A banyan tree on Old 41 Road now has 54 lights wired into its canopy. After sunset, water jumps up to 20 feet out of the ground under it, timed to music from four 360-degree speakers. That is Banyan Square, the newest public space in downtown Bonita Springs. The local water control district puts San Carlos Estates "just 1.5 miles North of downtown Bonita Springs."
Downtown spent most of 2026 behind construction fencing. It is coming back in stages, and the stages finished first are the ones that work best after dark: the fountain show, a new mojito bar, and a December calendar of evening concerts. The daytime half of the season still happens out in the fields north of town.
The Fountain Is Built for Night
The city's description of the new Banyan Square splash pad has two modes. During daytime "play fountain" hours, 74 lights and nozzles send water up about six feet, which is a kid-height splash pad. In the evening the same nozzles push water up to 20 feet. They can be run one at a time or in groups, and the color comes from RGBW lighting controlled through DMX. The banyan tree carries 54 more lights and the oak beside it carries four. The water runs through filtration and chlorination comparable to a community pool's.
The first show was a 10-minute Halloween program the city scheduled for every night of its Happy Haunts Halloween Stroll, Oct. 22 through 31. The city scheduled the official ribbon cutting for Thursday, Oct. 29 at 7:30 p.m. at 27381 Old 41 Road. Both of the fountain's public debuts were scheduled for after dark.
The project also added a restroom building to the Banyan Lot. That small detail matters on a long evening downtown.
Riverside Park Is the Piece Still Catching Up
Banyan Square's neighbor across the downtown core is not quite finished. In its April 8, 2026 downtown update, the city said phase one at Riverside Park was done and phase two would start the second week of April. The park would stay closed during construction, and the city aimed for a grand opening in winter 2026. The city's downtown projects page gives a construction window of April through November 2026. As of this writing, the Riverside Park page still lists the Bandshell as closed for renovations, with reopening planned for "late fall."
The park matters because the city holds most of its signature events there, including Celebrate Bonita, Star Spangled Bonita, Taste of Bonita and Movies in the Park. It is also home to the Historic Liles Hotel, the Artist Cottages, the Butterfly Garden and the Veteran's Memorial. During the closure, the city steered event organizers to the Liles Hotel Plaza and the green space between the hotel and the park.
The December calendar suggests the city expects the park back in use soon. Three of the four evening events on its approved list are booked for Riverside Park:
| Date | Event | Location | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tue., Dec. 8 | Stardust Memories Big Band | Riverside Park | 7 to 9 p.m. |
| Sat.–Sun., Dec. 12–13 | Kris Kringle Village | Liles Hotel | 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. |
| Sun., Dec. 13 | Bonita Springs Concert Band | Riverside Park | 6 to 8 p.m. |
| Thu., Dec. 24 | Christmas Eve Candle Light Service | Riverside Park | 6 to 8 p.m. |
Kris Kringle Village is the only daytime event on that list, and it runs until 8 p.m. The full list is on the city's special events page. Check it before heading out, since dates can still move while park construction wraps up.
Old 41's Newest Bar Runs on a Bonita Farm
On the commercial side of Old 41, the newest evening stop is Hide A Wai Mojito Bar. It opened by late June 2026 in the former Imperial River Laundromat after more than a year of renovation. The menu is built on fresh-pressed sugarcane mojitos and locally distilled rum. According to the local blog SWFL.life, which visited before the opening, the bar uses sugarcane juice in place of the usual simple syrup, and the cane comes from Farmer Mike's U-Pick in Bonita Springs.
That is a real local supply chain behind a cocktail. Farmer Mike's is at 26031 Morton Ave. Downtown's new nightlife is pouring something grown in the same zip code as the farm.
For daytime downtown, SWFL.life reported that Wichcraft Handcrafted Gourmet Sandwiches opened this spring in Entrada Plaza at 27975 Old 41 Road, Suite 105.
Days Still Belong to the Fields
Farmer Mike's is where the daytime half of the season happens. Its Fall Festival ended Oct. 31. That included the haunted "The Terrifying Strangers" corn maze and the family-friendly "The Journey to The Center of the EARTH" maze, according to the Marco Eagle's events roundup. With the festival over, the farm goes back to its regular U-Pick routine.
The farm reopened in September 2026. It lists hours as generally 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., seven days a week, from October through May. It also says hours change through the season and points visitors to its Facebook page for updates. A few practical details from the farm's own FAQ:
- The main U-Pick crops are sunflowers, strawberries, tomatoes, peppers and eggplant.
- Containers are provided, so there is no need to bring your own.
- Staff tell you what is ready to pick on the day you visit.
- Only events charge admission, and that includes parking. Other visits have no parking fee.
- Guided tours can be scheduled by contacting the farm.
The farm stand sells produce picked that day, and the farm kitchen turns its own crops into jams, salsas and baked goods. Gulfshore Business has reported that Mike Clevenger is a third-generation farmer whose family has worked land in Bonita for decades.
The next date on the farm's calendar is its 9th annual Community Supported Agriculture program for the 2026–2027 season. The CSA page lists Nov. 18 through April 21, with half and full shares and a choice of pickup or delivery. A flyer on the farm's main page shows Oct. 18 as the start, so call (239) 498-4576 to confirm before signing up. The farm also describes a December "winter wonderland" with Christmas trees, holiday lights, Santa visits and crafts. Dates for 2026 have not been posted yet.
Strawberries are the crop most people come for, and they are worth planning around. In past seasons, Naples Daily News coverage found berries ready in February, and The News-Press reported that a wet year pushed picking back to early March.
What Fills In Downtown After This Winter
The downtown evening scene gets bigger again in 2027. HoneyHole Downtown is a planned live-music restaurant and gathering place on Old 41 from the owner of Sugarshack Downtown. Gulfshore Business reported that it is expected to open in early 2027.
The largest piece is Imperial 41, Barron Collier Companies' mixed-use development on the former Bamboo Lot, which spans the Imperial River. Florida Weekly reported about 19,000 square feet of commercial space and 120 rental residences. The first signed tenants are Oberweis Ice Cream and Dairy, Simple Beauty Studio, Old Bonita Surf Shop and The Brass Alligator. Tenant spaces are expected to be ready for interior build-outs in summer 2027. One riverfront restaurant space was still available at the time of the report. In the same report, Kelly Kennedy, director of commercial leasing for Barron Collier Companies, said:
"Imperial 41 will further enhance the area by introducing new restaurants, retail, public green spaces, and convenient public parking."
Until that public parking opens, parking is the practical catch for any evening downtown this season. The Bamboo Lot closed to public parking on Dec. 1, 2025. The city points drivers to on-street spaces and the Felts Avenue lot. On a Riverside Park concert night, that leaves fewer close spaces for the people who live nearby, and the drive from San Carlos Estates is short.
At Taylor Stewart, we track changes like Banyan Square and Imperial 41 because they shape everyday life around San Carlos Estates. If you're wondering how downtown's growth might affect your home's value, get your free home valuation and we'll talk through it with you.
