Claudia Polzin Welcomes Us to the New Year

2020 has gone and most of us are probably saying good riddance – a year that we will hopefully never have to repeat. I am certain that we are looking forward to being able to get together with friends and family like we did in 2019; being able to appreciate family hugs and celebrations together. As we all look forward to 2021 our New Year’s resolutions are probably very different than they have been in years past. For some of us it is working to lose our COVID weight gain, reconnecting with friends we lost touch with during the long months in quarantine and looking forward to a much happier year.

We are still anticipating that we will not return to our familiar concerts or plays every night, dinners at our favorite restaurants, not being able to find parking places and bemoaning how busy our roads are. But if we search we can still find entertainment in our community – albeit maybe not what we are used to – but a good way to get out and feed our soul.

Our very own Cambier Park continues to be the “go to” for outdoor concerts; beginning on January 3 with the Naples Dixieland Jazz Band. This group was founded in 1995 for the sole purpose of sponsoring, preserving and promoting jazz; with an emphasis on the earlier forms of jazz from 1890 through 1940. This concert as well as the one on January 24 begin at 2 p.m.

Prior to going to the concert on January 3 you can enjoy the 25th Annual Art Show held on 5th Avenue S from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. – stroll the booths, enjoy the art, enjoy a culinary delight and then enjoy Dixieland Jazz at 2 p.m.

Cambier Park has many options for you to enjoy the warming, exciting music of the Big Band era – beginning on January 10 at 2 p.m. the Gulf Coast Big Band – formed in 1991 and performs Big Band and jazz standards. This band is comprised of many active or retired professional musicians who perform with this band for the sheer love of music and to raise music for scholarship funds for local high school students. January 25 at 7 p.m. the Stardust Memories Big Band celebrates this true and original American musical art form. The Big Band era was launched by Benny Goodman in 1935 at the Palomar Ballroom in Los Angeles. This music helped to raise the spirits of a country that had been mired in the Great Depression – so maybe it is time for all of us to revisit this great music of our country.

A new event that came to downtown Naples in 2020 – Drive-In Movies – and two are scheduled for January – January 12 and 13 at 8 p.m. enjoy Singin’ in the Rain; and on January 26 and 27 Ghostbusters will be featured – all showings are held at 300 – 8th Street South. These movies are sponsored by The Naples Players and tickets can be obtained through their website.

Wishing all of you good health and happiness in 2021 – may the concerns of 2020 disappear with the New Year.

*Claudia Polzin lives in Naples and is an experienced Independent Consultant  working with many of the 501c’s. She can be reached through Life in Naples Magazine.