Kickin' Off Fall with Festival Fun

EMBRACE change...

Autumn has commenced and that means the season for outdoor events is in full swing! 

With the transition from summer to fall behind us, we can now enjoy all that the months of September through December have to offer both locals and visitors of our festive area. The season starts off with exhilarating rides, exciting games and delicious food at the fair. The fun continues when the Destin Fishing Rodeo begins on the first of October, hosting people from all over as they compete for cash prizes and bragging rights in an array of categories. The weekend of October 6-8 is going to be full of entertainment as the Destin Seafood Festival and the Navarre Fishing Rodeo take place, bringing food, fishing, arts, kids' activities and more.

You don't have to look far to discover something fun to do on the Emerald Coast in the fall. Grab your family or friends and experience these happenings for yourself!


September

26-30   Northwest Florida Fair

Ride the rides, play the games, see the animals and have an overall great time at the fair! Visit the fair's website for a coupon for $2 off admission tickets. NWFFair.com

Photo courtesy of NWFFair.com

October

1-31   Destin Fishing Rodeo
Head to nearby Destin for this enormous, month-long fishing celebration! Known globally as “The World’s Luckiest Fishing Village,” Destin is home to some of the world’s best angling opportunities. Compete in the tournament for generous cash prizes or head to HarborWalk Village for exciting weigh-ins, free live music and fireworks. DestinFishingRodeo.org

Photo courtesy of Life's A Beach Publications archives

1   2nd Annual Destin Charity Cornhole Tournament
Participate or be a spectator at this popular sporting event at Destin Commons that benefits Emerald Coast Children’s Advocacy Center! Sets of cornhole boards will be auctioned off to benefit ECCAC. ECCAC.org

Photo courtesy of ECCAC.org

6-8   Destin Seafood FestivalThis Emerald Coast tradition brings thousands of visitors and locals alike to celebrate Destin’s fantastic local cuisine. One of the area’s largest annual celebrations, the festival kicks off during opening weekend of the famous Destin Fishing Rodeo, so guests can enjoy two awesome events packed into one unforgettable weekend! Join us alongside the Destin Harbor for live music, fireworks, and of course, delicious seafood! DestinSeafoodFestival.com

Photo courtesy of Life's A Beach Publications archives

7-8   Navarre Fishing Rodeo

Be part of the coolest fishing event around! Fish from the shore, a charter, a kayak, or from the pier to participate in this classic tournament, then head to Juana’s Pagodas for post-fishing food and fun! NavarreFishingRodeo.com

Photo courtesy of Navarre Fishing Rodeo's Facebook page

For information on more events happening this fall, be sure to visit LifesABeachllc.com.

Have a beachy week!

Our Top Picks for April 24-26 Entertainment on the Emerald Coast

During this final weekend of April, the Emerald Coast is bustling with a variety of events ranging from music and wine festivals to a cobia tournament and a Bulls on the Beach event. Be sure to check weather.com or tune in to the Weather Channel for the latest updates on local weather conditions.

The Life's A Beach crew wishes everyone a safe and beachy, spring weekend! Enjoy!

April 22-26

17^th Annual Seabreeze Jazz Festival

Panama City Beach

This foot-tapping event is taking place at the Aaron Beasant Park Amphitheater, adjacent to Pier Park in Panama City Beach. Tickets are available for single and multi-day admission online at BreezeJazzFestival.com or by phone at 800.595.4849.

Photo credit: Panama City Beach Jazz Festival Experience 2015 Facebook event page

April 23-26

South Walton Beaches Wine & Food Festival

At this fun-filled festival, over 800 wines and winemakers from around the world gather to celebrate the best in wine and food to benefit the Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation. Visit SoWalWine.com for more information.

Photo credit: South Walton Beaches Wine & Food Festival Facebook page

Friday, April 24, 2015:

April 24-25

Bulls on the Beach

Okaloosa Island

April 24-25

31^st Annual Navarre Fun Fest

Come on out to this exciting weekend event for non-stop entertainment with arts and crafts, a children’s area, fireworks, 5K run, food and more! Check NavarreChamber.com for complete details on this event.

April 24-26

15^th Annual Musical Echoes Flute, Art and Cultural Festival

Downtown Fort Walton Beach

Enjoy the soothing and inspirational sounds of the Native American flute music and be inspired by the colorful, rhythmic dance performances, the art, and the crafts at the festival. Traditional Indian fry bread and other delicious food will be available. Visit MusicalEchoes.org for more information.

