By Christopher Manson Celebrating its 35th year this month, the Cultural Arts Alliance (CAA) of Walton County’s ArtsQuest Fine Arts Festival is one of the organization’s signature – and biggest – events. In recent years, the CAA has expanded this into Art Month, with visual, performing, and literary arts programming in diverse formats at various venues throughout Walton County. Additional Art Month events and programs include Under the Sea, a fundraiser for the CAA’s Underwater Museum of Art; the Longleaf Writers Conference, formerly the Seaside Writers Conference, a gathering of creative writers from across the nation, featuring award-winning scribes from the worlds of poetry, fiction and screenwriting offering workshops and seminars; Digital Graffiti at Alys Beach, a unique “projection art” festival employing digital technologies; “Sinfonia Goes Pop!,” a free concert at the Alys Beach Amphitheatre; performances by the Emerald Coast Theatre Company; and, of course, gallery events. Find the complete Art Month schedule at culturalartsalliance.com. CAA Events Director Allie Anderson says patrons can expect new twists for May 13 and 14’s ArtsQuest festival at Grand Boulevard Town Center. “Things are different with the layout,” she says. “We’re expecting around 5,000 people over the weekend.” This year’s festival includes adult art classes with the likes of Justin Gaffrey, non-stop live entertainment and new sponsors. “The other events are happening almost every day throughout May,” says Ms. Anderson. “We support and promote them all and want people to go to as many as they can.” Ms. Anderson handles all of the... Read More

  For Boys and Girls Clubs of the Emerald Coast La Luna Children’s Boutique, located in Grand Boulevard at Sandestin®, raised $5,000 for the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Emerald Coast during their Inaugural Spring Fashion Show and Tea Party, held on Saturday, April 1. Presented by The Spears Group and Emerald Coast Magazine, the event welcomed over 100 families to Grand Boulevard’s North Lawn for a kid’s fashion show, sponsored by John Lee Nissan. Over 30 local models, ages 2-12, walked the runway, courtesy of Grand Boulevard at Sandestin®, showcasing the boutique’s latest spring and summer arrivals. Following the show, guests entered the springtime Tea Party, sponsored by Vacayzen, featuring light bites from Charcuterie by Shelli, pop up shops from local vendors, a DJ, and Easter-themed arts and crafts activities. The Easter Bunny made a special appearance during the tea party and greeted the crowd of children before sitting down to take family photos, courtesy of Meltdown 30A and Jenna Kaye Photography. “We are humbled by the generosity of our customers and this community,” said La Luna owner, Karoline Kellogg. “We are also wowed by the generosity of the Boys and Girls Club, who are obviously invested in this nation’s future. As they afford children from our community a safe and positive environment to express themselves and enjoy their youth, we are honored to have been able to support their wonderful work.” Throughout the afternoon, La Luna also raffled off a variety of items including gift cards, vacation... Read More