Vendors Wanted for Marianna Festival

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The Artists’ Guild of Northwest Florida, Inc is looking for food and craft vendors for their Artists’ Festival. The festival will take place at Madison Park on July 13 from 2pm to 8pm. The deadline for application submissions is June 28th; email tagnwfl@gmail.com to request a vendor packet. 
Any community members who are creative and wish to exhibit their talents are welcome to bring their art to show the community. Additionally, they are looking for musicians and musical groups to play at the event. Follow the Artists’ Guild Facebook page for more updates. 

Candlelight Tour of Amelia Island’s Historic Fort

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Fort Clinch, located on Amelia Island, became one of Florida’s first state parks in 1935 due to historic conservation efforts. Now, Fort Clinch State Park is a 1,400 acre park featuring diverse nature, a historic fort, and a variety of outdoor activities. Tomorrow, visitors can register to participate in a candlelight tour of the fort. The fort has quite the ambiance with its narrow underground passageways, spiral staircases, and furnished bunkhouse. It also offers a gorgeous view of the Atlantic coast and Cumberland Island. Learn more about reserving your spot HERE. 

Additionally, the First Weekend Federal Garrison is occurring this weekend. During the Garrison, living historians dress and act as the Union soldiers who occupied the fort during its construction in 1864.

Gulf Coast Jam

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Go on and slam, and welcome to the GULF COAST JAM! Panama City Beach is kicking off the summer beach season with an all-star act; come see Morgan Wallen, Cody Johnson, Jelly Roll, and Parker McCollum lighting up the front stage. The four-day festival also includes over 20 acts featuring hitmakers from the country and southern rock music scenes. There will also be a Jam on the Coast 5K on Saturday; all runners receive a race t-shirt and finisher medal. Register HERE. Learn more about the Gulf Coast Jam by visiting the event website.

International Day of Tea

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Today is International Tea Day! The resolution was adopted on December 21, 2019. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization to leads the observance of the Day. It’s designed to highlight tea’s cultural and economic significance, its health benefits, and the essential role of sustainable production. Tea production must put into practice sustainable and environmentally revitalizing processes so future generations can enjoy tea too. 

National Endangered Species Day

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Today is National Endangered Species Day. It’s the result of the America’s Endangered Species Act of 1973; the act sparked domestic and international conservation by providing a framework for protection. Protecting endangered species is crucial for the preservation of biodiversity and the maintenance of healthy ecosystems. Every species plays an essential role in maintaining the balance of their ecosystems; 881 animal species have gone extinct since around 1500. We need to protect the ones that are left. 

Unfortunately, endangered species are currently under attack due to the America’s Wildlife Habitat Conservation Act. Currently up for voting in Congress, this act masquerades as positive wildlife conservation while actually working to revoke funding from critical conservation programs. The Act also seeks to weaken the Endangered Species Act by tightening the definition of “critical habitat” under the law. By tightening the definition, the Act will keep crucial areas from being protected and increase the danger to endangered animals. 

Do you want to help your favorite endangered species? Giant pandas, sea turtles, polar bears, and whales are just some of the over 1,300 endangered species under threat by this Act. Sign the Ocean Conservacy’s Protect the Endangered Species Act petition, call your elected officials, and share the crisis with friends and family. 

Sea Turtle Nesting Season

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Sea turtle nesting season is officially underway on beaches in the Florida Panhandle! Turtles will lay their eggs from May through September. Did you know that a female turtle may nest several times in a season? Baby turtles hatch after 45-60 days; typically, a nest contains 50-150 turtles. Only 1 in 1,000 hatchlings make it to adulthood which makes limiting the human impact on their numbers especially crucial; they already have to fight through all kinds of natural predators to make it to the ocean!

Below is a list of some ways visitors can help the sea turtle hatchlings make it safely to the sea:

  • Turn off your outdoor lights if you live close to the beach. Turtles come ashore at night in the dark; any bright lights along the shoreline from condos, restaurants, homes, or even walking along the beach with a bright flashlight discourages them from coming ashore. Additionally, hatchlings can end up wandering towards the lights rather than the sea. 
  • Volunteer to walk the beach to find, mark, and protect turtle nests. These volunteers are called turtlers.
  • Leave No Trace; remove chairs, umbrellas, trash, and other beach equipment each night to help the mama turtles and hatchlings a clear, safe path. 
  • If you dig a hole at the beach, fill it in! Turtles can get trapped or injured in holes.
  • Education! Learn about sea turtles and share your knowledge with others. Many organizations educate on sea turtles and their nesting habits. Consider visiting the St. George Island Visitor’s Center or the Navarre Beach Sea Turtle Conservation Center. 

Dogs & Drinks

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Dogs & Drinks is a relatively new membership-based dog park and bar. Located in downtown Panama City, it’s a community opportunity for dogs and their human companions. In order to visit, you must purchase a day, month, or annual membership. The membership includes all the dog amenities and access to the human bar – pet friends for the dog, refreshing beer, wine, or cocktails for the human! Dogs & Drinks frequently hosts food trucks and scheduled events such as Paint Your Pet, Puppy Day, and Foam parties. Call (850) 215-4522 to learn more or email dogsndrinks@gmail.com. You can also visit their website HERE. 

 

Artsquest Fine Arts Festival

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The Artsquest Fine Arts Festival is coming soon! Held at the Grand Boulevard Town Center in Miramar Beach, the festival features one-of-a-kind treasures from more than 100 artists and crafters in fields like jewelry, metal, mixed media, oils and acrylics, digital art, glass, photography, sculpture, wood, watercolor, and printmaking. The festival features a juried contest with $10,000 in cash prizes which means it attracts a lineup of national artists. There will also be live music, student exhibits, and food vendors. The Artsquest Fest runs from May 4-5th. Learn more by visiting the event website here. 

Dog Parks in Panama City

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Looking for a way to get your dog more social time? Need a new trail to take your high-energy pups on? Try one of the dog-friendly parks below:

  1. Frank Brown Park and Dog Park (16200 Panama City Beach Pkwy) – Leashed dogs are welcome throughout Frank Brown Park including on the hiking trails and the onsite dog park for off-leash playtime. The dog park has separate fenced areas for large and small dogs, benches, water, and cleanup stations.
  2. Aaron Bessant Park (500 W Park Dr) – This park is a dog-friendly recreation complex that welcomes leashed, well-behaved pets. The park features 70 acres of fun for the whole family to enjoy.
  3. A.L. Kinsaul Park (1146 W 5th St) – A relatively new pet-friendly park next to an idyllic location. There are two separate areas for large and small dogs. There is a water fountain on site. 
  4. Al Helms Dog Park (1022 Balboa Ave) – This park features three separate fenced areas: one for small (under 30 lbs) dogs, one for large (over 30 lbs) dogs, and one for shy dogs. The park also features double gates, running water, a water station, benches, and cleanup stations. 
  5. Zollie Young Dog Park (4430 Mill Bayou Rd) – The park features a large, fenced in area for the dogs to roam safely off leash.