Category: Celebrities/Famous Individuals

Poetry in the Panhandle

Debbie Roney Smith on

Yesterday was Poetry Break Day. Poetry Break Day is a celebration of the poet inside all of us; humanity has been producing poetry for well over 4,000 years. Celebrate by writing your own poems, reading your favorites, or exploring new poetry. Want to celebrate Florida poetry? Check out the authors and/or collections below:

  • Current Florida poet laureate Peter Meinke(1)
  • Panhandle Poet: ~solitude~ by Marc Livanos
  • Songs of the Wind on a Southern Shore, and other Poems of Florida by George E. Merrick
  • In the Eye of the Storm: Stories of Survival and Hope from the Florida Panhandle by Jennifer N. Fenwick
  • And one of our favorite short poems: “Hiking the Florida Panhandle in March” by Robin Chapman

Stephen King Film Looking for Extras

Debbie Roney Smith on

Love Stephen King? Always wanted to be an extra in a movie? Just looking for a fun, cheap experience? Then this might be for you!

Director Mike Flanagan is returning to south Alabama to film a new Stephen King movie, The Life of Chuck. “The Life of Chuck” tells the story of Charles Krantz life. The cast currently includes Tom Hiddleston and Mark Hamill. 

According to reporting from Gulf Coast Media,  the local booking agency says 1,000 extras are needed for the film in a range of ages from 11 years old and up. Two large crowd scenes are planned to be filmed in Baldwin County.

To apply, email the following info to Nailim Sanchez at LifeofChuckbg@gmail.com:

  • 2 snapshots – a close-up of face and head to toe with no filters, hats, or sunglasses. The file name should contain your name or parent name if a minor.
  • Age
  • Height
  • Clothing sizes
  • Cell phone number
  • City and state you live in

The film is scheduled to begin filming on October 16, 2023.

Pensacola Para Con 2023

Debbie Roney Smith on

The Pensacola Para Con is happening September 23-24 at the Pensacola Expo Hall. This annual event salutes sci-fi, paranormal, horror, metaphysical, and pop culture. There will be celebrity meet and greets, discussion panels, and ghost hunts! Yes, ghosts. It’s truly fitting that the celebrity guests are Chris Smith and Mike Concalves of the Tennessee Wraith Chasers, hosts of the Travel Channel’s Haunted Towns. There will also be vendors, artists, metaphysical guests, psychic readers, and a costume contest. 

Visit the Pensacola Para Con website to learn more, buy tickets, or view the detailed schedule. 

Little Village Conch Festival

Debbie Roney Smith on

The second annual Little Village Conch Festival is happening on September 30th! Come out to Little Village in Panama City for a day of family fun in the sun. There will be a plethora of Conch Shell festivities including the Cap’n Scuba Memorial Conch Shell Blowing Contest, The Queen of Conch, an all-age Conch Shell Blowing Contest, live music, kids arts & crafts, and more! Finns restaurant will have a Conch Special for one-day only. Live music will be provided by local talents Tyler James & The Momeuxs (noon-3pm) AND The Gr8tful Dads (6-9pm). Learn more by visiting the Facebook event page HERE. 

 

Skimboarding Tournament

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Come out to Vilano Beach for two full days of skim-boarding heats (Aug. 19-20th). The Florida Skimboarding Pro/Am is the third-longest-running tournament in the world! Some of the world’s best skimboarders come out to enjoy the Atlantic Ocean’s surface during this event. Athletes from more than 75 different beaches from all over Florida, the USA, and the world come for the Florida Pro/Aam. Due to weather and tides, the timing of each day’s heats are subject to change. Check the website for the most up-to-date information; click here to visit the website. 

Don’t Miss Beyond Van Gogh

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Beyond Van Gogh is coming to Pensacola this August! From August 5th to September 9th, visit Building 6 at the Pensacola Interstate Fair to immerse yourself in the world of Van Gogh. More than 300 of his works will be projected during this limited exhibit; the art will be rendered in more than 4 trillion pixels over 30,000 square feet of exhibit space. The exhibit will be truly immersive, spanning the floors and ceilings. The works are not simply rendered copies of the still paintings but living art, bending and moving to capture the life Van Gogh impeded in his works. The exhibit will be accompanied by a modern soundtrack of music and recitations of Van Gogh’s own letters. Learn more by visiting the Beyond Van Gogh website (click here). 

Pebble Hill Polo Classic

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The Pebble Hill Polo Classic is coming to Tallahassee Saturday, March 18th. The event is an opportunity for Pretty Woman fans to live out the annual polo tradition of “Stomping of the Divots” as popularized by Julia Roberts as Vivian. Dress up in your favorite fascinator or seersucker suit and embrace the tradition. The Polo Classic will feature a women’s polo match, children’s activities, live music, and local food. Come out to Pebble Hill Plantation to enjoy the event. Tickets are $50 per vehicle; learn more or purchase your ticket online HERE. 

Mardi Gras in Panama City Beach

Debbie Roney Smith on

Panama City Beach is hosting the annual Mardi Gras Music Festival today and tomorrow. Visit Pier Park to enjoy this two-day family-friendly festival. There will be parades, Cajun cooking, a 5L, live music, and fireworks. Today is the kid-friendly Second Line Parade. Tomorrow, the festivities start with the 5K fun run followed by the Krewe of Dominique Youx-lead parade. Musical guests include Florida country band Sawyer Brown, Chubby Carrier, the Bayou Swamp Band, and The Frontmen. Visit the official PCB Mardi Gras Festival website HERE to learn more. 

Earth’s Rotation Day

Debbie Roney Smith on

It is a well-known fact that the Earth rotates once every 24 hours. However, it wasn’t always common knowledge. It is thanks to the practical demonstration of Leon Foucault that we know about the Earth’s rotation. In 1851, the French physicist Foucault demonstrated how the planet rotates using his now-famous pendulum, the Foucault Pendulum.

A simple yet brilliant creation, the pendulum uses a suspended lead ball to indicate the rotation of the Earth over the course of a day. The pendulum is surrounded by small pins arranged in a circle, which the pendulum knocks down one by one, eventually completing a full rotation. Foucault first conducted his experiment in the Paris Observatory. It was then replicated in the Panthéon, where it remains an impressive centerpiece for visitors to view to this day. 

Click on the image to enlarge it.

Most discovery centers, planetariums, and museums have a version of Foucault’s Pendulum on display. However, you can also replicate this experiment at home with the kids using household items! For detailed instructions, visit this Resalvaged article to learn more. 

Famous From Florida: Faye Dunaway

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Faye Dunaway is an Academy Award-winning actress best known for movies such as Bonnie & Clyde (1967), Chinatown (1974), and Mommie Dearest (1981). She is currently working in film and television. 

Dunaway was born on January 14, 1941 in Bascom. She spent her childhood years in a small house just north of Two Egg. After graduating from Leon High School in Tallahassee, she studied first at Florida State University, then the University of Florida, and ultimately graduated from Boston University.

Dunaway is regarded as one of the greatest and most beautiful actresses of her generation, as well as a powerful emblem of the New Hollywood. New Hollywood refers to the movement in American film history from the mid-1960s to the early 1980s. It was also known as the American New Wave or Hollywood Renaissance.