Upcoming Events and Entertainment

All area codes are 850 unless specified.

 

FEBRUARY

Firefighters garage sale

The South Walton Professional Firefighters Local 3516 will host a garage sale from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Feb. 20 at 267 Churchill Bayou Road in Santa Rosa Beach. A tentative rain date has been scheduled for March 6 with the same time and location. Furniture, toys, clothes, knick-knacks and other treasures will be on hand. All proceeds will go to the American Cancer Society Relay for Life.

 

Concert

Escape to Create presents American tenor, Nathan Granner, in concert at 7 p.m. Feb. 20 at a Seaside Avenue residence. Seating is limited. Cost of $75 includes wine and hors d’oeuvres. All proceeds benefit Escape to Create artist-in-residence program. For tickets, call 504-534-0000 or e-mail escapetocreate@gmail.com.

 

Camellia Festival and Heritage Day

Celebrate the camellia from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Feb. 20 at Eden Gardens State Park in Pt. Washington. Stroll through the camellias, picnic on the grounds and attend talks and demonstrations on plant care. National camellia judge Manson Markette will be available throughout the day to discuss camellia care and to identify blooms, with leaves, brought in by the public.

Emerald Coast Flowers and Gifts owner Russ Barley will demonstrate flower arranging at 1 p.m. Learn air layering to propagate camellias and take home a plant air layered from Eden. Waxing of camellia blooms will also be displayed. The Park will also celebrate our industrious past by hosting heritage craft demonstrations of moonshine and turpentine production, candle dipping, soap making, butter churning, blacksmithing and more. This event is free with admission to the State Park, $4/car or $2/bike or pedestrian. The Park is north of U.S. 98 on CR 395. Call 246-0046 or 267-8322.

 

Florida Trail Association

The Florida Trail Association will hold the following events. Visit http://westgate. floridatrail.org or call the listed number. 

•Feb. 20: Awards banquet and potluck dinner at Bear Lake at 11:30 a.m. Call 932-0125.

•Feb. 21: Volunteers needed for trail maintenance in the Yellow River Ravines section at 8 a.m. Call 474-5359.

•Feb. 23: Monthly meeting at 6 p.m. at Bayou Blues in Niceville.  Visitors welcome. Call 682-6098.

•Feb. 27: Hike on Tarkin Preserve Park at 8 a.m. Call 554-7255.

•March 13: Bike ride on the Timberlake trail at 9 a.m. Eglin permit required. Call 683-0803.

•March 13-14: Camp/hike at Little River State Park in Alabama at 8 a.m. Call 995-4267.

•March 19-21: Canoe and camp at Okefenoke Swamp in Georgia at 8 a.m. Call 932-0125.

•March 20: A 3-, 6-, or 8-mile hike in the Cimarron section at 8 a.m. Eglin permit required. Call 682-6098.

•March 23: Monthly meeting at 6 p.m. at Bayou Blues Restaurant in Niceville. Visitors welcome. Call 682-6098.

•March 26–28: Annual Conference and Hiking Festival in Haines City, Fla. Call 877-HIKE-FLA.

•March 27: Kid’s Hike & Interactive Experience at 9 a.m. at the E. O. Wilson Biophilia Center. Call 974-2078.

•March 27: Hike on the Dunes Trail at 9 a.m. Call 932-546.

 

Art in Public Places

The Walton County Tourist Development Council and Friends of Coastal Brach Library will exhibit the works of Lois Kennedy during the Art in Public Places exhibit in February.

 

Farmers Market

The Seaside Farmers Market is held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays at the Amphitheater behind Raw & Juicy. Find fresh produce, baked goods and other unique offerings, and enjoy local specialties, cooking demos and activities.

 

Topsail tours

Topsail Hill Preserve State Park in Santa Rosa Beach will hold the following tours. A $3 park entrance fee is required, except for Breakfast with a Ranger. Outside tours are canceled during severe weather. For information, call 267-8330.

