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01 February 2011
Great Events Slated for Entire Area
By Chuck Spicer
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(EDITOR’S NOTE: Kindly note that many Forgotten Coast events have expanded from one day to two days. Some even longer! Sometimes the reason for expanding is additional funding from the respective “Tourist Development Council.” (your bed tax dollars at work). In many cases the “main event” is still happening on a single day (usually a Saturday) and “lighter” fare is offered on the other day. With close to 200 special events on the Forgotten Coast we urge you to “be aware” as you read our previews.)
Things used to be mighty “sleepy” during the Forgotten Coast’s “shoulder months.” Not so any more. February will be filled with all kinds of fun events for both residents and visitors. Ranging from the fifth annual Stone Age and Primitive Arts Festival at Ocklockonee River State Park Feb. 24-26 to the all new and exciting Feb. 4 St. George Island Tour of Homes. From a Mardi Gras Revue in Apalachicola to a “Pig Party” in Crawfordville and the 14th Annual Mexico Beach Gumbo Cookoff at Sunset Beach in Mexico Beach.
The Dixie Theatre in Apalachicola will present an entire month of top flight entertainment and the folks at Habitat for Humanity will be raising much needed funds with a Mardi Gras Revue at Ft. Coombs Armory in Apalach. The Panhandle Players will be presenting a show in both Eastpoint and at St. James Bay Golf Resort in Carrabelle. The historic Trinity Episcopal Church in Apalach chips in with entertainment and the friends of the St. Joseph Bay Reserve have something mighty good cooked up for you.
And Feb. 7 is the date of the annual “Snowbird Appreciation Day” on St. George Island.
If you are a fan of ragtime pianist Bob Milne fan - 13 is certainly your lucky number. The top ragtime/boogie-woogie pianist today, Bob delights audiences with his piano-playing pyrotechnics and his infectious enthusiasm for the music and the history behind the music and he will be at the Dixie (Feb. 1-5) for his 13th year.
On Feb. 3-5 the Panhandle Players, the Forgotten Coast’s talented theatrical troupe, will present “Murder at the Howard Johnson” by Ron Clark & Sam Bobrick. The comical, deadly love triangle will be performed at the Eastpoint Firehouse. And then an encore presentation of “Murder at the Howard Johnson” (Dinner Theatre version) will be performed Feb. 10-12 at the Crooked River Grille at St. James Bay Golf Resort Country Club in St. Teresa (just east of Lanark Village).
A Mardi Gras Revue to benefit the Habitat for Humanity will be held Feb. 3-4 in Apalachicola. On Friday there will be a 5:30 pm golf cart parade & pet parade from the Bowery section of Apalachicola to the waterfront park. The big happenings are Saturday evening at the historic Fort Coombs Armory in downtown Apalachicola. General admission is $25 while a reserved table & dinner for six is $300 (or $50 per person). The Beth McKee Band and the Brian Bowen Band will entertain from 7:30 to 10:30 pm. For additional information call 850-653-3113 or visit habitatatfranklin.org
The “Friends of St. Joseph Preserve” Winter Bay Day Shrimp Boil at Simmons Bayou (near the entrance to Cape San Blas) will be held Feb. 4 (11-2pm). The Friends of the Preserve would like to invite you to join them to enjoy their Annual Shrimp Boil and Tour of Homes of Indian Pass. This fundraiser serves up great food and music as well as guided tours of the preserve. 850-229-1787. Website: www.stjosephbaypreserves.org
On the same day the first-ever St. George Island Tour of Homes will be held from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. (Feb. 4) It is sponsored by the St. George Lighthouse Association, Inc. Tickets cost $15 in advance and $20 on Feb. 4. Sales will be limited to 200 tickets.An associated reception and discussion on island-style interior decorating and external landscaping will be held from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. Feb. 3 at the St George Island Fire Station, 324 East Pine Avenue. The event is free.
"We have a great selection of homes from the Plantation to the East End and from the beachfront to the bay," said Dany Ray, event co-chairperson. "We have modern and traditional beach-front homes, bay-front homes and historic homes. This is the first and best chance for people to get a total view of the island lifestyle from inside some of our best and most interesting homes." Tickets are now available at the Apalachicola Chamber of Commerce, 122 Commerce St, Apalachicola; Gardens, Inc., 149 Commerce St., Apalachicola; St. George Lighthouse Museum and the Visitor Center, St. George Island; and by telephone at (850) 927-7744 or toll-free at (888) 927-7744. Tickets will be available Feb. 4 at Lighthouse Park, St. George Island. 850-927-7744 www.stgeorgelight.org. The St. George Lighthouse Association is a not-for-profit Florida corporation organized to preserve, maintain and promote the Cape St. George lighthouse, which was restored on 2008 after collapsing in 2005. SLGA also built a replica of the original lighthouse keeper's house which is now a museum and gift shop. SLGA continues to raise funds for the on-going maintenance of the light, the keeper's house and St. George Lighthouse Park.
