Sneads Christmas Parade and Tree Lighting

This Saturday, December 12th is the annual Town of Sneads Christmas Parade and Tree Lighting. Starting at 4 p.m., the parade can be viewed on Hwy 90 and will drive from Sneads Auto Parts to McDaniels Grocery.

After the parade, City Hall will be hosting the Town tree lighting. There will be an inflatable set-up appropriate for small kids, free hot dogs, chips, drinks, and hot chocolate! Please wear masks to keep everyone safe, and be sure to bring warm coats.

Lafayette Landing Grand Opening Celebration

Tomorrow is the opening of Lafayette Landing! Enjoy the unveiling of this new community space in downtown Marianna from 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. this Thursday, December 10th. There will be a ribbon-cutting to start the event as well as live music, refreshments, and food trucks. Please wear masks for community safety! 

Marianna’s Merry Market

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! 

Wishing You a Happy Thanksgiving!

The United States of America, or at least the area that would become the U.S.A., first called for a national day of thanksgiving to celebrate victory over the British in the Battle of Saratoga in 1777. However, it didn’t officially become a sanctioned holiday until 1863, thanks to the efforts of author Sarah Josepha Hale (you might know her from the poem “Mary Had a Little Lamb”). 

Here’s a fascinating story you can share this year to wow people with the breadth of your knowledge!

Image having 26 elephants worth of extra turkey!!!

In 1953, C.A. Swanson & Sons overestimated demand for Thanksgiving turkey and had over 260 TONS of extra frozen birds. In the end, an employee came up with the idea to order 5,000 aluminum trays, devise a new turkey meal, and use an assembly line of workers to put together the meal on the trays. And thus the first frozen TV tray dinner was created! It was such a hit that the next year, 1954, the company put the TV trays into production and sold 10 million turkey tray dinners. Nowadays, the global frozen food market size is valued at approximately $291.3 billion (as of 2019).

Defuniak Springs: Farmer’s Market

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!

Sip & Clip: Satsumas, Kombucha, and More!

Starting tomorrow, JoNina Farm in Georgia will be holding a series of special events called the Sip & Clip! Although a bit of a drive, the experience of harvesting (also called clipping) your own satsumas and sipping fresh-pressed juice and/or kombucha is one-of-a-kind. The farm is also offering a photo opportunity with their old farm tractors. Head up to the beautiful Ochlocknee area on the following dates with your family for a fun, affordable day-trip!

  • Dates (from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.) 
    • November 14th and 15th
    • November 21st and 22nd
    • December 5th and 6th
    • 12th and 13th 

Eagle Eye’s Mini Food Fair

The cancellation of the National Peanut Festival in Dothan, GA was a sad announcement for many reasons, not least because of the missed opportunity for fair food. Luckily, some community businesses came together behind store Eagle Eye Outfitters to create a weekend Mini Food Fair! They’ve been holding the event with the support of Dothan City every Saturday since October 17th. The last scheduled mini-fair is this weekend, November 14th. It will run from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and is a family-friendly event; be sure to bring cash as some vendors do not accept cards. 

To keep up-to-date with vendor changes, weather alerts, and more, please visit the Facebook event page by clicking HERE

Food Truck Fest 2020

Want some affordable food and fun this weekend? Look no further than Downtown Pensacola! This Saturday, November 14th, visit the Community Maritime Park for the 2020 Food Truck Fest. The first-time annual event is scheduled on a forecasted warm, cloudy day from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

The festival is a family-friendly event featuring food trucks, vendors, live entertainment, a food truck tasting competition, AND a bounce house for kids. Entry is $2 per person with kids 12yrs old and under are free. So pack up your family, bring some chairs and reusable forks this Saturday!

And what’s better than a fun, food-filled community event? One that has a social conscience! A portion of the proceeds from the event goes to Feeding the Gulf Coast. 

For more information about the event, including vendor and volunteer opportunities, visit their official website HERE!

Emerald Coast CruiZine

Tomorrow is the first day of an exciting 4-day event held at Aaron Bessant Park in Panama City Beach – the Emerald Coast CruiZine event!

An automotive event centered around seeing – and showing off – hot rods, CruiZine is positioned on 17 acres of Aaron Bessant Park’s luscious green grass. There will be clean air-conditioned restrooms, a center stage with live music, a craft area, and Pier Park’s extensive shops (over 100!) to keep everyone occupied and happy. Additionally, the event has enacted safety measures given COVID-19; everyone on site is required to wear a mask (including patrons!), hand sanitizing stations are being set up throughout the venue, and more. So go check-out the classic cars under the Florida sun this Wednesday to Saturday. 

For more details on schedule, safety precautions, and more, visit the CruiZine website HERE!

Fall Soups & Salads Cooking Class

The weather is starting to cool down, and it’s the perfect time for soup! Bodacious Shops is hosting a Fall Soups & Salads Cooking Class this Wednesday, November 11th at 6 p.m..

There will be different soups and salads to make and eat throughout the evening including: Shrimp & Crab Chowder, Roasted Red Pepper & Basil Soup, French Onion Soup, Roasted Fall Harvest Soup, Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing with Chopped Eggs, and Fruit, Cheese, & Nut Salad with Apples & Pears.

Interested in participating? Be sure to dress comfortably as you will likely get messy while cooking, leave your wrist/finger jewelry at home, and look forward to a three-course class with a light appetizer, main course, and dessert! Beer and wine are also available for those of age. For further details on the class including safety precautions, visit Bodacious Shops’ event page HERE