Looking Forward to an Eventful Fall Season!
If you’ve been wanting to visit the always
lovely Emerald Coast all summer long, and haven’t yet made it down, don’t
worry! You haven’t missed your chance. The first official day of fall is this Saturday,
September 22, and it is a wonderful time to plan an escape to this magical
area.
There are a ton of things to look forward to
throughout this lively season. One of my personal favorites of course is that
the fall/winter edition of Life’s A Beach will be hitting the stands throughout
the region. (We in fact, just received this edition from the printer this
morning, so look for it at a location near you!) This means new artwork,
photos, coupons, articles, events and more for our readers. How sweet is that!?
Another favorite is the weather. Fall weather
on the Emerald Coast is ideal for almost any activity you can imagine. It’s
still great for spending a day at the beach, or out on the water, and it’s
fantastic if you just want to get out there and experience the beauty and
wonder of Mother Nature in a comfortable setting. The slightly cooler evenings
are awesome for a stroll on the beach, or for cuddling up with that special
someone. If you enjoy camping, this is an optimal time of year for sleeping out
under the stars and roasting marshmallows by the fire.
During the fall, the whole area comes alive with
the vibrance of the season. There is always something happening, and there is
so much to see and do you will never be bored. Let’s take a brief look at some
of the things that will be happening throughout this magical season.
Throughout the entire month of October, spend a little time at the Destin Harbor,
and enjoy the festivities of the 64th
Annual Destin Fishing Rodeo. There will be tons of cash and prizes awarded
to anglers from all over the country. Best of all, participation in the Rodeo
is FREE to when you fish aboard any boat registered in the Rodeo. Even if you’re
not fishing, you can still enjoy the merriment of the daily weigh-ins held on
the docks. Don’t miss Shark Saturdays!
The 34th
Annual Destin Seafood Festival will be entertaining thousands October 5-7. This tribute to the rich history of the Destin Harbor will
feature 3 days of fun-filled activities for the whole family. There will be
over 10 stages, and over 60 shows of amazing live music, kid’s activities, arts
and crafts vendors, delicious food, beer, and much, much more! This event is
also free and open to the public, however donations are accepted.
The Destin
Beer Festival on October
13 will be held along the main
street of Destin Commons. This event will feature an afternoon of specialty
brews, eclectic cuisine, live entertainment, a merchandise booth and more!
Event proceeds will benefit The Children’s Neighborhood of Children in Crisis,
Inc. Come out and enjoy some great beer for a great cause!
Enjoy even more beer October 19-20 at the 5th
Annual Baytowne Wharf Beer Festival. The event will feature over 40 onsite
craft brewers, over 100 domestic and international beers, seminars and
samplings, and live music.
Make your way to Niceville October 19-20 for the 36th
Annual Boggy Bayou Mullet Festival. (Don’t worry folks, that’s mullet as in
fish, not the popular 80’s hairstyle that’s business in the front and a party
in the back!) The festival always promises a great time for the entire family with
big-name entertainment, the highest quality fine art and home hand-crafts,
numerous exhibits and a staggering array of food concessions. Don’t miss other
special events throughout the festival such as the Mullet Toss!
If you are a dog lover, you will not want to
miss Dog Daze on October 20 at Liza Jackson Park in Fort Walton Beach. This canine-centered
event featuring doggie arts and crafts, informational booths, lots of freebies
and giveaways, a dog parade, wiener races and more! Come out for a day of fun
focused around man’s best friend. Dog Daze benefits Alaqua Animal Refuge, RUFF
(Rescue Unwanted Furry Friends), and PAWS (Panhandle Animal Welfare Society).
If there’s art in your heart you will not
want to miss the 17th Annual
Destin Festival of the Arts sponsored by the Mattie Kelly Arts Foundation.
The festival will be held October
27-28 at Henderson
Beach State Park. The event will feature over 100 artists from across the
United States in a vast variety of mediums. There will be kid’s events, live
music and lots of fun.
November 1-4 grab your glass and head to Seaside for the Seeing Red Wine Festival. This for day event is choc-full of
decades of southern tradition, and is sure to satisfy your taste for wine… and
the beach! An extensive array of tasting tents will be onsite with wine samples
from around the world.
The Great
Golf Coast Arts Festival is a juried art show that takes place in Seville
Square in Downtown Pensacola November
2-4. Over 250,000 visitors
flock to the area to enjoy this event every year.
On November 10 head
down to the Destin Harbor for the Blues,
Brews & BBQ event. Local restaurants will be firing up the frills and
the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association’s Northwest Florida chapter will
be onsite hosting a craft beer tasting and creative BBQ competition.
These are just a few of the many events you
can enjoy this fall. Other things you may want to check out include touring
shows, orchestra performances, Halloween festivities including multiple haunted
houses and more! Check back with us often for more information on these and
other upcoming events in addition to your regular Emerald Coast connection.
Until next time, enjoy the fruits of the season
and remember to send us your Emerald Coast vacation photos!