•A 2010 Step-Up Florida dune ecosystems hike will be held at 10:30 a.m. Feb. 20 and March 6. Visitors will be guided down the paved tram path to get to the beach where they will learn about the plants and animals that live in a dune ecosystem.

•Join the Rangers and ask them all the questions you can think of about park life at 9 a.m. March 13. To cover the cost of food, please bring $4, which goes to Friends of Topsail Hill Preserve State Park to enhance the park, or bring your own breakfast.

•A Step-Up Florida tracking animals walk will be held at 9 a.m. March 20. An outdoor interpretive will focus on tracking animals and finding out how many are in an area. Be sure to wear sunscreen and boot and be ready to hike at lest two miles. 

 

Quilting retreat

The Flying Needles Quilt Guild will hold a retreat on Feb. 25, 26 and 27 at Camp Timpoochee in Niceville. Daily registration is $12. Meals available are lunch, $10/person; dinner $15/person, advance reservations required.

The Flying Needles Quilts of Valor Workshop will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. Feb. 25 at Camp Timpoochee. Cost is $5/person. Dinner, $15/person. To register, visit www.flyingneedlesquiltguild.org.

Escape to Create reception

A cocktail reception featuring a reading by author Roger Reid, selected to receive one of Escape’s artist residences, will be held at 4 p.m. Feb. 26 in the Rosemary Beach home of Claire Bannerman and John Czapleski. Tickets are $20 and will benefit Escape to Create. For tickets, call 534-0000.

 

First Arts Concert Series

The 21st season of First Arts Concerts presents pianist Thomas Pandolfi at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 26 at First United Methodist Church in Fort Walton Beach.

Season and individual tickets can be purchased at www.firstartsconcerts.org or call 243-6083 for a brochure. 

Other concerts include:

•March 12: Proteus 7, brass

 

Needle Art in the Atrium

Sand Dunes Chapter, Embroiderers’ Guild of America, will present an upcoming show of members’ needlework, Needle Art in the Atrium, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Feb. 26, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Feb. 27 and 1 to 4 p.m. Feb. 28 at Westwood Retirement Resort, 1001 Mar Walt Drive in Fort Walton Beach. Admission is free.

 

Talent Quest Sunshine State 2010

Karaoke Café continues the local portion of Talent Quest Sunshine State 2010, a Statewide Karaoke singing championship at 9 p.m. every Monday, Wednesday and Friday until March 6.

Local judging will be done by Top This! Resident KJ Sinatra Morgan and Marketing Director Tammy Lenhardt The March 6th Finals will feature judges from the Talent Quest of FL and include $100 in Cash & Prizes for each winner!

Contestants in three categories, country, pop and masters, male and female, will compete separately to reach the national finals in Laughlin, Nev., where a total cash prize of $27,500 is guaranteed and split between the winners, along with many possible entertainment contracts and sponsor prizes.

Contestants wanting to join in this festive event are urged to call 424-5322 or stop by Top This! between the hours of 2 and 7 p.m.

 

St. Rita Preschool culinary challenge

Sign yourself or your team up to compete with the friends and parents of St. Rita Preschool at the Second Annual “So…You Think You Can Cook” Challenge during the 2010 Spring Fundraiser. The People’s Choice winner of the competition will claim the “Secret Award”, acknowledgement in the Saint Rita Cookbook and major bragging rights.

Teams are required to provide sampling portions of their entry for each patron to taste at the event. The winner will be judged by popular vote and will be announced at the end of the evening.

The St. Rita Preschool Cook-off is from 7 to 9 p.m. March 20 at Fonville Press at Alys Beach.

Deadline for registration is Feb. 26. For information e-mail stritacookoff@yahoo.com or call 238-5444

 

Workshops

Seagrove Garden Club will sponsor an organic garden on the Alaqua property where the harvest will be sold to support the animals. To prepare the garden, the club will sponsor the following workshops from 10 a.m. to noon at Alaqua, 914 Whitfield Road in Freeport. No reservations necessary. Call 916-316-6820.

•Pruning Workshop: Feb. 26 with Walton County Extension Office agent Eddie Powell. Bring gloves, hand tools, questions, and hot coffee. 

