Category: COVID-19

Gardens Aglow in Dothan

Debbie Roney Smith on

Dothan Area Botanical Gardens is holding a special event for the holidays: Gardens Aglow! A weekend event during the month of December, Gardens Aglow bathes the familiar beauty of Dothan’s Botanical Gardens in the gentle glow of holiday lights. For only $8 per person (age 9 and above), this is a steal to wear out the kids, the pets, and even the unruly significant other! Held from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., Gardens Aglow by Dothan Botanical Gardens will be held on December 5th, 11th, 18th, and 19th. For more specific information, visit their Facebook event page specific to each date: HERE!

Marianna Annual Christmas Parade

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The City of Marianna is having their annual Christmas Parade tomorrow, December 4th. The 2020 theme is “Christmas Everything,” and will be starting at 5:30 p.m. in downtown Marianna. All entries and viewers must follow the CDC Guidelines for social distancing; masks are encouraged for all. Proceeds from the parade are going towards Main Street projects and community events. The parade will start at Daniels Street, travel east on Lafayette Street, and end on North Madison Street. Hope to see you there!

Write to a Friend Month

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December is National Write to a Friend Month! When was the last time you wrote a letter by hand? In the modern world of today, there are quicker ways to get in touch: email, text, IMing (instant messaging), and more. Yet nothing feels more special than opening the mailbox and pulling out something that isn’t junk mail or a bill. Additionally, hand-writing a letter to a friend, posting it in the mailbox, and waiting to get a letter in reply can be a joyous, addictive cycle of truly serendipitous surprise and positive feelings of companionship. 

Looking for some ideas on how to have a memorable, fun letter-writing experience? Consider the following list of suggestions:

  • Do letters feel intimidating in length? Try sending a postcard, a photo with a short note on the back, or a Christmas/holiday card. 
  • Want to personalize your envelope? Look into learning how to use wax seals, use the collection of stickers gathering in your drawer to close the seal, doodle on the back, or learn to fold envelopes from anything to make your own unique letter-wrappers. 
  • Don’t know who to send a letter to? There are many online services offering to connect letter-writing penpals: Compatipal, World Wide Snail Mail, PenPal World, and more. 

Marianna’s Merry Market

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It’s officially December which means holidays are upon us! Consider visiting the 1st Annual Merry Market at Citizens Lodge Park in Marianna this weekend to start looking for gifts, get pictures, or just to entertain the kids for a few hours. The event is this coming Saturday, December 5, and will run for ONE DAY ONLY from 9 a.m. CST to 4 p.m. CST. 

There will be a variety of things to do at the Merry Market including but not limited to:

  • Over 40+ vendors selling bags, Mary Kay, wood crafts, home goods, homemade crafts, food, produce, and more. 
  • Performances from Sarah Williams, Sandra Harrell, Amy Allen, the Tobacco Road Band, and possibly more.
  • Santa Pictures; professional photographer and picture packages available.
  • Petting zoo with goats, ducks, bunnies, and reindeer alpacas. Hercules the bull may make an appearance.

Visit the Merry Market Facebook event page HERE to keep up with vendor announcements and more! 

Calhoun County Christmas Parades

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Join the Calhoun County Chamber of Commerce for the 2020 “Masked & Merry” CalCo Christmas Parades! The first parade will be on December 4th in Altha, and the second will be on December 5th in Blountstown. “Masked & Merry” is the theme of the parade, a theme celebrating CalCo making the merriest of a masked situation. Be sure to wear a mask, and make it merry! Interested in volunteering or participating? Be sure to sign up before December 2nd!!! 

Visit the following website for more information and to register: 2020 CalCo Christmas Parades

Thanksgiving Kids Fun Camp

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Believe Martial Arts is putting on a camp for the kiddos this Thanksgiving. Available to kids age 5 and up, the camp begins at 7:30 a.m. and ends at 5:30 p.m. The camp will be a daily event from November 23rd to November 25th. They offer activities such as dodgeball, arts & crafts, relay races, zombie tag, Connect 4, martial arts fitness, life-skills education, and much more. Single-day passes are $40 per day while a 3-day pass is $90. Please note that if you are late to pick up, you will be charged $5 every 5minutes you’re late (after 5:30 p.m.).

Want more information or to buy tickets? Visit their event page HERE!

Theater Performance: Annie Kids

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The Florida Chautauqua, Inc. is putting on their last performance of Annie Kids today at 2 p.m. The show is performed by their fantastic Emerald Coast Theatre Company education program students. The non-profit is charging only $10 per ticket to see this amazing, classic hard-knock-life story.

Tickets are available at the box office the day of OR online at Florida Chautauqua Site. 

Defuniak Springs: Farmer’s Market

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Today is the last chance to visit Defuniak Springs’ Farmer’s Market! Come down to Downtown DeFuniak for the Farmer’s Market held from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Baldwin Avenue. The whole street will be closed down for the market, so stroll down the lovely street while browsing not only the local farm stands but also vendors with crafts, gift items, and prepared foods for snacking. With a high of 77 degrees, it’s the perfect Saturday to browse for fresh produce and holiday gifts!

Operation Spay Bay: Free Spays for Females

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A spay grant for female dogs has been approved for select counties this December. Operation Spay Bay is supported financially by the proceeds from the Florida Animal Friend License Plate. If you have a female dog weighing 50lbs (or more) AND you live in either Bay, Holmes, Washington, or Jackson County, you can have your pup spayed for a one-time fee of $12!

To schedule an appointment, call 850-215-1022 or visit the official website HERE. Be sure to mention the grant when making the appointment or you will not receive the heavily discounted fee. 

Sneads Pride!

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Congratulations to the Lady Pirates of Sneads! On Friday the 13th, the volleyball team won their eighth-consecutive state title. This is a record-setting holding of the championship, beating out the previous seven-win team was Boca Raton’s Olympic Heights. A member of the opposing team, Newberry, stated that “They have a dynamic and amazing team.” The Lady Pirates broke the Florida state record for consecutive FHSAA volleyball championships with a final score of 23-20. Congratulations!!!