Explore some of the exciting annual events here on the Emerald Coast. Our amazing beach communities offer year-round events and activities, live music, seafood and wine tasting festivals. Check the events calendar to find something in your groove. Beach vacations are supposed to be fun, Check the event website as some may require tickets, but many are free.
30A Live Music – Enjoy the eclectic and vibrant live music scene along Scenic Highway 30A. From laid-back beach bars to more intimate, quiet venues, there’s something for every music lover. Several talented local and visiting bands perform here regularly, making every night a unique experience. The Old Florida Fish House and The Red Bar offer amazing year-round live music.
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. You’ll need tickets for this Songwriters Annual Music Festival in January.
February Festival: Sandestin Gumbo Festival – Gumbo or Bloody Marys? Live Music or Kids Activities? Whatever your preference, the Sandestin Gumbo Festival has it all! One of the most beloved winter food events on the Emerald Coast, this lively two-day festival in The Village of Baytowne Wharf will leave you full, happy, and wanting more! Enjoy live music, family-friendly fun, and the greatest gumbo cook-off on the Gulf Coast. (Get Tickets)
February Festival of Puppies: The Annual Sandestin Mardi Gras Parade – “Who let the dogs out?” The Village streets will be filled with costumed dogs and their humans, along with unique and colorful floats, golf carts, and pickup trucks. Mardi Gras music will fill the air as our four-pawed friends and parade participants shower parade-goers with a barrage of beads, moon pies, and other trinkets. Every February is a Festive Puppy Parade.
April Festival: Seabreeze Jazz Festival – This is one of the premier events along the Emerald Coast happening in April. It showcases some of the top national smooth jazz artists. It’s not just a festival but a lifestyle – a place to chill and enjoy great music and the beautiful beaches along the Emerald Coast.
April: Sandestin Wine Festival – The Sandestin Wine Festival is a four-day event featuring hundreds of domestic and international wines. The festival extends beyond simple tastings with food pairing experiences, exciting events, live music, and kickoff parties.
April Festival: South Walton Beaches Wine & Food Festival – A four-day celebration showcasing the finest wine, food, and spirits from around the world, with celebrity winemakers and chefs. This is a Charity event and always has a great draw. See The local site as prepares for the 2024 Wine and Food Festival. A dazzling roster of dozens of celebrity winemakers, distillers, chefs, and mixologists converge in South Walton, Florida 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 throughout Grand Boulevard. (Need a place to stay near Destin, FL? Visit Destin Beach Rentals.)
Spring/Summer: Art Month 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. If you love our local art scene, you will want to bookmark this website for Art Month, usually in late Spring or Early Summer. See Calendar here: Art Month Calendar.
Art Month Walton features events and programs presented in locations throughout Walton County, including Under the Sea – a fundraiser for the Underwater Museum of Art, just under a mile off Grayton Beach. ArtsQuest Fine Arts Festival, Longleaf Writers Conference, Digital Graffiti at Alys Beach, Sinfonia Goes Pop!, performances by the Emerald Coast Theatre Company, gallery events, and more.
May: 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. ArtsQuest is a rain-or-shine outdoor event. The festival is open to the public, and a $5 admission donation is requested. (Usually in May) See (Destin Area Beach Rentals)
June Summer Fishing Tournament: Emerald Coast Blue Marlin Classic (June) – At Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort, it is recognized as one of the elite big-game fishing tournaments worldwide. Big-time fisherman and big game fish, right on Miramar Beach, Fl. You can follow Capt. Dave Lear has been covering big-game fishing for more than three decades, first as the editor of Marlin magazine and later as an award-winning freelance writer and tournament correspondent and News for Tournament.
October Festival: 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.
October Grand Slam: The Stinky’s Fall Pompano Beach to Bay Gand Slam Tournament begins October 1 at Stinky’s Bait Shack. Anglers may weigh in fish 10 AM-6 PM daily through Saturday, October 28th. Located in the Beach Community of Dune Allen on Highway 30A. (Dune Allen Beach Rentals Here)
Rules and regulations Have Changed! READ HERE
October Festival: 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. (2023 Beer Sampling List) I love some craft beer, so if you like me, come and enjoy the annual Beerfest right here on The Emerald Coast. Located on The Baytowne Wharf, Beer Fest is located at the Sandestin Golf & Beach Resort. (Early October 2024, and You will need Tickets.) We got you covered with Destin Area Beach Rentals.
October Festival–Mattie Kelly Arts Foundation Presents: Festival of the Arts – Experience the art and culture of the Emerald Coast at the annual Festival of the Arts, featuring over 100 artists displaying their works in a competitive showcase with live music, food vendors, and creative activities. This October, over three days at two venues!
