News

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Digital Graffiti Takes Over White Walls of Alys Beach

Digital Graffiti at Alys Beach — a projection art festival located in South Walton — has announced the finalists for their tenth annual festival to be held May 19-21. Tickets are now on sale. Digital Graffiti gives artists a large-scale blank canvas to explore the intersection of art and architecture, while creating entirely new art forms. Once darkness falls, the […] Read More

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Tickets Still Available for Bourbon, Beer & Butts With Sam Bush Band

The sixth annual 30A Wine Festival, hosted by the Alys Foundation,  will take place on Thursday, March 9 through Sunday, March 12, 2017. The four-day event features a bourbon and barbecue tasting, wine seminars, grand tasting event, and a croquet tournament. Underwritten by the Alys Foundation, proceeds from the event benefit Children’s Volunteer Health Network. The […] Read More

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Guess Who Stopped By Our New 30A Gulfstream?!?

30A Radio recently launched a new venture, the 30A Gulfstream, a 1973 Airstream Argosy, which we’ve remodeled and turned into a mobile recording studio. The 26-foot long trailer, brightly styled in our 30A blue and white, is usually parked at Gulf Place, but can also travel to local and regional events. This is where many of our 30A Radio interviews are recorded along with a new series, 30A Sessions, which feature local and regional musicians performing live and intimate in the studio. We’ve had some pretty amazing artists stop by so far, including John Driskell Hopkins of Zac Brown Band, the Dead 27s, Jamie Kenth, Seth Walker, Dread Clampitt and Forrest Williams Band. The 30A Gulfstream is available for live shows, events, music festival coverage, on-site broadcasts, brand partnerships and production sponsorships. If you would like more info, please reach out to us at feedback@30a.com. Check out some of our recent 30A Sessions: John Driskell Hopkins of Zac Brown Band played a few songs in our 30A Radio “Gulfstream” during the 2nd annual Shine A Little Love Fest at Shades Bar and Grill: Posted by 30A on Saturday, October 22, 2016   Read More

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Last Destin Charity Wine Auction Raised $2.6 Mill, What Will This Year Bring?

Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation (DCWAF) recently announced its annual honorary vintners for the 2017 wine auction weekend, hosted April 28 – 30. The auction kicks off Friday evening with 14 patron dinners hosted in some of the Emerald Coast’s most beautiful homes and restaurants. The auction and reserve wine tasting take place on Grand […] Read More

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Ride with the Elves for Christmas Gift Drive — Dec 4

Get ready to be Santa’s little helpers on bike at the 9th Annual South Walton Elf Ride on December 4, from 1 to 2:30 p.m. The event that started off in 2008 with a handful of volunteers has since grown to more than 200 people last year donating over 250 gifts to South Walton Fire District’s Angel Tree Program. Elves of all ages will meet at the Van Ness Butler Jr. Beach Access in Watercolor and bike, walk or longboard approximately 1.5 miles to the South Walton Fire District’s Watercolor Fire Station. Please bring at least one unwrapped gift to donate to the South Walton Fire District’s Angel Tree program. Fun activities planned for the event include meeting Santa, face painting, refreshments and fire truck tours. Bruno’s Pizza will be served upon arrival. Please note that this is an alcohol-free event and parents are requested to accompany their children. So decorate your bikes, come in costume and join in the family holiday event! For more info, write to Luke Thompson or follow the event page on Facebook. Read More

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Test Your Skills: Lip Sync Battle 2016

The Emerald Coast Theatre Company is hosting the second edition of the Emerald Coast Lip Sync Battle, a non-singing competition that invites everyone to be a star, on Thursday, November 10, 2016, at 7 p.m. After last year’s still-talked-about event, this year’s event, being held at the new Emerald Coast Theatre Company theater space at 560 Grand Boulevard, has a brand new lineup of performers and a panel of community celebrity judges to round out the show. Lip Sync Battles are all the rage these days, and now Emerald Coasters can challenge their friends, coworkers, and business competitors to a battle. This event is the perfect chance for participants to finally perform live the songs they’ve been practicing in front of their bathroom mirrors for years. Competitors even have the chance to challenge others via social media, and a panel of local celebrity judges, comprising Steve Barber, Cory Davis, Zandra Wolfgram and Chelsea Nightly, will pick the best of the best. Judging will be will be based on originality and creativity, audience interaction and support, costume choice and appearance, and full-out dedication to performance. The evening will be complete with a cash bar, and those performers who bring the biggest crew will rack up audience participation points by voting with dollars. Can’t sing? No problem! It’s just lip sync! Just remember; getting up onstage is half the battle! It’s going to be a night you won’t soon forget, and the perfect opportunity to take center stage for a night of music, dance, and fun, right here on the Emerald Coast. Prizes will awarded for: Best Costume, Best Moves, People’s Choice Award and Overall Lip Sync Battle Winner 2016. Participant rules and registration info can be found on the event page. General admission tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door. Performer need to register by 5 p.m., November 9. For more info, visit Emerald Coast Theatre Company, follow the event page on Facebook or call 850-684-0323. Read More

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Small Cakes Opens Test Kitchen and Corporate Headquarters in Seacrest

