North Forida Vegfest

The 7th Annual North Florida VegFest is coming to Tallahassee on March 4th! Visit Tom Brown Park from 10am to 4pm to enjoy the festival. Tom Brown Park is dog-friendly, so feel free to bring your well-behaved, four-legged friends; they must be on leash. VegFest is put on by the Tallahassee Vegan/Vegetarian Community to celebrate and educate on the veg-lifestyle. The festival focuses on healthy, sustainable, and compassionate living and is appropriate for all ages and all lifestyles. Entry to the festival is FREE but vendors will be taking cash and card, so come prepared. The festival will feature speakers, cooking demos, food vendors, artisans, healthy living vendors, eco-friendly vendors, non-profits, kids’ activities, and free vegan food samples! Be sure to check the North Florida VegFest website for updates HERE

 

 

Seawalk Music Festival

Event Lineup - Click to EnlargeThe Seawalk Music Festival is coming to Jacksonville Beach this weekend! This two-day festival will take place at the Seawalk Pavilion on February 25th and 26th. There will be a variety of musical guests as well as vendors, so come prepared for a fun day of friends, music, and food on the oceanfront. The festival is FREE for everyone; please bring money for food, beverages, and artisan vendors. The event runs from 12-8:30pm on Saturday and 12:30-7:30pm on Sunday. To learn more, visit the festival website HERE

National Wine Day

Wine has been a staple in human culture since its invention in 7000 BC. So it’s no suprise that there’s a National Wine Day! Celebrate with a glass of your favorite wine today. Consider visiting one of the local wineries below (click on the location to visit winery websites):

Panama City Beach Food Truck & Craft Beer Festival

The Panama City Beach Food Truck & Craft Beer Festival is this weekend. Come by Aaron Bessant Park this Saturday and Sunday from to enjoy food, drinks, friends, and more! The 6th Annual Food Truck & Craft Beer Festival will be open to the public from 12pm-5pm with VIPs getting access at 11am. Event ticket prices vary according to the package you purchase, but General Admission is $5 online and $10 at the gate; kids 10-years-old and younger get in for free.

The festival will include over thirty of Florida’s most popular food trucks, over 50 national, regional, and local craft beers, lawn games, music, and family fun. Participants are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and blankets to enjoy the sunny Florida weekend. Please be sure to bring cash and card to purchase food, drinks, and other goodies provided by artisan vendors. For a complete list of participating food trucks, beers, and artists, please visit the Facebook event page HERE or visit the official website HERE

 

Pensacola Chocolate & Cheese Fest

The First Annual Pensacola Chocolate and Cheese Fest is February 19th. It will be held at Community Maritime Park in downtown Pensacola from 10am to 6pm. The festival will feature food trucks and vendors specializing in chocolate and cheese items. There will be a featured festival ice cream, the Turtle Roll Ice Cream. Additional highlights include beer, wine, assorted vendors, chocolate martinis, contests, a bounce house, and more! Tickets are only $5 per person; kids 12 and under get in for free. Visit the Facebook event page here for more information. 

Tallahassee Highland Games

The Tallahassee Highland Games are this weekend! Come to 7550 Apalachee Parkway from 8:30am-9:30pm this weekend to enjoy the festivities. The Games are put on by May and Fain Cultural and Sports. Participants in strength sports have the chance to use their finish to qualify for the upcoming International Highland Games Federation championships in California. Learn more about the event history by visiting the official Tallahassee Highland Games website

On Saturday, there will be an Opening Parade, a Scottish Fiddle and Instrumental Workshop, a beard competition, a performance by the Tallahassee Pipe Band, and more! Sunday will bring more fun with performances throughout the day by the Tampa Bay Highland Dancers and the Tallahassee Irish Step Dancers; there will also be a line-dancing mini-lesson. Throughout both days, there will be a number of sporting events such as the Caber Toss and Stone Press; for a detailed schedule, click here. There will be live music throughout the weekend as well as vendors, food, and a Whiskey Tasting Experience. 

Sola Coffee Bar

Looking for a new coffee shop to visit in the Lynn Haven area? Consider Sola! Located on Tennessee Avenue, Sola is a coffee bar, fondue experience, and cafe. Open Monday through Saturday, the cafe regularly hosts events ranging from paint and pours to trivia night. They are also available for private events. Sola keeps you coming back with their seasonal drinks; we recommend the Blueberry Fizz, a delicious sparkling water with blueberry syrup. Visit them soon – who knows how long this special will be around! Visit their website HERE for more details or follow them on Facebook HERE

National Blueberry Pancake Day

Today is National Blueberry Pancake Day! Pancakes are one of the world’s oldest foods. According to historical evidence, humans have been making flat, fried dough cakes since the Stone Ages.(1)

The word ‘pancake’ first appeared in the English language in the 15th century. By the 19th century, ‘pancake’ experienced a steady incline in usage in the United States. Pancakes are also known as johnnycakes, hoecakes, griddle cakes, and flapjacks. Adding blueberries is a time-honed tradition. Blueberries are one of the only native North American berries to still be eaten today. Even better, there are a large number of Florida native blueberries that you can grow and harvest from. Spring is coming soon and is a great time to plant blueberries so you can benefit from the late summer-early fall harvest.

Blueberries are rich in antioxidants, packed with nutrients, and have been linked to a number of health benefits including lower blood pressure, improved insulin response, and reduced risk of cancer. There are three popular methods of adding blueberries to the pancakes: 1) fold them into the batter, 2) add them after pouring the batter into the pan, and 3) top the pancakes with whole blueberries. Consider adding nuts, chocolate chips, vanilla, blueberry syrup, or chia seeds for a little something extra. 

Paint & Pour “Elephants”

Sara Gramlich is leading a Paint & Pour event at Salty Oak Brewing Co. this week. From 6-8pm on January 26th, Gramlich will guide participants through the creation of an elephant painting. All ages and experience levels are welcome. Painting materials will be supplied. The Salty Oak Brewing Co. will be open and serving, so bring money for food and drink. The event costs $30 per person. Purchase your tickets HERE

FREE Drive Up Movie Night: Top Gun Maverick

The PC Marina/Civic Center is showing Top Gun Maverick this Friday, January 27th from 7-9pm. This is a FREE event with spots determined on a first-come, first-serve basis. Parking opens at 6pm with the movie starting promptly at 7pm. SPACE IS LIMITED; there are only 100 spots available, so please RSVP. It is recommended that participants bring chairs/blankets to sit on in the event that they arrive after the parking spots are full. Please note that RVs and Trailers are NOT allowed. 

Please note that the movie REQUIRES the downloading of the free, all-new Cinewav App for audio. Scan the QR code to download the app; it allows the movie to be heard through Bluetooth or headphones. The movie will be available in English and Spanish. 

Visit the Facebook event page here to follow the event or learn more.