Category: Parks (Community/State/National)

Jacksonville Jazz Festival

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The Jacksonville Jazz Festival has a rich, forty-year history of showcasing smooth beats and imaginative solos. It’s the largest free music festival and features three days of live music on TWO different stages. Some of the 2023 performers will include Wynton Marsalis, Samara Joy, Shemekia Copeland, the U.S. Army Ambassadors Jazztet, Marcus Miller, Larry Carlton, and The Dirty Dozen Brass Band.

Come out from May 25-28th to enjoy the festival. There will also be a piano competition, a jazz marketplace, food, and more! Come down to Downtown Jacksonville to enjoy a sunny weekend of groovy music and family fun. Learn more by visiting the official Festival website.

Magnolia Market

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Magnolia Market is happening this Saturday, May 13th from 5:30-8:30pm CST. Magnolia Market is hosted by Main Street Blountstown in Magnolia Square Park. There will be live music, face painting, crafts, boutique clothing, ax throwing, metal works, and more! The Market will also have cotton candy, kettle corn, and food trucks to feed you throughout the night of family fun. 

Florida’s First Commercial Oil Well

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Did you know that Washington County is home to one of the first commercial oil wells ever drilled in Florida? In 1919, a string of wells was dug in eastern Washington County by independent oil seekers following a rumor of oil beneath the hills. One such well was dug at what is now Falling Waters State Park. It was a remarkable achievement, reaching a depth of 3,900 feet – an astonishing feat given the technology of the time and the location of the hole. While there was a brief moment of hope when the drillers found a pocket of natural gas, the well ultimately failed to produce anything of use and was capped. 

A few decades after drilling had ended, a cow fell into one of the sludge pits. The event was covered by multiple newspapers, leading to an outcry of public concerns about the “dangers” of the site. International Paper, then-owners of the land the well was on, ended up passing the deed to the land to Washington County. This land is at the center of the now-established Falling Waters State Park. While the well was unproductive for commercial oil quantities, it did eventually lead to a wonderful treasure for the people of Washington County and the wildlife of the area. 

Visit Falling Waters today to see the old oil well along the park’s nature trail, just around the bend after Florida’s tallest waterfall! 

Arbor Day 2023

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Arbor Day 2023 is coming this Friday, April 28th! Arbor Day, literally translating to ‘Tree Day,’ is a holiday that celebrates the planting, upkeep, and preservation of trees, forests, and old-growth forests. The first Arbor Day as it is recognized in the USA was held in Nebraska on April 10, 1872, and has since grown into a national holiday (circa 1970) and has even gained international recognition (circa 1883). 

Prior to the introduction of Arbor Day to the United States, the first historical celebration that aligns with the ideals of ‘Arbor Day’ was celebrated in 1594. In the Spanish village of Mondoñedo, the first documented arbor plantation festival was successfully organized by the mayor of the town. Clearly, the celebration of trees has been a cultural cornerstone for hundreds of years. It is estimated that the celebration on April 10, 1872 culminated in hundreds of thousands of trees being planted. 

Want to celebrate Arbor Day? Consider:

  • Planting a tree
  • Create art celebrating trees
  • Build/purchase something made from recycled wood
  • Sponsor/adopt a tree in need
  • Participate in ‘tree care’ (mulching, pruning, and watering)
  • Visit a local park/state park
  • Read Arbor Day’s Celebration Ideas list for more suggestions

North Florida Wildflower Festival

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The North Florida Wildflower Festival is coming up soon! Come out to Blountstown on Saturday, April 29th from 9am-2pm. The Florida Panhandle, from Jacksonville to Pensacola, is dotted with small towns that boast southern charm and gorgeous natural scenery. The Blountstown Wildflower Festival is one of the most popular events of each spring in Calhoun and surrounding counties. The Festival will feature food vendors, artists, crafters, nurseries, and more! The festival is family and well-behaved pet friendly. There will be kid-friendly activities such as train rides at the M&B Depot. Come out to Magnolia Square to soak in the small-town festival vibes and enjoy a lovely afternoon. The city, which is in the heart of Calhoun County, celebrates the region’s beauty during its annual festival. Learn more by visiting the event website HERE.

 

Free Entrance to Gulf Islands National Seashore

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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

Calhoun County Advocating for a State Park

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The Calhoun County Community Foundation is working alongside the Calhoun County BOCC and State Representatives in hopes of bringing a State Park to Calhoun County. Advocating under the #KeepCalCoRural hashtag, the proposed state park is part of an ongoing initiative encouraging citizens to support the outdoors through conservation, recreation, and investments.

Calhoun County is the ONLY county in Florida without a State Park and/or a Recreation Area. The implementation of a park/recreation area would bring in MILLIONS of dollars annually to the local economy. It will also provide jobs for locals. The economic and emotional benefits of a maintained outdoor area are huge. Visit the online petition HERE to sign and show support. Help circulate the petition by sharing it on social media and using the initiative hashtag. 

Seabreeze Jazz Festival

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Coming soon to Panama City Beach: the Seabreeze Jazz Festival! This annual event is one of the Top 10 Jazz Festivals in the USA as ranked by JazzIZ Magazine. It brings together over 20 live music acts for a four-day festival on the sandy beaches of Florida’s Emerald Coast. The festival lineup for 2023 includes The Jacksons, George Benson, Boney James, and KEM. There will be special dinner cruises featuring Michael Lington and Peter White. Each night there will be a ticketed late-night after-party at Pompano Joe’s Seafood House; the parties will include an appetizer buffet and live music. The Jazz Festival will take place at Aaron Bessant Park from April 19th to 23rd. Learn more by visiting the festival website HERE.

Pensacola VegFest 2023

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The Pensacola VegFest is coming to the Community Maritime Park next Saturday, March 25th! The festival will run from 12 pm to 7 pm EDT. Pensacola Vegfest is a celebration of compassionate living, eating, and creating. All food at the event will be vegan; come out to try various delicious plant-based, cruelty-free foods. Turtle Roll Homemade Ice Cream will be at the festival with an entire line of vegan ice cream flavors AND several scrumptious sorbets. The festival will also feature eco-friendly vendors, vegan artists, family fun, live music, free yoga, cooking demos, and more! While entry to Vegfest is free, food and art vendors will take cash and cards. Learn more about the event and stay up-to-date with announcements by visiting the Facebook event page HERE. 

Astronomy at Florida Caverns State Park

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Florida Caverns State Park is excited to announce a special Astronomy Night! Thanks to the participation of the Tallahassee Astronomical Society, there will be an evening opportunity for interested individuals to come out to the State Park to learn more about stars, planets, and other heavenly bodies. 

The Astronomy Night will be held on Saturday, March 18th from 5-8pm CST. While the event is free, park entrance is $5.00 per vehicle and is required to access the event site. In the event of poor viewing conditions, cancellation
information will be available at the Ranger Station by 4pm on Saturday. For more information contact Florida Caverns State Park at 850-482-1228.