This year’s 28th annual celebration of art, food, music, and family fun begins on Friday, Oct. 27 at 6 p.m. with the Arty Kick-Off Party on the Piazza Plaza at Henderson Beach Resort.
The Festival of the Arts, produced by the Mattie Kelly Arts Foundation, is a celebration of art, music, food, and family fun. Head to the Cultural Arts Village in Destin on Saturday (9 a.m. to 5 p.m.) and Sunday (10 a.m. to 4 p.m.) to 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. Join in the festivities by casting your vote for the People’s Choice Award (Saturday).
Mix and mingle with Festival artists, watch award-winning featured guest artist Kathy Schumacher paint live, and enjoy live music, light bites, creative cocktails by Black Sheep Tequila, and a cash bar. Operating in Destin (Destin Area Beach Rentals)
October Festival: Bloody Mary Festival at The Market Shops – Sample some of the best Bloody Marys on the Gulf Coast. Who’s ready to #EatDrinkBMary? Dubbed as the LARGEST tailgating party on the Emerald Coast, The Market Shops Annual Bloody Mary Festival is happening on Annual Bloody Mary FestivalYou’re Invited to Visit South Walton and enjoy unlimited tastes of the area’s most creative and innovative Bloody Marys made with Cathead Vodka, served by the finest restaurants and bars on the Panhandle! (This bad girl sells out, so get tickets in October 2024).
October Festival: Harvest Wind and Food Festival – This event will support and showcase the local food scene, featuring wine tastings, live music, and a silent auction.
Save the date! Harvest Wine & Food Festival will return to WaterColor on October 19-22, 2023, for four days of epicurean excellence that is sure to delight both wine and culinary enthusiasts alike. (Get Tickets Here) Also in April is the 19th Annual Destin Charity Wine Auction presented by the Jumonville Family. Tickets will go on sale in January 2024
Rated as one of the premier wine and food festivals in the Southeast, Harvest Wine & Food Festival returns to WaterColor for four days of epicurean excellence that is sure to delight both wine and culinary enthusiasts alike. This year’s festival will feature wine dinners, our famous Grand Tasting, cocktail-inspired events, the newly reimagined Harvest After Dark, and more while raising money for a good cause. (Need WaterColor Rental Accommodations)
October Spooktacular: Trick or Treat Street on Baytowne Warf (October 31) – Calling all ghouls, ghosts, and goblins to the Village of Baytowne Wharf for a spooktacular extravaganza! This Halloween, Trick or Treat through the Village streets and visit merchants for your favorite treat. Steve Hall will play frighteningly good tunes on the main stage. Be sure to stop by Coconut Kidz to enter the costume contest and compete to win the grand prize! End the night with a spooky fireworks display at 8 pm. Sandestin (Free Event 6 pm-8 pm)
November Festival: Watercolor Film Festival – An immersive cinematic experience showcasing a range of films worldwide, including local cinema. Visitors and locals can discuss with filmmakers, fostering a unique creative dialogue. November 3 & 4 | Located At The WaterColor® Marina Park Amphitheater ) Santa Rosa Beach, WaterColor Rentals
November Festival: Seeing Red Wine Festival – Celebrate the fall bounty at the Seeing Red Wine Festival. Explore an impressive array of world-class vintages and culinary delights, all while soaking in the beautiful surroundings of 30A. Seaside Beach Rentals November 9-12, 2023 (Purchase Tickets)
November Festival: Flutterby Arts Festival – A family-friendly festival celebrating the Monarch butterfly’s migration through our area with music, art, and special exhibits. Admission to the Flutterby Festival is free and open to the public, and some activities require tickets, which can be purchased at the CAA welcome and information tents within the Festival. Parking, including accessible parking, will be available on-site as well as a cash bar and food trucks. The event is scheduled for 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. on Sunday, November 12, 2023 at The Pavilion at Watersound Town Center. (Need: Watersound Beach Rentals)
November Arts Scene: Mattie Kelly Arts Center Presents The Annual Nutcracker: NFB takes center stage at the Mattie Kelly Arts Center on Sat., Nov. 17 and 18 at 7:30 p.m. and Sun., Nov. 19 at 2:30 p.m. for the 44th annual production of The Nutcracker. As the only full-length version of this classic holiday fairytale in the area, NFB’s The Nutcracker features a cast of more than 140 performers, including international guest artists and over 100 local children. The Northwest Florida Symphony Orchestra (NFSO). Tickets are $45 for adults and $20 for Children under 12.
Baytowne Wharf holds many events throughout the calendar year.
Know what to see and do from family-friendly events to going out to a local beach bar on Highway 30A for live music. Find times, locations, directions, and search options on our calendar. Also browse the Things to Do and Get Outdoors pages for a full range of all the Emerald Coast offers to beach vacation guests.
