Author: Debbie Roney Smith

Tallahassee’s Model Railroad Show & Sale is Back

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The 34th Annual Tallahassee Model Railroad Show & Sale is happening this month! Come out to the North Florida Fairgrounds June 28-29th to enjoy a day packed with all things model railroads. Model train enthusiasts and hobbyist conductors will be in train heaven with over 150 tables of miniature trains, accessories, apparel, and collectibles to peruse. New and used items will be available from vendors like LGB, Aristocraft, Lionel, American Flyer, Atlas, Kato, and more should. This year’s show will feature T-Trak layouts in “N”, “HO”, and “O-27” scales. The event host, the Big Bend Model Railroad Association, will display their own layouts featuring animation and new technology. Guests will be able to talk with equipment, construction, landscaping, and technology experts. Learn more by visiting the event webpage here. 

Blueberries for Father’s Day

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Blue Sky Berry Farm is offering a Father’s Day weekend special!

Bring a dad out Father’s Day weekend to enjoy 20% off blueberries and flowers.

Visit them June 14th and 15th from 8am-12pm in Monticello.

Want to keep up-to-date with announcements and potential weather cancellations?

Follow the Facebook event page. 

Wild Blackberry Festival

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Hamilton County is the Wild Blackberry Capital of the Sunshine State. This is rather impressive as most of North America’s blackberry production occurs on the West coast due to weather needs. Blackberries, like many deciduous berries, require a set amount of chill hours to produce fruit. The phrase ‘chill hours’ refers to the accumulation of hours at temperatures under 45°F. Blackberry varieties have chilling requirements ranging from 300 to 900 hours; here in North Florida, the average chill hours range from 500-700. Suffice to say, Hamilton County farmers’ work hard to make sure their berries produce prolifically!

To celebrate, the City of Jasper is hosting a Wild Blackberry Festival on June 9th. Visit Heritage Village from 8am-1pm to enjoy a jam-packed day of family fun. The festival kicks off with a blackberry pancake breakfast. Other entertainment throughout the day includes a concert by Teddy MacElvis and the Legends, craft vendors, the Miss Blackberry pageant, kids games, and food vendors. And, of course, all things blackberry! There will be homemade cobblers, jams, jellies, and pints of fresh-picked blackberries. There will even be blackberry plants for sale if you want to try your hand at growing your own. 

Learn more by visiting the Festival Facebook page. 

Southern Shakespeare Festival

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The Southern Shakespeare Company will be performing Henry IV, Part 1 under the stars to close out the year. The production guest stars Wil Johnson from HBO’s House of the Dragon, and is directed by Conner Wilson from Broadway’s Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. Emmy Award winner Kelsey Scott (12 Years a Slave and The Walking Dead) and comedian Kevin McDonald (The Kids in the Hall and Lilo and Stitch) will also perform during the 10th anniversary event.

The Bardlings, the company’s youth acting troupe, will be performing a streamlined version of The Tempest on Saturday, May 10th and Sunday, May 11th. The festival is free. Please note that the seats are first-come, first-serve. Performances will take place at the Adderley Amphitheater in Cascades Park, Tallahassee. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to bring their own lawn chairs and blankets.

There will also be art vendors and food trucks on site before and during the performances. Please bring cash. Learn more by visiting the Southern Shakespeare Festival website. 

Spring Harvest Tour – GA & FL

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Find the complete tour guidebook by clicking HERE.

Brought to you by the Millstone Institute of Preservation, the Spring Harvest Tour 2025 will take you on a self-guided tour of over 30 different local businesses. Highlighting local producers, growers, and creators through South Georgia and North Florida, the tour will take place May 10th and 11th. 

Many of the featured businesses will be hosting classes, workshops, talks, or other activities throughout the weekend. More information on each participant’s offering can be found in the guidebook. Some highlights include: Allison Acres offering a class on blueberry care, Sandhills Native Nursery offering a Native Harvest talk, Forty Creeks Farms’ Sustainable Gardening Practices talk, and Sweet Magnolia Ridge’s cooking demonstrations – all just a fraction of the offered opportunities!

The Institute recommends that you come prepared: bring a cooler for all your goodies, wear close-toed shoes, bring sunscreen and bug spray, carry cash, and bring plenty of water.

 

Blue Angels

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The Blue Angels are back in town for practice, and this year they’re allowing the public in to watch! The National Naval Aviation Museum will be hosting the practices. The gates will open at 9:30am, with the Blue Angels soaring into the skies at 10:30am. The Museum parking lot fills up quick, so be sure to be at the gates early – once the lot fills up, the gates will close. 

The last of April’s dates include today and tomorrow, April 30th. But no fear! The Blue Angels will be practicing through October. Best of all, some of the practice sessions will end with autograph sessions. Visit the Museum website to learn more about the autograph sessions, including the specific dates. 

 

Summer Fun Passport

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Jackson County is once again offer the Summer Fun Passport! The Passport kicks off Memorial Day Weekend, and gives kids’ the chance to explore, play, and discover the coolest spots in Jackson County. The Passport will include point collection, prizes, and unforgettable memories. Kids’ will receive their Summer Fun Passport from their school. There will also be some available at the Russ House in the Visitor Center. Keep an eye on the Visit Jackson County website for future announcements and details! 

2nd Annual Sandhills Celebration

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Click image to learn more!

Founded in the Bay County, Sandhills Native Nursery is hosting their 2nd Annual Sandhills Celebration! It’s an event focused on education and conservation taking place on April 12th &13th. Join them for two family-friendly days of scheduled educational talks, local community organizations, animal ambassadors, local artists, food, trails, and more! The event is free to attend but bring cash for art vendors, food and drinks from local cafe Wild Root, plant purchases, and more. Parking is limited, please carpool. 

 

Coastal Plant Giveaways

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Escambia County is hosting two FREE costal plant giveaways for the public this April. The giveaways will take place at Pensacola Beach and Perdido Key. The plants will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Additionally, there will be a limit of one plant grouping per household. Participating citizens will receive a small grouping of several species to encourage diversity and resiliency within the coastal ecosystem. The giveaway plant species include sea oats, blue stem, dune sunflower, blazing star, blanket flower, beach morning glory, and other coastal natives. The plants are being donated by Gulf Coast Fencing and Dune Restoration following local seed collection as part of the Pensacola Beach Dune Restoration Project. Please bring small boxes or baskets to transport plants.

Plant giveaways will take place at the following locations at the following times:

April 25: 11 a.m.-1 p.m., Perdido Key Community Center, 15500 Perdido Key Drive
April 26: 11 a.m.-1 p.m., Pensacola Beach Community Church, 920 Panferio Drive

 

Kays247 New Location

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Blountstown’s favorite BBQ restaurant has opened a new location in Marianna. Kays247 is now serving the community at 4527 Lafayette Street. Their current hours are 11am to 7pm, Tuesday through Saturday. Located across from Enterprise Car Rental, this homestyle BBQ restaurant offers both dine-in and take-out. Learn more by visiting the Kays247 BBQ Facebook page.