[[{“value”:” Pirate Brew Fest 2025 Ahoy, mateys! Ready yer sea legs and polish yer tankards, Pirate Brew Fest is droppin’ anchor at Fudpucker’s Beachside Bar & Grill on November 1, 2025, from 11 AM to 3 PM! This free-for-all shindig features a bounty of local breweries and spirit-makers handing out free samples and swag faster than a cannon volley. Festivities go from 11am to 3pm. Pirate Brew Fest Fun There’s no better way to unleash your inner buccaneer than at Pirate Brew Fest, where the air will be filled with the clink of frothy steins and the roar of Coconut Radio’s live island-rock tunes. You’ll test your sea-dog skills in axe throwing and pirate games, snag swag and free samples from the region’s finest breweries and distillers, and feast on Fudpucker’s flame-grilled burgers, hot dogs, and savory pirate-inspired specials. Wander among talented art vendors peddling hand-crafted treasures, then marvel at rare beer relics brought ashore by the BCCA Spearman Chapter of the Bama Cannas. Whether you’re dueling for axe-throwing bragging rights, dancing to live music under the sun, or simply sipping a cold one while soaking up the salty atmosphere, Pirate Brew Fest promises four hours of rollicking, friendly fun that’ll have you shouting “Yo ho, let’s go!” all the way home. Pirates & Destin, Florida Legends whisper that during the Golden Age of Piracy, cutthroats and corsairs crept into the sheltered coves of today’s Emerald Coast, right off the shores of Destin and Fort Walton Beach, to prey on... Read More

 [[{“value”:” By Ed Offley A weather channel dedicated to Florida Panhandle localities is set to begin operations this month, its co-founders tell Life Media. Meteorologists Chris Smith and Dan Nyman left Panama City Beach TV station WJHG on June 15 to create “Panhandle Weather,” a 24/7 weather channel that will be available online and on most streaming channels. The target date for the launch was set for October 1. The channel will focus on weather for the Florida Panhandle, with specific segments for individual cities and counties throughout the day. It will also have the capability of issuing weather emergency warnings for severe storms, tornadoes and hurricanes. “This is going to be the wave of the future for weather,” said Smith, who had worked at WJHG for sixteen years of his three-decade career before making the move into independent weather forecasting. “You don’t need a TV station to broadcast now.” The data collection process for “Panhandle Weather” is the same as that for traditional broadcast outlets. Smith and Nyman will have a constant feed of information from the National Weather Service on cloud cover, wind, rain, temperature and humidity. From that, they will create specific situational reports and forecasts by incorporating locally collected weather data into the program. Nyman, who worked at the station for three years after graduating from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, said the programming goals for Panhandle Weather are far different from national cable channels like The Weather Channel. “The online weather operations have been... Read More

 [[{“value”:” By Helen Petre Blooms of fall bring butterflies, gathering sweet nectar provided by the colorful flowers. Nectar provides energy for migration and egg production. Flowers and butterflies are abundant on recently burned pine savannahs, where flowers have sun and room to bloom. Gulf Fritillary (Dione vanillae) The most common butterfly in the fall is the Gulf Fritillary, which lays its eggs on passionflower (Passiflora incarnata), so the caterpillars can eat the leaves. While Gulf Fritillaries use lantana and other flowers for nectar, lantana is an invasive nonnative and poisonous to animals. Since animals cannot eat the leaves, nothing inhibits its invasive spread. The adult Gulf Fritillary lives for only two weeks. Adults migrate north in spring and south in fall. Gulf fritillaries, like monarchs, have chemical defense mechanisms, which make them unpalatable to predators. Monarchs on Liatris. NC State Extension Blazing star (Liatris species) Gulf Fritillaries are especially attracted to Liatris, feeding on nectar before their southern migration. Liatris attracts other butterflies, such as swallowtails, hairstreaks, monarchs, and buckeyes, as well as native bees and moths. There are many species of Liatris native to Florida, and different species often grow together in dunes and pine savannahs. Common names include blazing star and gayfeather. All have lavender flowers and bloom from August to October. Liatris grows best in disturbed areas and scrub, areas prone to wildfire, and recently burned areas. If there is no disturbance, pines overgrow, preventing sunlight from reaching the ground, and preventing Liatris from growing. This demonstrates... Read More

  The Pirates of the High Seas & Renaissance Fest is setting sail from October 11-13, 2024! The annual event celebrates the legacy of the pirates who once roamed the Gulf of Mexico and pillaged the Emerald Coast, telling the tale of Dominique Youx and his krewe of loyal buccaneers through staged   Read More