2008 Calendar of Events

16th Annual Spring Tour of Historic Homes
Friday May 2nd & Saturday May 3rd
Have you ever passed by the Historic homes in Apalachicola and wondered if the inside reflected the character and charm of a preserved moment in time? This weekend some of the most gorgeous homes and historical landmarks will be open to tour. Discover the beauty inside a town rich with history and culture. Friday night the festivities begin with Evensong at 5:00 and a lecture about the history of Apalachicola Architecture at 6:15. Wake up with excitement on Saturday and join the tour that begins at 9:30. All donations help the Trinity Episcopal Restoration Fund.
For more information call the Trinity Episcopal Church at 850-653-9550.

33rd Annual Blue Crab Festival in Panacea
Saturday May 3rd & Sunday May 4th
A reason to celebrate! The feisty tastes of the blue crab come to life in the flavors and festivities of the weekend. Try your hand at crab trap pulling and crab picking. Enjoy the parade in the morning and fantastic fireworks as they light up the night sky.
For more information call 850-926-2338.

Annual Cinco de Mayo Lighthouse Fundraiser and Silent Auction
Monday May 5th 2008 4:00pm
Meet your friends at Sometimes It’s Hotter on St. George Island for an afternoon of food and fun! Dance to the sounds of live entertainment, indulge in tasty treats, enter the Salsa competition, bid on the items at the silent auction and enjoy the relaxed atmosphere. Be sure to enter the raffle for a Champagne Cruise on the sailing vessel “Heritage of Apalachicola”. A great way to support the construction of a historical landmark.
For more information about the lighthouse and the party call 805-927-2972 or visit www.stgeorgelight.org.

Plein Air Painters
May 8th to May 18th 2008
Several Nationally acclaimed artists will be expressing their creative vision of the area as they participate in a “paint-out” the second week in May. The inspiration of the coastal culture and natural surroundings provide a grand place to paint. You may even see the artists working on location capturing the scenes of life and beauty of ideal places in St. George Island, Eastpoint, Apalachicola, Cape San Blas, Indian Pass, Mexico Beach and Port St. Joe.
The event begins with an Artists Reception on Friday May 9th from 6-8pm at the Windmark Village Center. Throughout the week art will be available to view at the Historic Cotton Exchange in Apalachicola from 11am - 5pm. On Saturday May 10th from 6-8pm view the local masterpieces at the Wet Room Opening.  $10 tickets include hor d'oevres, wine and music. Saturday May 17th is the Gala Party which will be held from 6:30-10:30pm. This provides a fantastic opportunity to purchase the best art from the paint-out and enjoy delectable culinary delights from Provisions of Port St. Joe. Tickets are $75 per couple or $40 each.
To find out the schedule of events visit the website at www.pleinairfl.com. For more information contact the Gulf Alliance for Local Art at 800-378-8419.

2nd Annual Fins ‘N’ Family All shore Fishing Tournament
Friday May 9th & Saturday May 10th
Pick up your favorite rod and reel, grab your lucky hat and find that secret lure so you can experience a weekend of fishing fun. The Apalachicola Anglers Association is holding their second annual fishing tournament with fun for the entire family. Registration begins Friday at noon at Wefings Maritime Village located at 252 Water Street in Apalachicola. Spend Friday and Saturday fishing on the beach, offshore or on the river and celebrate your catch at the fish fry, which will be held Saturday night at 6:00 at the Wheelhouse Café in Apalachicola. Prizes awarded in many categories.
To find out the details call 850-653-3142 or pick up an entry form at the Apalachicola Bay Chamber office.

17th Annual Tupelo Honey Festival
Saturday May 17th 2008 from 9:30am – 3:30pm
Sample the sweet tastes of the finest honey from the Tupelo trees that grow locally in the Apalachicola River Basin. Fine arts and crafts, fantastic food and entertainment that is certain to please. Always a family friendly festival so bring all the kids and your lawn chairs to Lake Alice Park in Wewahitchka.
To find out more call 850-639-2605.

Annual St. George Island Mullet Toss
Saturday June 7th 2008 from 10:00am – 4:00pm
You haven’t seen anything quite like this! Get in shape for the toss and see just how far you can throw a mullet. A $10.00 donation provides a t-shirt, 2 mullet tosses and lots of laughs. Plan on spending a fun day on the beach right in front of the Blue Parrot Ocean Front Café.
To find out the details call 850-927-2987.

