The Cultural Arts Alliance of Walton County (CAA) and South Walton Artificial Reef Association (SWARA) are proud to reveal the nine new sculpture designs, chosen by jury for permanent exhibition in the fifth installation of the Underwater Museum of Art (UMA). The 2024 installation will include the following pieces of sculpture: The Lost Kingdom of Artemis by Denna Ameen (New Orleans, LA), Mermaid. Siren. Galatea. By Raine Bedsole (Santa Rosa Beach, FL), Deep Sea Three by Matthew Gemmell and David Showalter (Baltimore, MD), Sea How We Flow by Elise Gilbert (Santa Rosa Beach, FL), Among the Anemone by Frank Henderson (Evanston, IL), Poseidon’s Throne by Nathan Hoffman (Highlandville, MO), Bubby Barnacles by Donna Conklin King (East Orange, NJ), Sunken Spores by Ashley Rivers (Gulfport, FL), and Ring My Bell by Bradley Touchstone (Santa Rosa Beach, FL). Named in 2018 by TIME Magazine as one of 100 “World’s Greatest Places,” the UMA is presented as part of CAA’s Art In Public Spaces Program and augments SWARA’s mission of creating marine habitat and expanding fishery populations while providing enhanced creative, cultural, economic and educational opportunities for the benefit, education and enjoyment of residents, students and visitors in South Walton. The UMA recently received the 2023 CODAAward for Collaboration of the Year. UMA sculptures are deployed with SWARA’s existing USACOA and FDEP permitted artificial reef projects that includes nine nearshore reefs located within one nautical mile of the shore in approximately 58 feet of water. The 2024 installation will join the 40 sculptures previously deployed on a one-acre permit patch of seabed... Read More

Gumbo Anyone? Pursue the Roux at the 35th Annual Sandestin Gumbo Festival! Friday, Feb. 23, 5 p.m. and Saturday, Feb. 24, 12-4 p.m. Kick-off the Party at Hammerhead’s Bar & Grille Friday, Feb. 23, 5-7 p.m. Mark your calendar for the official kick-off of the Sandestin Gumbo Festival weekend with a low-country shrimp boil at Hammerhead’s Bar & Grille and live music starting at 4 p.m. Hammerhead’s Bar & Grille will serve fresh gulf shrimp, corn on the cob, sausage, boiled potatoes, and a cup of gumbo ya ya. Tickets: $35 meal only; $50 with beer and wine. Then tantalize your taste buds at the Sandestin Gumbo Festival! This foodies’ favorite Gumbo winter festival is celebrating three and a half decades as the Best Gumbo Cook-Off on the Emerald Coast! Yum! Yum! Known as one of the largest and most popular winter food events in our region, Gulf Coast restaurants will feature their top-secret gumbo recipes and compete for your vote. Sample the variety of gumbos and vote for your favorite as the “People’s Choice” winner. Dark or light roux? Chicken, sausage or seafood? Celebrity judges will name the “Area’s Best.” This festival’s atmosphere is filled with fun—live music from Dikki Du and the Zydeco Krewe while you taste, free kids’ activities and restaurants from all over our area vying for your coveted vote. And, the popular Bloody Mary competition is back again this year, featuring the best Bloody Marys at the beach! Taste some of the finest local bars’ and restaurants’ Bloody Marys... Read More

Café Thirty-A’s Annual Christmas Charity Ball, presented by honorary sponsors All Access Coach Leasing and Mercantile, was held on Saturday, December 2, 2023 and raised a record-breaking $64,000 for Caring and Sharing of South Walton, an organization that provides food and financial assistance to area families and individuals in need. This was the first charity ball held since longtime owner, Harriet Crommelin, passed away in early 2023. In honor of her memory, Café Thirty-A would like to thank Mercantile and All Access Coach Leasing for supporting this year’s event as the two Harriet Crommelin Honorary Sponsors. Through ticket sales, sponsorship, donations, and funds raised from the silent auction, the annual event raised a record-breaking grand total of $64,000 for Caring and Sharing of South Walton. The money raised will be used to provide local families with access to food, financial assistance, case management, and connection to other resources. “The $64,000 raised will help us continue providing necessary resources to Walton County families,” said Carly Barnes, executive director of Caring and Sharing of South Walton. “Thanks to the support of Cafe Thirty-A, the event sponsors, and the attendees, the event continues to get better and better. We are so thankful for the continued support!” The post Café Thirty-A Raises Record-Breaking $64,000 for Caring and Sharing of South Walton appeared first on South Walton Connections. Read More

