This is Halloween 2025

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Happy Halloween!

Did you know that Halloween came from the Gaelic festival Samhain? It was celebrated on November 1st as a way to mark the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter. Over some 2,000 years, it shifted and became a commercial holiday after immigrants brought it over to the ‘new world’ from the 1600s to the 1800s. After the influx of Irish immigrants during the USA’s colonization, candy bigwigs like Lifesavers, Beech-Nut, and Curtiss are the second biggest influence on Halloween as we know it. 

This is because candy companies realized trick-or-treating could be very lucrative for them in the 1950s. Between attractive themed packaging and a focus on single-item packaging for safety, candy was a growing market after most folks went without sugar during WWII. According to candy expert historian Beth Kimmerle, the marketing message from candy companies in the 1950s was, “If you buy the right candy, you won’t get tricked.” Candy ads from the ’50s and ’60s indirectly guarantee safety from pranks, razors, or mystery drugs if only you buy the right brand. 

Interestingly, the candy industry single handedly carries Halloween as a commercial holiday – over $3 billion is spent each year on Halloween candy just in the U.S.A. 

If you’re looking for your own Halloween score, consider Truck or Treat in Blountstown, Cutest Costume Contest in Marianna, Trunk or Treat in Bristol, or Final Friday in Chattahoochee. 

There’s no shortage of fun events happening across the Panhandle tonight, but what about tomorrow? Look no further than the Fountain based Decker Training Facility. They’ll be hosting Boo at the Track tomorrow, November 1st from 12pm-4pm. The event will have 20+ local business vendors, raffles, kids activities, food, and all day open ride on the track. Learn more by visiting their Facebook page. 

Downtown Marianna – Historical Transformation

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Main Street Marianna is excited to announce that a piece of local history is being preserved through transformation into something truly special! The included image offers a look at The St. Luke’s Grant Funded Project Renderings brought to you by David H. Melvin, Inc. Consulting Engineers. It’s a stunning new venue and event space coming soon to Downtown Marianna. 

Conservation Park in PCB

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Conservation Park is one of Panama City Beach’s favorite destinations for locals and visitors. It was established in the early 2000s with two fundamental goals in mind: protect and balance natural resources while providing outdoor recreational opportunities. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Corp of Engineers, and the Florida Department of Fish and Wildlife worked together to bring over 2,900 acres under protection. They use the city’s reclaimed water to rehydrate the wetlands that were decimated by commercial logging. Along with bringing new life to crucial ecosystems, it also provides over 24-plus miles of trails and over a mile of boardwalks for public recreation.

Open from dusk to dawn every day of the week, it welcomes bikers, hikers, photographers, kids, birders, adults, walkers, artists, and well-behaved dogs on leashes. The trails range anywhere from 0.6 miles to 11 miles, with 12 different trails to choose from. There’s always something new to see with some much space to explore; see beautiful wildflowers, hear a variety of bird calls, or simply enjoy a stroll through shady cypress swamps. 

Looking for a reason to go see Conservation Park for yourself? Join the City of Panama City Beach at the park for their 2025 Fall Walk! It will take place on October 14th from 3:30-4:30pm at Conservation Park (100 Conservation Drive). 

PCB Oktoberfest 2025

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Panama City Beach’s annual Oktoberfest is geared towards the 21+ crowd primarily due to it’s focus on beer and other alcohol, but it does offer some activites for the whole family. While adults will find themselves enjoying the food, drink and live music, kids will run themselves ragged enjoying bounce houses, face painting, and more. There will even be a photo booth available to commemorate your Okotoberfest! Come out to Aaron Bessant Park October 3rd-5th. Or visit the event page HERE to learn more. 

Panacea Blue Crab Fest

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The Panacea Blue Crab Festival is happening soon. For 50 years locals have paused on the last Saturday in September to feast on the blue crab bounty harvested from their waterfront community; the last Saturday is this Saturday, September 27th!!! This year is the 47th annual event. There will be a parade along U.S. Hwy 98, live music and entertainment, arts and craft vendors, and a Blue Crab Pickin’ Contest. Panacea is a nature lover’s paradise; sitting between the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge and the Apalachicola National Forest. Learn more by visiting the event website HERE. 

Hair Haven: Your New One-Stop Shop For Hair Care

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Join us in celebrating the opening of Hair Haven Salon! They had a soft-launch in April and are thrilled to open their doors for full services Monday through Saturday (closed on Sunday).

