Kristian Bush, from Sugarland, is one of the headliners of this year's Island Hopper Songwriter Fest. Fort Myers - Islands, Beaches and Neighborhoods

Cape Coral locations have been added to the popular Island Hopper Songwriter Fest for the first time this year.

The festival, now in its ninth year, began because September is the “neediest” month in Southwest Florida and the Lee County Visitor & Convention Bureau wanted to drive the economy by putting “heads in beds.”

Nancy MacPhee, Lee County Visitor & Convention Bureau Island Hopper lead, said the festival cannot happen without donations of rooms for the songwriters. She said it is a stipend to travel here, to lure them in with the promise of a beautiful resort.

“Westin has been a wonderful partner for two years. They hosted songwriters for us,” MacPhee said, adding the Cape Coral resort asked to be considered as a venue for the future. “Luminary is totally booked and doesn’t have any rooms for us. We had to move them (songwriters) from downtown after shows (last September) all the way out to the Westin.”

A conference is being held at Luminary again this year, which is why she said they decided to split the festival midweek.

“We want to embrace other communities. Westin is so beautiful and such great generous partners,” MacPhee said.

The Island Hopper Songwriters Fest will be held on Monday, Sept. 25 and Tuesday, Sept. 26, at The Westin Cape Coral Resort at Marina Village’s Nauti Mermaid, Gather, High Tide Social House and Pinchers.

The festivities will kick off with a Songwriter Dinner featuring Charlie Worsham, who recently had a track, “How I Learned To Pray” with Luke Combs, as well as a performance from Frank Myers, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 25, at Gather, 5971 Silver King Blvd., Suite 116. Tickets are $60.

Other shows, all free, at The Gather include:

Tuesday, Sept. 26

• 6:45 p.m., featuring Billy Buchanan and Grace Morrison

• 8 p.m., featuring Clare Cunningham and Madeline Finn

High Tide Social House, 6095 Silver King Blvd, free shows include:

Monday, Sept 25

• 6:30 p.m., featuring Billy Buchanan, Clare Cunningham and Sam Blasko

• 7:30 p.m., featuring Autumn Nicholas and Madeline Finn

• 8:30 p.m., featuring Reed Foley, Grace Morrison and Wyatt Edmondson

Tuesday, Sept. 26

• 6:30 p.m., featuring Collin Roberts, Dave Janofsky

• 7:45 p.m., featuring Tony Saint Tone and Billy McKnight

Nauti Mermaid Dockside Bar & Grill, 5951 Silver King Blvd., free shows include:

Monday, Sept. 25

• 6:30 p.m., featuring Joe Vitale Jr., Joey McGee and Tony Saint Tone

• 7:30 p.m., featuring Dave Janofsky and Claire Liparulo

• 8:30 p.m., featuring Billy McKnight and Catie Offerman

Tuesday, Sept. 26

• 6:45 p.m., featuring Joey McGee, Reed Foley and Wyatt Edmondson

• 8 p.m., featuring Frank Myers and Claire Liparulo

Pinchers, 5991 Silver King Blvd., free shows include:

Tuesday, Sept. 26

• 6:30 p.m., featuring Joe Vitale Jr. and Autumn Nicholas

• 7:45 p.m., featuring Sam Blasko and Chris Bepko

The festival continues in Downtown Fort Myers on Wednesday, Sept. 27 and Thursday, Sept. 28.

MacPhee said they only have so much in the budget to bring out-of-town songwriters in and host them at hotels, so they also invite local songwriters into the mix. Their own special ticketed event is Wednesday, Sept. 27, at the Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center, 2301 First St., Fort Myers. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., with the show starting at 7:30 p.m.

The ticketed show is $10 in advance, $15 at the door and will feature Ray Cerbone, Bill Metts, Roy Schneider, Kim Mayfield and Robert Bidney.

There are four other venues downtown featuring songwriters during the festival.

City Tavern, 2206 Bay St., free shows include:

Wednesday, Sept. 27

• 6:15 p.m., featuring Tony Saint Tone and Autumn Nicholas

• 7:30 p.m., featuring Clare Cunningham, Joey McGee and Wyatt Edmondson

• 8:30 p.m., featuring Sam Blasko and Dave Janofsky

Thursday, Sept. 28

• 7:15 p.m., featuring Collin Roberts and Crystal Marie

• 8:30 p.m., featuring Tim McGeary and Katie Lyon

Luminary Hotel & CO., 4th Floor Pool Deck, 2200 Edwards Drive, Fort Myers, free shows include:

Wednesday, Sept.27

• 7 p.m., featuring Frank Myers and Billy McNight

• 8:30 p.m., featuring Madeline Finn and Grace Morrison

Social House, 1406 Hendry St., free shows include:

Wednesday, Sept. 27

• 7 p.m., featuring Jerry Lemmon and Crystal Marie

• 8:30 p.m., featuring Joe Vitale Jr. and Bryan Ruby

Thursday, Sept. 28

The Banyan Hotel – Rooftop, 1520 Broadway, free shows include:

Wednesday, Sept. 27

• 6:15 p.m., featuring Billy Buchanan and Collin Roberts

• 7:30 p.m., featuring Katie Lyon and Reed Foley

• 8:30 p.m., featuring Danny Myrick and Megan Linville

Thursday, Sept. 28

• 7:15 p.m., featuring Dave Janofsky and Jerry Lemmon

• 8:30 p.m., featuring Monallo and Bryan Ruby. When you hear these invited songwriters sing, MacPhee said “80 percent of their songs are recognizable and are on the radio. It’s really kind of fun.”

The festival kicks off on Captiva and runs from Friday, Sept. 22, through Sunday, Sept. 24, at Mucky Duck, Green Flash, Tween Waters, RC Otters and Key Lime Bistro.

The final days are held on Fort Myers Beach from Friday, Sept. 29, through Sun., Oct. 1, at Pink Shell Beach Resort, Diamondhead Beach Resort, Matanzas Inn, Lighthouse Tiki Bar, Bayside Park and the Mound House.

MacPhee said they work with MBI, the largest organization representing songwriters and rights with songs, which calls for songwriters to participate in the Island Hopper event.

“Many of them are alums because they come back year after year,” she said, adding that this year there is a very good group of new songwriters for the festival.

As for the venues, she said they only use BMI licensed venues that are in a walkable footprint with parking and hotels nearby.

“We are luring people in (from) out of the area to spend a couple of days and we want them not to get back into the car,” MacPhee said. “It is 10 days. In a songwriter’s festival world, it is probably the longest. It’s a big undertaking. While we would love to touch every community, we think it is a model that other people can replicate. It has worked for us, and we encourage other communities to do the same.”

Last year the estimated attendance was about 13,000 people over the course of 10 days. In 2019, pre-COVID, the festival attracted 21,000, the largest crowd since its inception.

The reaction from the visitors is what MacPhee enjoys the most, as she has made many new friends that come back year after year. She said a few live in Chicago and Pennsylvania and come back with new friends annually.

“It’s so interesting, the storm (Hurricane Ian) hit two days after Island Hopper. Some new friends kept in touch and checked on us. Our partners at BMI and some of the songwriters themselves organized a benefit for the Lee County hospitality workers,” MacPhee said, adding it helped 400 hospitality workers. “The reaction and hospitality from our bars, hotels and staff, they love everything about Fort Myers island beaches and neighborhoods.”

For more information about the songwriters, as well as times and places of the festival, visit IslandHopperFest.com.