The nominations have been announced for the 66th Grammy Awards. Donnie Sundal, a Walton County resident who contributed to Sam Bush’s album, Radio John: Songs of John Hartford, nominated for Best Bluegrass Album – is recognized for dual roles; Recording Engineer and Tenor Background Vocals on the song “In Tall Buildings.” Donnie is the owner of Neptone Recording Studio in Miramar Beach and a seasoned professional musician. On a whim to help a friend on vacation, Donnie brought enough recording gear to turn a vacation rental of Sam Bush’s into a mobile recording studio. “Once I started cutting the songs with Donnie digitally it was like, ‘Oh, now this is recording studio quality here.’ I was originally only meaning to make tapes of these John Hartford songs to show the guys in the Sam Bush Band and then maybe we’d record them,” says Sam Bush in an interview with thebluegrasssituation.com. Radio John is a tribute to Sam’s great friend and mentor, John Hartford. Sam plays every instrument on the album except the full band finale and sole original tune, “Radio John.” Donnie, his family and his band Boukou Groove will be cheering Sam Bush on in hopes he will win his fourth Grammy Award with more than a dozen lifetime nominations. “We love Sam Bush and are inspired by his career and commitment to his craft. It’s an honor to be a part of the album and his friend,” says Donnie. The Grammy Awards will return to Los Angeles’ Crypto.com... Read More

Fore Her is excited to announce the 2024 Pink Walk & 5k on Saturday, January 27th presented by Emerald Coast Hospice. The event returns to The Village of Baytowne Wharf and will bring back the timed 5k race in addition to the Survivor Stroll and annual Walk, after a great success introducing the 5k in 2023. “I am so excited for this year’s Pink Walk to help so we can continue to help more breast cancer patients along the Emerald Coast,” says Jennifer Crawford, Board Vice President of Fore Her. “Our 2023 event had close to 200 runners and walkers and we are hoping to grow it even more this year” The community is invited to walk or run with friends and family, wear pink, and have fun while raising funds for breast cancer patients in financial need. Attendees will enjoy an after-party with a DJ, a photo booth, prizes, and food samples. All registered breast cancer survivors can enjoy the VIP Survivors’ Lounge sponsored by Rum Runners which will feature special treats including hand massages, and more. “This event helps raise funds for those who are financially struggling while battling breast cancer. The funds raised help with the things not covered by insurance to help relieve some stress for our recipients – utilities, rent, and additional living expenses” adds Crawford. Fore Her has sponsorships still available and will join current sponsors including Emerald Bay Plumbing, Jennifer Crawford Realtor, Keller Williams, Julie + Rob of Scenic Sotheby’s Realty, Fresh Prints... Read More

By Heather Bennett Eye The ecosystem provided by the Choctawhatchee Bay and surrounding areas is vital for environmental balance and biodiversity, with its waterways and estuaries serving as crucial components. These aquatic habitats not only support diverse life forms but also play a key role in regulating temperature, nutrient cycles, and serve as breeding grounds. Additionally, these waterways are integral to the local economy, contributing to fishing, recreation, and tourism. Preserving their health is essential for clean water sources, flood mitigation, and regional resilience. Sustainable practices and conservation efforts are crucial for ensuring the ongoing well-being of this important ecosystem. The Choctawhatchee Basin Alliance (CBA) is a nonprofit organization formed in 1996 dedicated to promoting swimmable, fishable waterways in Northwest Florida through monitoring, education, restoration and research. To inspire water stewardship, they are working to grow a network of supporters to protect these precious natural resources. Here are some of the recent ways they’ve been able to drive that mission forward. Through their education efforts, the CBA was recently able to bring hands-on science learning to over 3,600 students in our community through their Grasses in Classes program. Students grow shoreline grasses at their school, tend to salt marsh nurseries throughout the year, and receive monthly education on local estuarine topics. At the end of the school year, students will then plant their shoreline grasses at a designated salt marsh restoration site along Choctawhatchee Bay. This helps support the CBA’s living shoreline initiative. In October, CBA’s Executive Director Alison McDowell... Read More

