Charlotte County Tourism Director Sean Doherty told officials and members of the Beaches and Shores Advisory Committee that he is confident Englewood Beach Waterfest will take place this year. That, along with the return of other events, will provide a boost in tourism revenue this year, putting the county back on track following a tough 2024, he said.
Waterfest is a major attraction that brings visitors to the county each year and was canceled last year due to hurricanes Helene and Milton. Another tourist draw, the two-day Florida International Air Show, also was canceled following the storms but will return Nov. 1-2.
Doherty said that the events generated an economic impact of more than $5 million each.
In addition, baseball tournaments, pickleball, BMX and swimming events are big draws.
“We did have to cancel nine other events in the immediate aftermath of the storms, but we’re back on track,” Doherty said. Sean Walter, sales and sports business development director for Punta Gorda/Englewood Beach Visitor & Convention Bureau, rescheduled a lot of the events.
However, Doherty emphasized tourists want to visit the county’s beaches.
“Having limited public access to our beaches is currently our largest obstacle by far, but we’re gradually reintroducing the beaches as part of our messaging particularly via social media and we’ll continue to expand on those efforts as progress is made,” he said.
Last fiscal year’s research showed that 27% of visitors to the county indicated beaches were their primary reason for coming, and 56% indicated they visited Charlotte County’s beaches as part of their activities while in town, Doherty said.
The need for beach reopenings comes at a time where February’s Tourist Development Tax revenue was flat compared to the same period in 2024.
During the Beaches and Shores May 1 meeting, Tina Powell, manager of the county’s Parks and Natural Resources Division, provided a sweeping overview of works in progress, including Englewood Beach at Chadwick Park and Port Charlotte Beach Park that sustained catastrophic damages from hurricanes.
The Englewood Beach park’s southern end of the parking lot has been partially reopened, and Charlotte County Transit has begun its pilot Park & Ride free service from Tringali Park to Chadwick Park at Englewood Beach.
A design request was submitted to the county’s purchasing department for restoring the beach park, but for the foreseeable future, portable toilets will serve as restroom facilities there.
At Port Charlotte Beach Park, the sport courts, playground, sailing center and one boat ramp have partially reopened, and a Hurricane Ian design request was submitted.
Some of the county’s fishing piers, parks and boat ramps remain closed until further notice, including Lemon Bay Sunrise Rotary Park, Bayshore Live Oak Park and the Ainger, Boca, El Jobean and Placida fishing piers.
Powell provided detailed information on the status of the county’s hurricane-damaged parks and fishing piers and described the labyrinth of steps the county must take to obtain permits, Federal Emergency Management Agency reimbursements and approval from the Army Corps of Engineers.
“As far as the parks, piers and boat ramps, we of course do promote all of those, and they’re all important pieces in creating a visitor’s overall experience. However, unlike the beaches, they’re not typically the primary reason a visitor comes,” Doherty said.
“Current marketing is focused on all the other things our destination has to offer, including fishing, kayaking, eco tours, other outdoor pursuits and our culinary scene.”
