Explore some of the exciting annual events on the Emerald Coast. 30A, South Walton and the surrounding area offer year-round fun in addition to beautiful beaches; including concerts, festivals and so much more. Many of the larger annual festivals take place in the Spring and Fall when temperatures are cooler and the area is less crowded, but there is always plenty to do. Check out the list below for highlights of the area’s annual events.
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January
30A Songwriters Festival
This festival features over 175 artists and 225 performances at various venues along scenic Highway 30A. It’s a feast for music fans, offering a variety of genres and attracting international talents and local performers alike. Visit www.30asongwritersfestival.com for more information.
February
Sandestin Gumbo Festival
Gulf Coast restaurants will feature their top-secret gumbo recipes and compete for your vote at The Village of Baytowne Wharf. Sample the variety of gumbos and vote for your favorite as the “People’s Choice” winner. Enjoy live music, family-friendly fun, and the greatest gumbo cook-off on the Gulf Coast. For details, visit sandestingumbofestival.com.
The Village of Baytowne Wharf streets will be filled with costumed dogs and their humans, along with unique and colorful floats, golf carts, and pickup trucks for the Mardi Gras Parade. Parade-goers are showered with a barrage of beads, moon pies, and other trinkets. Then break out the beads and get ready for a night to remember at the Baytowne Mardi Street Pardi and a festive Fat Tuesday celebration complete with live music, street performers, entertainers and more. Visit www.sandestin.com or www.baytownewharf.com to find out more.
30A Wine Festival at Alys Beach
The festival showcases renowned distillers, vintners, and culinary favorites over five days of celebration – a series of events and workshops where wine enthusiasts and bourbon lovers alike relish in the festivities within the captivating town of Alys Beach. All proceeds from the festival benefit the Children’s Volunteer Health Network, a local charity which provides health services to children. Visit 30awinefestival.com.
Valentines Tour of Homes
The event is known for showcasing stunning interiors, architecturally acclaimed homes and picturesque settings, bringing inspiration to tour goers’ winter weekend at the beach. Fall in love with some of Walton County’s most interesting homes while raising funds for the CAA’s Art For All program. Visit www.culturalartsalliance.com/valentine-tour-of-homes.
Camellia Festival
The grounds of Eden Gardens State Park has over 370 camellias throughout. In February, they pay tribute to the camellias, provide an array of educational displays and presentations, and invite visitors to stroll through the camellia garden and grounds. There will also be camellias for sale as a fundraiser for the park. Visit www.friendsofedengardens.com/events.
March
Crescendo
Taking place at the end of February or the beginning of March each year, Sinfonia Gulf Coast presents Crescendo. Celebrity vintners and chefs present Vintner Dinners in stunning homes and venues. The energy-infused main event celebrates the cultural and culinary arts by showcasing world-class vintners, expert spirit purveyors, amazing auction items, and a musical performance. Visit sinfoniagulfcoast.org/crescendo to find out more about the next event.
Stinky’s Annual Pompano Tournament
The Stinky’s Pompano Tournament is the longest running fishing tournament in Walton County. The tournament registers over 150 participants – ranging from recreational fisher folks to professionals – locals and visitors alike. The tournament spans over the course of five weeks, typically the end of March through the first week of May. Whether you’re a local or visiting, it only takes one Pompano to win. Visit stinkysbaitshop.com for details.
April
Seabreeze Jazz Festival
Named a “Top 10 Jazz Festival in the USA” by JazzIZ Magazine and recently nominated as “Best Jazz Festival” at the Oasis Smooth Jazz Awards, the Seabreeze Jazz Festival in Panama City Beach combines the top national smooth jazz artists with a full weekend of fun, sun, great beaches, and good times – the ultimate performance-packed weekend of jazz. Visit www.seabreezejazzfestival.com and get your tickets early.
