Gulf Coast Renaissance Fair & Pirate Festival

The Gulf Coast’s annual ren fair is back! Come out to the Santa Rosa Fairgrounds on March 2nd & 3rd to enjoy all things yo ho ho, ye olde, and ye haw! This year’s festival is open to those who enjoy renaissance fun like turkey legs and jousting, pirate antics such as excessive drinking and sword fights, AND cowboy culture with lassos and tales of the Wild West. This year also features a Roaring 20s stage that will showcase Irish step dancers, belly dancers, and a swing band. The Renaissance Fair and Pirate Festival encourages visitors of all ages and all costumes. Learn more HERE

Poetry in the Panhandle

Yesterday was Poetry Break Day. Poetry Break Day is a celebration of the poet inside all of us; humanity has been producing poetry for well over 4,000 years. Celebrate by writing your own poems, reading your favorites, or exploring new poetry. Want to celebrate Florida poetry? Check out the authors and/or collections below:

  • Current Florida poet laureate Peter Meinke(1)
  • Panhandle Poet: ~solitude~ by Marc Livanos
  • Songs of the Wind on a Southern Shore, and other Poems of Florida by George E. Merrick
  • In the Eye of the Storm: Stories of Survival and Hope from the Florida Panhandle by Jennifer N. Fenwick
  • And one of our favorite short poems: “Hiking the Florida Panhandle in March” by Robin Chapman

Beach Ball Drop (2023)

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. 

World Kindness Day

Today is World Kindness Day! It was introduced in 1998 by the World Kindness Movement, a coalition of nations’ kindness NGOs. In a time of worldwide strife and terror, this is a wonderful opportunity to honor, celebrate, and inspire kindness in action.

Celebrate World Kindness Day by committing small acts of kindness; a compliment to a stranger, holding a door open, stopping to help get an item from a tall shelf, and more. Being kind takes so little time but it creates a ripple effect that makes the world a nicer place. 

Stephen King Film Looking for Extras

Love Stephen King? Always wanted to be an extra in a movie? Just looking for a fun, cheap experience? Then this might be for you!

Director Mike Flanagan is returning to south Alabama to film a new Stephen King movie, The Life of Chuck. “The Life of Chuck” tells the story of Charles Krantz life. The cast currently includes Tom Hiddleston and Mark Hamill. 

According to reporting from Gulf Coast Media,  the local booking agency says 1,000 extras are needed for the film in a range of ages from 11 years old and up. Two large crowd scenes are planned to be filmed in Baldwin County.

To apply, email the following info to Nailim Sanchez at LifeofChuckbg@gmail.com:

  • 2 snapshots – a close-up of face and head to toe with no filters, hats, or sunglasses. The file name should contain your name or parent name if a minor.
  • Age
  • Height
  • Clothing sizes
  • Cell phone number
  • City and state you live in

The film is scheduled to begin filming on October 16, 2023.

Pensacola Para Con 2023

The Pensacola Para Con is happening September 23-24 at the Pensacola Expo Hall. This annual event salutes sci-fi, paranormal, horror, metaphysical, and pop culture. There will be celebrity meet and greets, discussion panels, and ghost hunts! Yes, ghosts. It’s truly fitting that the celebrity guests are Chris Smith and Mike Concalves of the Tennessee Wraith Chasers, hosts of the Travel Channel’s Haunted Towns. There will also be vendors, artists, metaphysical guests, psychic readers, and a costume contest. 

Visit the Pensacola Para Con website to learn more, buy tickets, or view the detailed schedule. 

Little Village Conch Festival

The second annual Little Village Conch Festival is happening on September 30th! Come out to Little Village in Panama City for a day of family fun in the sun. There will be a plethora of Conch Shell festivities including the Cap’n Scuba Memorial Conch Shell Blowing Contest, The Queen of Conch, an all-age Conch Shell Blowing Contest, live music, kids arts & crafts, and more! Finns restaurant will have a Conch Special for one-day only. Live music will be provided by local talents Tyler James & The Momeuxs (noon-3pm) AND The Gr8tful Dads (6-9pm). Learn more by visiting the Facebook event page HERE

 

Tallahassee Film Festival 2023

The 15th annual Tallahassee Film Festival is happening September 2-3 at multiple venues downtown and in the Railroad Square arts district. The event will feature over 70 films and scores, over 40 shorts, and a dozen feature films. The fest has partnered with Sunshine State Biodiversity for a curated short film program titled ‘Environment in Focus.’ Visitors can purchase a weekend pass OR tickets for individual screenings. Learn more or purchase tickets in advance by visiting the event website here

 

Skimboarding Tournament

Come out to Vilano Beach for two full days of skim-boarding heats (Aug. 19-20th). The Florida Skimboarding Pro/Am is the third-longest-running tournament in the world! Some of the world’s best skimboarders come out to enjoy the Atlantic Ocean’s surface during this event. Athletes from more than 75 different beaches from all over Florida, the USA, and the world come for the Florida Pro/Aam. Due to weather and tides, the timing of each day’s heats are subject to change. Check the website for the most up-to-date information; click here to visit the website.