•Sheet Mulching Workshop: March 2 with Kat McCrite of Permascapes. Bring gloves, tools, questions, and hot coffee. $5 charge.

 

Community Yard Sale

Merchants and individuals are welcome at the Community Yard Sale at Gulf Place from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Feb. 27. Call 835-1584 or e-mail permakat@gmail.com.

 

Art workshop

Francis X. Pavy will conduct an Art Block Printing Workshop for the Cultural Arts Association of Walton County from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Feb. 27 at the Point Washington United Methodist Church on North County Road 395 in Santa Rosa Beach. The registration fee is $50 plus a $25 supply fee. All students should bring a sack lunch. To register, call 622-5970.

 

 Sinfonia Gulf Coast

The 2009-2010 season of the Sinfonia Gulf Coast will include the following events. Season subscriptions and tickets are available at www.SinfoniaGulfCoast.org or call 269-7129.

•Feb. 28: Time Travel at 3 p.m. at Good News United Methodist Church in Santa Rosa Beach features the Manhattan Piano Trio and Demetrius Fuller, clarinet.

•March 23: The Sinfonia Gala Event,  “An Evening in Vintage Hollywood featuring Pink Martini,” will be held at 6 p.m. at the Emerald Coat Conference Center.

 

MARCH

 

Art in Public Places

The works of acrylic artist Judi Bludworth will be featured during March at The Walton County Tourist Development Council and Friends of Coastal Branch Library Art in Public Places exhibit at the Coastal Branch Library. Call 267-1216.

 

Panama City Music Association

The Panama City Music Association presents the Odessa Philharmonic Orchestra with William De Rosa March 4 in the Panama City Marina Civic Center. Tickets may be purchased at 763-4696 or visit www.marinaciviccenter.com for more information.

•March 10: Annie, Broadway Musical

 

Choctawhatchee Audubon Society

“Native Plants for Birds and Butterflies” will be presented by gardener Marie Harrison at 6:30 p.m. March 4 in the Learning Resources Center LRC Room 128 at NWF State College in Niceville. Programs are free and open to the public.

 

Choctawhatchee Audubon Society Eventures

Discover the sights and sounds of nature at night with Nonie’s Ark Animal Encounters on a free hour-long night walk for the Choctawhatchee Audubon Society at 5:30 p.m. March 5 in Niceville. All are invited but focus is on ages 4-10. Bring a flashlight/. RSVP for location to 862-9588 or nonie@noniesark.com.

 

Bird Walk

Members and non-members of all levels of experience are invited on a bird walk caravan around the Valparaiso area on March 6. Bring binoculars, a bird book and weather appropriate clothing. Meet at Niceville Badcock Furniture parking lot at 7:30 a.m.

 

First Friday

The First Friday ArtWalk will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. March 5 at Ruskin Place & Central Square. Enjoy live music and view works of art and artist demos at the galleries and shops.

 

Artists at Gulf Place

The following events will be held from March 6 through April 10 at Artists at Gulf Place, Corner of 393 and 30-A in Santa Rosa Beach. Call 622-0400.

•Recycled Art Workshop, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. every Monday.

•Jewelry Making, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. every Tuesday and 2 to 4:30 p.m. every Thursday.

•The Dye Workshop, 3 to 5 p.m. every Tuesday and Thursday.

•Kids Art Workshop, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Wednesday.

•Happy Sign Painting with Wendy, 2 to 5 p.m. every Wednesday.

 

Green Thumb Garden Club

The Green Thumb Garden Club of Santa Rosa Beach will host a program by author, entertainer, columnist, artist and floral designer Mark Ballard from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. March 6 at the Sandestin Hilton Golf & Beach Resort. Proceeds will benefit the Genevieve Mercer Horticulture Scholarship. Tickets are $40. Make reservations at 880-6066 or coolbreeze485@hotmail.com.

