In This Weeks Slice:

• Beach Yoga. 🧘‍♀️

• New restaurant coming to North Naples. 🧀

• Free entry to Naples Zoo. 🦒

• Local tourism continues to boom! ✈️

IN THE NEWS

Florida is on (economic) fire with projected $46 billion in revenue. 🔥 That was one takeaway from the Florida Economic Estimating Conference, held in late July. The event, created by the Florida Senate in 2020, is a gathering of forecasters to help state officials with planning and budgeting. (BO)

Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen opens new location in North Naples. 🧀 While the new restaurant wasn’t built from scratch, Darden Restaurants completely transformed the interior and exterior of a space that formerly hosted Sweet Tomatoes and Romano’s Macaroni Grill. (GB)

Tourism continues to boom! ✈️ Conference data shows Florida had 133.7 million visitors in fiscal 2022. Some 142.4 million visitors are expected in fiscal 2023, with tourism projected to break previous pre-pandemic records by at least 11%. (BO)

Collier County cuts ribbon on it’s first new high school in 19 years. ✏️ Aubrey Rogers High School in North Naples will welcome 1,200 students at the beginning of the school year Aug. 10. (GB)

THINGS TO DO

Today

🍊 Pinky Patel at Off The Hook Comedy Club. 6:45pm. (Vanderbilt)

Tomorrow

🍊Complimentary Wine Tasting at the wine bar in Seed To Table. (Immokalee Road)

🍊 Mercato Nights Music Series featuring live music by NostalJah. 6:30 - 8:30pm. (Mercato)

Friday

🍊 Ben Allen Band is coming to Artis Naples. Enjoy sensational fusion of rock, blues and country melodies. Hailing from Southwest Florida, the nationally acclaimed group demonstrates their unmatched talent in an extraordinary summertime performance. 6:00pm & 8:30pm. (Pelican Bay)

🍊 Live music at Celebration Park: Matty Jollie. 6:00 - 9:00pm (Bayshore)

Saturday

🍊 Third Street Farmers Market has fresh produce, flowers, pastas, seafood, pastries & baked goods, prepared foods, jams, relishes, fresh roasted coffee and much more. 7:30 - 11:30am (Olde Naples)

🍊 Vanderbilt Farmers Market is North Naples largest, longest running, year round, pet & family friendly Farmers Market! 8:00 - 12:00pm (Vanderbilt)

🍊 It’s free Saturday for Collier County residents at the Naples Zoo. 9:00 - 4:30pm (Caribbean Gardens)

🍊Island Bike Shop presents the 1st Annual Tour De Taverns. A charity poker run bike ride benefiting research for Kleefstra Syndrome which has affected SWFL local, Wynne Lockwood. Cruise through several locations, grab a card, and play your best hand to win. Need to borrow a bike? There are commplimentary rentals from Island Bike Shop. Stops include Lowbrow, Ankrolab, Celebration Park, Brookside Beer Market + more! 11:00am. (Bayshore)

🍊Pets and Pints at Riptide Brewing’s Bonita location. Adoptable pets, mobile groomer, and a local pet bakery. 2:00 - 6:00pm. (Bonita)

🍊 Live Music at Midnight Tavern: Brad Allison. 6:00 - 9:00 (East Naples)

Sunday

🍊Beach Yoga at Seagate Beach. Yoga on the beach is a perfect way to connect with nature while taking care of your body and mind. Beginners are welcome – yoga is gentle and easily modified for all-levels. 9:30 - 10:30am. (Seagate)

🍊 Live music at Seed to Table: Austin James. 1:00 - 4:00pm. (Immokalee Road)

Monday

🍊 General Knowledge Trivia hosted by Jake at The Pub. 7:30 - 9:30pm. (Mercato)

Tuesday

🍊 “Wing it” Tuesday’s at Ziggy D’Amico’s Whiskey Bar and Diner means $3 off your order of wings. (Park Shore)

HAPPY HOUR 🍹

The 239 Naples (Mercato) has a daily happy hour from 2:39 - 5:00pm that includes:

• Chicken & Waffle Bites | $12

• Hand Pressed Tacos (2) | $8

• 3 Cheese Flatbread | $12

• 1/2 off cocktails (excluding craft cocktails)

• 1/2 off by the glass wine

• $5 craft draft beer

• + more!

DOWN FOR A DRIVE? 🚘

George Strait, Chris Stapleton, and Little Big Town are coming to Raymond James Stadium in Tampa on Saturday, August 5th at 5:45pm. (Tampa)

FUN FACT ☀️

The first Grapefruit was grown in Florida. (Source)