20th Annual Big Bend Saltwater Fishing Classic
Friday June 13th – Sunday June 15th 2008
The best way to spend Father’s Day weekend is fishing on the gorgeous waters of the Gulf. This tournament offers a great opportunity to spend time with friends and family and catch big fish! Thousands in cash and prizes are awarded in both adult and youth divisions.
Registration opens soon so call 850-926-2628 or visit www.saltwaterclassic.com
to find out more.

1st Annual Apalachicola Bluegrass Festival
Saturday June 21st 2008
Listen to the sweet sounds of Bluegrass as it rings through the streets of Apalachicola. Spend the day feasting on tasty treats, shopping for arts and crafts and letting the kids enjoy activities especially for them. Festival begins at 11:00am. Bring your lawn chair or a blanket and find out why we love the festivities of a quaint town.
To find out the details contact the Wheelhouse Restaurant at 850-653-8860.

Independence Day Celebration
Friday July 4th 2008
Find a fabulous celebration of freedom in Port St. Joe as the Port St. Joe Island Pirate Band sails into the waters off the shores of Frank Pate Park and defends the local waters from invading ships. Wear your favorite pirate costume just for fun. In the evening watch the night sky light up with the brilliant colors from the fireworks.
For more information call 850-227-1223.

12th Annual Port St. Joe Scallop Festival
Saturday August 16th 2008
Savor the succulent scallops fresh from the Bay. Try them prepared in a variety of tasty ways and see which you like best or take home frozen scallops and cook them with your favorite recipe. The town of Port St. Joe will be lively with music, arts and crafts and other festive entertainment.
For more information call 850-227-1223.

12th Annual MBARA King Mackerel Tournament
Saturday August 23rd 2008
The Mexico Beach Artificial Reef Association sponsors this tournament every year. Come fish for a good cause and help MBARA in their quest in researching and building reefs as well as educating the public on the importance of the habitat in the ocean. The Captains Meeting is held on Friday night at the EL Governor Motel at 7:00pm. The tournament begins at 5:00am Saturday morning and ends at 5:00pm Saturday afternoon. Fabulous fun filled fishing weekend with cash prizes in many categories.
For more information or to register for the tournament call Ron Childs at 850-648-4354 or visit the Mexico Beach Artificial Reef Association website at www.mbara.org.

National Estuary Day
Friday September 26th 2008
Discover the magical place where the river meets the sea! Our local estuary is the home of many marvelous creatures and plentiful plants. Come visit the Estuary located at 261 7th Street in Apalachicola and celebrate with activities designed for everyone to enjoy. Free admission and lots of fun!
For more information call 850-653-8063.

C-Quarters Marina King Fish Shoot Out
Saturday September 27th & Sunday September 28th
Find your favorite fishing gear and get ready for a fantastic fishing experience on the waters off of Carrabelle. The Captain’s Meeting is held on Friday and the boats leave the dock early Saturday morning. The best teams are awarded cash prizes and bragging rights. All profits go to the Leukemia Foundation.
To find out more about the tournament and registration call 850-697-8400 or visit www.cquartersmarina.com.

Forgotten Coast Community Yard Sale
Saturday October 4th 8:00 – 4:00
Searching for great deals on unique items? Shop the famous yard sale in downtown Apalachicola and see what you can find. Certain to be a fun filled day and hopefully your arms will be filled with treasures.
For more information call the Apalachicola Chamber at 850-653-9419.

3rd Annual Oyster Spat Festival
Friday October 10th – Sunday October 12th
Ever wondered just what is an oyster spat? It’s a baby oyster! Gather on St. George Island for the family friendly festivities and celebrate the life of the oyster and discover their importance in our community. 5K Run, parade, kayak race, fishing tournament, treasure hunt, art walk, booths, live music, food court and of course the freshest mouth watering oysters from the Apalachicola Bay.
Visit the website at www.oysterspat.com to find the schedule of activities or call 850-927-5039 for more details.

The Dixie Does Nashville 6
Friday October 10th and Saturday October 11th 2008
Don’t miss the sensational sounds of Nashville as they grace the Dixie Theatre. A fantastic weekend of music performed by the songwriters and singers whose amazing talent has made their music our favorite tunes. Tables are available for large groups and prime seating for a front row experience.
To find out more call 850-653-3200 or visit www.dixietheatre.com.

