| Is this email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. Weekly News March 21, 2025 This Weekend! Baseball Presentation: Fort Myers Spring Training History March 21, 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. In celebration of 100 years since spring training began in Fort Myers, join Museum Manager, Holly Shaffer for two presentations in the muse- um on Fort Myers spring training history. At 11:00 a.m. she will speak on the Boston Red Sox and their spring training history in Fort Myers. At 2:00 p.m. she will present an overview of the 100 years since spring training began in Fort Myers. The presentations are included with the price of ad- mission, and free for Edison Ford members. Vintage Base Ball Game at Terry Park March 22, 11:00 a.m. Edison and Ford Winter Estates will host a day of vin- tage “base ball” at historic Terry Park. Join us to cele- brate the early days of our national pastime with three teams playing consecutive games (the Fort Myers Vagabonds, Bradenton Shamrocks, and the Central Florida Awkwards). The teams will play by 1860s rules. Players will wear vintage uniforms, no gloves, and use wood bats and lemon peel baseballs. Spectat- ors will see the game played as it was when Thomas Edison was a teenager and he developed his life-long love of the game, inspiring him to proclaim: “Baseball is the greatest of American games.” Game Location: Terry Park 3410 Palm Beach Boulevard Fort Myers, FL 33901 Admission: $5 for adults, children 18 and younger admitted free. Sponsored by Humana. Acrylic Landscape Painting Class March 23, 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Come spend the day with impressionistic local artist Marie Dyer, as she guides you in this plein air acrylic landscape painting workshop. She will cover the fundamentals of composition and structure, color creating mood, mixing paints, and assist in developing a pallet that speaks to you! Students will be inspired by the lush surroundings on site in this one-of-a-kind class. No experience is required. All materials are included; space is limited. Click here to register! Members: $90, non-members: $100 Upcoming Events Rhythm on the River: Jimmy Buffett Tribute Band – Caribbean Chillers March 28, 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Calling all parrot heads! Join us on the historic Ford lawn for an exciting performance of the Caribbean Chillers — a Jimmy Buffett tribute band. Guests will get to hear many of Buffett’s top hits and crowd favorites. Plus, there will be a cash bar and food trucks on site. So put on your flip flops and come spend the evening along the river for some great music, a fantastic river view and refreshing beverages – because after all, it’s 5 o’clock somewhere! Parking is available in the Edison Ford lots only. Gates open at 6 p.m. Guests should bring a folding chair and a sweater if the weather is chilly. No coolers or picnic baskets permitted. Edison Ford members: $30; non-members: $35 Click here to purchase tickets while they last! VIP Tables (for up to 5 guests): $275 (Includes table and chairs) Sponsored by Humana. Grow Fort Myers & Orchid Symposium with Rare & Historic Plant Sale April 12 & 13, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. This year, the Grow Fort Myers event is going to be extra special, as it will be combined with the Orchid Symposi- um! The plant sale will feature a new twist with specimens that have historical significance to the Edisons, along with plants that are rare and hard-to-find. Plus, we will have several guest speakers conducting free presentations. Entry to the event and presentations is FREE (does not in- clude admission to the museum, lab, or riverside of the property). Seating under the tent for the presentations is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Presentation Topics: Saturday – My Favorite Orchids – John Hampton, SWFOS & AOS – Unusual Staghorn Ferns – John Cassani, Owner, Cassani Nursery – Growing Vandas – Mickey Parnell, Owner, Blue Pagoda Orchids – Native Cacti – Reed Gilmore – Care of Epiphyllums (Jungle Cactus) – Graciana Parker, Owner, Florida Greenery Sunday – Conversations with My Orchids – Jim Davison, Owner, Jim-N-I Orchids – Fun with Orchids – Gary Sims, SWFOS & AOS – Growing Hoyas – Graciana Parker, Owner Florida Green- ery – Caring for Tillandsias & Cryptanthus – Andrew Warfield, Grower, Tropiflora – Amazing Aspidistras – Karen Maxwell, Horticulturist, EFWE In the Garden Breakfast with the Birds! April 5, 7:30-9:30 a.m. Join our plant curator and an experienced Audubon birding guide on an easy walk through our grounds. Afterward, enjoy a drink and pastry from the on-site Banyan Café while you chat with fellow birders and the guides. This tour is outdoors and subject to cancellation due to weather. Registration is limited. Tour includes a beverage and sweet treat afterward from the Banyan Café. Does not include ad- mission to the museum, laboratory or homes. It is recom- mended that participants bring binoculars and drinking water, and wear closed-toe shoes. Park and meet in the parking area directly across from 2153 Larchmont Avenue (Estates overflow parking). Cost: Edison