 

Cash 4 College workshop

Northwest Florida State College will hold a free “Cash 4 College” financial aid workshop to help students and parents complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid from 1 to 4 p.m. March 7 on the Niceville campus in building C-1 and C-2. Call 729-5370 or e-mail bennettp@nwfstatecollege.edu.

 

Mattie Kelly Arts Center

The 2009-2010 season at the NWF State College’s Mattie Kelly Fine and Performing Arts Center will include a Broadway season package for four shows for $165 per package or $45 per individual ticket. A six-show Broadway/Artist combo package will be $200, with $30 individual ticket prices for Artist Series shows.

Season packages are available by phone, in-person or by mail only from the Mattie Kelly Arts Center Box Office. Individual show tickets go on sale through the center's online box office at www.mattiekellyartscenter.org and in-person or by phone.

Broadway package includes:

Artist Series includes:

A series of children's shows which will be matinee performances for school groups include the following. Limited seating for the public may be available for $6 each.

•March 9: Frog and Toad.

•April 13: Click, Clack, Moo.

 

Steak & Burger Dinner

The University of Alabama’s Team Chaplain and former NFL Player, Jeremiah Castille, will share his personal story on what it takes to be a champion at The Boys & Girls Clubs of the Emerald Coast DeFuniak Springs Teen Center’s second annual Steak & Burger Dinner at 6 p.m. March 11 at the DeFuniak Springs Community Center. Proceeds will support the annual operating costs of the Teen Center.

Corporate and community sponsors are being sought for the event. Tickets are $25 and available at The Teen Center or Tax Collector’s Office. If interested in sponsoring the event, contact Fundraising Chair Mike Morris at 585-1718 or mmorris@chelco.com.

 

Wine Over Water

Local artists will display their work, area restaurants will showcase their food and wine and live music will be played during Wine Over Water, March 12-14 on Market Street in Carillon Beach. Local talent will include this year's featured artist Dominic Williams. Tickets are on sale at all Carillon Beach merchants, by phone at 397-4185, or at www.wineoverwater.net

Activities include:

•March 12, Carillon Ballroom: 6 p.m., champagne hour; 7 p.m., Wine-pairing dinner and silent auction. Limited seating, $100.

•March 13, Carillon Market Street: 11 a.m., Chef Cook-off and Ice sculpting/GCCC, free; 1 p.m., Chef Jim Shirley, wine/food pairing, free; Tommy Ward, Buddy Ward & Sons Seafood seminar, free; 2 to 5 p.m., Grand Wine Tasting, $45. Live music and artist exhibits throughout the day.

•March 14, Carillon Market Street: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Walk Around Brunch, $25. Live music and artists exhibits throughout the day.

 

Call to Artists: Digital Gaffiti

Alys Beach has announced that it will host the third annual Digital Graffiti, the world’s first outdoor projection art festival, on June 12. Organizers are now calling for submissions from artists around the globe for inclusion in the 2010 competition.

All entries should be submitted via e-mail as soon as possible to events@alysbeach.com. The deadline for all submissions is March 15. For complete rules and information, visit www.digitalgraffiti.com

 

Stories by the Sea

Join the Seaside Repertory Theatre as they present a one-of-a-kind storytelling experience for children of all ages at 4 p.m. Monday-Friday, March 15-31 and April 1-9. Each day will offer a new story and there might even be opportunities for participation

 

Shamrocks in the Square

The Merchants of Seaside invite everyone to all things Irish during the Second annual St. Patrick's Day celebration from 6 to 9 p.m. March 17 at the Seaside Amphitheater. Enjoy the sounds of Irish/Celtic music and The Drake Irish Dancers of Fort Walton.

 

Coffee with the Conductor

Maestro Demetrius Fuller's free coffee klatche will be held at 10 a.m. March 19 at The Café at Barnes & Noble's in Destin. Fuller will discuss the Pink Martini Gala event. Call 269-7129.

 

Northwest Florida Ballet

An E. T. A. Hoffman tale takes center stage in the spring when the NFB performs Dr. Coppelius’ Magic Toy Shoppe at 7:30 p.m. March 20 and 2:30 p.m. March 21 at the Arts Center. A Tutu Couture party for girls will be held in conjunction with this event at Toy Magic in Uptown Station. Call NFB for more information and to purchase tickets.

