Dellwood Baptist Church in Greenwood is hosting a 4th of July Celebration on July 2nd! The focus of their celebration is on faith, family, and fireworks. The Celebration is FREE and will feature hamburgers, hotdogs, live music, yard games, shaved ice, and a fireworks display. The event starts at 6pm and lasts until after dark. Come out for a fun night!
Category: Kind to Your Wallet
Fireworks Extravaganza
El Bethel Church is hosting its Annual Celebrate America Fireworks Extravaganza this coming weekend. Come out to Sneads Park on July 2nd from 6pm to dark for an evening of fun celebration. There will be free food, a free concert at 7pm, and fireworks at dark!
National Homeownership Month
June is National Homeownership Month! It celebrates the value that owning a home brings to families, communities, and neighborhoods across America. It helps spread the joys of being a homeowner and encourages others to achieve the same thing. Did you know that most Americans had no way of owning a home in the 1800s? Mortgages became common after the U.S. banking system came into being as a result of the 1860s National Bank Acts.
Scoop on Tourism
Jackson County is celebrating Tourism Appreciation Week on May 10th with FREE ICE CREAM! Tourism Appreciation Week: Scoop of Tourism will give all Jackson County residents and visitors a free scoop of ice cream from 12pm to 2pm. Come by Southern Craft Creamery in Marianna for prizes and in-store fun.
Arbor Day Tree Giveaway Event
Next weekend is Arbor Day! First celebrated in Nebraska in 1874, Arbor Day is dedicated to planting trees and celebrating their various roles in the world. Trees do a lot including but not limited to boosting our mental health, eating greenhouse gases, cooling the areas around them, supporting wildlife, and cleaning the air!
To celebrate, Panama City Quality of Life is working with IFAS to give FREE trees to Bay County citizens. This offer is only good while supplies last, so come out early to secure your River Birch or Red Maple! The tree giveaway will be held from 9am-1pm at McKenzie Park. There will also be a free kid craft and tree planting kit at Oaks by the Bay Park from 10-11am while supplies last. Learn more by visiting the Facebook event page here.
Free Entrance to Gulf Islands National Seashore
There are only FIVE days in 2023 that the National Park Service sites that charge an entrance fee offer free admission to one and all! This means that the local hotspot, the Gulf Islands National Seashore, will be free to everyone coming soon. While the first free day passed in January, the second free pass day is coming this April. As a way to celebrate National Park Week, get free entrance to the National Seashore on April 22nd. Celebrate Earth Day, also occurring on April 22nd, by picking up trash on your walk or capturing a photo of the natural beauty to share online with the tag #celebrateearthday.
The Gulf Islands National Seashore offers recreation, natural preservation, and historic sites along the Gulf of Mexico barrier islands of Florida and Mississippi. Visit the Florida portion of the seashore in Pensacola. The Florida District offers nature trails, beaches, historic fortifications, and the Naval Live Oaks Reservation. The two principal islands in the Florida District of the National Seashore are Santa Rosa Island and Perdido Key.
Can’t make it to the dazzling white beaches this Earth Day? Visit on one of the other three free days:
- August 4: Anniversary of the Great American Outdoors Act
- September 23: National Public Lands Day
- November 11: Veterans Day
Protect Yourself from Scammers
Scams are on the rise; in 2020, over $2.3 billion in losses were reported due to imposter scams. Imposter scams were the most commonly reported category followed swiftly by online shopping scams. Read the tips below to protect yourself:
- Be careful when asked to install apps or software; always check that the app/software is reputable.
- Never pay anything over the phone.
- Be wary of false urgency; scammers often ask you to act immediately.
- Don’t click on links in emails unless you know who they’re from. Phishing scams often try to send ‘free’ coupons or masquerade themselves as reputable services (such as Netflix).
- If it’s offered, make use of multi-factor authentication for any important accounts.
Flea Across Florida: Washington County
The Washington County segment of Flea Across Florida will be held April 14-15, 2023. Flea Across Florida is a 275-mile yard sale that stretches from Live Oak to Pensacola, and it’s coming to Washington County and surrounding areas soon! The market will be open from 6-5pm daily.
There will be individuals from surrounding areas selling furniture, clothing, and so much more! The market will take place over Historic Highway 90 in Chipley at T&B Hidden Treasures. Visit Washington County’s Flea Market to help “revitalize and support those historic communities along the highway.”
Spring FamFest
First Assembly Marianna is hosting a Spring FAMfest on April 2nd from 3-5 pm. It’s a free, family-friendly event. There will be games, food, prizes, facepaint, a kidzone, balloon art, inflatables, AND pictures with the Easter Bunny. Come out and experience FAMily. Located at 4186 Lafayette Street in Marianna.
Science Spot for Tots
The Science and Discovery Center of Northwest Florida is currently holding a series of Science Spots for Tots. Located in Tallahassee, the Discovery Center welcomes all ages to the class although they are geared towards the 2-5 age group. However, the activities are adaptable so children of many ages/abilities can learn and participate. Entry to the event includes day admission to the museum! The event typically runs from 11:30am to12:30pm EST.
The cost for members of the museum is as follows: $5 for the 1st child and $3 for each additional child. Non-members pay $6 for the 1st child and $3 for each additional child. For both purchases, one accompanying adult is free. The next available class is the February 28th Push & Pull event. However, there will be a number of events until the end of April:
- March 7th – Light & Shadow
- March 14th – Sound
- March 21st – Growing/Animal Babies
- March 28th – Materials/Things We Use
- April 4th – Ants
- April 11th – Spiders
- April 18th- Rocks
- April 25th- Backbone Bonanza