Tallahassee’s premier art charity fundraiser is celebrating its 25th anniversary! Artopia will be held at the Donald L. Tucker Civic Center on June 24th at 6:30pm. Artopia is an annual celebration that supports the Big Bend community; all proceeds raised from art purchases will go towards providing prescriptions, food, COVID-19 vaccines, and other medical care to those in need free of charge. 
Local and regional artists donate their pieces to Artopia. This year’s selection includes over 300 artworks including signed prints and numbered editions. Aquire a new piece of art for your home while supporting those in need. Featured artwork includes all forms of media including sculpture, photography, painting, photography, and styles. Learn more by visiting the Big Bend Cares Artopia website.
The Panhandle Watermelon Festival is coming to Chipley! Founded in 1969, the Festival focuses more on music than watermelon. The musical lineup draws out-of-towners from June 23-24th. This year, the lineup includes Easton Corbin, Collin Raye, Andy Griggs, Ty Gerndon, and Leah Pettis. 
The Flower Farm Tour is back! Hosted by Black Barn Blossoms and Fussell’s Daylily Farm, the Tour will be held on Saturday, May 27th from 9am-3pm. Admission to the two flower farms will be FREE; bring cash or a card for on-site plants, flowers, and food trucks. There will also be farm tours and workshops. Come out for a lovely day enjoying the local community and the weekend sun. 
Jackson County is celebrating Tourism Appreciation Week on May 10th with FREE ICE CREAM! Tourism Appreciation Week: Scoop of Tourism will give all Jackson County residents and visitors a free scoop of ice cream from 12pm to 2pm. Come by Southern Craft Creamery in Marianna for prizes and in-store fun. 
Happy May, everyone! For today’s Monday Mention, let’s look at the wonderful Sweet Magnolia Bakery. Located on Central Ave in Blountstown, the bakery opened in 2019 and has grown to be a gem in the small town. Sweet Magnolia offers a plethora of baked goods day-to-day, custom orders, coffee, and more. They have a little something for every meal: muffins and coffee for breakfast, quiche or sandwiches for lunch, and desserts galore for dinner! Learn more by visiting their 
Come enjoy boiled, fried, and steamed crawfish in traditional Cajun fare like jambalaya, etouffee, boudin, gumbo, and po-boys. This year’s music lineup features all-day entertainment by the 9th Avenue Brass Band. Other live music acts include Buckwheat Zydeco Jr. and Ils Sont Partis Band, Gregg Martinez and the Delta Kings, Dwayne Dopsie & the Zydeco Hellraisers, Chubby Carrier & the Bayou Swamp Band, and Curley Taylor & the Bayou Swamp Band.