Sandestin Wine Festival
Voted “Best Event” by Visit South Walton and known as the “Kentucky Derby of Wine Festivals,” the Sandestin Wine Festival is a four-day event featuring more than 500 domestic and international wines. Patrons will have the opportunity to talk to vineyard owners and wine makers about their favorite appellations in all varieties, styles and price ranges, and perhaps try something new. Visit sandestinwinefestival.com.
A four-day celebration showcasing the finest wine, food, and spirits from around the world, with celebrity winemakers and chefs. A dazzling roster of dozens of celebrity winemakers, distillers, chefs, and mixologists converge in South Walton to wine, dine, educate, and entertain guests as part of the four-day celebration of wine during the South Walton Beaches Wine & Food Festival held each April at Grand Boulevard. Visit www.sowalwine.com to find out more.
Destin Charity Wine Auction
Held in conjunction with the South Walton Beaches Wine and Food Festival, the Annual Destin Charity Wine Auction benefits children in need in Northwest Florida. The sell-out weekend kicks off with Patron Dinners hosted in private homes and restaurants along the Emerald Coast. Each of the dinners supports one of DCWAF’s benefiting charities. The event will feature distinctive wines from internationally acclaimed vintners, poured and paired with cuisine created by a selection of the area’s top local restaurants, culminating with a high-energy live auction. Visit www.dcwaf.org.
May
May is Art Month in South Walton. This initiative of the Cultural Arts Alliance of Walton County features visual, performing, and literary arts programming in diverse formats and in various venues along 30A and South Walton.
Dine + Dive: An Underwater Museum of Art Benefit
This fusion of fine art, food and wine event igniting all of the senses is held each year to benefit the nation’s first Underwater Museum of Art. The CAA and South Walton Artificial Reef Association have expanded the former Under the Sea event to feature more than a dozen restaurant tasting stations, scores of incredible wines to sample as well as incredible continuous live music! For details, visit https://www.culturalartsalliance.com/upcoming-events.
Longleaf Writers Conference
The Longleaf Writers Conference in Seaside includes a full week of intensive and generative writing workshops, daily seminars, agent consultations, school outreach programs, and special social events. Visit https://longleafwritersconference.com for the latest details.
ArtsQuest Fine Arts Festival
ArtsQuest is a juried show that includes artists in the categories of Ceramics, Fiber, Glass, Jewelry, Metal, Mixed Media, Oils and acrylics, Original Digital Art, Photography, Sculpture, Wood and Works on Paper (Watercolor, Printmaking, Pastels, Pencils, Ink). ArtsQuest awards $10,000 in cash prizes. Visit https://www.culturalartsalliance.com/arts-quest for more info.
Digital Graffiti at Alys Beach
The Scenic 30A community of Alys Beach provides the environment for the Digital Graffiti festival, the open-air, organic gallery for the projections of original artworks. Staged against the elegant white walls of Alys Beach, Digital Graffiti provides a large-scale blank canvas for artists to explore the visual intersection of art and architecture. It is an immersive and interactive art projection experience that is entirely unique to the Digital Graffiti festival, named as one of the top “24 Unconventional Art Destinations Around the World” by National Geographic. Visit https://digitalgraffiti.com for more details.
Indulge in the ultimate fiesta experience as the Annual Tequila & Taco Fest returns each May for another unforgettable celebration of Tequila Love! Established as the second longest running Tequila & Taco Fest in the U.S., Tequila & Taco Fest promises an unparalleled culinary adventure coupled with live music, family-friendly activities and thrilling competitions. Get details and purchase tickets online at www.efestevents.com.
June
Emerald Coast Blue Marlin Classic
Taking place in one of the most productive fisheries in the United States, timed to coincide with the peak of the Gulf Coast’s blue marlin season and located at the South’s number-one ranked resort destination, the Emerald Coast Blue Marlin Classic at Sandestin® has set the precedent for world-class sport fishing tournaments. Visit https://www.fishecbc.com for details.