The season concludes with NFB’s free outdoor Starlight Ballet performances at Rosemary Beach. Call ballet’s offices for further dates and times.

 

Spring Concert Series

Seaside presents a series of free concerts from 6 to 8 p.m. March 24 and 31 in the Seaside Amphitheater.

 

Guitar Hero Tournament

The Second Annual Guitar Hero Tournament will be held March 19 and April 9. Anyone interested in participating will sign up prior to the event. Qualifying rounds will be held in the Seaside Meeting Hall and finalists will perform in front of a large audience in the Amphitheater. Sign up at seasiderep.org.

 

Cinema Friday

Grab your blankets and head to the Amphitheater for movies under the stars at 7:30 p.m. March 26, April 2 and 6 in Central Square.

 

Antique and Vintage Car Show

Join antique and vintage car collectors, clubs and owners as they gather on the lawns of Rosemary Beach for the Ninth Annual Rt. 30A Antique and Vintage Car Show from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. March 27.

 The event will include entertainment throughout the day, demonstrations, a People's Choice award, and a chance to see automotive history. This event is free and open to the public.

Applications are now being accepted for automobiles manufactured before 1970. Entry fee is $20 per vehicle in advance and $25 the day of the show, with proceeds going to the recovery and rebuilding funds for the earthquake victims of Haiti.

For more information or registration, call Hilltop Productions at 951-2148 or visit www.hilltopproductionsinc.com.

 

Choctawhatchee Audubon Society Fieldtrip

Take a fieldtrip to Ft. Morgan, Ala., for spring bird banding on March 27. Call trip leader Don Ware at 862-6582 for details.

 

 

 

APRIL

 

 First Friday

The First Friday ArtWalk will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. April 2 at Ruskin Place & Central Square. Enjoy live music and view works of art and artist demos at the galleries and shops. The cost is $20, but the fee has been waived for residents and business owners in Walton County. Registration deadline is April 6. Call 892-4859.

 

Business Finance workshop

The Walton County Economic Development Alliance will hold a Business Finance workshop from 10 a.m. to noon April 9 at the Northwest Florida State College South Walton Center, 109 Greenway Trail. Representatives from the UWF Small Business Development Center will provide information dealing with sector/government financing programs available or businesses and a bankers’ panel will explain how they evaluate business lending requests.

 

Northwest Florida Symphony Orchestra

Northwest Florida Symphony Orchestra at Northwest Florida State College, under the baton of Jeffrey Rink, announces its 2009-10 concert season and the availability of season tickets. The 23rd season of the region’s professional orchestra will include five concerts, special events and new benefits for season subscribers, award-winning guest artists, the premiere of a new work written for the NFSO, collaborative performances with the Northwest Florida Symphony Chorus and more.

Regular season subscriptions for the 2009-10 series of five NFSO concerts are now available for $100. NFSO season tickets are available for purchase in-person or by phone from the college’s Mattie Kelly Arts Center Box office at (850) 729-6000 or online at www.nfsymphony.org.

Conductor’s Circle memberships, for subscribers who make a tax deductible gift of at least $250 to the symphony in addition to their purchase of the $100 season subscription, are also available.

The Mattie Kelly Arts Center is on the Niceville campus of Northwest Florida State College at 100 College Blvd.

•April 10: “European Masters” features the Northwest Florida Symphony Chorus and orchestra.

 

MAY

West Indies Markets

Applications are being accepted for the 2010 West Indies Market to take place May 8 and 9, June 12 and 13 and July 10 and 11 at Rosemary Beach. The markets are open to all vendors who have hand-crafted or fine arts and crafts in the media of pottery, yard art, stained glass, hand-crafted jewelry, handmade furniture, watercolor, oil or pastel paintings, metal sculpture, or anything handmade by the artists.

For information or for a vendor application, call Hilltop Productions at 951-2148, or visit www.hilltopproductionsinc.com.