Kickin' Off Fall with Festival Fun

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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 October 3-6 Entertainment on the Emerald Coast

This weekend into next week is filled with big events, ranging from the Destin Seafood Festival and Destin Fishing Rodeo to South Walton Fashion Week! 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!

October 1-31, 2014

66^th Annual Destin Fishing Rodeo

Behind AJ's Seafood & Oyster Bar, on Destin Harbor

The Destin Fishing Rodeo is the ultimate fishing tournament for saltwater anglers of all ages. Below are some facts about the month-long event:

- Open every day in October

- The rodeo is free to anglers fishing aboard a registered boat in the rodeo

- Weigh-ins take place everyday on the docks at AJ's from 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.

- The event is open to private and charter boats.

- Fishing on pier, bridge or jetties is free for anglers 14 years of age and younger

- A $25 fee is required for anglers 15 and over

- Over 30,000 anglers compete throughout the month of October

- Over $100,000 awarded in cash and prizes

- Daily, weekly and overall prizes

- Junior, Teen, Ladies and Senior divisions

Virtually every game fish is recognized with awards during the rodeo. Whether you're trolling inshore for king mackerel, offshore for marlin and sailfish, or fishing the deep bottoms for red snapper and grouper, you'll be in the running for prizes. To learn more about the rodeo and to check updates on the most recent weigh-ins, be sure to visit DestinFishingRodeo.org.

Friday-Sunday, October 3-5, 2014

36^th Annual Destin Seafood Festival

Destin Harbor Boardwalk

The 36^th Annual Destin Seafood Festival kicks off this Friday at 4 p.m. at Destin Harbor Boardwalk. Festival highlights include fresh, local seafood, live music on multiple stages, artist and craft vendors, kids’ zones, family fun, a fireworks show and much more! The venue extends along the water from HarborWalk Village at the foot of the Destin Bridge all the way to Heron Harbor. The venue showcases the Destin Charter Fishing Fleet and the action of the 66^th Annual Destin Fishing Rodeo, which will continue for the entire month of October. The festival is free and open to the public, so bring your friends and family along for an exciting weekend centered on great food and fun! For more information on the Destin Seafood Festival, please visit DestinSeafoodFestival.org.

Saturday, October 4, 2014:

Fall Nighttime Corn Hole Tournament

Twin Oaks Horseshoe Pits

Corner of Hwy. 85 N and College Boulevard

Niceville

Time: 5 p.m.

All ages and skill levels are welcome to join in on the corn hole fun with two divisions available for sign up—masters and beginners. You have the chance to win cash prizes! Sign-ups and warm-ups are 4-4:45 p.m. with the tournament beginning at 5 p.m. Register early online and save. All proceeds benefit the Heritage Museum of Northwest Florida. Bring your chairs and coolers, and come enjoy the fun! For more information, please visit FWBChamber.org/events.

8^th Annual Blue Jean Ball

Covenant Hospice

220 Eglin Parkway

Fort Walton Beach

Time: 6 p.m.

Uptown Station Family Movie Night Series, Featuring Toy Story 3

Uptown Station

99 Eglin Parkway NE

Fort Walton Beach

Time: 7:30 p.m.

Join the movie fun every other Saturday night at Central Park for Uptown Station’s Family Movie Series in the Park! All movies begin at dusk (approximately 7:30 p.m.) and are free and open to the public. Feel free to bring blankets, chairs and cuddle up for a family friendly movie. Movies always depend on the weather, so be sure to check the Uptown Station Facebook page for the latest updates on showings. Facebook.com/UptownStation

Sunday, October 5, 2014:

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

Monday, October 6-12, 2014

South Walton Fashion Week

Grand Boulevard

600 Grand Blvd. Ste. 203

Destin

South Walton Fashion Week is a large-scale, multi-day event that takes place along Northwest Florida’s Gulf Coast to celebrate high fashion by featuring dynamic events. Proceeds benefit The Cultural Arts Alliance of Walton County’s Arts Education Program. Emerging Designers who apply and are selected as finalists will showcase their designs on the Emerging Designer Runway and a winner will then be selected by a fashion panel of distinguished judges. For more information, visit DestinChamber.com/events/South-Walton-Fashion-Week.

