Main Street Blountstown is hosting a Ghost Walk on October 22nd from 6:30-8:45 pm. The walk is $7 per person while children under 10 years old or younger get in free. SPOTS ARE LIMITED. The walk will take participants around the streets of downtown Blountstown, shining a light on the spooky history of the city and things that go bump in the night. Visit the Facebook event page here to learn more and stay up-to-date on ticket availability.
Haunted Florida Caverns
The Florida Caverns Gift Shop is hosting a Halloween event on October 22nd; Haunted Florida Caverns! There will be booths with family-friendly activities such as face painting, fishing games, hay rides, and more. The event will also have a haunted cave tour ($5 per person), a haunted forest trail, and costume prizes. Bring your kids and dress up for a fun night! The event will run from 5-8pm. Please note that while the event is free, there is a fee to enter the Florida Caverns State Park. If you have any questions, call the park at 850-526-2650 or visit the Facebook event page here.
Frink Fall Fest
Frink Baptist Church is hosting a Fall Festival on October 22nd from 4-7pm. There will be a chili cookout, music, a bounce house, candy apples, a hayride, and more! The event is completely free, so bring out family and friends for a fun fall event. For more information, email frinkbaptistchurch@gmail.com
Chautauqua Winery’s Harvest Festival
The Chautauqua Winery’s Harvest Festival is coming to DeFuniak Springs this Saturday, October 15th. Admission is free to this family-friendly event. The festival will run from 9am-5pm. There will be arts & crafts, live entertainment, and a complimentary wine tasting. The wine tasting features the entirety of the Winery’s collection as well as non-alcoholic muscadine juices for those who can’t or don’t drink. Wine will also be available for purchase by the case, bottle, or glass. Participants are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets to set out and enjoy the music. Learn more by visiting the event website HERE.
Lunafest
Tallahassee will be hosting LUNAFEST® this month. The film festival will occur on October 7th at the Challenger Learning Center. LUNAFEST is an annual traveling film festival that began in 2001. The festival features women and gender-nonconforming storytellers exclusively. The event has featured over 170 filmmakers in over 2,700 screenings nationwide. Additionally, the festival has raised more than 6.5 million dollars for women’s causes (see their website for more information). Tickets to the festival include a pre-screening reception and access to an after-party at La Florida. There are also VIP tickets available that include additional perks at local restaurants and bars.
Purchase tickets HERE.
Barrels, Boots, & Bucking Bulls
Today is the first day of the Bonifay Rodeo. Barrels, Boots, & Bucking Bulls starts at 8am today with a 5K Bull Run. The gates will open at 5:30pm with PRCA rodeo action starting at 7:30pm. Friday’s events will begin with the Rodeo Parade at 1pm followed by the gates opening at 5:30pm. Saturday starts with a $10 all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast. There will be a repeat of the rodeo parade and rodeo action. Learn more by visiting the Bonifay Rodeo website here.
Fall In Love With JaCo: Business Expo & Community Showcase
The Jackson County Chamber of Commerce is hosting a Business Expo & Community Showcase on Thursday, October 20th from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Citizen’s Lodge.
The Showcase will be a free event highlighting local businesses and community organizations. Participating businesses/organizations will have a table to display their products and services. The Expo will feature exhibits, networking, giveaways, raffle prizes, music, and entertainment. There will also be a number of local food trucks available on site.
If you would like to take part in the exhibition, call the Chamber of Commerce at (850)482-8060. The Expo’s theme is “Fall” in Love with JaCo. Participants are encouraged to decorate their booths in a fall theme. The Chamber will also be holding an Expo 101 class on Tuesday, September 20th from 8am to 9am. The class will be repeated on (1) Friday, September 30th from 11am to 12pm and (2) Tuesday, October 4th from 3pm to 4pm. The class will cover what makes a great exhibit, setup do’s and don’ts, and more. Participating businesses/organizations will also receive a special exhibitor-only networking lunch during setup prior to the 3:00 p.m. public event.
For more information contact the Jackson County Chamber of Commerce at 850-482-8060 or info@jacksoncounty.com or visit the Facebook event page here.
Peanut Butter Drive
There will be a Peanut Butter drive this month in Blountstown and surrounding areas. Peanut Butter FIGHTS Hunger! With the support of the Florida Peanut Producers Association and Florida Peanut Federation, the UF|IFAS Calhoun County Extension Office is collecting unopened jars of peanut butter. All donations will go to local food pantries to help feed families in need. Drop-offs are accepted Monday through Friday from 8 AM – 4:00 PM. The drop-off is located at 20816 Central Ave. East, Blountstown, FL 32424. The support of the community is appreciated!
National Bookshop Day
Tomorrow is National Bookshop Day, an annual celebration of all things books, reading, and local! It was conceived by the Bookseller Association. It is celebrated by individuals and businesses associated with the book trade, including publishers, authors, local bookshops, book lovers, and booksellers. See the list below for a selection of local bookstores to support tomorrow in the Panhandle and surrounding areas:
- No Name Books & Gifts (Port St. Joe, FL)
- The Hidden Lantern Bookstore (Rosemary Beach, FL)
- Madison Books (Madison, FL)
- Common Ground Books (Tallahassee, FL)
- Fat Cat Books (Tallahassee, FL)
- My Favorite Books (Tallahassee, FL)
- The Midtown Reader (Tallahassee, FL)
- Chamblin Bookmine (Jacksonville, FL)
- Downtown Books (Dothan, AL)
- The Haunted Book Shop (Mobile, AL)
National Coffee Day 2022
Today is National Coffee Day! The exact date of its origin is unknown, however, it is believed to have first been celebrated in Japan circa 1983. The celebration was then introduced to the United State in 2005. It is celebrated annually on September 29th. This annual celebration should not be confused with International Coffee Day which was first celebrated on October 1, 2015.
See below for a list of businesses that are offering National Coffee Day(NCD) deals or freebies:
- Barnes & Noble: receive a free tall hot or iced coffee with the purchase of any baked item from B&N Cafés nationwide.
- Dunkin’ Donuts: DD Perks members can get a free medium hot or iced coffee with any purchase at Dunkin’.
- Panera Bread: new Unlimited Sip Club subscribers receive two months free if they sign up on NCD. Existing Sip Club members receive $2 off select barista beverages and smoothies.