There is always plenty to do around Charlotte Harbor, especially during the Summer. Whether you are moored in Punta Gorda’s mooring field or berthed at Fishermen’s Village Marina, A CRUISERS NET SPONSOR, you will enjoy your visit to beautiful Charlotte Harbor, where Punta Gorda, also A CRUISERS NET SPONSOR, lies on Western Florida’s Charlotte Harbor/Peace River.

Cultural Heritage Center of Southwest Florida
June 11, 2019
On Friday, July 12th and Saturday, July 13th the International Culture Fest 2019 will be held at
Fishermen’s Village in Punta Gorda. It will be a celebration of cultural food, performances,
displays, vendors, and more! The festival will feature over 15 live performances, and wide
variety of cultural vendors.
The purpose of the Cultural Heritage Center of Southwest Florida is to celebrate Southwest
Florida’s historical beginnings and the culturally diverse community that it has now become.
The CHC’s mission is to celebrate the human diversity of the region. The ethnic and religious
diversity of Southwest Florida makes it a rich and exciting place to live and visit. Cultural
groups from Charlotte, Lee, Desoto, Sarasota, and Collier counties have come together to
create the Cultural Heritage Center to celebrate all cultural contributions to the development
and economy of the region.
The Cultural Heritage Center aims to be a place to learn and teach; and celebrate and
embrace all cultures. Programs include, but are not limited to: Inclusionary multi-faceted,
rotating culture, art, and educational exhibits; an annual International Cultural Festival at
Fishermen’s Village; “mini-culture fairs” for youth; trips and excursions; cooking classes;
language classes; cultural/language immersion classes; language/culture camps for children
and teens; intergenerational cultural activities between elders and youth; cultural lending
library; and Ethnic Food Festivals.
The CHC has provided rich community experiences such as the “A Trip Around the World”

events at the Punta Gorda Library; participated in the successful events such as the “How-To-
Festival” held at Mid-County Library in Port Charlotte; and partnered with the Punta Gorda –

Englewood Beach Convention and Visitors Bureau to create Charlotte County’s most
successful Annual Tourism Luncheon. The theme was Cultural Heritage Tourism. The CHC
member organizations from all over Southwest Florida provided the event’s attendees with a
‘Trip Around the World’, with sights, sounds, tastes, and fashion.
The CHC provides enrichment activities for children, such as “mini-cultural fairs” at Cooper
Street Recreation Center in Punta Gorda, and cultural heritage immersion experiences for
pre-schoolers and homeschooled children at the Collier Museum in Naples.
Florida Gulf Coast University, the Punta Gorda/Englewood Beach Visitor and Convention
Bureau, and the Punta Gorda Historical Society are active partners with the Center. The CHC
is the only Cultural Heritage Center in the State of Florida and is certain to become a major
tourist attraction for the region. It is currently located at FGCU’s Punta Gorda campus, and will
move to Punta Gorda History Park this fall. The Center will highlight our Old Florida pioneer
beginnings and celebrate the growth of the region to the diverse, multicultural place that is
has become today.
It is our hope that in being Florida’s only Cultural Heritage Center, the CHC will add
tremendously to the quality of life of our residents and facilitate robust Heritage Tourism to
Punta Gorda and Charlotte County from throughout the state, country and around the world.

Please join us in celebrating each other at the International Culture Fest, at Fishermen’s
Village, from 5:00 PM – 9:00 PM on Friday, July 12th and from 10:00am to 4:00pm on
Saturday, July 13th. The Parade of Nations will be on Saturday, July 13th at 11:00 am.
Fishermen’s Village is located at 1200 W. Retta Esplanade, Punta Gorda.
Jaha Cummings
President, Cultural Heritage Center of Southwest Florida,Inc.
Councilman, City of Punta Gorda

2019 INTERNATIONAL CULTURE FEST ENTERTAINMENT SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

Kathy Burnham
Marketing/Events Manager
Fishermen’s Village
mkting@fishville.com

1200 W. Retta Esplanade #57A
Punta Gorda, Florida  33950                                                                                                                                        

P  941 575-3007
M 941 258-1327
F   941 637-1054
  

Click Here To View the Western Florida Cruisers Net Marina Directory Listing For Fishermen’s Village

Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Fishermen’s Village