Banyan Square Opens While Riverside Park Finishes: Downtown Bonita Springs' Fall Handoff on Old 41

At 7:30 tonight, Thursday, October 29, City of Bonita Springs officials will cut the ribbon on Banyan Square at 27381 Old 41 Road. The new splash pad there shoots water up to 20 feet during its evening shows, and 54 lights in the banyan tree are synced to the show. Most years, the start of the downtown season would mean Riverside Park. This year the park is still under construction, so the new square is the downtown gathering spot that's actually open as the season begins.

The handoff matters if you plan your evenings around Old 41. For the next several weeks, the downtown calendar runs between a brand-new square and a park that isn't finished yet, and knowing which one is open will save you a wasted trip.

The square that opened first

The City calls Banyan Square a place for families and children to cool off, and the City's announcement has more technical detail than most park openings get.

• 74 lights and nozzles make up the fountain. The nozzles can run one at a time or in groups.
• Daytime "play fountain" sprays reach about six feet, which is splash height for kids.
• Evening shows push water up to 20 feet, with colored lighting timed to music.
• The trees are part of the show. Along with the 54 lights in the banyan, four lights in the oak tree are synced to the fountain.
• Four 360-degree speakers sit around the edge of the fountain.
• Filtration and chlorination are similar to what community pools use, according to the City.

The project also includes new restrooms on the Banyan Lot, which matters if you're downtown with children for more than a few minutes.

The first show was written for Halloween. Through Saturday, October 31, the fountain runs a 10-minute Halloween show every night as part of the City's free Happy Haunts stroll, which goes from 5:30 to 10 p.m. The City's notice covers only the Halloween run. For regular show times after that, check the City of Bonita Springs website or call 239-949-6262.

If you're coming Saturday, plan for Trick or Treat on Old 41 from 5 to 8 p.m. Old 41 will be closed between Wilson and Dean streets from 4 to 9 p.m.

Why the timing matters: Riverside Park is still behind the fences

Banyan Square wasn't supposed to open on its own. In April, the City said the splash pad and Riverside Park's second phase were both "on track for a grand opening in Winter 2026." The splash pad came in ahead of that. The City's downtown project page still lists Riverside Park construction as running from April through November 2026, and the Bonita Springs Parks page says the bandshell is closed, with reopening planned for "late fall." The City hasn't announced a reopening date, so watch the City's downtown events page before you head over.

The rebuild deals with a problem regulars will remember. SWFL.Life reported in April that the renovation was first proposed because the event lawn was worn down by everyday use plus large community events. City Council approved funding in September 2024. According to that report, the redesigned park includes:

1. A synthetic turf event lawn built for heavy foot traffic
2. A permanent performance stage and bandshell improvements
3. More paved seating areas and shaded gathering spots
4. Wider walkways with room for vendors
5. More parking and bike racks, plus better pedestrian connections
6. The existing live oaks, memorial trees, and public art, all kept in place
7. Upgraded veterans memorial and flagpole areas
8. Future connections to Depot Park and the artist cottages

The park has been closed since April, except for a brief reopening for Star Spangled Bonita on the Fourth of July. That's why Banyan Square's timing matters. For most of 2026, downtown didn't have a public place to gather, and the new square fills that gap just as the seasonal crowds arrive.

The handoff calendar

Look at where the season's events are booked and you can see the plan. The early events stay close to Old 41 and the Liles Hotel area. By mid-December, the calendar moves back to Riverside Park, and by January it's the art festival's home again.

The Wednesday market is the one to watch. The Bonita Springs Lions' market page lists it "By Riverside Park" every Wednesday from November 2026 through April 2027, starting November 4, and doesn't mention a move. Since that first Wednesday comes while park construction is still on the schedule, check the Lions' page that morning for any change. The December concerts on the City's approved-events list are the first sign that the City expects the rebuilt park to be ready, and Arts Bonita's festival dates put the art festival back on the new lawn starting in January.

Around the square: the regular stops

The new square is close to places downtown regulars already know, and they give a fountain visit a breakfast before it or a dinner after.

Survey Cafe, 10530 Wilson St. The cafe's own site lists hours of 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily, plus dinner from 5 to 8 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. On Friday and Saturday nights, that dinner window lines up with the fountain's evening hours.

Buffalo Chips Restaurant, 26620 Old 41 Rd. Visit Naples calls it a local fixture "since 1982," which makes it older than most of what's changing downtown.

Everglades Wonder Gardens, 27180 Old 41 Rd. The admission page lists daily hours of 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., with last admission at 3 p.m. The gardens close in the afternoon and the fountain shows happen at night, so a family can do both in one day without the plans overlapping.

Liles Hotel, the Kris Kringle Village venue on December 12 and 13. The City's Things to Do page lists the Liles Hotel History Center displays as open Monday through Friday, 9 to 5. That page isn't dated, so call ahead while park work wraps up.

Parking has changed too. The Bamboo lot stopped being public parking on December 1, 2025. On-street spaces and the Felt's Avenue lot are still available, according to the City. That lot was taken out of service for a reason, which leads to the last part of the handoff.

What fills in through 2027

The old Bamboo lot is becoming Imperial 41, a mixed-use project from Barron Collier Companies that spans the Imperial River. It's a public-private partnership with the City. Plans include homes, retail, offices, and public spaces with water access points, a fire pit, bike racks, and restrooms. On June 10, 2026, Barron Collier announced the first tenants: Oberweis Ice Cream and Dairy, Simple Beauty Studio, Old Bonita Surf Shop, and The Brass Alligator. Tenant spaces are expected to be delivered in summer 2027.

Smaller openings have come in along the way. SWFL.Life reported in April that WichCraft Gourmet Sandwiches had opened at 27975 Old 41 Road, Suite 105. In June, the same outlet reported that Hide A Wai, a mojito bar and distillery, had opened in the former Imperial River Laundromat building on Old 41. Both opened this spring and summer, so check current hours before you go. Further out, WINK News reported that the owner of SugarShack is planning HoneyHole Downtown, a live-music restaurant on Old 41 targeted for early 2027.

Banyan Square opens tonight, Riverside Park's December concerts follow, the art festival returns to the new lawn in January, and the Imperial 41 storefronts are expected in summer 2027.

If you're downtown for the ribbon cutting tonight and wondering how all this new activity on Old 41 might affect a home nearby, I'm happy to talk it through over coffee at Survey Cafe. You can reach me through Mcalear Properties. Let's Connect.