Networking on the River
Business membership with Edison and Ford Winter Estates offers unique benefits designed for your employees, clients, and executives As a business member, your organization becomes part of a network that is continuing the legacy of Thomas Edison and Henry Ford – two of America’s greatest innovators.
Come join us for appetizers, a cash bar, and hear from industry expert Kevin Pfleger, managing director of Investors’ Security Trust, on investing during the new age of central bank activism.
Please RSVP by April 8 to Sherri Muske at 239-335-3677 or SMuske@edisonford.org.
Members’ Holiday Nights Premier Event
Join us for this Members’ Holiday Nights Premier event, with a special performance by the Fort Myers Mastersingers!
Holiday Nights guided tours will be provided to groups at 6:30 and 7:30 p.m. (limited to first 35), and we’ll even have a visit from Santa and Mrs. Claus!
HOLIDAY MENU
- International cheese and charcuterie display with carved ham
- Crostini with whipped goat cheese and balsamic cranberry compote
- Assorted miniature cheesecakes
- Miniature cream puffs and eclairs
- Hot chocolate station
- Sweet and unsweetened iced tea
CASH BAR with beer, wine and 2 signature cocktails: Cranberry mimosa (Mina Edison) and spiced cider Cocktail (Thomas Edison)
Please RSVP by Monday, November 26. To make a reservation, call the Membership Department at 239-335-3674.
Members may bring guests for an additional fee. Members and their guests will check in for the party at the membership desk to get a wristband. Event will be held in the Edison Ford River Pavilion.
Cost: Member Adult: $15, Member Child: $5, Adult Member Guest: $17, Member Guest Child: $6
Come see the holiday lights and decorations, enjoy some great food and drinks, and have fun with old and new friends!
Edison Ford Annual Members Celebration Hoe-Down 2018
Members, grab your partner and get ready for some good-old foot-stompin’ in our beautiful River Pavilion. This year’s theme is “A Country Hoe-Down” and will feature a 50/50 raffle, and live music from The Suwannee Swing Saloon for your listening and dancing pleasure. There will also be Western BBQ and hors d’oeuvres.
Members are FREE; guests of members are $10 per person.
Check in for members and guests will be at the Edison Ford Gate in the Pinchers Restaurant parking lot where you will find easy-access parking. Please note that in the case of inclement weather, the event with be relocated.
Guests must be pre-paid with a credit card.
RSVP by calling Darlene Hermey no later than October 30th at (239) 335-3674. Click here to download event flyer.
Special Note: Membership Celebration on Sunday, November 4, 2018 – 3 to 6pm
Howdy Members,
Thank you for registering in advance for the Membership Celebration on Sunday– it is going to be a hoot!
In case of inclement weather, please note that the event will be held in the Museum back galleries. We will post that day by 1:00 p.m. on our website and Facebook if the event is moved to the Museum.
We look forward to seeing you in your country duds on Sunday!
VIP Tour – Sarasota/Bradenton
Marie Selby Botanical Gardens and South Florida Museum
Depart 7:30 a.m. – Return 6:30 p.m. (times are approximate) Cost: Edison Ford Members: $125; non-members: $140
Join our Membership Program and take advantage of all our discounts.
Come join us as we spend the morning outside at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens in Sarasota and then the afternoon inside at
the South Florida Museum in Bradenton.
The 15-acre Marie Selby Botanical Gardens is the only botanical garden in the world dedicated to the display and study of epiphytes, especially orchids and bromeliads and their canopy ecosystems with a focus on botany, horticulture and environmental education. The garden has more than 20,000 living plants in its collection. You will experience a private “walk and talk” conducted by an experienced docent weaving the local history, horticultural tidbits and the science of botany into a tour featuring the garden highlights. Some of
the highlights include, tropical conservatory, towering bamboo garden, banyan groves, fern garden and Koi pond. The exhibit on display called Gauguin: Voyage to Paradise highlights the essential role of botanicals in achieving the artist’s vision of the exotic. The exhibit features ten of the artist’s original dramatic woodcut prints and wood engravings, photographs showcasing Tahiti during the time of his travels, historic maps as well as visual materials that shaped his work.
Learn all about South Florida culture and history at the South Florida Museum in Bradenton. This museum is the largest natural and cultural history museum on Florida’s Gulf Coast. A private guided tour will be provided of this unique and engaging museum of exhibits and displays of the cultural knowledge of Florida, the world and our universe. This museum features fossil evidence of Florida’s earliest marine and mammal inhabitants and archaeological materials representing Paleo- Indian, archaic and pre-contact cultures as well as local history. The museum also features an all-digital Planetarium and the Parker Manatee Rehabilitation Aquarium.
We will have lunch at Mattison’s City Grill at the Bradenton Riverwalk and it is included with the tour price.
Cancellation Policy – Cancellations must be made more than 14 days before the tour date to receive a refund, unless your vacancy can be filled. For questions or to make reservations for this or any tour, please contact Sherri Muske at 239-335-3677 or smuske@
edisonford.org. Tours fill up quickly, so we encourage you to call and make reservations early.
VIP Tour – Lakeland Florida
Florida Southern College – Frank Lloyd Wright Architecture, Lunch and Historic Lakeland Walking Tour
**Please note corrected date for this tour is February 9**
Depart 7:15 a.m. – Return 7:00 p.m. (times are approximate)
Cost: Edison Ford Members: $125; non-members: $140
Join our Membership Program and take advantage of all of our discounts.