Check Out Our Amazing Coupons!

There is more than one way to enjoy our Life’s A Beach Visitor’s Guide. People who pick up our book are interested in a number of things: learning about the area, finding something to do, finding somewhere to eat, and clipping great coupons from our advertisers found in the back of our guide. Our advertisers provide our readers with great specials via coupons. Take advantage of these coupons when you are exploring the Destin/Fort Walton Beach area. Maybe you could use one or ten of the coupons in the current issue during your next trip. It’s all up to you!

Our coupons are divided into the three separate categories within the guide: attractions, shopping and dining.

These are the coupon pages in the back of our Spring 2014 Life's A Beach Visitor's Guide.

In the ATTRACTIONS part of our coupon section, you will find coupons for money off pontoon boat and jet ski rentals, canoe rentals, parasailing adventures, snorkeling trips, fishing charters, golf games and MUCH more.

Jet skis can be a blast on the stunning, emerald waters.

Pontoon boats are great for larger parties.

In the SHOPPING coupon section, you’ll discover savings on jewelry, clothing, beach accessories, and a plethora of other shopping essentials.

Open-air malls give way to gorgeous days of shopping and enjoying the warm, beachy weather.

Lastly, in our DINING coupon section, you’ll find coupons for free food with the purchase of other food, percentages off of your meal, and many other great offers to keep both you and your wallet full and happy.

Great views!

Great seafood!

Great lunch and dinner!

Great breakfast!

Pick up a hard copy of a Life’s A Beach Visitor‘s Guide or go online to our website http://www.lifesabeachllc.com and click on the link on the home page that reads “printable coupons.” Enjoy your discounts from our amazing advertisers and have a blast discovering all that our beautiful Emerald Coast has to offer!

The 34th Annual Destin Seafood Festival Kicks Off This Weekend!

OCTOBER 5 – 7, 2012

Friday, October 5: 3pm – 10pm

Saturday, October 6: 10am – 10pm

Sunday, October 7: 11am – 5pm

Admission: FREE (Donations Accepted)

If you enjoy fantastic entertainment, delicious food, and exciting activities for all ages, then you won’t want to miss the 2012 Destin Seafood Festival. This year, the festival will be presented by the Destin Charter Boat Association, along with many community businesses. To these folks, it’s more than just a festival – it’s a tribute to the rich history of the Destin Harbor. This year’s festival will be taking place along the beautiful Destin Harbor which now features the new and improved Harbor Boardwalk.

The event will feature tons of entertainment and fun for all ages, as the entire harbor district is abuzz with the excitement of the festival. There will be two outdoor main stages featuring performances from musical groups such as Heritage, Cadillac Willy, Coconut Radio and Cheryl Jones, just to name a few. An exciting addition to this year’s musical lineup is Wild Country Blue, an amazing U.S. Air Force band. There will also be live music at several other locations throughout the harbor. Kid’s activities will include bounce houses, pony rides, a petting zoo, hamster balls, Euro bungee, face painting, arts & crafts and more! If all this isn’t enough, the Destin Fishing Rodeo will be in full swing, with exciting weigh-ins taking place daily.

 

When you attend the Destin Seafood Festival this year, you better come hungry! Tons of succulent seafood items will be on the menu this year including lobster, crab cakes, scallops, shrimp, mullet, shark, mahi mahi, crawfish, clams and much, much more!

Come down to the Destin Harbor and see why more than 60,000 locals and visitors are expected to visit this year’s Destin Seafood Festival – exceptional food, outstanding entertainment, and loads of fun for the whole family.

Visit the Official Destin Seafood Festival Website Here

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!

Life's A Beach Photo Upload