The Watersound Club team will be joined by PGA legend Davis Love III and his design firm, Love Golf Design, in building a new golf course named “The Third” The St. Joe Company (NYSE: JOE) (“St. Joe”) is excited to announce the construction of another world-class Watersound Club golf course. Watersound Club staff are working closely with Love Golf Design founders Davis Love III, Mark Love and Scot Sherman to bring the new course to life as an additional amenity for Watersound Club members. In homage to both the PGA great helping design the new golf course and the fact that it will be the third championship golf course in the Watersound Club collection, the new course will be named simply “The Third.” The Third is designed to comfortably span approximately 300 acres just north of another Watersound Club golf course, Shark’s Tooth. The generous acreage allows the design team room to be imaginative in creating a layout that will please and challenge golfers of all skill levels. Love Golf Design and Watersound Club teams selected a unique 18-hole, Par 72 design with six sets of tees, allowing golfers to adjust the course distance to play from 4,900 yards to over 7,600 yards on a firm, fast-playing course. The flexibility of play will offer accessibility for the casual golfer, and even the longest tour players will enjoy a challenge while hitting from the back tees. The Third joins an impressive lineup of exclusive Watersound Club amenities including Shark’s Tooth and... Read More

In the picturesque coastal town of Seaside, a pioneering institution has been shaping the future of education since 1996. The Seaside School, comprising Seaside Neighborhood School and Seacoast Collegiate High School, stands as a testament to the power of community collaboration, forward-thinking and the relentless pursuit of academic excellence. Historical Roots in the Charming Town of SEASIDE® The Seaside School’s history is intertwined with the story of Seaside, Florida—a town conceived in 1979 by Robert and Daryl Davis, that became a symbol of community planning and design innovation. Designed on a neighborhood scale with interconnected streets, Seaside aimed to foster a sense of community. The town became famous for its design, and its idyllic setting was immortalized in the hit 1998 movie The Truman Show. Remarkably, the movie played a pivotal role in Seaside School’s history. Robert Davis donated the land for the school, and the fees from The Truman Show funded its first building. Thus, Seaside School was born, taking the path of becoming one of Florida’s first public charter schools. Dr. Rosemary Williams spearheaded the movement to create a tuition-free neighborhood school in Seaside to address the need for middle school education in the southern end of Walton County – emphasizing that success is achievable both academically and socially during the often-challenging middle school years. The journey began with 36 students, two faculty members, and one administrator housed in two portables on Seaside’s Lyceum Lawn. Over the years, the school has expanded its offerings, eventually establishing Seacoast Collegiate... Read More

The British are coming! Sinfonia Gulf Coast “redefines the symphony experience” once again with Music of the Knights. This entertaining celebration of UK music legends is set for Saturday, Jan. 20 at 7:30 p.m. at the Destin-Fort Walton Beach Convention Center on Okaloosa Island in Fort Walton Beach. Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber, Sir Elton John, and Sir Paul McCartney, each knighted by the Queen of England, are three of the world’s most successful songwriters. From Broadway to the top of the pop charts, these musical geniuses each created an incredible individual musical legacy. Music of the Knights honors their lasting musical influence with hits like Memory, Yesterday, Don’t Cry for Me, Argentina, Can You Feel the Love Tonight, Circle of Life, Hey Jude, The Phantom of the Opera, and more. Music of the Knights features accomplished vocalists Scott Coulter and Jessica Hendy. Scott Coulter, esteemed New York vocalist, boasts five MAC Awards, five Bistro Awards, and two Nightlife Awards for Outstanding Vocalist. His remarkable performances grace top NYC venues like Birdland and 54 Below. Coulter’s self-titled debut CD, honored with a MAC Award, was hailed Best Recording of the Year by TheatreMania and Cabaret Scenes magazines. Renowned for his direction and starring role in A Christmas Carol: The Symphonic Concert, he collaborated with legends like Stephen Schwartz and Ben Vereen. Coulter, a versatile artist, created, arranged, and directed various touring shows, including Music of the Knights and Total Eclipse of the Chart: The ‘80s. Versatile artist Jessica Hendy, celebrated for her vocal, acting, and writing skills, brings her memoir... Read More