Feb. 6 is the celebrated date of the “Annual Looper Gathering”. "What in the world is the Great Loop and a Looper Gathering?" It is the circumnavigation of Eastern North America by water. Last year there were 62 vessels thru the Port St. Joe Marina and many stayed the weekend while others stayed a month or even longer! 850-227-9393
Website: www.psjmarina.com
The annual Snowbird Day, sponsored by the St. George Island Business Association, is slated for Feb. 7. Franklin county's winter visitors are invited to spend the day on St. George Island. If you consider yourself a visitor to the area, you're welcome to participate! Events will include a raffle "run" to the local businesses, fishing tournament, lighthouse climb, state park entry and hike, island tour, bridge walk, bingo, a visit to the new Estuarine Nature Center, and dinner with a cash bar. 850-927-7744 www.sgisnowbirds.com Register at any St. George Island vacation rental company.
On Feb.8 there will be a “Wagon Tour of St. Vincent Island”, a delightful preserve off the Franklin & Gulf County coasts.
It is back to the Dixie Theatre in Apalach on Feb. 10 for a fantastic Jerry Lee Lewis Tribute. Piano Man Todd Williams is a king of tributes and plays the piano with everything imaginable. He even occasionally plays with his fingers! .
The following evening (Feb. 11) The “Old Folkie” is at the Dixie Theater. Marking his 19th appearance at the Dixie, Ken Sizemore sings all your favorite folk tunes from the 50’s, 60’s & 70’s as well as some finely crafted originals.
Also on 11th a “Cupids Chase” - a 5K/15K Sweetheart Dash at Veterans Memorial Park at St. Joe Beach will be held. The location is between Port St. Joe and Mexico Beach.
The Apalachicola Bay Chamber of Commerce will host the 16th Annual Forgotten Coast Chefs Sampler on Sunday, Feb. 12 from 6:00-9:00 pm. Chefs from all over the Forgotten Coast will prepare their most creative dishes at the historic Fort Coombs Armory located on 4th Street and Avenue D in Apalachicola. Sample an array from our area restaurants. Talented shopkeepers and local designers give the event an extraordinary touch and add creative flair by decorating each table individually. The tables range from elegant to artistic and funky. Tickets are $50. For more information, call the Apalachicola Bay Chamber at (850) 653-9419 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
Entries are due on Feb. 15 for the Second St. George Plantation Juried Show. The actual showing will be March 16 thru April 16. The exhibition is open to artists in all media from Franklin, Gulf Counties, Wakulla, Bay and Leon Counties. See our “Complete Calendar” for entry rules, entry fees and prizes. Work can be offered for sale during the show. The artist gallery can also be indicated. The Plantation reserves the right to provide the media with reproductions of the exhibited artwork from this exhibition. Accepted artists will be notified via email. JURORS: Jeana Brunson is the Director of the Museum of Florida History, where she oversees the development of exhibitions, historical collections, and educational programs. Sarah Stage is an Arts Administrator with the Division of Cultural Affairs, where she manages general program support grants that provide funding to dance companies, theatres, museums, galleries and other nonprofits. IMPORTANT DATES:February 15, 2012: Deadline for submission; February 20, 2012: Selection by Jurors; February 25, 2012: Notification of Selection; March 15, 2012: Delivery of Art Work; March 16, 2012: Juried Show Opens -April 16, 2012: Juried Show Closes.
The Dixie Theatre is THE place to be on Feb. 17, 18 or 19. Summerwind – An Intimate evening with Frank Sinatra starring Gabriel Russo – is a sure evening of outstanding entertainment. "This guy has Frank's style and snap, nobody else has it." – says Bob Reneke, Mr. Sinatra's long-time personal assistant...spot-on performance and vocal renderings” This is as close as it gets!
On Feb. 18 there will be a Wakulla Springs Photo Tour on the Wakulla River.
Feb. 18 is also the date of the 14th Annual Mexico Beach Gumbo Cookoff at Sunset Beach (next to El Governor Motel on Hwy 98). This fun filled day offers the best and the tastiest gumbo on the beach! With many striving to become the "Gumbo King"! Website: www.mexico-beach.com You are virtually on the beach so you may wish to bring along a beach blanket or a chair and make it a full day.
Crawfordville will host the Annual Crawfordville Swine Festival (better known as the “Pig Party”) at the livestock pavilion grounds on Feb. 18 starting at 10:30 am and going on all day. Real down-home event with parade, booths, beauty contests, pig scramble, swine judging and sale of really exceptional BBQ plates. Phone 850 926-3931 for details.
Feb. 22-26 are the dates of the presentation of the play “My Nobel Destiny” at the Dixie Theatre. Written and performed by Apalachicola resident Beth Blair, this inspirational look at the life of Nobel Prize recipient Marie Curie takes us on the journey of her fascinating life, love and scientific achievements.