July
4th of July Parades
Catch Independence Day parades and celebrations at Seaside, Alys Beach, Rosemary Beach, The Village of Baytowne Wharf, Pier Park, Harborwalk and more!
September
Perfect Hues: Baytowne Art & Food Fest
Spend Labor Day Weekend at Sandestin for Perfect Hues: Baytowne Wharf Art Fest. Stroll the Village streets as you browse a variety of artwork from local and regional artists. Enjoy live music throughout the festival and a spectacular fireworks show on Sunday night. We love kicking off the fall season with such a unique, moonlit weekend! Visit https://www.sandestin.com/things-to-do/events for more details.
October
Destin Seafood Festival
Revel in the finest local seafood and experience the best of fishing culture at the Destin Seafood Festival. The event also showcases local crafts, live music, and plenty of activities for children. A local favorite you will want to participate in. VIP tickets are available for this festival during early October. Get details at https://www.destinseafoodfest.com.
Destin Fishing Rodeo
The Destin Fishing Rodeo began in May of 1948 to bring people to Destin. It worked! Destin shortly became known as a summer tourist destination and “The World’s Luckiest Fishing Village.” The Destin Fishing Rodeo is the ultimate fishing tournament for salt-water anglers of all ages and runs the entire month of October. For more information, visit https://destinfishingrodeo.org.
Stinky’s Fall Pompano Beach to Bay Grand Slam Tournament
For a decade, Stinky’s has been the host of two fishing tournaments; one in the spring and one in the fall. The Stinky’s Fall Pompano Beach to Bay Grand Slam Fishing Tournament starts October 1 and runs throughout the month. Visit stinkysbaitshop.com for more info.
Baytowne Beer Festival
A craft beer experience featuring over 40 on-site craft brewers, over 200 domestic and international craft beers, seminars, live music, and much more. Visit www.baytownewharfbeerfestival.com for more details.
The Mattie Kelly Arts Foundation Festival of the Arts is a celebration of art, music, food, and family fun. Browse original artwork by more than 100 premier artists from across the United States (and Europe!). Watch live artist demos, hear live music, enter the art drawing, purchase souvenir festival merchandise, enjoy hands-on creative children’s activities, street performers, snap a keepsake “masterpiece” photo, savor food truck fare, sip beer & wine garden beverages, and more. For more info, visit https://www.mattiekellyartsfoundation.org/festival-of-the-arts.
Bloody Mary Festival at The Market Shops
Get ready to EAT, DRINK, and B MARY at The Market Shops! This fall fest features unlimited tastes of unique, hand-crafted bloody marys prepared and served by a variety of the Emerald Coast’s best local restaurants and bars. Visit themarketshops.com/bloody-mary-festival for details about the next event.
Harvest Wind and Food Festival
This event supports and showcases the local food scene, featuring wine tastings, live music, and includes a silent auction. The Harvest Wine & Food Festival returns to WaterColor each October for four days of epicurean excellence that is sure to delight both wine and culinary enthusiasts alike. Visit https://www.dcwaf.org/events for details about the next event.
Trick or Treat Street at the Village of Baytowne Wharf
Ghouls, ghosts, and goblins can go to the Village of Baytowne Wharf for a spooktacular extravaganza! On Halloween, trick or treat through the Village streets and visit merchants for your favorite treat. Visit https://www.baytownewharf.com for more details.
Eggs On The Beach
An EggFest is a gathering of people who love the Big Green Egg. EggHeads travel from all over the country to cook and compete for the title of best-tasting dish. There are two groups who attend EggFest: Cooks and Tasters. Cooks bring their own food and cook a variety of dishes on a Big Green Egg, which is provided for each cooking team. Tasters come to taste the delectable dishes and vote on their favorites. For details, visit http://www.eggsonthebeach.com.
