Kind to Your Wallet – Page 10 – Debbie Roney Smith, REALTOR®

ArtsQuest Fine Arts Festival

Debbie Roney Smith on October 7, 2021October 6, 2021

Coming this weekend to Miramar Beach is the ArtsQuest Fine Arts Festival! For its 33rd year, ArtsQuest juried art show is scheduled to occur Saturday, October 9, 10 a.m. – 7 p.m., and Sunday, October 10, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. in conjunction with National Arts and Humanities Month.

The show will feature over 150 artists in the following disciplines: Ceramics, Fiber, Glass, Jewelry, Metal, Mixed Media, Oils & Acrylics, Original Digital Art, Photography, Sculpture, Wood and Works on Paper (Watercolor, Printmaking, Pastels, Pencils, Ink).

ArtsQuest will be awarding $10,000 in cash prizes, and is a rain or shine outdoor event. The festival is open to the public, although a $5 admission donation is requested to help keep the event going. There will be food vendors on site. Additionally, they are looking for volunteers. For more information on anticipated artists, volunteer opportunities, and more, visit the ArtsQuest website.

Spanish Trail Pumpkin Patch

Debbie Roney Smith on September 30, 2021September 28, 2021

Local favorite farm, Spanish Trail, is hosting a few special fall events this coming month. They will have a 2021 Pumpkin Patch with thousands of pumpkins, a 10-acre corn maze, and wonderful sunflower fields to meander through. This special bundle of fall favorites will open on October 2nd at 10 a.m. and will run the whole month. Bring out the family for a fun fall-themed day! Visit their Facebook page for more details and to stay up-to-date on changes and alerts.

Local Libraries Update Hours

Debbie Roney Smith on September 17, 2021September 14, 2021

Calhoun County libraries have updated their hours for the rest of the year into 2021. Click on the image below for more details:

Flea Across Florida

Debbie Roney Smith on September 11, 2021September 9, 2021

Flea Across Florida is here! FAF is Florida’s longest open market going from Jacksonville to Pensacola and occurs annually in April and September. It is sponsored by Friends of Flea Across Florida. Today, September 11th is the last day to enjoy the fleeting journey of flea shopping until next year. Want to find participating locations near you? Visit the official 2021 map here! For more information or to stay up-to-date on next year’s events, visit the FAF Facebook page.

Free Trees for North Florida

Debbie Roney Smith on September 9, 2021September 13, 2021

The Arbor Day Foundation is working with Florida State Parks to help replace trees lost by Hurricane Michael in North Florida. If you live in Bay, Calhoun, Franklin, Gadsden, Gulf, Holmes, Jackson, Liberty, or Washington County, visit Arbor Day – Florida Trees to reserve your free tree.

There are four different native tree species to choose from but supplies are limited so be sure to reserve yours today. When the saplings are ready to be planted, they will be shipped directly to your home. Trees are beautiful, reduce energy costs, improve air quality, provide shade, and more!

Tallahassee Nurseries

Debbie Roney Smith on August 28, 2021August 27, 2021

Did you know that indoor plants offer both physical and psychological benefits to humans who own them? The benefits of houseplants are:

Boosts indoor air quality
Promotes exercise
Encourages healthy eating
Improves mood
Relieves stress and anxiety
Helps prolong attention span
Boosts self-esteem
And More!!!

This means the ongoing 2-for-1 houseplant sale at Tallahassee Nurseries is a wonderful opportunity to improve the well-being of your household! From now until September 2nd, or until supplies run out, the garden center will be selling 2-for-1 of equal-or-lesser value houseplants; rare plants and orchids are not included, despite being indoor plants.

Kayaking on Ocheesee Pond

Debbie Roney Smith on August 20, 2021August 19, 2021

Recent rain and perfect summer weather call for a trip to Ocheesee Pond in Grand Ridge! Kayaking is a must-do at this local. To get to the launch site, head east from Marianna on Highway 90 and turn right on Highway 69. Then, after crossing the railroad tracks in Grand Ridge, take a left onto 69A and follow it to the dirt road on the left marked Arkansas. Marking the spot is a boat ramp sign marking the turn.

Don’t attempt this pond alone if you haven’t done it previously, as after a short half-mile paddle through the clear water, there is a maze-like cypress swamp. There is a marker system but they are often difficult to spot and irregular. However, the kayaking route is a beautiful trip. Amongst the cypress tree-maze are aquatic glades of water lily and spatterdock that give the water a splash of seasonal color. There are often basking turtles, elusive alligators on the prowl, duck sightings, and a plethora of osprey and woodpeckers.

Celebrating National Thrift Store Day

Debbie Roney Smith on August 17, 2021August 16, 2021

Today is National Thrift Store Day! Looking to celebrate? Visit a local thrift store to support your community and maybe find your new favorite treasure! For instance, perhaps visit the recently opened Fusion Church Thrift Store in Blountstown. They are located at 17256 N. Main Street, Tuesday through Saturday. For more detailed information, visit their Facebook webpage.

Help Marianna Win a Dog Park

Debbie Roney Smith on August 4, 2021

Jackson County has been nominated for a new dog park grant but requires the assistance of the community to win this grant. You can vote ONCE A DAY every day until August 31st. Jackson County has proposed 4574 Lodge Drive as the location for their future dog park. In the city of Marianna alone, there are five pet salons, two animal hospitals, one animal shelter, and one pet daycare resort – truly, a city of dog lovers! However, this animal-loving community has no place to take their dogs for social interaction and playtime. The Bark for Your Park grant, sponsored by the PetSafe Brand, would fund a fenced-in off-leash dog park at the Citizen’s Lodge Park; it would be about a half-acre in size and feature benches for seating, a watering station, shade structure, and a dog waste collection station.