Amelia Island Restaurant Week closes with a Celebration of the Sea at the Coast Restaurant. Located at the Ritz-Carlton, the closing celebration will be held on Sunday, January 30th. The reception starts promptly at 6pm EST, and a lavish dinner will be served after. The meal will feature a buffet that includes chilled seafood, sushi, shrimp and grits, scallops with pork belly, chicken and waffles, and mini-crab cakes. Dinner closes with a delectable array of dessert specialties. The cost is $125 per person and includes a service charge and wine service.
Register online at the Amelia Island Restaurant Week website.



Healthy Gulf is hosting a beach ecology walk on Tuesday, January 11th at 9 AM. The walk will be along the beach of Santa Rosa Island at Pensacola Beach. The hike will follow along both the Gulf and Sound side of the Island, exploring the changing plant communities and life along the shoreline. The host of the walk will teach attendees about terrestrial and aquatic life by examining what has washed ashore. The hike will cover a total of four miles and will take two hours to complete. The exact meeting location will be provided only upon registration for the event, although it is free. However, space is limited so to ensure a spot, email 
The 11th annual Pensacola Mardi Gras starts tomorrow! There will be a special Mardi Gras Kick-Off Event held tomorrow, January 7th, in Seville Quarter at 5 PM. The floats will be parked on Jefferson St. south of Romana St. all the way down to Zarragossa, and Government Street between Palafox and Tarragona Streets. The event will feature the unveiling of the float themes and a blessing ceremony for each float. Learn more about the kick-off on 
The annual Panama City Beach New Year’s Eve Beach Ball Drop is back! Head over to Panama City Beach on December 31st to enjoy two different opportunities to welcome in the New Year. There will be two seperate Beach Ball Drops to allow families to attend the festivities: the first is at 8 PM and the second will be at midnight. Additionally, the streets of Pier Park will be closed off to traffic for free live music, entertainment, fireworks, and good cheer! 
With Soloists: