Holiday Tea with Mina Edison and Clara Ford
Join Mrs. Edison and Mrs. Ford for a special Holiday Tea in the Edison Caretaker’s House. Mina and Clara will talk about their favorite holiday traditions and tea, lemonade and cookies will be served. After the tea, visitors may stroll the beautifully decorated grounds of the Edison and Ford families.
Cost: Edison Ford members: $15; non-members: $25 (includes general admission to Edison Ford Holiday Nights, Lab and Museum). Space is limited to 30 guests, so registration is required.
Ford Mustang Show
Show your Mustang at the most beautiful location in Lee County, riverside on the Henry Ford Winter Estate lawn. Edison Ford, is excited to invite you to be a part of the Edison Ford Annual Ford Mustang Exhibition. Registration packets and one boxed lunch are provided for each vehicle owner. Dash plaques will be given to each participant.
CLICK HERE for exhibitor registration information.
Black Maria Film Festival Returns
November 8, 6 p.m.
Join Edison Ford, in partnership with Florida SouthWestern (FSW) State College, in welcoming the 38th annual Black Maria 
Film Festival. Films will be screened after sunset on the historic Ford lawn and FSW students will facilitate discussion. Refreshments will be available for purchase. Limited seating is available; visitors are advised to bring a chair.
The Black Maria film festival celebrates “the diversity, invention, and vitality of the short film. The Festival is named after Thomas Edison’s original West Orange film studio dubbed the ‘Black Maria’.”
Members $5, non-members $10. Tickets will be sold at the ticket office on the evening of the event. Proceeds will benefit Hurricane Dorian relief in the Bahamas.
Garden Festival
Dozens of vendors from around the state will have exotic, tropical and Florida native plants and trees, along with garden art and supplies for sale. Refreshments will be available and parking and admission to the Garden Festival is free (tours of the homes, museum and lab are not included).
Check back for more details.
Members Only: Holly Jolly Holiday Nights Celebration
Thursday, December 5, 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. in the Edison Ford River Pavilion
Please join us for the members-only holly jolly evening of entertainment and refreshments as a thank you for all your support throughout the year. For the second year in a row, entertainment will be provided by the talented Fort Myers Mastersingers.
Come and enjoy light refreshments provided by G-3 Catering. This is a perfect time to enjoy the festivities and the Edison Ford light display, entertainment, food, cocktails and friends! Each guest will receive a ticket for one (1) free beverage such as Spiced Cider, Eggnog, Beer, Wine or
a Cranberry Mimosa. A cash bar will also be available.
New This Year – Holiday Nights Silent Wreath Auction
This favorite event returns as local artists and artisans craft beautiful and creative wreaths to be auctioned to benefit the Edison Ford restoration fund. All attendees may bid on wreaths, so don’t miss this opportunity to take home a one-of-a-kind piece of holiday décor while supporting the Edison and
Ford Winter Estates!
Advance Reservations Required
To make a reservation, call the membership department at 239-335-3674. The deadline to register is Tuesday, November 26, 2019 by 5:00 p.m.
Cost: Member Adult $15; Member Child: $5 (under 18) Come enjoy the holidays with us at Edison and Ford and enjoy the 44th Annual Holiday Nights Celebration.
Click here to learn more about becoming an Edison Ford member.
Holiday Nights
Thousands of lights, hundreds of historic decorations, and one unique holiday experience await you nightly from 5:30-9 p.m! This year’s event features dozens of all new decorations, live music, food and beverages, crafts, Inside the Homes tours, and much more on select nights!
Holiday Nights Admission:
- Guided tours (offered at 6pm and 7pm nightly, first-come, first-served): Adults $30, Teens $25, Children age 6-12 $18
- General admission: Adults $20, Teens $10, Children age 6-12 $2
- Combo Upgrade: Purchase any daytime admission and combine Holiday Nights (valid only on same evening as daytime admission/tour):
- Add the Holiday Nights Guided tour: Adults $20, Teen $15, Child $10
- Add General Admission: Adults $10, Teen $5, Child $1
- Note: Combo Upgrades can be purchased the day of your visit. They are not sold in advance.
Children age five and under always admitted free of charge. Reciprocal museum or garden memberships are not valid for Holiday Nights admission.
All admission options include the estates, museum and laboratory; plan on approximately 2.5 hours to see the estates, museum, and laboratory, open until 9:00 p.m. during Holiday Nights. General admission tickets may be purchased online; guided tours are first come, first served, and must be purchased in the museum ticket office on the day of the tour. Upgrade tickets (to add Holiday Nights admission to your daytime admission at a reduced price) are also available in the museum ticket office. Upgrade price is $10 per adult, $5 per teen, and $1 per child. General admission tickets purchased online are good for any night Holiday Nights is open.
*Lee County nights – Lee County residents with proof of residence receive a $5 discount off adult admission on Mondays and Tuesdays in December (note Holiday Nights is closed on December 24). Click here to view the nightly calendar of events:
Holiday Nights 2019 Event Calendar
Annual Quilt Show
Annual “Airing of the Quilts”
October 26, 2019 – 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. (Rescheduled from October 19 due to weather)
- Dozens of quilts “airing” at the Edison estate
- Quilts and handcrafted items available for purchase
- Antique quilts on display inside the Edison house, guest house and Ford house
- Antique quilt appraisals available ($20 for verbal appraisals; $50 for written appraisals per quilt)
Included with estates admission. Cost: Adults $25; Teens $20; Children $15 (children 5 and under free). Edison Ford Members FREE. Click here for more details.
Celebrate Independence Day
Did you know that Independence Day was Thomas Edison’s favorite holiday? According to historical documents, Edison woke up early each Independence Day to spend time with his children and set off a giant firecracker in his yard. The children dressed in holiday costumes and they all tossed Chinese firecrackers. Edison even made his own fireworks with TNT added and called them “incendiary torpedoes.” As part of the holiday celebration, the family enjoyed ice cream and watermelon, just as many American families do today.
An invoice from 1893 on the Thomas Edison National Historic Park website lists the purchases made for the holiday. It included “2 dozen packages Electric Torp., 1 Dragon’s Nest, 1 Devil Among the Tailor, 1 Surprise Box, 1 Floral Fountain, 1 dozen Rockets, 1 dozen B.R. Candles, 1 lb. Colored Fire, and 1 Firework Balloon 20 ft.”
On July 4, Edison and Ford Winter Estates will be open 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Guided tours will be offered every hour, on the hour from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., weather permitting. Click here for tour information.
Father’s Day – Free Admission for Dad
To celebrate Father’s Day on June 16, dads are invited to visit Edison Ford for free! This is a great way for visitors to enjoy the day with their fathers. Free admission includes a self-guided audio tour of the winter estate homes, museum, laboratory and more than 20 acres of botanical gardens.
