Swamp Buggy Races, the Collier County Fair and other Naples events worth a trip

Four big recurring Collier County events for families, with the confirmed 2026–27 dates, venues, tickets and drive times from north Naples.

Updated October 20266 min readBy the Naples Retreat hosts

The Naples Retreat, a private pool home in north Naples — The Naples Retreat, our private pool home in north Naples.

Some Naples events only make sense here. Mud-racing buggies, a county fair with livestock and midway rides, a boat show split between a park and the city dock. Here's what's on the calendar for the 2026–27 season. Dates were checked on the official sites in October 2026. Confirm before you book flights, because race days can move for weather.

At a glance

Event	Next date	Venue	Drive*
Swamp Buggy Races	Jan 24, Feb 28 & Apr 3, 2027	Florida Sports Park	about 25 min
Naples Boat Show	Jan 21–24, 2027	Sugden Regional Park + Naples City Dock	about 25 min
Collier County Fair	Mar 18–28, 2027	Collier County Fairgrounds	about 20 min
Everblades hockey	Oct 17, 2026 – Apr 10, 2027	Hertz Arena, Estero	about 25 min

*Drive times are estimates from north Naples (Pine Ridge Rd & Logan Blvd) and depend on traffic, especially in winter.

Swamp Buggy Races

Sun Jan 24, 2027Sun Feb 28, 2027Sat Apr 3, 2027About 25 min drive

Swamp buggies are homemade, high-horsepower machines raced through a flooded mud track. It's a Naples tradition going back more than 75 years, and nothing else on this list is as local. The 2026–27 season has three race days at Florida Sports Park on Rattlesnake Hammock Road, east of Collier Boulevard: the Winter Classic (January 24), the Spring Classic (February 28) and the Coors Banquet Cup Finals (April 3).

The free Swamp Buggy Parade runs the day before the Winter Classic, on Saturday, January 23, 2027, from 10 am to noon. It heads south on US-41 from Fleischmann Boulevard to 3rd Avenue South. Pair the two for a full weekend.

General admission and VIP tickets are sold at swampbuggy.com. Prices weren't posted when we checked, so look there for current rates.

Naples Boat Show

Jan 21–24, 202710 am–5 pm daily$15 advance · $20 gateKids 12 and under free with an adultAbout 25 min drive

Run by the Marine Industries Association of Collier County. Boats on land are at Sugden Regional Park on Avalon Drive, and boats in the water are at the Naples City Dock, with a free shuttle between the two. Kids can walk the docks and look over the boats. The show ends the same weekend as the Winter Classic and the parade, so one January trip can cover all three.

Collier County Fair

Mar 18–28, 2027Free parkingFree ages 3 and underAbout 20 min drive

The 51st annual fair runs 11 days at the Collier County Fairgrounds, off Immokalee Road east of Collier Boulevard. Expect rides, fair food, livestock and shows. Admission for adults and kids 4–11 varies by day, so check the daily schedule on collierfair.com. Active and retired U.S. military get in free with ID. For 2026 the fair sold a MegaPass online before opening day for $37.50: one person, one day, with rides included. Watch for 2027 pricing.

Florida Everblades hockey

Home opener Sat Oct 17, 2026, 7 pmHome finale Sat Apr 10, 2027About 25 min drive

The Everblades play minor-league (ECHL) hockey at Hertz Arena in Estero, just north of the county line. They open the season by raising their 2026 Kelly Cup championship banner. If you can't time a trip around the big events, a hockey night works on most weekends of the season. The team's promo calendar includes family nights: Winter Wonderland (December 18), Marvel Super Hero Night (January 8), Crayola Night and Kids Takeover (January 9) and Toy Story Night (February 6). Single-game tickets are on sale at floridaeverblades.com.

Tips for families

Dress for mud. Seats near the Swamp Buggy track can get splashed. Pack old shoes and a change of clothes, and bring ear protection for little kids. The engines are loud.
Book January and March early. Race weekends, the boat show and the fair all land in peak season, when Naples fills up.
Have a weather plan. Buggy races have been postponed for standing water before. Check swampbuggy.com the morning of the race.
Take two cars for a big group. Parking at the fair is free, and splitting up lets part of the group head home early.
Check the fair's daily schedule. Admission changes by day, so pick your day before you buy.

Not announced yet

Swamp Buggy ticket prices and 2027 Collier County Fair daily admission prices weren't posted when we checked in October 2026.

Stay at The Naples Retreat

Our 2.5-acre pool home in north Naples sleeps 13 in 4 bedrooms, with parking for several cars. After a muddy race day, the kids get a private saltwater pool, a game room and a playground.

Check dates & price

Quick answers

When are the Swamp Buggy Races in 2027?

The 2026–27 season has three race days at Florida Sports Park in Naples: the Winter Classic on Sunday, January 24, 2027, the Spring Classic on Sunday, February 28, 2027, and the Coors Banquet Cup Finals on Saturday, April 3, 2027. The Swamp Buggy Parade is Saturday, January 23, 2027.

When is the Collier County Fair 2027?

The 51st annual Collier County Fair runs March 18–28, 2027, at the Collier County Fairgrounds off Immokalee Road in Naples. Parking is free.

When is the Naples Boat Show 2027?

January 21–24, 2027, from 10 am to 5 pm daily, at Sugden Regional Park and the Naples City Dock, with a free shuttle between them. Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at the gate. Kids 12 and under get in free with a paying adult.

When do the Florida Everblades play at home?

The 2026–27 home opener is Saturday, October 17, 2026, at Hertz Arena in Estero. The regular-season home finale is Saturday, April 10, 2027.

More Naples guides

Sources (checked October 2026). Fees and hours change, so confirm before you go.