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American Bus Association designates Fort Myers festival one of the best 2003 U.S. events 
 
October 15, 2002, LEE ISLAND COAST, FL – The American Bus Association has selected the Edison Festival of Light in Fort Myers, commemorating the city’s most famous resident, Thomas Edison, to its elite list of the Top 100 Events in North America for 2003.
A southwest Florida tradition, the 65th annual festival is scheduled for Jan. 25 – Feb. 16 with a variety of family-oriented events to honor one of the world’s most remarkable geniuses.  Highlights include a three-day waterfront arts and crafts fair, a downtown block party, a science and inventors fair, a nationally-acclaimed 5K race, children’s parade, and many other events.  The celebration culminates with one of the nation’s largest nighttime parades, the Grand Parade of Light. 
The Edison Festival of Light was chosen from among hundreds of U.S. and Canadian events nominated by state and provincial tourism offices and visitors bureaus.  A distinguished tourism industry selection committee considered the event’s broad appeal, and a variety of other criteria.  A profile of the Edison Festival of Light is published in the October issue of Destinations Magazine, the American Bus Association’s publication.  The event is also listed on the organization’s Web site: www.buses.org .
“As the popularity of the Edison Festival of Light grows, we are delighted that it has received such a distinction from the American Bus Association,” said Jennifer Hussey Keene, executive director of the festival. 
The American Bus Association is a trade organization representing approximately 900 motorcoach owners and tour company operators in the U.S. and Canada.  Another 2,300 members are travel and tourism organizations and bus product suppliers.

Fort Myers is part of the Lee Island Coast on the Gulf of Mexico, which includes Sanibel/Captiva/Pine islands, Fort
Myers Beach, Cape Coral, Bonita Springs and Estero, North Fort Myers, Boca Grande, and Lehigh Acres.  For more information, visit www.LeeIslandCoast.com and www.EdisonFestival.org .