Each summer from mid-June until mid-August 40,000 to 50,000 purple martins from Brazil arrive in the Ft. Myers area. Each night they roost in only four trees located on Hendry Street downtown. They arrive at dusk after foraging during the day; the sky is blackened by the soaring flight of the martins. People gather each night to watch this magnificent display of nature. This has become such an occassion that there was actually a Purple Martin Festival Friday night, July 31st! It was held at the Bar Association Restaurant in downtown Ft. Myers. This was a celebration in honor of the Purple Martins roosting in the four trees along Edison Street near the restaurant. If you were in Ft. Myers at the time, hopefully you caught sight of the many Purple Martins. And if you weren't around, it happens every year.