You can “Go Coco Nuts!” in the Cape this weekend at the Annual Coconut Festival, starting Friday, Nov. 9, and running through Sunday, Nov. 11.

The event will take place at Sun Splash Family Waterpark, with local and national big name bands, entertainment, carnival rides and games, food, contests, crafts, and more. That includes the rock legend 38 Special of the mega-hit “Hold On Loosely” fame.

There will also be fireworks and a “Coconut Idol” contest for local youths, with finalists given the chance to open for the rock icons.

38 Special is getting a lot of buzz around town, said the Cape’s Special Events Coordinator Todd King. “This will be the biggest band we’ve ever booked – the response has been crazy. On Saturday night when they play, come early and stay late.”

On Friday, the event will kick-off with country star Chris Cagle on the main stage plus the Toa Tropical Polynesian Dance Team and a Capital Bank Fireworks Spectacular.

On Saturday, besides 38 Special, bands including PUSH and The Atomic Punks (a Van Halen tribute band) will perform, as well as the final round of Coconut Idol performers, and there will be a second Capital Bank Fireworks Spectacular.

“Its our seventh year presenting the festival,” said King. “When I came to Cape Coral, the city manager and Parks & Recreation director wanted to establish an event around the birthday of the city, and make it uniquely Cape Coral. We developed the Coconut Festival with the theme ‘Coco-Nuts’ as our venue, to have circus entertainment, national acts, fireworks, community performers and a carnival.”

The official birthday of the city is in September, but hurricane season and weather activity quickly pushed it back to November.

“The first weathers of winter are nicer temperatures,” he said.

New this year is the “Coconut Cabana Lounge” said Cape Cape Parks & Recreation Events Specialist Lyz Crouthamel. “It’s a 100-foot x 140-foot festival tent with a full bar and giant LED screen TV. It will be a great ‘hang out tent’ for anybody, great to watch the bands, have a drink and for parents to leave a stroller. And there’s no charge.”

Admission is $5, with those 5 and under free, and a regular ride wrist band at the gate is $25.

You can purchase an advance ride wrist band for $20, which includes gate admission, through Nov. 8, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., at the following locations:

n All Cape Coral Capital Bank locations plus the Capital Bank on Metro Parkway in Fort Myers

n Fuccillo KIA of Cape Coral on Pine Island Road

n Cape Coral City Hall (Parks and Recreation Counter on the second floor)

Hours for the festival are Friday, Nov. 9, from 5 p.m. to midnight; Saturday, Nov. 10, from noon to midnight; and Sunday, Nov. 11, from noon to 8 p.m.

Sun Splash Family Waterpark is located at 400 Santa Barbara Blvd. Parking is free, but limited.

For information, go to capecoral.net.