The new monthly Music Walk event returns October 16 for its third month.

The Saturday night event features live music with more than 18 venues, including restaurants, galleries, and bars, plus a variety of street performers in the newly renovated downtown Fort Myers River District.

Music Walk venues and performers showcase a variety of music, from bluegrass and blues, to indie rock, piano, steel drums, and saxophone. The event is the largest of its kind regionally and has helped to prove that the Fort Myers River District is the new center of arts and culture in Southwest Florida.

Music Walk is an all ages event that starts at 7 p.m. and goes until 2 a.m. at many venues. Free parking is available downtown.

The Fort Myers Music Walks in both August and September were huge success stories, bringing out an estimated 3,000 to 4,000 patrons, promoters say. The event is organized by Andy Howl of Howl Gallery/Tattoo with the help of Roger DiCiccio of Red Rock Saloon, Suzy Lewis of Spirits of Bacchus, and Jamie Kuser of Happenings Magazine.

Music Walk exists under the umbrella of the River District Alliance, a non-profit organization that manages downtown events and brings together business owners in the River District.

Highlights of the Saturday, October 16 Music Walk include:

HOWL Gallery/Tattoo – Featuring blues band The Mathis Turley Project from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. and indie rock by The Monarch from 9 to 10 p.m. on the HOWL/Starbucks back patio.

Cigar Bar – Featuring blues by The Danny Shephard Band. Danny Shephard will also be featured on Wink TV Friday morning, October 15, at 8 a.m. during a new monthly Music Walk Wink TV segment.

Sprits of Bacchus – Alternative music by No Way Jose.

Red Rock Saloon – Featuring live music by Crazy Uncle.

Space39 – Experimental jazz by Sonic Combine.

French Connection – Live banjo and bluegrass by Cooter Creek.

Indigo Room – Rockabilly music by Memphis ’56.

Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center – Emma Briggs Coleman, a student at the Cypress Lake Center for the Performing Arts in Fort Myers, 6 to 8 p.m. She sings, plays guitar, drums, harmonica and piano, with pop rock, folk and indie genres.

Hideaway Sports Bar – Featuring blues and classic rock by Triple Threat.

Downtown House of Pizza – Live music by Anthony Wayne.

City Tavern – Live music by Headcount, starts at 10 p.m.

The Veranda – Gary Goetz performs at the world famous Piano Bar.

Hotel Indigo – Father Al and the Jazz Congregation 7 to 11 p.m.

Twisted Vine (formerly H2) – Live music by Patrick Jerome inside. Outside courtyard Mitch Mitchem performs easy listening, jazz, adult contemporary.

Renaissance Creativity Center – A new multimedia learning center and meeting place located in the Arcade Theatre building. Featuring three piece combo “The Sounds” Frank Fazioli on guitar, Bill Dorish in Base, Carmine Lombardo on drums 7 to 9 p.m.