2025 BBQ, Bands & Brew raises over $114,000 for Lee BIA Builders Care

FORT MYERS, Fla. - April 4, 2025 - PRLog -- Lee BIA Builders Care's popular BBQ, Bands & Brew fundraising event raised more than $114,000 to support the nonprofit in its mission to provide emergency construction services at no cost to needy and deserving elderly and/or disabled homeowners, and their families, who cannot obtain repairs through traditional means.

The 14th annual festival, held March 30 at Caloosa Sound Amphitheater in downtown Fort Myers, featured a lineup of live performances, food vendors and fun-filled activities for all ages, including a children's play area with a bounce house, balloon artist, face painting, games and more. All proceeds from the event will stay local to provide emergency construction services to Lee County homeowners in need.

Riverside, Soapy Tuna and Ben Allen Band were this year's featured entertainers. Southwest Florida's top pitmasters competed for the title of "Best BBQ in Town," including Big Smoke BBQ & Catering, Gator Creek BBQ Company, Herb's BBQ and Rubs, Not Your Mama's Kitchen, Smokin' Crow's BBQ and That BBQ Place.

Attendees of the event and a panel of celebrity judges helped to name winners in the following categories:

• Best Overall "Best BBQ in Town": Herb's BBQ and Rubs
• People's Choice: Big Smoke BBQ & Catering
• Best Chicken: Herb's BBQ and Rubs
• Best Pork: Gator Creek BBQ Company
• Best Ribs: Gator Creek BBQ Company
• Best Brisket: Herb's BBQ and Rubs
• Best Side Dish: Not Your Mama's Kitchen

All Star Equipment Rentals & Sales was the presenting sponsor for BBQ, Bands & Brew. Major & Official sponsors included Blue Water Construction, Caloosa Sound Amphitheater, City of Fort Myers, eAtlantic Engineering, Florida Install, FUSE Specialty Appliances, Gulfcoast Engineering, Gulf Star Marina, Lee County Sheriff's Office, Luminary Hotel & Co., Plumbing Solutions, Priority Marketing, Royal Palm Coast Realtor Association, Submerged Consultants and Titan Contracting. Promotions sponsors included Big I Fly's, Big Mama, Carter-Pritchett Advertising and Happenings Magazine. Supporting sponsors included American Commercial Group; Aubuchon Homes; Caloosa Cooling; CCA Roofing; Christopher Alan Homes; Crews Environmental; Distinctive Shower, Glass & Mirror; Drake Ready Mix; Extreme Temp Air Conditioning & Heating; Florida Stairworks & Carpentry; Jim Jett Photography; LCEC; Lennar; Liberty Aluminum; LSI Companies; MAB Homes; M.J. Flaherty Builders; MY Shower Door; ODC Construction; R.T. Moore; Stickboy Software & IT and Target Roofing.

To date, Lee BIA Builders Care has helped more than 500 Lee County households and provided over $5 million in emergency construction services and materials at no cost to families and local homeowners in need. Since its inception, the event has raised over $994,000 in support of Lee BIA Builders Care.

To learn more about Builders Care and its mission, visit LeeBuildersCare.org (https://www.leebuilderscare.org/) or call 239-938-0056.