Fort Fest set for Saturday at Alliance for the Arts

Mar 30, 2023 By CJ HADDAD 4 min read

Country music lovers across Southwest Florida are in for a treat this Saturday, as the second annual Fort Fest takes place at Alliance for the Arts.

The one-day county music festival is put on by Fort Life, a brand established by Matt Heating to shine a positive light on living in Fort Myers. Fort Fest was created with the intention to become a destination for fans of the genre of music, bringing tourism dollars into the local economy.

This year’s lineup will be showcase three of country music’s biggest up-and-coming artists; Hayden Coffman, Cody Cozz, Grammy-nominated Drew Parker, and “The Voice” contestant, Kayley Bishop.

“I think it’s going to be a really great day with a lot of great music, great food, in a centrally-located area,” Heating said. “Plus, it’s helping a good cause.”

The Fort Fest team has partnered with the local nonprofit Old Florida Dream Team Foundation and all of the proceeds from alcohol distribution will be donated to homeless and foster teens in Lee County. Fort Fest 2023 profits will go to Collaboratory’s “Rebuild Southwest Florida,” assisting individual families in Lee County who still need Hurricane Ian assistance.

The festival starts at 3 p.m. and runs until 10. Food trucks and concessions will be available during the event. Tickets are $20 for general admission and $100 for VIP (limited availability) which includes access to VIP beverages, VIP members area, and private indoor restroom facilities.

Drew Parker recently landed his first Grammy nomination for Best Country Song, writing Luke Combs’ “Doin’ This.” Now a solo artist, Parker’s “While You’re Gone” single hit No.1 on Sirius XM’s The Highway and led to his debut at the legendary Grand Ole Opry, a CMA Awards nomination, and a BMI Award.

Hayden Coffman has made a splash in the country music realm at just 24 years old. In 2021, Hayden shot up to No. 4 on the iTunes charts as an independent artist. Since the October 2022 release of his single “Where’s The Whiskey” and recent collaborations, Hayden has amassed more than 40 million total streams to date, and his YouTube videos have topped 10 million total views.

Kayley Bishop made it all the way to the battle rounds in NBC’s “The Voice.” The Fort Myers High School graduate describes her music as a combination of Dolly Parton, Aretha Franklin, and Bob Seger. Since her time on the show, Bishop has released several albums and is working on a new release with Grammy-nominated producer, Eric Torre.

Heating hopes this year’s lineup has something for everyone’s taste.

“I hope they love the lineup,” Heating said of this year’s artists. “Country music is popular down here. It should be a great time. Drew Parker is very well known in Nashville and was up for a Grammy for Song of the Year this year. Hayden was here last year. He’s got a huge following and is a local crowd favorite. Cody Cozz is in Nashville and just co-wrote a hit this year. Kayley, of course, is from Fort Myers, and we’re really excited about having her homecoming trip. I think it’s a good variety of different styles of country music.”

Fort Fest has been in the works in Heating’s mind for some time, and he’s happy to see where the event is at in just its second year and hopes to continue the tradition for many more.

“I had the idea in my head for a few years,” Heating said. “I love the Fort Myers/Cape Coral area. I’ve been here about 25 years and it’s my favorite city in the world. I always planned to do something community-driven. Something for people in our community to really enjoy; a good, fun time with a family atmosphere, with a lot of entertainment and bang for the buck.

“We hope it continues to grow so we can give and raise money to people in need right here in the Fort Myers/Cape Coral area.”

He hopes the festival can also serve as a reprieve from stress many are still dealing with after Hurricane Ian.

“Come out and forget about your insurance claim or when your roofer will be there or when your new pool screen is going up, or when you can go back to your house or condo,” Heating said. “One thing I love about Fort Myers is the sense of community here. Everyone looks out for each other and proud of our community here. It’s a nice fun night out to enjoy some great music.”

To learn more about Fort Fest or to purchase tickets, visit fort-life.com.

Alliance for the Arts is at 10091 McGregor Blvd. in Fort Myers.

-Connect with this reporter on Twitter: @haddad_cj

To reach CJ HADDAD, please email cjhaddad@breezenewspapers.com