4th Annual Apalachicola Bay Chamber Golf Tournament
Friday October 10th 1:00-5:00pm
Team up with your friends and favorite golfers and spend the afternoon playing on the beautiful St. James Golf Course. The prizes worth $4,000 will be awarded to the top three teams at the reception following the tournament. A great way to support the programs of the Apalachicola Chamber of Commerce.
For more information contact the Apalachicola Chamber at 850-653-9419.

Blues on the Lot
Friday October 17th – Saturday October 18th 2008
Celebrate the melodies that create the mood and emotion that takes you to a carefree place and time. Bring your lawn chairs and dancing shoes to Apalachicola and listen to the best bands from our region. Friday from 6:00 to 10:00pm and Saturday from 10:00am to 10:00pm. Take advantage of this unique opportunity to experience a genre of music with so much expression of the soul.
For more information call 850-653-3550.

Mexico Beach Fall Festival of the Arts
Saturday October 18th 2008
A festival to delight your eyes and inspire your creativity. Enjoy the eclectic variety of artistic mediums including painting, ceramics, photography and much more. All will be on display at the Driftwood Inn. The fine wines and blues entertainment add to the excitement on the coast!
Find out more information by calling 888-723-2546.

Monarch Butterfly Festival
Saturday October 25th 2008
An exciting celebration of the monarch butterfly, a favorite fluttering friend that appears in our area by the hundreds as they make their journey south. Come see this fascinating creature and learn more about their fabulous life and amazing journey home.
Find out the details by calling 850-925-6121.

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2009 Calendar of Events

Annual Events with Some Dates & Locations to be Announced

13th Annual Forgotten Coast Chef Sampler
February 2009
Feast on the delectable delights of the finest restaurants in the area. An array of appetizers, fabulous main course dishes, mouth-watering desserts, all created by the local chefs we love and served with a great selection of wine and beer. The presentation and beauty of the evening make this a night to experience. The event will be held at the Fort Coombs Armory in Apalachicola. Purchase tickets for $50 each or reserve an entire table for your friends and family. All proceeds benefit the Apalachicola Bay Chamber of Commerce.
For more information or to purchase tickets call 850-653-9419.

8th Annual Art for Arf
February 2009
A night of fine art, local color, fabulous flavors and sweet sounds, all to benefit the animals in our local shelter. Come for the fantastic dinner and bid on the work of art that catches your eye, speaks to your spirit or matches your decorative taste. Always a fun party! Benefits the Franklin County Humane Society. Tickets are $50 per person and tables are available for reservations.

11th Annual Mexico Beach Gumbo Cookoff
February 2009
Celebrate the flavors that come together to make a savory gumbo. The freshest local seafood caught in the waters along our shores bathed in special spices and simmered in a golden roux will have your taste buds tingling with delight. Enter the competition and win cash prizes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place. Go early because they always run out of gumbo fast!
For more information call 888-723-2546.
27th Annual Chili Cook-Off & Auction
Saturday March 7th 2009
Find the hottest chili competition at the coolest place! Over sixty professional chili cooks bring their secret recipes to St. George Island to find out who is the best. Taste the fiery chili recipes and mouth-watering goodies all day long. This annual fundraiser for the St. George Island Volunteer Fire Department & First Responders always brings a smile. 5K run, silent & live auction, amateur chili competition, Mister Hot Sauce and Miss Chili Pepper competition, music under the tent and much more.
To find out more contact the SGI Volunteer Fire Department at (850) 927-2753 or visit the website at www.stgeorgeislandchili.com.

The Dixie Does Nashville 7
Friday March 13th and Saturday March 14th 2009
Hear the talented singers and songwriters of country music perform their personal hits and the songs that made the biggest names in music famous. The sounds and style of Nashville will be the buzz in the quaint town of Apalachicola. Don’t miss this amazing concert to be held at the Dixie Theatre.
For tickets call the box office at the Dixie Theatre at 850-653-3200.

Camp Gordon Johnston WWII Veteran’s Reunion
March 2009
This weekend is a time to remember and honor the brave spirit of Veteran’s who served in WWII. Find unique artifacts, photographs and symbols that bring history to life and remind us of the heritage that exists in American pride. The parade will ring in the streets, the museum with share wisdom and the camaraderie will inspire the meeting of old friends and the making of new.
For more information call the Camp Gordon Johnston Museum at 850-697-8575 or visit www.campgordonjohnston.com.