Category: Food/Restaurants

Capital Craft Fest and Hot Air Balloon!

Debbie Roney Smith on

The 2022 Capital Craft Fest is coming to the Tallahassee Automobile Museum on April 9th! This is a free event occurring from 10am – 4pm.  A family-friendly event, it will include 75+ local vendors, live music by DJ Felix Flo, and food trucks. Additionally, there will be an Easter egg hunt for the kids and a chance for them to visit with the Easter Bunny (egg hunt time tba). Please note that parking is also free but the event does not include entry to the Automobile Museum.

Additionally, there will be a tethered hot air balloon at the festival. Tickets are limited and going fast, so if you are interested in taking a hot air balloon ride be sure to contact L_Aevents@yahoo.com with haste. Tickets are $20 each; if the weather does not cooperate on the day of the ride, you will be issued a full refund.

National California Strawberry Day Florida Style

Debbie Roney Smith on

Today is National California Strawberry Day, an annual event that kicks off the strawberry season in California. Luckily, even Floridians can enjoy this national day of celebration by planting Florida-safe strawberry varieties. There are a number of specific varieties that do well in the more humid Florida environment: Calibrate, Camarosa, Florida Belle, Florida 90, Rosa Linda, Sequoia, Sweet Charlie, Strawberry Festival, and Tioga.

While the ideal time to plant strawberries via seed is early fall, it is possible to purchase and plant strawberry starter plants in spring. This is because strawberries require temperatures between 50°F–80°F, and less than 14 hours of daylight. In Florida, these conditions occur throughout the fall, winter, and spring. It is important to make sure the plant has excellent drainage and at least 8 hours of full sun. Strawberries are ready to harvest when three-quarters of the berry’s surface is red. The fruits not only entice local wildlife but also rot quickly, so be sure to harvest regularly once the plant begins producing. 

Learn more about successfully growing strawberries in Florida at the UF | IFAS Extension website here. 

UNwineD: Craft Beer, Wine, and Spirits

Debbie Roney Smith on

UNwineD is hosting a grand tasting on Saturday. The event will feature a global lineup of wines, spirits, and craft beer samples. Additionally, there will be food pairings available from local restaurants. Guests are encouraged to bring their own blankets and lawn chairs so they can relax comfortably in Aaron Bessant Park. There will be a Friday night Kickoff Party; it will be an evening garden party with custom cocktails and live music hosted by Southern Living magazine. There are ONLY 250 VIP tickets available for the Kick-Off Party, and it includes entrance to Saturday’s Grand Tasting. Visit the UNwineD website here for more detailed information or to purchase tickets. 

Florida Luxe Arts Festival

Debbie Roney Smith on

This weekend, March 18-19th, downtown Panama City will be hosting the Florida Luxe Arts Festival! The festival celebrates and displays local and national chalk artists from 10am – 5pm. Installations begin on Friday, so it is the perfect opportunity to watch talented artists create their work from the ground up. Installations will be finished and ready for viewing on Saturday if you are interested in viewing completed works. The festival will also include art vendors, food vendors, live music, a kids chalk zone, and buskers! Additionally, the Panama City Farmer’s Market will be hosted at the same time, so be sure to bring a reusable bag for fresh produce and other goods. Visit the official Luxe Arts Festival website here to learn more.

 

 

The Players Gold Standard Golf Tournament

Debbie Roney Smith on

The Players Gold Standard Gold Tournament starts tomorrow and runs until March 13th. 

Held at the TPC Sawgrass’ 17-hole green, this is one of the most well-attended golf tournaments in Ponte Vedra Beach. The tournament features local restaurants such as the Local in the Food Court and Silkie’s Chicken & Champagne Bar in Taste of JAX. Ticket MUST be purchased online at THEPLAYERS.COM/tickets – children under 15 years old are free to attend with the purchase of a ticket. The tournament will also have autograph opportunities, a concert, bleachers, and a kid’s zone.

Panama City Beach Scottish Festival

Debbie Roney Smith on
2018 PANAMA CITY SCOTTISH FESTIVAL & HIGHLAND GAMES

Tomorrow is the Panama City Beach Scottish Festival. This one-day event is hosted by the Celtic Cultural Alliance and held at Frank Brown Park. The event includes Highland Games, premium scotch whisky tasting, Irish Step dancing performances, a British car show, Scottish Bagpipe bands, kids play area, and vendors selling Celtic-inspired goods. The Highland Games include a Stone Throw, Scottish Heavy Hammer Throw, and the Sheaf Toss. Tickets are $25 for adults, $10 for kids aged 6-14, and free for children 5 and younger. Please note that the premium scotch whisky tasting requires a special ticket costing $35. Learn more about the Scottish Festival and the Celtic Cultural Alliance by visiting their website here. 

National Drink Wine Day

Debbie Roney Smith on

Today is National Drink Wine Day! Support a winery in your community AND enjoy a nice glass of wine; see below for a list of relevant locations.

  • Maria’s Vineyard – Dothan, AL; website
  • Chautauqua Winery – Defuniak Springs, FL; website
  • Emerald Coast Wine Cellars – Miramar Beach, FL; website
  • Panama City Beach Winery – Panama City Beach, FL; website
  • Windy Hill Vineyard – Tallahassee, FL; website

 

Greenwood Supermarket: Grand Reopenening!

Debbie Roney Smith on

The Greenwood Supermarket is expected to reopen by the end of February. Bill and Christine Smith have moved the store to a new location; 4185 Bryan Street, righ next door to the old location. The original supermarket was destroyed in a fire on November 13, 2018 after barely escaping major Hurrican Michael damage. 

The new market is expected to have a bigger deli and meat department. Additionally, the sq. ft. has gone up from 5,000 to 7,500. However, the rest of the store’s interior is being kept a secret so that there can be a big reveal at the grand-opening ceremony. Currently, the store reports that they anticipate needing over 20 people on payroll either part-time or full-time to provide a consistent experience to the community eagerly awaiting it’s reopening.

Strawberry Festival

Debbie Roney Smith on

The annual Strawberry Festival will be held this weekend in Williston, FL. There will be a plethora of fun, strawberry-themed family activities such as a u-pick strawberry field, chocolate covered strawberry station, and more! Other kid friendly activities include bouncy jump pillows, a treehouse village, slide hill, and train. Additional adult activities include the u-pick sunflower patch, indulge in sweet treats like strawberry cheesecake or strawberry shortcake, and relax while listening to live music. There is even a Strawberry Pie Eating Contest that guests can partake in.

Please note that all guests are requested to follow CDC protocols for Covid-19 safety. Come on down to Red, White, and Blue Farm this February 12-13th between the hours of 10am and 4pm to enjoy this spectacular event. For more detailed information, please visit the official Strawberry Festival website here. 

Calhoun County’s New Brewery

Debbie Roney Smith on

Coming this Saturday, February 5th, is the opening of Calhoun County’s first brewery! From 11am to 9pm CST, bar foood and lots of freshly brewed craft beer will be available. Wine and soda will also be available. Additionally, there will be live music featuring Hot Mess from Apalachicola playing from 3pm to 7pm. Cody Barber of Carrabelle will finish the evening starting at 8pm. Visit the Blountstown Beer Company Facebook page to stay up-to-date with events and more.