Page 103 - Travel Guide to Florida 2020

workshops for kids. South Walton also
boasts The Repertory Theatre in Seaside, ANNUAL EVENTS
one of Northwest Florida’s premier profes-
sional theater companies. JANUARY AUGUST
At the Indian Temple Mound Museum in 30A Songwriters Festival, South Walton Paddle at the Porch, Destin
Fort Walton Beach, you can walk through Apalachicola Oyster Cook-off Pepsi Gulf Coast Jam, Panama City Beach
12,000 years of Native American life and Pensacola Beach Run Half Marathon and 10K/5K Wausau Funday & Possum Festival
admire one of the finest collections of Stars & Guitars, Panama City
prehistoric ceramics in the southeastern U.S. SEPTEMBER
A short drive north of Fort Walton Beach, a FEBRUARY Gulf Coast Summer Fest, Pensacola
more recent period of history comes alive at 30A Wine Festival at Alys Beach, South Walton Pensacola Seafood Festival
the Air Force Armament Museum, which Emerald Coast Parrot Head Annual Chili Sandestin RUN/SUP Race
takes you from the early biplanes of World Cook-off, Destin Vettes at the Beach (Corvettes),
War I to the SR-71 Blackbird—the fastest Mardi Gras, Pensacola Pensacola Beach
aircraft ever built. If Broadway shows and St. Andrews Mardi Gras, Panama City WC Heritage Festival, Chipley
Sandestin Gumbo Festival, South Walton
the Northwest Florida Symphony pique your
OCTOBER
interest, check the schedule at the Mattie
MARCH BBQ in the Pines, Chipley
Kelly Arts Center.
Carrabelle Riverfront Festival Billy Brock Farms Fall Days
The town of Milton is filled with historical
Down Home Street Festival, Bonifay Boggy Fest, Niceville
homes and storefronts leading to the
Gulf Breeze Celebrates the Arts Festival Destin Fishing Rodeo
Blackwater River waterfront, once the
Gulf Coast Renaissance Faire and Pirate Festival, Destin Seafood Festival
epicenter of thriving timber and shipbuilding
Pensacola Florida Caverns Cultural Celebration, Marianna
industries here. At the old post office, you can
St. George Island Chili Cook-off and Auction Goat Day & Pioneers Day, Blountstown
ogle the antiques while eating lunch. And you
UnWineD, Panama City Beach Graceville Harvest Festival
can step back into the 19 century at the
th
Northwest Florida Championship Rodeo,
renovated railroad depot at the West Florida APRIL Bonifay
Railroad Museum. Apalachicola Antique & Classic Boat & Oktoberfest, Panama City
At the western end of Northwest Florida, Car Show Pensacola Beach Art & Wine Festival
the city of Pensacola boasts two significant Interstate Mullet Toss and Gulf Coast’s Pensacola Greek Festival
distinctions. It was the first settlement Greatest Beach Party, Perdido Key Schooners Lobster Festival, Panama City Beach
founded by immigrants to America (although North Florida Wildflower Festival, Blountstown Taste of the Beach, Pensacola
later deserted for a few years, thereby ceding to Pensacola Crawfish Festival
St. Augustine the title of first permanent settle- Rock the Falls Music Festival, Chipley NOVEMBER
ment). And this city of around 52,000 is one of Sandestin Wine Festival Blue Angel Homecoming Air Show, Pensacola
the few in the U.S. with five professional South Walton Beaches Wine & Food Festival Creek Indian Celebration Days, Pensacola
performing arts companies. Pensacola’s iconic Emerald Coast Cruizin’, Panama City Beach
Saenger Theatre first opened its doors in 1925, MAY Florida Seafood Festival, Apalachicola
and is now restored to her original glory, Billy Bowlegs Pirate Festival, Fort Walton Beach Foo Foo Festival, Pensacola
hosting dance and musical companies, theater Digital Graffiti at Alys Beach, South Walton Great Gulfcoast Arts Festival, Pensacola
and a Classic Movie Series. Forgotten Coast En Plein Air Paint-out, Seeing Red Wine Festival, Seaside
Also, Jackson County’s Spanish Heritage Franklin County/Gulf County Thunderbird Intertribal Powwow, Destin
Marianna Municipal Airport Fly-In
trail treats you to 150 miles of beautiful
Tupelo Honey Festival, Wewahitchka NOVEMBER–DECEMBER
scenery, as well as fascinating old missions,
Malone Pecan Festival
settlements and historic sites. And the
JUNE Pensacola Winterfest
Gadsden Arts Center & Museum takes visitors
Emerald Coast Blue Marlin Classic, Sandestin
on a trip through contemporary Southern art,
Panhandle Watermelon Festival, Chipley DECEMBER
while the Davis Shade Tobacco Barn will take
South Walton Beaches Wine & Food Festival Destin Holiday on the Harbor Lighted Boat Parade
you on an historic trip through time. Both are
Lighted Boat Parade, Pensacola
in the town of Quincy. JULY New Year’s Eve Ball Drop, Panama City Beach
In the Washington County town of
Firecracker Day, Vernon NYE Pelican Drop, Pensacola
Chipley, the Spanish Trail Playhouse is one of July 4 Fireworks, Panama City Beach Robert E. Long Cane Syrup Day, Two Egg
th
the few remaining volunteer theater Pensacola Beach Air Show Scott 1817 Seminole War Battle, Chattahoochee
companies in the state.
2020 TRAVEL GUIDE TO FLORIDA 101