdown pyrotechnics, and more.

“It’s always good to come early,” King said. “Spend the evening downtown and come out for the concerts and Cape Coral ball drop over the main stage (Southeast 10th Place and Southeast 47th Terrace).”

The Baha Men are back this year after bringing their vivacity to kick off 2024. The popular group will once again ring in the New Year in the Cape.

“We love bringing national acts and bringing national attention,” King said. “They’re just going to let the dogs out, and it’s going to be a rockin’ time. They have tremendous energy and will take us all the way to the ball drop. We loved them last year, and anticipate the same this year.”

King said he hopes the city conveys a sense of pride and resilience in the community during the event.

“Proud of the resilience we’ve showed with the storms we’ve gone through the last few years,” he said. “Proud of the feeling of Cape Coral being the ‘biggest little town’ in America. Where we have a small-town feel with lots of big city people.”

For additional information about the city’s New Year’s Eve celebration, visit CapeCoralNYE.com.

New Year’s Eve Celebration at The Nauti Mermaid

On New Year’s Eve, The Nauti Mermaid Dockside Bar & Grill, at The Westin Cape Coral Resort at Marina Village, will host a holiday buffet dinner and celebration. Beginning at 8 p.m., for $125 per person, guests can savor a mouthwatering selection of dishes, including a carved ice shellfish display, a chef-curated hors d’oeuvres station, a street taco station and a tempting dessert table.

Stay until midnight to witness a spectacular fireworks show and celebrate the new year with a champagne toast. Set against the scenic backdrop of the marina, this celebration offers attendees a perfect way to usher in the new year with elegance and festivity.

Reservations are available for booking at www.marker92events.com.

The Nauti Mermaid is at 5951 Silver King Blvd.

Gather Cape Coral

The restaurant will host a New Year’s Eve evening with live entertainment and fireworks. Dinner is being served from 4 to 10 p.m., and can be booked by visiting gathercape.com. Live music from DJ Mando will be performed throughout the evening.

The night will end with a firework show at the scenic location.

Gather is at 5971 Silver King Blvd. Suite 116.

Fathoms Cape Coral

Fathoms will have their regular menu until 10 p.m., and live music by Mockingbird from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m.. House specials include colossal shrimp cocktail, house-made ricotta gnocchi, NYE lobster seafood cioppino, and 16 oz. bone-in rib eye.

Fathoms is at 5785 Cape Harbour Drive # 106.

Dixie Roadhouse

Ring in the New Year with a Nashville New Year’s Eve at Dixie Roadhouse for a night of music, line-dancing, noisemakers, fun, and cash.

With the city’s event going on right outside the front door, attendees can come-and-go to the street festival with a hand stamp, but have to stand in line and go through security each time one re-enters.

There is no cover charge until 10 p.m. ($10 after), and drink specials will be available from 7 to 10.

“Since the city will be doing a ball drop outside at midnight, we will celebrate at midnight with a $1,000 ‘cash from the sky’ giveaway,” Dixie officials stated. “Later we will celebrate Nashville New Year’s, which is 1 a.m. our time, with our famous giant cash and prize Balloon Drop. There’ll be cash and prizes galore when the clock strikes 1 a.m.’

Dixie Roadhouse is at 1023 Southeast 47th Terrace.

Torched Bar & Grill

Torched will host a New Year Night Party for 2024 from 6 p.m. to 1 a.m. on Dec. 31. The event will feature a “filet mignon & lobster tail buffet” (drinks not included) to be served at 7 p.m. and live music by Smokin Aces.

Reservations are $75 per person and can be made by calling 239-257-2870.

Torched is at 2408 Surfside Blvd., Suite 101.

Fort Myers Beach

The Town of Fort Myers Beach will host a New Year’s Eve fireworks show on Dec. 31. After the ball drop at midnight, the fireworks will begin offshore of the Times Square area, shot off from a barge near the Fort Myers Beach Pier.

The Matanzas Pass Bridge will be closed to oncoming traffic from 11 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. Big Carlos Pass Bridge on the south end of the Island will be open. Paid parking lots close to Times Square are located at Lynn Hall Park, on Old San Carlos Boulevard, and under the Matanzas Pass Bridge. There is also additional private parking down the island.

Lee County spokesperson Betsy Clayton said Route 490, which travels between Times Square and the Beach Park & Ride at 11101 Summerlin Square Drive, will run its normal service until the last departure off the beach around 10:30 p.m. After this final departure from Times Square, a shuttle service will start from the Main Street Park & Ride (at the foot of the Matanzas Pass Bridge) to the Beach Park & Ride until 1 a.m. Jan 1, following the fireworks festivities.

Lee County’s free open-air beach trams will extend service until 1 a.m. from Bowditch Point Park to the Fort Myers Beach Public Library.

Riders seeking transportation from Fort Myers Beach to the Beach Park & Ride after the bridge closure will have to walk across the bridge to the Main Street Park & Ride to catch the 490 shuttle to the Beach Park & Ride. The last shuttle to the Beach Park & Ride will depart the Main Street Park & Ride at 1 a.m.

Downtown Fort Myers

The River District Alliance will host the annual Downtown Countdown on Dec. 31 from 6 p.m to 12:15 a.m. on the historic streets of downtown Fort Myers.

The event will feature live music performed by “Smack Daddy,” “School of Rock,” “Chasing Denver,” “Motown Ross Brown,” “Cool Vibes,” “The Theos,” and DJ JC. At midnight, the traditional Fort Myers Ball will drop and the skies will light up with a fireworks show.

“Downtown is decked out for the holidays and we are ready to ring in 2025. What a wonderful way to kick off the new year,” stated Lisa Sbuttoni, RDA president and CEO.

For more information and performance schedule contact events@rdafortmyers.com or visit www.explorefortmyers.com.

Coconut Point New Year’s Art Festival

Estero residents and visitors will ring in the new year a little early with beauty and inspiration once again at the 14th Annual Coconut Point New Year’s Art Festival on Dec. 28-29. The free event takes place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days. Residents and visitors are invited to stroll amidst life-size sculptures, spectacular paintings, one-of-a-kind jewelry, photography, ceramics and more from the 100 exhibitors outside the Coconut Point Mall, at 23181 Via Villagio Drive.

The Coconut Point New Year’s Art Festival represents a vast array of artistic media including paintings, sculptures, photography, ceramics, glass, wood, handmade jewelry, collage, mixed media and more.

For more information, visit www.explorefortmyers.com.