Highland Games in the Panhandle

There are two annual Scottish Highland Game events happening in the Florida Panhandle. 

  • Tallahassee Highland Games (Feb. 3-4, Tallahassee): This Highland Game is part of the International Highland Games Federation. That means there are monetary prizes. There will also be Celtic music performances, Irish step dancing, and more. 
  • Northeast Florida Scottish Highland Games and Festival (Feb. 24, Green Cove Springs): This Highland Game is just for fun! The festival salutes Scotland with Highland dance performances, fiddle playing, food, pipes and drums shows, and more. 

New Year’s Eve!

Happy New Year’s Eve everyone! Be sure to celebrate responsibly and safely. Heading to a New Year’s party this evening? Check out some fun facts below to break the ice and wow your friends/family with your holiday knowledge. 

  • The first gathering in Times Square for New Year’s started as a party to celebrate the opening of the New York Times building in 1904. Over 200,000 people attended. The success grew and grew until the Times Square celebration we know today; approximately 1 MILLION people attended in person last year.
  • The first ball drop wasn’t until 1907. Prior to the ball drop, fireworks were used. However, they frequently dropped embers on the crowd and were considered too dangerous. 
  • Instead of a ball drop, Miami, Florida rings in the new year with a rising orange. The raising of Mr. Neon, a 35-foot, sunglass-clad metal fruit, has been a tradition for over 30 years.

Winter Wonder Wagon Rides

Panama City is hosting a Winter Wonder Wagon ride for all ages! Enjoy the beauty and picturesque holiday charm of Historic Downtown Panama City. Many of the small businesses have decorated their storefronts and the streets have been decorated with lights. Tomorrow, December 29th, is the LAST day to enjoy this charming experience. Tickets are required and are going fast. Click HERE to get your tickets now; each ticket is $5. Children 3 and under may ride, for free, on an adult’s lap. Please arrive at least 10 minutes early to check in; meet in front of the fountain at Gateway Park. 

Lighthouse Illumination Tour

From now until January 13th, take part in a special Lighthouse Illumination tour. On select dates, visit the St. Augustine lighthouse rotunda AND enjoy a special holiday light display along the grounds. Visitors can explore the Keeper’s house and grounds illuminated by holiday lights and decor before their trip up the 219 steps of the lighthouse. The trip to the top of the lighthouse will reveal a bird’s eye view of the city’s Night of Lights display. Additionally, there will be 20 decorated Christmas trees for visitors to view.

Visit their website to book your tour now! Reservations are required as dates fill up quickly; click HERE to visit the booking page now. 

Thanksgiving and More

Happy Thanksgiving to those who celebrate! Today is a celebration of family, friends, and tradition.

Over the last decade, many individuals have turned away from the traditional celebration of ‘Thanksgiving’ to celebrate in other ways. People have begun to recognize that the story of a kind, collaborative Thanksgiving between the pilgrims on the Mayflower and the indigenous tribes was nothing more than a myth taught to elementary school children. In fact, the first ‘Thanksgiving’ was likely a celebratory dinner in 1637 following what’s now known as the Pequot Massacre. After killing over 700 men, women, and children of the Pequot Tribe, Governor John Winthrop of the Massachusetts Bay Colony declared the next day would be “a day of thanksgiving and celebration for subduing the Pequots.

Understandably, many people choose to move away from celebrating a tradition rooted in murder, terror, and racism. Still, the celebration of friends, family, and thanks is not something to completely abandon. Many now celebrate the themes of the season via alternative holidays occurring during the same time.

  1. The National Day of Mourning is an annual protest held on Thanksgiving Day. Protesters acknowledge the historical and current suffering of Native American people.
  2. National Day of Listening falls on the day after Thanksgiving. It encourages individuals to broaden their perspective by listening to someone who is a member of a marginalized group.
  3. Friendsgiving. This is a celebration of friendship and found family; gather those closest to you for a potluck, a traditional holiday meal, or a day of snacks and games. 
  4. Thankskilling. A niche celebration that is growing in popularity on the internet. Many combine it with Friendsgiving. This particular celebration brings awareness to the true story of the ‘first thanksgiving’ while also indulging in fun activities such as watching bad movies. There is a growing selection of bad Thanksgiving movies such as Killer Turkey, ThanksKilling, The McPherson Tape, and more. 

Ghost Tours

Just in time for the spooky season, here are two options for ghost experiences in the Florida Panhandle. Both offer unique views of an areas haunted, historic past.

In Apalachicola, join a ghostly night tour of the downtown area. It’s a 90-minute tour lead by an experienced guide who uses ghost-hunting equipments. Select tour participants will be allowed to work the EMF detectors! If the macabe is more your speed, sign up for the “Ghost Stories and Poe” tour which is lead by a ghostly “Edgar Allen Poe” character; he retells local lore and paranormal investigations. The Ghost Tours are available throughout October while the “Ghost Stories and Poe” tour is available only on Oct. 13, 14, 27 and 28. Visit the ghost tour website HERE to secure your spot or learn more.

Milton’s Ghost Walk, held annually on October 21-22, regularly attracts more than two thousand people! The city’s Halloween ghost walks explore Milton’s eerie past via community ‘ghosts.’ The tour leaves every 15 minutes starting at 6pm each evening. Come out to learn about the scary history of this small town. Be sure to bring a sweater as temperatures are expected to dip into the 60s or below. Learn more by visiting the event listing HERE

Willis House Grand Opening

The Willis House Bed & Breakfast is a beautiful historic property undergoing renovation. Owner Karen Kirkland would like to invite everyone to celebrate a dual event: her 50th birthday AND the grand re-opening of her childhood home!

The home will serve as a quaint, refreshing bed and breakfast that features a lovely 6-acre property. With grand wraparound porches and what seems to be endless old-growth live oaks, the property is a lovely escape from modern life. Stop in anytime between 11:00 AM – 7:00 pm on October 7th to enjoy the Grand Opening. Take a peaceful stroll through the shaded oaks, sit and ponder on the porch, or view the home. There will be food trucks on the property. Learn more by visiting the Facebook event page

Panhandle Pioneer Settlement Rentals

The Pioneer Camp is excited to offer new rental options for families or large group gatherings. This is a great getaway for individuals, families, and youth/adult group gatherings for both single-day or overnight options. For additional information, pricing, and availability, please contact the office at 850-674-2777 or visit the Panhandle Pioneer website

How Did Two Egg Get its Name?

Two Egg is a small Florida gem of a town located at the intersection of State Road 69 and State Road 69A. A few local fables are discussing how the town got its name. The most prevalent is that, during the Depression in the 1930s, cash was very hard to come by so locals began to trade farm products for other staples in store. It is believed that two boys used to come in with two eggs from their family farm to trade for sugar. It essentially became a local joke to refer to the store as the “two egg store” and the name stuck.

Celebrate Ice Cream

Today is National Soft Ice Cream Day! This annual event celebrates ice cream and all the happy memories it has facilitated. Remember late-night ice cream runs with friends? Enjoying the first cone of the summer? The joy of dippin’ dots when visiting NASA? Ice cream pops up in the happiest of places. 

Ice cream wasn’t available to the general public until the 1800s thanks to the creation of ice houses and other cold storage constructions. Nowadays, it’s a lot easier to enjoy your favorite soft serve. Looking for a creamery to visit today in celebration? While you can find chain creameries such as Baskin Robbins and Dairy Queen almost anywhere, visiting locally-owned ice cream parlors is worthy of a special occasion. See the list below for some suggestions across the Florida Panhandle.