Rosemary Beach Uncorked
Taste the very best of food and wine Rosemary Beach® has to offer with featured restaurants, countless bottles ready for the pour and live music to entertain and delight. “Eat. Drink. Be Rosemary.” Visit http://rosemarybeachuncorked.com for details about the next event.
November
Watercolor Film Festival
This 2-night outdoor film festival is dedicated to educating, inspiring, and motivating audiences about issues that matter. Each year Mountainfilm on Tour travels around the globe featuring a collection of culturally rich, adventure-packed and enlightening documentary short films selected from the best-loved films from the annual festival in Telluride. Visit https://www.watercolorresort.com/mountainfilm-on-tour for more details.
Seeing Red Wine Festival
This event is a wine experience celebrating the makers behind the bottle. Grand and reserve tastings, live music, local cuisines, a themed brunch, vintners dinner, and more! Seeing Red offers a fun-filled weekend. For details, visit https://www.seeingredwinefestival.com.
The beloved Flutterby Festival, produced by the Cultural Arts Alliance of Walton County, celebrates the migration of the Monarch Butterfly through our area with kid’s art activities, live performances, lawn games, a student art exhibit, curated professional artist market, a butterfly parade, science station, book nook and so much more! Visit https://www.culturalartsalliance.com/flutterby-arts-festival for more info.
30A 10K Thanksgiving Day Race
This is one of the top five Thanksgiving races according to Southern Living! The race begins and ends Barret Square at Rosemary Beach and is followed by an awards ceremony and post-race party. A fun Thanksgiving Day experience for the entire family. For more info, visit https://30a10k.com.
Thanksgiving Holidays & Christmas Tree Lightings
Many local restaurants offer Thanksgiving dinner packages. AJ’s Grayton Beach and Harbor Docks are known to offer free Thanksgiving meals with an option to donate to good causes. Christmas tree lightings and holiday celebrations tend to start right after Thanksgiving. Check Seaside, Alys Beach, Rosemary Beach, The Village of Baytowne Wharf, Pier Park, Harborwalk and more for tree lighting celebrations.
December
Eden State Gardens Christmas Candlelight Tour
A wonderful holiday tradition in South Walton! Enjoy a walk through luminary-lined pathways at Eden Gardens State Park after sunset, and tour the historic Wesley house with each room decorated for Christmas. There will be live music, cookies and hot beverages provided by the Friends of Eden at the Pavilion area. Visit www.friendsofedengardens.com/events.
Take in the Coastal White Christmas lights and the Festival of Trees display while taking a horse-drawn carriage ride. Get a professional photo with Santa. Festival of Trees is an annual event in the park at Grand Boulevard shopping-center showcasing uniquely decorated Christmas trees from 12 local non-profit organizations. Find more details at https://grandboulevard.com.
Baytowne’s Nights of Lights & Baytowne On Ice
In addition to festive light shows, Santa photo ops and concerts in December at The Village of Baytowne Wharf, you can get in the winter spirit with ice skating at Baytowne on Ice. This seasonal ice rink is the perfect opportunity to share some of your favorite holiday traditions starting in December and open throughout January. Visit https://www.baytownewharf.com for details.
New Year’s Eve
Enjoy celebrations and fireworks in Seaside, Rosemary Beach, in Sandestin at The Village of Baytowne Wharf and more. Pier Park’s New Year’s Eve celebration has a beach ball drop.
More
The Repertory Theater, Emerald Coast Theatre, Sinfonia Gulf Coast, Mattie Kelly Arts Center, the towns of Seaside, Alys Beach, Rosemary Beach and The Village of Baytowne Wharf at Sandestin all have regular concerts, productions and events throughout the year. Check out their websites for upcoming events.
Also, be sure to enjoy the eclectic and vibrant live music scene along Scenic Highway 30A and South Walton. The Red Bar, Old Florida Fish House, FOOW, The Bay, Shunk Gulley, Local Catch and North Beach Social are a few of the amazing places that offer year-round live music.