Smallcakes Cupcakery and Creamery has found a new home in Seacrest Beach, Florida. The critically-acclaimed tastemakers will be offering the world’s finest cupcake and ice cream experience, in addition to rolling out fresh concepts, to over 170 franchise locations across the globe. The Seacrest Beach headquarters will serve as the corporate test kitchen and training facility for the entire franchise, renowned for using creative flavors, quality ingredients, and friendly service to make treats families love. Dubbed Smallcakes 30A, the new corporate office and test kitchen is located at the Villages of South Walton. The concept store bakes 18 flavors of cupcakes fresh from scratch daily and churns out 15 flavors of small batch ice cream, setting the model for franchises across the business. Customer favorites include Birthday Cupcakes topped with mounds of colorful sprinkles, and Salted Caramel ice cream. New to the menu is the Smallcakes Smash, a gourmet cupcake smashed between two scoops of ice cream. Rich concoctions the likes of a peanut butter cupcake smashed between one scoop each of chocolate and peanut butter ice cream are happy making indeed. Smallcakes 30A also fills special orders for catering, birthday parties, weddings and events. “I really think our concept goes well with the lifestyle here. We are a simple product kind of like the simple beach life… and for those hot summer months, we have AMAZING ice cream,” said owner Jeff Martin. Others would agree. Smallcakes has been recognized by a slew of national media outlets. Martin famously forgot to add the pumpkin to his pumpkin cardamom cupcake during an elimination challenge on Food Network’s Cupcake Wars. Despite the blunder, the judges still thought it was one of the best cupcakes they’d ever tasted, putting Smallcakes in the spotlight. Martin and his cupcakes went on to be featured on the hit daytime TV show The View. USA Today named Smallcakes one of 10 Great Places to Bite into a Gourmet Cupcake, and Restaurant Business listed them as one of the Future 50 fastest-growing small chains in America. Martin recently published Buttercream Dreams, a cookbook featuring 30 of his favorite recipes for iced cupcakes, ice creams and sweet treats that are fun to make and easy to follow. In its pages, Martin shares his experiences starting Smallcakes, creating new flavors, forgetting the pumpkin, and the inspiration behind it all, his family. “My family and I have been coming down to 30A for about 15 years and love the area. My wife and I actually got married on the beach here about 16 years ago. We have a home in Inlet and it makes our family happier when we are down here. So we decided to pack up and move from Kansas and the opportunity for a space came available. We have said for years we would love to open our concept down here when we could. So it was really just a perfect storm,” said Martin. Smallcakes 30A is located at the Villages of South Walton in Seacrest Beach. Winter hours are 10 am – 8 pm Monday-Saturday, and closed on Sundays (until Summer). To place an order, call 850-213-4037. For more info, visit Smallcakes Cupcakery and Creamery and follow them on Facebook. Read More

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SATURDAY: Superheroes Wanted for Capes and Crowns 5K and Fun Run

Get ready to dress up as your favorite superhero or glittering princess — the Capes & Crowns Fun Run and 5K is back at The Village of Baytowne Wharf on Saturday, November 5, 2016. Proceeds from the event will benefit The Tree House Episcopal Montessori School. Packet pick-up occurs the day before the race on Friday, November 4, from 1 p.m. – 6 p.m. at Christ the King Episcopal Church and also on race day, Saturday, November 5, from 7 – 8:30 am at The Village of Baytowne Wharf located. The 5K begins at 9 a.m. and the Half Mile Fun Run at 10 a.m. Click here to register online. Kids can also enjoy face painting by Abrakadoodle, superhero and princess appearances from Enchanted Parties, a family-friendly post-race party with games, snacks and treats provided by Another Broken Egg, Smallcakes and Menchies. There will complimentary post-race craft beer from Grayton Beer Company. Prizes and medals will be awarded to two overall finishers of 5K race (Overall Male/Overall Female). There will be no refund if race is cancelled due to weather. This is a pet friendly event. Registered participants are welcome to participate in the Half Mile Fun Run with their 5K bib (no need to buy two registrations per person). Strollers and pets are welcome to join the fun too! For more info, or to register, click here. Read More

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SATURDAY: 30A’s Year-End Clearance and More at Gulf Place Yard Sale

The 30A Company will again have some of our lowest marked-down merchandise of the year at the Gulf Place Community Yard Sale this Saturday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. We’ll have a mix of past-year’s 30A Gear styles in men’s and women’s, including our short-sleeve burn-outs and specialty design t-shirts. And our famous 30A sweatshirts will be available for only $20, the lowest price yet! We’ve got to make room for some new colors and styles, so it’s a great opportunity to help us clear our shelves and stock yours. These prices are not available anywhere else, so don’t miss it. This year’s Gulf Place Community Yard Sale will have a mix of new arts and crafts and one-of-a-kind treasures and trinkets to buy from various South Walton vendors. It’s great spot to stock your shelves or find that perfect Christmas gift. The sale is free and open to the public. Learn more at the yard sale’s Facebook page. Hope to see you out there! Read More

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30A Songwriters Festival a Huge Hit

The incredible eighth annual 30A Songwriters Festival is coming to a close, but The 30A Company team fanned out all week to bring you the best coverage, including video highlights, exclusive interviews, photos and much more. This year, the festival kicked it up a notch, with some high-octane performances from headliners Cheap Trick, Dr. John, Driving […] Read More