Ford members: $15; non-members: $20 Registration is required– click here to register! Garden Tour (Registration Required) April 9, 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. The Edison and Ford Winter Estates botanical gardens contain more than 1,700 plants from six continents including flowering plants and trees, fruit trees, palms, bamboo, cycads, vines, roses, orchids, and Florida natives. On this tour, experienced garden staff lead visitors through the 20-acre site and highlight the dif- ferent types of plants and their importance to the Edison and Ford families. Visitors will see the Moonlight Garden, many rare plants and get to go behind-the-scenes in the propagating nursery. Some of the plants in the gardens are available for sale in the on-site Garden Shoppe. The garden tour is offered the second Wednesday of the month, tickets go on sale online the first of each month for that month’s tour. Registration is limited – click here for online ticketing and click on the “Garden Tour” link. Members: $30, non-members: $35 Just for Kids Future Makers Spring Break Camp March 17-21, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Join us as science and history come alive in our “living laboratory!” No experience is necessary to participate in these fun and fast- moving S.T.E.A.M. (science technology, engineering, art, and math) camps. For students currently in grades K-5, unless otherwise noted. Campers must bring lunches, and snacks if desired. Become a family member of Edison Ford and receive discounted registration! Campers release their full potential in this project-based camp, get- ting a crash course in code, electronics, and robotics. The camp then focuses on open-ended projects as the campers apply what they learn. Registration is OPEN! To register, click here. Members: $225, non-members: $250 Pre-K Class: “Symphony of Imagination: A Journey into Sound.” March 27, 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Join us for our upcoming pre-k class “Symphony of Imagination: A Journey into Sound.” Embark on a musical adventure where young enthusiasts will create instruments and explore sound through en- gaging activities. This class combines creativity and fun, helping children develop their auditory skills and a love for music. Back by popular demand, these classes are designed for children aged 18 months – 5 years. Don’t miss an excellent opportunity for curious children to learn more about science, the world around them, and socializing with others! Class sizes are limited and in- volve parent participation. Click here to register! Members: $15 per class; non-members: $20 per class Educational Summer Camps! 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Edison and Ford Winter Estates is offering several summer camp options for children in kindergarten through fifth grade. Students are separated into groups according to grade level (K-2 and 3-5). The camps are edu- cational and focus on science, technology, engineering, art and math (STEAM), and incorporate fun activities. Campers get to invent, design, build, and learn in the same location where famous inventors Thomas Edison and Henry Ford invented some of the world’s best-known pro- ducts. Summer camp starts on June 9 and runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. Camp options are listed below. (Sold out camps are not listed) Hands-On Chemistry June 9-13 (Grades K-2 and 3-5) In this camp, students will explore the exciting world of chem- istry with a series of hands-on experiments throughout the week. The periodic table, structure of atoms, bonds, reactions, and so- lutions, are all covered. Some experiments include slime, lava lamps, pH indicators for color changing liquids, the popular ex- ploding toothpaste, and more. Cost: EFWE members: $225, non-members: $250 Energetic Engineers June 16-20 (Grades K-2 and 3-5) Campers will learn how to handle the problem space by learning the engineering design process and practicing it all week as they are given new design challenges each day. Challenges include a mini paddle boat race, marble roller coasters, bridges, towers and more. Cost: EFWE members: $225, non-members: $250 Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robotics June 23-27 (Grades 3-5) This camp is one part code, one part mechanics, and one part creativity. Campers will learn the code and mechanics of LE- GO Mindstorm robotics. Using autonomous code and strate- gy, teams will send their robot into battle against other teams. Campers will design and build a robot that can change its be- havior based on sensor data. Cost: EFWE members: $225, non-members: $250 High-Flying Rockets June 30-July 3 (Grades K-2 and 3-5) In this camp, students will learn the physics of lift. Activities include gliders, stomp rockets, parachute design, and water rockets. Newton’s laws of motion are explored as well as Bernoulli’s principle, and the Coandă effect. This camp will also include a demonstration of the Edison Ford unmanned aerial vehicle. Cost: EFWE members: $175, non-members: $200 Machine Makers July 7-11 (Grades K-2 and 3-5) Campers will explore all things in motion in this STEAM camp. Concepts