on 
Northstar Church invites you and yours to a Snow Much Fun Day on Sunday, December 22 from 10am-1pm! Open to all Bay County residents, there will be fun for all ages. With real snow, inflatables, food, Christmas photo ops, and much more! The event is being thrown in collaboration with FOR Bay County, so if you would like to volunteer to help create holiday joy, visit the FOR website here. Want to learn more about upcoming Northstar Church events? Visit their website here.
on 
Tallahassee Native Nursery says “Opossum Claus loves relaxing by the cider station, lounging in the swing, greeting everyone as they enter the gift shop, and taking pictures with people. If he doesn’t talk or move, don’t worry — he’s probably just playing dead.”
Opossum Claus only sticks around until December 24th, when he heads off to help Santa deliver gifts. So come see him while you can! The Nursery also has a gorgeous gift shop called The Wren’s Nest. It offers gardening goods like tools, seeds, fertilizers, and more. Holiday gifts such as ornaments, books, shirts, gift certificates, and more are also available. Visit them to find the perfect gift for the plant lover in your life!
on The Pensacola Winterfest is here! This annual event features three live action Christmas-themed train tours are leaving the station even earlier this year. The options include: Polar Express, The Grinch’s Merry Match, and Christmas Tree Heist. Each adventure includes special guests along with musical performances, live readings, and other entertainment. For an additional fee, you can have your holiday photos taken with Santa or Grinch!
Tickets are $16-26 for adults and $10-17 for kids. Open select dates: Dec. 6-8, 13, 15, 20-24. Learn more or purchase your tickets by visiting the Winterfest website.
on 
Today is National Hiking Day! This is an excellent time of year to go out and explore the wilderness around you. Here in the Florida Panhandle and surrounding areas, there’s a number of unique ecosystems to explore at local, state, and national parks. Here’s a list of just a few of the beautiful places to explore today:
on 
Come out to Inlet Beach on 30A to help celebrate the monarch butterflies’ 2,000-mile fall migration from North America to Central America! The Flutterby Arts Festival is Walton County’s annual art, craft, and science fest all about butterflies. This is a family-friendly event that includes live entertainment, hands-on youth art activities, self-guided tours of the Watersound Monarch Art Trail, a butterfly parade, and more. The event runs on November 10th from 9am to 4pm. Learn more by visiting the Cultural Arts Alliance event page here.
on Fall is great time to clean your gutters! Over the year, sticks, leaves, dirt, and other debris have been falling into your gutters. Debris can build up, restricting the flow of water and potentially leading to home damage if not taken care of While you can find someone to take care of the job for you, cleaning the gutters yourself can save you a nice chunk of money. So, what do you need to keep in mind while tackling this task? 
on 
The Tallahassee Museum is once again hosting an adults-only Halloween party as a fundraiser for the museum. The FUN-raiser features live music from the Tobacco Road Band, gourmet eats by local chefs, and an open bar! The theme of this year’s Zoobilee FUN-raiser is Witches and Warlocks. Costumes are encouraged! Come out to the Tallahassee Museum on October 25th from 7-10pm. You can purchase your ticket in advance HERE for only $50 OR buy at the door for $55; proceeds support the Museum’s education, preservation, and conservation services to the community. You must be 21+yrs old to attend.
on 
Panama City Beach is throwing a mega party to celebrate the history of Florida Panhandle swashbuckling sea adventurers. Just in time for the holiday weekend, the Pirates of the High Seas and Renaissance Festival is three days of family fun! People of all ages will enjoy being wowed by the fire circus and live mermaid shows, the fireworks extravaganza, and the Medieval-themed Knights at the Beach Tournament. The Renaissance Fest activities may not have anything to do with pirates historically but it sure makes for a great time, good food, and fun entertainment. Ren Fest activities include chess tournaments, Dungeons and Dragons, knight training, and more!
So come out to Pier Park in Panama City Beach this weekend, October 11th-13th, to enjoy! Click here to learn more.
on 
The Marianna City Farmers Market invites you to celebrate the month with Pumpkins in the Park! This fall festival will feature vendors, games for kids, a photo booth, fall basket giveaway, and an amazing pumpkin patch. Pumpkins in the Park will take place 9am-2pm at 2844 Madison Street. This event is FREE for the community but be sure to bring money to get a head start on holiday shopping with the vendors!
on Hurricane Helene hit landfall as a Category 4 Thursday evening. Shortly after making landfall, it weakened to a tropical storm but the damage was still widespread. Today, relief efforts and first responders are already making headway in the affected areas. If you’re in need of help, try contacting the following services:
If you’re interested in assisting others during this time, here are some resources to help you get started:
The Florida Disaster Fund; Florida’s official private fundraiser for disaster relief. It provides financial assistance to communities as they respond to and recover from emergencies or disasters like Hurricane Helene. Visit The Florida Disaster Fund website for more information or to contribute.
The United Way; assists in disaster-related evacuations, shelters, food/clothing distributions, volunteer opportunities and other resources. Monetary contributions can be made to the United Way of Florida Disaster Fund.