Alys Beach is getting ready to host the 17th Annual Digital Graffiti Festival, May 17-18, 2024. The premier projection art festival features interactive installations of globally recognized artists with the iconic Alys Beach architecture as the canvas. The Scenic 30A community of Alys Beach, located along the northwest Florida coastline, provides the environment for the Digital Graffiti Festival, the open-air, organic gallery for the projections of these 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. The engagement between the art, architecture, and audience is transformative, creating an immersive and interactive art projection experience that is unique to the Digital Graffiti Festival, named one of the top “24 Unconventional Art Destinations Around the World” by National Geographic. Tickets are now on sale. Click to get your tickets online here. Artists around the world are invited to submit original works of digital art to be showcased in the juried festival. The 2023 awards include Best of Show ($5,000 prize), Curator’s Choice ($2,000 prize) and three Special Recognition honors (at $1,000 prize each), selected by the festival’s curator, John Colette, an esteemed panel of judges. The Alys Foundation has donated more than $350,000 in awards and artist stipends over the past 15 years, all to further digital work in the public realm. NEW! In 2024, the festival will also incorporate panel discussions and student outreach with an educational initiative. This DG + E (Education) programming includes panels with festival curator, John Colette, technical specialists, and DG artists, providing the audience with more opportunities... Read More

As spring unfolds along the stunning Scenic Highway 30A, it brings with it an array of events that promise to add sparkle and joy to your days. From the soulful melodies at Scratch Biscuit Kitchen to magical moments at the Coastal Branch Library, and from the rocking tributes at Grayton Beer Company to the heartwarming National Puppy Day celebration at Alaqua, there’s something for everyone. Here’s a glimpse of the best events to add to your calendar: 1. Sizzling Spring Tunes: Scratch Biscuit Kitchen’s Live Music Wednesdays! March through August, Scratch Biscuit Kitchen is the hotspot for live music every Wednesday. It’s the perfect midweek escape to enjoy great tunes and delicious food. The March lineup is already heating up with artists like Christon Birge on 3/6, Kyle LaMonica on 3/13, Joey Shaling on 3/20, and Weston Hines on 3/27. Don’t miss these musical evenings where the biscuits are hot, and the music is even hotter! Wednesdays Live Music: Joey Shaling / Wednesday, March 20, 2024, from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. @ Scratch Biscuit Kitchen 2. Wizarding Wonders Await: Spring Break Escape at Coastal Branch Library! This Spring Break, add a dash of magic to your family’s plans with the Harry Potter-themed escape room at the Coastal Branch Library. Teams are given a thrilling challenge: escape within an hour! This enchanting experience is not only a perfect outing for kids and parents alike but is also completely free. Hurry to reserve your spot for this spellbinding adventure by calling... Read More

You thought it was an irritation – a traffic pile-up impeding your path to the beach. When, all this time, it was a DESTINATION. A hidden gem that was in fact, hidden in plain sight. Did you know that just 30 minutes north of Scenic Highway 30A, and a mere 4 blocks east of the raceway known as Highway 331, is a Hallmark movie town come to life? Well, keep reading. But if you don’t mind, we locals would prefer you keep this little secret to yourself. Voted the best small town in Florida twice, by both Country Living (2023) and MSN (2020), our hometown is quaint, quiet, and quirky, with a rich history and more than you might’ve guessed to keep you fully entertained. With its stately oaks and pines, Victorian homes, historic architecture, and murals in the revitalized downtown, it’s a bit like Andy Griffith meets Designing Women. Downhome Southern goodness meets class and a little sass. Let’s dive into why this might be the ideal budget-friendly weekend getaway for your girlfriends, a day trip for the locals, or a perfect way to begin or end your beach trip. First, how do you say it?  It is pronounced De-FEW-nee-ack. As in…just a FEW people live here. We locals call it The Yak, DeFuniak or just DFS for short. (Pro tip: Please do not say De-FOO-nee-ack. You’ll promptly be recognized as an outsider.) It was named after Frederick DeFuniak, President of the railroad company who sent surveyors out to set... Read More