Photo credit: Musical Echoes Facebook page

Saturday, April 25, 2015:

39^th Saturday in the Park

Perrine Park/Heritage Museum and Gardens in Old Valparaiso

This popular springtime community festival is held to benefit the Heritage Museum of Northwest Florida in Valparaiso. It features live entertainment, artisans, traditional craft demonstrations, amusement and activities for children, including pony rides and old-fashioned horse and carriage rides along the bayou. There will also be antique cars, food and fun. To learn more, visit Heritage-Museum.org or call 850.678.2615.

Earth Day Beach Cleanup

The Emerald Coast beaches get a clean sweep from hundreds of happy volunteers during Earth Week in April each year. Volunteers can gather at Beasley Park on Okaloosa Island, Henderson Beach State Park in Destin or Beach Access #3 on Santa Rosa Boulevard in Fort Walton Beach. Volunteers receive a free T-shirt.

Choctawhatchee Estuary Family Festival

Fred Gannon Rocky Bayou State Park, Niceville

Time: 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.

The Choctawhatchee Basin Alliance and Mattie Kelly Environmental Institute will jointly host the 8^th Annual Mattie Kelly Estuary Family Festival.

Sunday, April 26, 2015:

Some Sunday Brunch spots in and around Destin:

Crab Island Cantina, Destin Harbor crabislandcantina.com

Harry T’s, Destin Harbor harryts.com

Angler’s Beachside Grill, Okaloosa Island Boardwalk anglersgrill.com

McGuire’s Irish Pub, Destin mcguiresirishpub.com

March-April, 2015

2015 HarborWalk Marina 18th Annual Cobia Tournament

The tournament takes place at HarborWalk Marina, located on the Destin Harbor, just minutes away from the intracoastal waterway and the Gulf of Mexico. The tournament ends April 30 at 8 p.m. All events are free and open to the public.

Our Top Picks for October 24-26 Entertainment on the Emerald Coast

This upcoming fall weekend is full of season-inspired events! From a Fall Carnival and an Arts Festival to a Zombie Stomp and a Halloween Haunt—there is something for everyone to partake in. For current weather updates, be sure to reference weather.com or tune in via television to The Weather Channel.

The Life’s A Beach crew wishes everyone a safe and BEACHY weekend! Enjoy!

Friday, October 24, 2014:

City of Fort Walton Beach Fall Carnival

Docie Bass Recreation Center

54 Ferry Road

Fort Walton Beach

Time: 6:30-8:30 p.m.

At this great event, there will be fun for the entire family, including a Haunted House, Trick-or-Treat Trail, candy carnival games, concessions, face painting, bounce houses and a cakewalk. Admission is free. Please call 850.833.9580 for more information.

Hog Rally Concert

HarborWalk Village

Time: 7-10 p.m.

Rally together for a free concert on the main stage with the Bobby Friss Band! Keep rocking on post concert with an After Party at Coyote Ugly at 10 p.m. For more information, visit www.flstatehogrally.com.

October 24 and 25

Haunted History Tours of Downtown Fort Walton Beach

139 Miracle Strip Parkway

Fort Walton Beach

The City of Fort Walton Beach Heritage Park & Cultural Center presents the 7^th Annual Haunted History Tours based on authentic local history, folk stories and spooky downtown historic sites. The tours will be conducted each night at 6:30 p.m., 7 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Tours are limited to 30 people each and early sign-up and ticket purchase is encouraged. The program offers a guided twilight walking tour of historic sites in the downtown area and features costumed actors interpreting local history and haunted happenings. All tour participants should arrive at least 15 minutes prior to start time for each tour at the Indian Temple Mound Museum. Tours end with spooky refreshments inside the Camp Walton Schoolhouse Museum. For more information, visit www.fwbchamber.org/events.

Saturday, October 25, 2014:

19^th Annual Mattie Kelly Arts Foundation Festival of the Arts

Mattie Kelly Cultural Arts Village

4323 Commons Drive West

Destin

This annual, creative celebration highlights art, music, food and fun for everyone! The Mattie Kelly Arts Foundation (MKAF) Festival of the Arts is located at 4323 Commons Drive West in Destin. It will take place Saturday, October 25, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., and Sunday, October 26, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.

