Ballet Pensacola will be holding four performances of the world-renowned The Nutcracker. Visit the Saenger Theatre website to secure your tickets now!
The Nutcracker
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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.
Christmas on the Square
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Come out to Magnolia Square in Blountstown this Saturday for a day of family fun, food, and holiday shopping. Christmas on the Square will start at 8am on December 2nd. Start your Christmas shopping by visiting your local vendors; then grab lunch at one of the event food trucks. Learn more by visiting the event’s Facebook page.
Christmas in the Garden
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Thanksgiving and More
on 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.
- The National Day of Mourning is an annual protest held on Thanksgiving Day. Protesters acknowledge the historical and current suffering of Native American people.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
2023 Night of Lights
on For 30 years, St. Augustine has helped families celebrate the Christmas season with one of the most highly-acclaimed, citywide light displays in Florida. In fact, it has been listed among the top ten holiday light displays in the world by National Geographic! 
Twinkling lights fill the trees, highlight storefronts, and line the downtown buildings. Light Up the Night runs nightly from November 18th to January 28th, so you have plenty of time to make a visit down south. While it’s a bit of a drive down to St. Augustine for those in the Panhandle, it’s still close enough for a day trip or a weekend visit. Locals and tourists can view the magnificent lights by taking a tour on foot, by trolley, boat, golf cart, or a horse-drawn carriage ride.
The top two spots to visit for the best views and photos are: 1. The Plaza de la Constitución and 2. The Bridge of Lions. Visit the official Night of Lights website for more information including their free park & ride shuttle, special events, and more.
Milk & Honey
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Today’s local business spotlight is Milk & Honey!
Located in Marianna, the shop is a multi-purpose shop that serves coffee, fro-yo, soft serve, and more. They also function as a community center where individuals can hang out doing computer work, catch up with friends, and more. They even rent out their rooms for organizations and groups to host meetings and events.
Visit the Milk & Honey Facebook page to stay up-to-date.
Jackson County Calls for Citizen Engagement
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Jackson County is proactively addressing the challenges of flooding and its impact on our critical infrastructure with the initiation of a Comprehensive Vulnerability Assessment. The County is calling for citizens to partake in the process. There will be three separate in-person meetings held to hear from the community from individual residents to businesses. The goal is to share collective insights to develop strategies for mitigating current and future flood risks. These meetings will include experts ready to discuss flood-related challenges, respond to inquiries, and gather valuable community input to shape a resilient Jackson County. Click on the image to enlarge and view meeting details and more.
Diabetes Awareness in Marianna
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The Florida Health Department of Jackson County is hosting a Community Health Fair tomorrow. From 3-7pm, come out to Madison Street Park in Marianna. The goal is to raise and celebrate diabetes awareness. There will be food, fun, health education, live music, vendors, community resources, and a live DJ. The highlight of the event is the FREE health screenings and HIV testing. Come out for an evening of fun and health safety.
World Kindness Day
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Today is World Kindness Day! It was introduced in 1998 by the World Kindness Movement, a coalition of nations’ kindness NGOs. In a time of worldwide strife and terror, this is a wonderful opportunity to honor, celebrate, and inspire kindness in action.
Celebrate World Kindness Day by committing small acts of kindness; a compliment to a stranger, holding a door open, stopping to help get an item from a tall shelf, and more. Being kind takes so little time but it creates a ripple effect that makes the world a nicer place.