learned include the six simple machines, Newton’s Laws of motion, the engineering design process, and rigid de- sign. Campers will rapidly prototype using LEGOs and other common materials as they learn about mechanical advantage and how to apply it. Cost: EFWE members: $225, non-members: $250 LEGO Creators July 14-18 (Grades K-2) Each group of campers will design their own section of in- novation city. Using Spike Essential LEGO kits, campers will design their part of the city with moving parts and lights. In order to flip the switch and get things moving, campers will learn basic code blocks to move their city into the future. Cost: EFWE members: $225, non-members: $250 Electronics Power-up July 21-25 (Grades 3-5) This crash course in electronics covers the history of electricity, and hands-on circuit design. Concepts of electricity such as cur- rent, volts, magnetism, insulation, conduction, and more core concepts will be covered. The week of circuits concludes as campers take home their own custom circuit. Cost: EFWE members: $225, non-members: $250 The Science of Art & Design July 21-25 (Grades K-2) Campers will delve into creative expression and learn the science behind art. The science of light and color are explored as they learn about the mixing of light and pigment with Newton’s disk. Campers will design soft circuits with conductive playdough and observe geo- metric patterns with a blackburn pendulum. They will also learn a- bout the seven elements of art. Cost: EFWE members: $225, non-members: $250 Code Camp July 28-August 1 (Grades 3-5) In this camp, students will explore the core concepts of code as they design a game, an interactive story, or anything they can think up. Campers will learn about loops, boolean logic, if/else statements, variables, and more. They will get a copy of their project at the end of the week that includes a code library for use after camp. Cost: EFWE members: $225, non-members: $250 Video Creators July 28-August 1 (Grades K-2) This camp is focused on storytelling and the technology behind it. Campers will work on stop motion animation, basic editing, and how to structure a simple scene. In small groups, campers develop their ideas and produce short, animated scenes that they can share with friends and family. Cost: EFWE members: $225, non-members: $250 Design in 3-D August 4-8 (Grades K-5) In this camp, students will explore the world of Computer Aided Design and 3D printing. They will learn how ideas go from con- cept to reality with this critical 21st century skill, then take home their own design. Cost: EFWE members: $225, non-members: $250 Summer Camp Registration is OPEN! Click here to register! Thank you to our Summer Camp sponsors: Adult Education Botanical Abstract Mono Prints Class March 30, 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. In this NEW class, artist Marie Dyer will teach you the basics to effective mono printing. You will use acrylic paints, plants, household items, and construction materials when experiment- ing and designing your art on paper. No experience is necess- ary and your one of a kind creations will be suitable for fram- ing. All materials included and no experience is needed. Space is limited and registration is required. Click here to register! Members: $90, non-members: $100 Silk Scarf Painting Class April 05, 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. If you need some time to relax and unwind, join us for a silk scarf painting class with Marie Dyer surrounded by Edison’s gardens. You will leave the class with a silk scarf that can be worn or hung as a piece of artwork. All materials are includ- ed in the fee. No experience is required. Space is limited; click here to register! Members: $90, non-members: $100 Become a MEMBER and get unlimited free visits, discounts on purchases in the Garden Shoppe, retail stores, special events and adult education classes! Join today! Ongoing Programs Piano Performance POSTPONED Edison Guest House Timeless beauty resides where classical music is performed by Curatorial Registrar, Chet, on Mina Edison’s 1932 George Steck piano in the guest house. Piano performances will resume Wednesday April 2nd! Step into History Presentations Tuesdays and Thursdays 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Learn about subjects related to Edison and Ford with Site Historians. This program is held in the 15,000-square-foot museum. Included with admission. Yoga Mondays and Wednesdays at 10 a.m. Class will be held in the River Pavilion (weather permitting). All skill levels are welcome. This class is taught by Bonnie D’Angelo, a certified yoga instructor. Edison Ford members: $15; non-members: $20 per class. Tickets may be purchased online or at the ticket counter. Bring a yoga mat, water, and towel. Admission to the site is not included. Help restore our beautiful gardens. Donate today! Copyright © 2025 Edison and Ford Winter Estates, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: Edison and Ford Winter Estates 2350 McGregor Blvd Fort Myers, FL 33901 Add us to your address book Want to change how you receive these emails? 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