Come join us as we venture to Central Florida. Architecture and the history of Lakeland will be the theme of the day.
Frank Lloyd Wright was an American architect, interior designer, writer, and educator who designed over 1,000 buildings and homes. Wright believed in designing structures that were in harmony with humanity and its environment, a philosophy he called organic architecture. Mike Flanders, our CEO and a Registered Architect, will accompany us as we explore a true American treasure in Lakeland, Florida.
In 2012 the Florida Southern College Historic District was designated as a National Historic Landmark by the National Park Service of the Department of Interior for being the largest single-site collection of Frank Lloyd Wright architecture in the world. The campus of Florida Southern College is home to thirteen structures including the newly built Usonian House, the Annie Pfeiffer Chapel, and the Water Dome, to name a few. This is definitely not your typical college campus. We will have a 1.5 hour private tour of the Frank Lloyd Wright structures, which will include historical information about him. To conclude our visit, Debbie Hughes, Edison Ford Senior Horticulturalist will give a talk at the Rose Garden.
Lunch will be included and provided by Mojo Federal Wine and Spirits, which is located in the old federal building. This Georgian Revival style building was designed by James A. Wetmore, acting supervising architect of the Treasury and was completed in 1919. The City of Lakeland invested over $1 Million to restore the structure and has owned the building since 2005.
After lunch we will take a walking tour of historic downtown Lakeland with four very special tour guides. Jim Studiale, Retired Community Development Director; Jim Malless, City Commissioner; John White, Historic Preservation Board Member; and Emily Foster, Senior Planner and Historic Preservation Board Member. This tour will include sites such as the Terrace Hotel, Lake Mirror Tower (formerly the New Florida Hotel), and the Frances Langford Promenade at Lake Mirror.
Cancellation Policy – Cancellations must be made more than 14 days before the tour date to receive a refund, unless your vacancy can be filled.
For questions or to make reservations for this or any tour, please contact Sherri Muske at 239-335-3677 or smuske@edisonford.org. Tours fill up quickly, so we encourage you to call and make reservations early.
UPCOMING TOURS:
March 4-8, 2019: Richmond Hill/Savannah, GA – NEW DETAILS – Ford Plantation, historic Richmond Hill and historic Savannah, Edison Ford Members: $650; nonmembers: $700. The price is per person and includes bus transportation to Richmond Hill/Savannah, GA and return to Fort Myers; snacks on the bus; lunch on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday and admission to all the attractions we visit. The hotel is an additional $159 per night and includes breakfast each day. A deposit of $200 per person will be required by January 25 and the balance will be due by February 22. For details and complete itinerary visit our website at edisonford.org/calendar.
April 13, 2019: Sarasota/Bradenton – Marie Selby Botanical Gardens and South Florida Museum, Edison Ford Members: $125; non-members: $140
Miami VIP Tour
Culture, Cuisine and Conversation at Wynwood Walls Outdoor Museum
Depart 9:00 a.m. – Return 8:00 p.m. (times are approximate)
Cost: Edison Ford Members: $140; non-members: $155 (Includes Miami Fusion Cuisine, transportation and all tours).
Join our Membership Program and take advantage of all of our discounts.
January’s VIP Tour (formerly Director’s Tour) takes us to Miami’s Wynwood District. This will be a day filled with the culture of one of Miami’s most happening districts. The Wynnwood Walls began in 2009 by two collaborating visionaries, Tony Goldman
and Jeffrey Deitch. Today, the Goldman family continues with their vision.
Each year, the Wynwood Walls works to expand and introduce new artists who have never exhibited in the U.S. but are of internationally known. This project shows how the power of art can reignite a neighborhood. Known for its many colorful murals,
the walls of Wynwood showcase large-scale works by some of the best known international street artists. How they created some of the designs on the sides of buildings and walls is truly amazing. This project starts over each year in November and December with new art displayed for the upcoming year. The surrounding streets of Wynnwood include converted warehouses featuring, funky art galleries, breweries, small unique food places and brand name retail shops. There are plans to build condominiums, hotels and many new retailers and restaurants. The unique fusion food of the district marries well with the charm and character of this trendy neighborhood and our day will include all the flavors, food and fun this area has to offer.
We plan to arrive at Wynnwood for a 12:00 p.m. tour. We will be treated to a feast for the eyes and appetite as we weave through the different art and eateries for three hours. You will learn about the art, artists and the food and people of the area. You
will discover massive and enchanting murals, art galleries and graffiti art all while enjoying the delicious and artistic cuisine that celebrates the contemporary vibe of the area. Many guests on past tours have shared that they would like additional time on
their own to explore. You will have time after the tour to spend on your own and revisit or discover new things before we depart at 5:00 p.m.
Cancellation Policy – Cancellations must be made more than 14 days before the tour date to receive a refund, unless your vacancy can be filled. For questions or to make reservations for this or any tour, please contact Sherri Muske at 239-335-3677 or smuske@edisonfordwinterestates.org. Tours fill up quickly, so we encourage you to call and make reservations early.
UPCOMING TOURS:
February 2, 2019: Lakeland – Architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright at Florida Southern College and historic Lakeland tour, Edison Ford Members: $125; non-members: $140
March 4-8, 2019: Richmond Hill/Savannah, GA – Ford Plantation, historic Richmond Hill and historic Savannah, cost TBA
April 13, 2019: Sarasota/Bradenton – Marie Selby Botanical Gardens and South Florida Museum, Edison Ford Members: $125; non-members: $140
