Rotary Park plans several large events throughout the year including:

Burrowing Owl Festival:

February 21, 2009 10:00am -4:00pm
Sponsors & vendors wanted. Call 980-2593 for information

Rotary Park is home to the one and only “Burrowing Owl Festival”, a fun festival held in honor of Cape Coral’s official city bird – the burrowing owl. People travel from near and far to get a glimpse of these elusive little creatures. They reside all over the city, in yards, parks, medians and empty lots, so be on the lookout when you are out and about - sighting one is a real treat! At the festival, you can expect a fun day full of educational programs, hands-on activities for children, guided nature walks, LIVE animals, butterfly house, native plants for sale, bus tours to owl burrows in the area and much, much, more. The Burrowing Owl Festival is held annually, on the third Saturday of February, in partnership with the Cape Coral Friends of Wildlife.

View Map of Festival Grounds

Native Plant Sales

Rotary Park is home to two huge native plant sales each year. Both sales have several vendors and native plant experts on hand to answer your questions and to help you choose the right plant for the right place! Why is that important? Check out the Florida Yards and Neighborhoods page for details.

At each Native Plant Sale, there is always a fantastic selection of trees, shrubs, flowering plants & groundcovers to choose from. The spring sale (usually held the thrid Saturday in April, near Earth Day) is sponsored by the Coccoloba Chapter of the Florida Native Plant Society. The summer sale (usually held the last Saturday in July) is sponsored by the City of Cape Coral Parks & Recreation Department.

In addition to the semi-annual Native Plant Sales, Four Mile Cove Ecological Preserve offers plant sales at the Kayak Shack every weekend from October thru May.

View Native Plant Sale flyer here

Tropical Plant Bazaar

NEXT ONE: MARCH 7, 2009 from 9:00am - 1:00pm
Organized by Rotary Park, this semi-annual event (spring & fall) is held at Four Mile Cove Ecological Preserve. Each Tropical Plant Bazaar includes several different vendors on-site selling a wide variety of tropical plants such as fruit trees, bamboo, palms, ginger, heliconias, bromeliads, orchids, flowering shrubs, and more. In addition, there are usually some excellent, rare varieties of plants on hand for those looking for something special.

View Tropical Plant Bazaar flyer here

Lab Fest

Held annually in the fall at Four Freedoms Park, Lab Fest is a fun-filled day for people and dogs of all ages. There are plenty of contests, raffles and food to go around, but dogs must be kept on their leash at this event. Proceeds benefit Labrador Retriever Rescue of Florida and Wagging Tails Dog Park. The main sponsor of this event is the Cape Dog Bakery on Cape Coral Parkway, whose website you can check out at www.capedogbakery.com.