Arts & Entertainment on Sanibel Island
Sanibel’s arts scene is small, serious and mostly concentrated in two or three places. There is professional theater, a genuine concert season, a cooperative gallery that has been running since 1982, and a handful of festivals worth planning a trip around. Here is what is on and where.
Is there a movie theater on Sanibel Island?
No. Sanibel has no movie theater; the island’s last cinema closed in 2021. The nearest multiplex is Regal Belltower 20 in Fort Myers, about 45 minutes’ drive from Island Inn. BIG ARTS has run a Monday night film series in recent seasons, so check bigarts.org for this season’s lineup.
Where can you see live theater or music on Sanibel?
BIG ARTS
Sanibel’s cultural center runs a season of concerts, plays, films, lectures and art exhibitions. Concerts are in the Schein Performance Hall, and the Phillips and Founders galleries host rotating exhibitions. See BIG ARTS.
BIG ARTS Strauss Theater
Sanibel’s only professional theater, presenting dramas, comedies and musicals in an intimate house across from the Sanibel Community House.
Old Schoolhouse Theater
The Old Schoolhouse Theater building has been restored as a one-room schoolhouse at the Sanibel Historical Village.
Which galleries are worth visiting on Sanibel?
Tower Gallery
An artists’ cooperative of about two dozen painters, potters, photographers and glass and metal workers, running since 1982 in a 1915 Florida cottage that was moved to the site on a flatbed truck. Open daily, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
751 Tarpon Bay Rd.
Sanibel, FL 33957
Tel: 239-472-4557
What festivals and events happen on Sanibel?
Wines in the Wild (November)
SCCF’s fall fundraiser, with local restaurants pairing dishes and wines, and a live auction.
Luminary Holiday Stroll (first weekend of December)
Luminaries line Periwinkle Way, and shops stay open late with music and refreshments. See the Luminary on Sanibel.
Sanibel Shell Show & Festival (early March)
The island’s shell show, with exhibits, shell art and vendors. See the Sanibel Shell Festival.
Sanibel Music Festival (March)
A month of chamber music and recital concerts; 2027 dates are published.
Taste of the Islands (March)
A month-long fundraiser for CROW; diners collect stamps in a Taste Passport at participating Sanibel and Captiva restaurants.
Beer in the Bushes (April)
SCCF’s spring craft beer and food truck fundraiser at its Nature Center.