There will be free parking at Grace Lutheran Church & Art Shuttle from Emerald Coast Center by Bealls Department Store. Admission to the festival is $3 per adult. MKAF members and children under age 12 get in for free. For more information, please visit MattieKellyArtsFoundation.org or call 850.650.2226.

Gulfarium’s Splash or Treat Spooktacular

1010 Miracle Strip Parkway

Fort Walton Beach

Time: 9 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.

Eglin Zombie Stomp

Time: 2 p.m.

Kid Friendly – Haunted Heritage Day

Heritage Museum of Northwest Florida

115 Westview Avenue

Valparaiso

Time: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Wear your Halloween costume and receive admission for $1. Museum members and children age 4 and under get in for free. Come for the Halloween crafts, historic exhibits, playtime in the Discovery Room for kids and a stroll in “Paradise Gardens.” For more information, please contact info@hertiage-museum.org or call 850.678.2615.

Halloween Haunt at Destin Commons

Destin Commons Center Plaza

4300 Legendary Drive, Ste. 200

Destin

Time: 4-7 p.m.

This event will be full of spooky crafts, Trick-or-Treating, a costume contest for kids and dogs, and the Emerald Coast Wildlife Refuge’s spooky haunted house attraction. Costume contest registration is at 4 p.m., the contest kicks off at 5 p.m. and Trick-or-Treating begins at 6 p.m. Abrakadoodle will be on site with children’s fantasy face-painting and creepy crafts. For more information, please visit DestinCommons.com.

October 25 and 26

Pumpkinpalooza

HarborWalk Village

10 Harbor Boulevard

Destin

Children and adult costume contests will be held during this exciting Halloween event. There will be plenty of drinks and live entertainment to savor. Children can Trick-or-Treat with merchants all day during business hours. Pumpkin decorating, free crafts and face painting will also be available! To learn more, contact info@harborwalk-destin.com or call 850.424.0600.

Sunday, October 26, 2014:

Some Sunday Brunch spots in and around Destin:

Crab Island Cantina, Destin Harbor www.crabislandcantina.com

Harry T’s, Destin Harbor www.harryts.com

Angler’s Beachside Grill, Okaloosa Island Boardwalk anglersgrill.com

McGuire’s Irish Pub, Destin www.mcguiresirishpub.com

Get Lucky in Destin!

If you are in Destin for St. Patty's Day weekend, you're in LUCK! On Saturday, March 16th the city of Destin's Parks and Recreation Department  will once again host the 13th Annual Run with the Dogs 5k. Registration for the Run/Walk is open until Friday, March 15th. All dogs are welcome, and there will be awards for both two-legged and 4 four legged participants. For more information or to register, call 850.650.1241.

Sunday, March 17th, from  12-11 p.m. you don't want to miss the festivities at he 5th Annual HarborWalk Village Grogg Games & Irish Street Festival. Enjoy live Irish music by authentic bag pipers Irish dancers, classic Irish fare and authentic Irish beers. Crafts and activities for children too! Fun for the whole family! For more information visit EmeraldGrande.

The Village of Baytowne Wharf will also be celebrating the luck of the Irish Saturday, March 17, 6-9 p.m., enjoy the beautiful scenery, live traditional Celtic music in the events plaza, sponsored by Henri’s Notions.  For more information visit, BaytowneWharf.

So get out there and enjoy all of wonderful festivities the Emerald Coast has to offer! For more information about local restaurants,dining, attractions,shopping,events,maps,coupons and MORE pick up a copy of Life's A Beach Spring issue. We are THE Visitor's Guide to the Emerald Coast. Be sure to LIKE us on FACEBOOK for you chance to WIN the Life's A Beach Spring Giveaway! 

Fall in Love with the Emerald Coast

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 64^th 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!

DestinFishingRodeo.org

The 34^th 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.

DestinSeafoodFestival.org

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!

DestinBeerFestival.com

Enjoy even more beer October 19-20 at the 5^th 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.

BaytowneWharfBeerFestival.com

Make your way to Niceville October 19-20 for the 36^th 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!

BoggyBayouMulletFestival.info

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).

FWBChamber.org

If there’s art in your heart you will not want to miss the 17^th 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.

MattieKellyArtsFoundation.org  

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.

SeeingRedWineFestival.com

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.

GGAF.org

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.

EmeraldGrande.com

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!

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