They’re a cute, cozy salon that offers more than just hair cuts, colors, and extensions. They also offer nail services like full set acrylics and gels. Or, get some skincare and waxing done while your friend gets their hair colored; they offer facias, brow tinting, spray tanning, waxing, and more. Tomorrow’s opening features a few specials, refreshments, and a chance to win some goodies with a name-in-the-jar.  

Learn more by visiting the Hair Haven Facebook page. 

When’s the Best Time to Buy A House in 2025?

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Based on US housing market data from 2023 and 2024, the best time to buy a house is in fall and winter – September until February. That makes today the first day of a five month window for purchasing. What makes this the ideal time frame? 

  1. The average price of homes on the market. Median sales prices are more affordable between September and February. January has the lowest median sale prices overall. So searching for your new home September through December can put you on track to purchase in January; but even if you don’t make the lowest median month, you can benefit from reduced prices.
  2. The median number of days a home spends on the market rises. Between November and January, the median rises which creates less competition for home buyers. A higher number of days on the market can also encourage sellers to be more receptive to negotiations on 1) price, 2) closing date, and 3) other buyer terms. January is once again the best month for median days on the market.
  3. The percentage of price reductions is higher. Once a home has been listed on the market for a while with very few or even no offers, it’s common for homeowners and/or real estate agents to reduce the asking price. According to FRED Economic Data, December has the highest percentage of price reductions in every housing season.

This indicates that the ideal timeline would be searching for your home September through November and following through on purchasing December through January. However, as the numbers indicate, purchasing anytime between September and February will result in lower costs for potential homeowners.

Want to take advantage of the ideal purchasing time? Check out my listings and schedule your viewing today to start the process of securing your new home! 

35th Annual Juana Good Time Regatta

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Juana’s Pagodas & Sailors Grill is thrilled to host the 35th Annual Juana Good Time Regatta! Come out next weekend, September 5th-7th, to enjoy a weekend of both experienced and novice racers, drinks, and live music. With a focus on everyone having a “Good Time,” it is open to all sizes of multihull sailboats, from beach cats and trimarans to cruisers. 

Want to participate? You can still register online HERE. 

Sandy Creek State Forest

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Photo Credit: Bear Creek Forest Florida Forever Project by Lauren YohoWildpath

Welcome to Sandy Creek State Forest!

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has acquired 12,243 acres in Bay County that will become a new state forest system. The new forest acreage will expand the Florida Wildlife Corridor; it will also provide a new natural destination for public recreation in Northwest Florida. Completed under the Bear Creek Forest Florida Forever Project, the new acreage protects a key portion of the St. Andrew Bay Watershed. Protecting the watershed helps 1) safeguard water quality, 2) reduce flooding in surrounding communities, and 3) supports a wide variety of habitats. Habitats include: longleaf pine forests, wetlands, and floodplains. The habitats support wildlife like the keystone gopher tortoise, the Florida black bear, and other potentially threatened and endangered species like the reticulated flatwoods salamander and dark-headed hatpins flower.

The property will be managed by the Florida Forest Service to support both conservation and recreation. DEP Secretary Alexis A. Lambert says, “With the creation of Sandy Creek State Forest, we’re not only preserving vital ecosystems and expanding wildlife habitat but also connecting conservation lands from Eglin Air Force Base to Apalachicola National Forest. This new state forest will offer meaningful public access while protecting the natural resources that make our state so special.”

The park isn’t open to the public quite yet, but will offer hiking, wildlife viewing, and outdoor education once it is. According to an email from the DEP Press Office, “Florida is at the forefront of the nation’s land protection efforts and continues to be a model for other land acquisition programs across the country. Through the Florida Forever Program, the state conserves land that provides environmental, recreational and preservation benefits, including water quality and quantity safeguards; resilience from storm impacts; habitat and species protections; and outdoor recreation opportunities.”

For more information about the Florida Forever Program, visit Florida DEP here.

Jackson County Mosquito Control

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Jackson County offers a mosquito control program in partnership with the Florida Department of Health in Jackson county and Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. The service typically runs March-October and is free to Jackson County residents. 

Call DOH-Jackson at 850-482-9227 to make a service request. Please note: requests are at the mercy of the weather (no spraying in rain) and spraying cannot be completed within one mile of any known apiaries (bee hives).