What’s Up FMB starts Island Charm Crawl, secures funding for fireworks
What’s Up FMB is off to a good start this May, with introduction of their “Island Charm Crawl” business initiative, and an announcement that they have raised enough money to cover the cost of fireworks for the Fourth of July.
The Town of Fort Myers Beach had removed funding for a Fourth of July fireworks show due to budget cuts last year.
What’s Up FMB founder Dawn Miller said $129,000 has been funded through donations for the fireworks. In addition to the fireworks, there will be a Fourth of July parade in the morning starting at 10 a.m., followed by a veteran’s event in the afternoon with a ceremony and concert. The fireworks will take place at dusk, around 9 p.m. Miller expects a good turnout to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
Miller said the fundraising for the fireworks was done through the collection of donations from local businesses and individual contributions, as well as promotions by local businesses in which they donated a portion of sales for the fireworks.
Miller cited efforts by Detroit Dawgs in donating $1 for every hot dog sold on Fridays, and The Whale doing a voluntary, optional rounding up of checks for fireworks.
On Cinco de Mayo, Snug Harbor Waterfront Restaurant, Smokin’ Oyster Brewery and Wahoo Willies donated a portion of every Margaritaville sale for the fireworks.
Large donations also came from the Alex King Group and King Family Foundation, Margaritaville Beach Resort, and
Miller is also planning to fundraise to support fireworks for New Year’s Eve.
Miller also announced the introduction of the Island Charm Crawl this month, an island-wide experience to attract Fort Myers Beach visitors to local businesses. Initially intended to run through August, Miller said they will be expanding it through October.
“Our purpose is to bring out-of-season traffic to the island. We are trying to build events in the summer months,” Miller said. “We are trying to rebuild our tourism on the island, bring people back and recreate the vibe we used to have.”
The Island Charm Crawl invites locals and visitors to explore Fort Myers Beach while collecting custom-designed charms from participating businesses. Participants begin by purchasing an official Island Charm Crawl Kit, which includes a branded bag, a What’s Up FMB logo charm, and a crawl map.
“You buy the bag which comes with the map and the stamp card” at a participating business, Miller said. “You go to the various locations and they will have a way for you to purchase your charm, or buy a drink and you get it for free, or you buy some merchandise,” Miller said. “When you are done and you have collected all of your charms from your stamp card, you get a custom charm that says I (heart) Fort Myers Beach.”
Miller said there are 30 businesses participating. The crawl has been a success so far with 500 bags sold so far, and another 80 pre-sale bags have sold for the second round of the crawl, Miller said.
The turnout has been “amazing,” Miller said. “Everybody is excited.” Miller said she didn’t expect such an enthusiastic response.
Miller said it has been a lot of work. “I love our island. I want us to be back,” she said.
Among the businesses participating are The Whale, Alex King Group, The Beach Bar, Cabana’s at Diamondhead Beach Resort, Detroit Dawgs, Island Pancake House, La Ola, Mr. Waves, Smokin’ Oyster Brewery, Petey’s Upper Deck, Snug Harbor Waterfront Restaurant, Wahoo Willies, and Yucatan Beach Stand.
Participants can also collect bonus charms through upcoming summer events including Mullet Madness, the Illuminations Parade and Jobufest. Jobufest will take place May 30 at The Whale. The event will start at 11 a.m. .with a toast at 5:45 p.m. which is meant to stave off a hurricane, along with a reggae band. “It’s all about saving the island,” Miller said.
Those who complete the crawl will earn a limited-edition “Completion Charm.”
The Island Charm Crawl is designed to encourage exploration of Fort Myers Beach while supporting local businesses throughout the summer season, What’s FMB said in an announcement.
Crawl kits are available for $30, with $5 off pre-orders through April 30th. Quantities are limited.
For more information and to reserve a crawl kit, visit:
https://secure.qgiv.com/for/islandcharmcrawl/event/islandcharmcrawl2026-tickets/