Category: Food/Restaurants

Butts & Clucks 2024

Debbie Roney Smith on

Apalachicola’s annual BBQ festival coming this weekend! Come out to Battery Park in Apalachicola January 19-20th to enjoy BUTTS & CLUCKS. The festival features a grill master competition with $15,000 in cash and prizes; there are four categories: chicken, ribs, pork butts, and brisket.

There is a unique bonus competition – The Cluck that Came from the Butt! It’s a deviled egg contest with a $5 entry fee so anyone and everyone can try their hand at the 2024 title. 

Don’t forget to come hungry! Everyone gets to sample as much pulled pork as they want in the People’s Choice Swine Tasting competition. Learn more by visiting the event website HERE. 

PCB Mardi Gras

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The Panama City Beach Mardi Gras and Music Festival is happening this month! Taking place on January 26-27th, the Festival will take place in conjunction with the Krewe of Dominique Youx’s Great Mardi Gras at the Beach Parade. There will be float tours, parades, a Mardi Gras 5K, a kids’ parade, live music, food, beads, and fireworks!!! To see the complete schedule with times and locations, visit the event page HERE. Registration for the Fun Run 5K will close on January 24th; register here. 

Fat John’s Pizza

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It’s National Pizza Week! From now until January 20th, celebrate all things pizza; indulge in your favorite pizza, try a new recipe, support a local shop, or read up on the history of pizza. 

Did you know that approximately 350 slices of pizza are eaten every second?! Pizza became popular in the United States in the 1950s. A boom in pizza consumption occurred when Italian immigrants brought the beloved staple to their new homes in the cities. Fast forward to the here-and-now: the U.S.A. consumes more than three BILLION pizzas a year.

This National Pizza Week, be sure to support locally-owned pizzerias. One excellent option is Fat John’s Pizza. They opened in 2018 in Marianna and have been a community favorite since. Visit to enjoy specialty pizzas, wings, and more!

 

Winter Veggies

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Despite the cold nights, it’s not a bad time to plant certain herbs and vegetables. Some herbs thrive in the cold weather; consider planting parsley, dill, garlic, and cilantro. The list of cold-hardy vegetables is shorter but there are still some great choices: English pea, cabbage, radish, beet, and broccoli.

Now is also a good time to start planning your spring garden, especially if you would prefer to start from seed. Beginning now gives you the time to choose your plants, secure seeds, and start them indoors. Most vegetables are more successful if they are transplanted rather than sown directly in the garden. Some good warm-season crops to start inside are tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants. 

Harborwalk Village New Year’s Eve

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Come out to the picturesque Harborwalk Village to enjoy a lovely New Year’s Eve celebration on December 31st. There will be champagne, confetti, and two fireworks displays. Friends and family are invited to dance the night away on the waterfront with live entertainment by Strange Boy and The New Royals. The first fireworks display will take place at 8 p.m. The official ball drop and second fireworks display is at midnight. Learn more by visiting the Harborwalk Village event page here. 

Beach Ball Drop (2023)

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Panama City Beach’s annual New Year’s Eve Beach Ball Drop is coming up quickly. Join thousands of locals and visitors as they celebrate the end of the year and make wishes for the new year. Come out to Pier Park for an evening of fun on December 31st.

The first celebration starts at 5:35pm; the band, Saved by the 90’s, will be playing a free concert. There will be a Kids’ Beach Ball Drop; 10,000 colorful beach balls will be dropped into the crowd at 8pm. Following the first ball drop, there will be a fireworks display, a New Year’s Eve 5K Run/Walk, food, and love music. There will be a second ball drop at midnight. There will be a second ball drop and fireworks display at midnight. Visit Panama City Beach’s website to learn more. 

Altha Christmas Parade

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The Altha Parade will take place on December 16th. It will start at 6pm on Main Street. Highway 71 will be closed to ensure the safety of all those taking part in the parade or viewing it. After the Christmas Parade, there will be FREE hot dogs, cookies, and hot chocolate available at the Town Hall. 

Milk & Honey

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Today’s local business spotlight is Milk & Honey!

Located in Marianna, the shop is a multi-purpose shop that serves coffee, fro-yo, soft serve, and more. They also function as a community center where individuals can hang out doing computer work, catch up with friends, and more. They even rent out their rooms for organizations and groups to host meetings and events.

Visit the Milk & Honey Facebook page to stay up-to-date. 

Diabetes Awareness in Marianna

Debbie Roney Smith on

The Florida Health Department of Jackson County is hosting a Community Health Fair tomorrow. From 3-7pm, come out to Madison Street Park in Marianna. The goal is to raise and celebrate diabetes awareness. There will be food, fun, health education, live music, vendors, community resources, and a live DJ. The highlight of the event is the FREE health screenings and HIV testing. Come out for an evening of fun and health safety. 

Kountry Candy Store’s Fall Festival

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Kounty Candy Store is hosting its first Fall Festival! There will be candy, bounce houses, food, live music, games, and vendors galore. The event is being hosted for the benefit of the local no-kill animal shelter, Partners for Pets. The event will take place at Kountry Candy Store on November 18th from 8am-3pm. Learn more by visiting the event’s Facebook page.