Author: Debbie Roney Smith

Great Gulfcoast Art Festival

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Today is the last day to score one-of-a-kind holiday gifts at the annual Great Gulfcoast Art Festival. Over 200 artisans will be displaying their creations: pottery, jewelry design, painting, woodworking, glass, sculptures, and more will be available. Other festival highlights include live music, food, performances by local dancers and folk groups, craft demos of traditional trade skills like blacksmithing and spinning in the Heritage Arts Area, and the Student Art Show. Visit Seville Square Park in Pensacola today from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. to enjoy the last day of this amazing Art Festival. 

Frank Brown International Songwriters Festival

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The 37th Annual Frank Brown International Songwriters Festival is underway! From November 4 – 14th, over 200 performers will be performing at 20 different venues along the Florida & Alabama Gulf Coast. Some highlights include Dean Dillon, Rick Carter, Tess Frizzell, and Bridgette Tatum. A few of the panhandle local venues are the Flora-Bama Central Church, the Southwest Branch Library, Hub Stacy’s, and The Point Restaurant (all located in Pensacola).

Visit the Festival website to view the complete list of venues, the performer schedule, and more! Can’t make it to any of the venues? The Festival has created a Spotify playlist featuring a number of hits that will be played live for your continual enjoyment.

 

Seafood Festival in Apalachicola

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Today and tomorrow, visit Battery Park in Apalachicola for the Florida Seafood Festival! The festival includes more than delicious seafood; there will be live music, food competitions, blue crab races, a blessing of the fleet, and the 5K Redfish Run. Music will be provided by country artists Dante Bowe and Drew Parker. Admission is free. Pets are not welcome unless they are service animals. Visit the Florida Seafood Festival website to see a detailed schedule of events, join any of the competitive events, and more!

Son et Lumiere: Foo Foo Festival!

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Part of the Foo Foo Festival, Son et Lumiere is a sound and light 3D projection show. A free experience for all ages, it will occur every 30mins from 7 – 9:30 p.m. on November 4-7th. The show is a digital projection on the old Escambia County Courthouse; it is a visual spectacular designed to mix history and technology. The show depicts scenes, people, optical illusions, and imagery from the last 200 years to create an interactive, modern experience. Visit the Son et Lumiere event page here for more information on the history of the concept, event details, and more. 

Welcome Home Blue Angels!

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The Blue Angels are returning to their home base for the winter after spending the last few months traveling and performing across the country. The Homecoming Air Show will begin at the Naval Air Station Pensacola on Wednesday, followed by Thursday’s dress rehearsal, and then the weekend shows. Due to Covid restrictions, the air show was moved to Pensacola Beach. The Homecoming shows on Friday and Saturday will run from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. For a detailed itinerary, head to the official Visit Pensacola website. Public and paid parking will be available. 

Veterans Fair

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The GFWC Marianna Woman’s Club is partnering with the Chipola Civic Club to host the 7th annual Veterans Day Program. This Friday, November 5th, all veterans are invited to come down to Madison Street Park for the fair. From 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., veterans will have the opportunity to receive information from a selection of vendors. Additionally, a sausage dog lunch will be available for free while live music is performed by the Charlie Basford Band. Door prizes will be passed out at the end of the program. 

*Masks and social distancing are encouraged

Happy Birthday Black Dog Cafe!

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Congratulations on 24 years of female-owned excellence, Black Dog Cafe! The Cafe is giving back to celebrate their birthday today, November 1st, by offering a free coffee when customers bring in a donation for Second Harvest Food Bank. Black Dog is open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. and offers a wide selection of coffee, drinks, pastries, and frozen treats; everything is sustainably and locally sourced. Some come out to Lake Ella today to enjoy the lovely weather, great drinks, and do some good for the community!

Second Harvest Food Bank accepts donations of non-perishable food items, and would like to draw attention to their most needed items:

  • Fruits
  • Vegetables
  • Grains
  • Protein Foods
  • Dairy/Dairy Alternatives
  • Canned Meals (ex: soups, chowders, and chili)
  • Nutritional drinks (ex: Ensure, Boost)
  • Baby Food
  • Non-food Items (ex: diapers, toiletries)

Visit their official website here to view a detailed list or learn more about the organization. 

Halloween Mulled Cider Recipe

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Happy Halloween and Merry Samhain! Today is a wonderful day for kids looking to enjoy free candy but what about those adults a little too old to get away with knocking on neighbor’s doors? Consider trying the delicious mulled cider recipe below.

  • In a large pot on the stove, add ingredients and bring to simmer: 1 quart of your favorite burgundy, port wine, or red wine. For non-alcoholic cider, use 1 quart of apple cider, cranberry, or other fruit juice. Allspice, clove, orange peel, cinnamon sticks, and anise stars to the desired flavor. 1/8 cup of sugar/brown sugar OR to taste.
  • Simmer for 30mins or longer – the longer it sits, the richer the taste!
  • Take the pot off the heat and add 1 ounce (or more to taste) of vodka, rum, or brandy.

     

    Halloween 2021: Fast Facts

    Debbie Roney Smith on

    Tomorrow is Halloween! To celebrate, keep reading to learn some fun facts about the history and current celebration of the holiday:

    • Halloween did not reach mainstream consciousness in the U.S.A until the 1800s when the mass immigration of Scottish and Irish people allowed their traditions to flourish here – traditions that helped form the modern celebration of Halloween as we know it. 
    • The largest Halloween Parade in the world is held by New York’s Greenwich Village; over 50,000 participants in costume make up the parade while millions of spectators visit Manhattan to observe the fun. 
    • Trick-or-treating is a product of the medieval practice of mumming. Mumming refers to the practice of costumed actors parading streets and performing at homes for feast days such as Hallows Eve, Christmas, Shrove Tuesday, and Twelfth Night. 
    • Trunk-or-treating was created as a safer, easier alternative to trick-or-treating for rural communities who live farther apart. 

    The Great Pupkin Match!

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    The Animal Service Center of Tallahassee is having its first event in almost two years this Saturday! With over 90 adoptable dogs, Tallahassee Animal Services is hosting an outdoor adoption matchmaking event. The Great Pupkin Match will have meet and greet tents, music, food trucks, giveaways, and a cute festive photo station! Come out and find the love of your life from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. this Saturday. If you would like to save time, you can fill out an application to pre-approved HERE.