The Latest Stories from SoWal.com

Gulf Place was recently added as an official Read more... We'd love to hear what you think...you can comment here or on the story page. Feel free to share on your site, blog, facebook, or any other site.

After almost a month of "boat building", I have most of the bugs worked out of the new ride and am back at it offshore. The new boat did very well the past couple days. Read more... We'd love to hear what you think...you can comment here or on the story page. Feel free to share on your site, blog, facebook, or any other site.

The SoWal staff loves a good festival, especially the really good tasting ones like gumbo, or wine, or gumbo. The Sandestin Gumbo Festival every February is one we look foward to. Read more... We'd love to hear what you think...you can comment here or on the story page. Feel free to share on your site, blog, facebook, or any other site.

The 6th Annual 30a St. Patrick's Parade and Festival is slated for Saturday March 16th 2013, heralding the return of exciting Irish Music band Mithril. Read more... We'd love to hear what you think...you can comment here or on the story page. Feel free to share on your site, blog, facebook, or any other site.

Topsail Hill Preserve State Park and Friends of Topsail Hill Preserve State Park present Americana Under the Stars, an evening of music featuring some of the best musicians and singer/son Read more... We'd love to hear what you think...you can comment here or on the story page. Feel free to share on your site, blog, facebook, or any other site.

You may know Crush as the wine bar on the square in Seaside. But it's so much more than a simple wine bar. Read more... We'd love to hear what you think...you can comment here or on the story page. Feel free to share on your site, blog, facebook, or any other site.

We all love to take walk on the beach, but some of us need to walk on the beach. We need to wade in a coastal dune lake outflow. Read more... We'd love to hear what you think...you can comment here or on the story page. Feel free to share on your site, blog, facebook, or any other site.

La Playa, meaning 'the beach' in Spanish, is all new and super fresh. Read more... We'd love to hear what you think...you can comment here or on the story page. Feel free to share on your site, blog, facebook, or any other site.

The Junior League of the Emerald Coast invites the Emerald Coast community to join in Rock the Road, a 5K and Kids’ 1 Mile Fun Run to benefit the organization’s many comm Read more... We'd love to hear what you think...you can comment here or on the story page. Feel free to share on your site, blog, facebook, or any other site.

The good news is insurance in the Florida panhandle remains much more affordable than any other coastal area in the State. Read more... We'd love to hear what you think...you can comment here or on the story page. Feel free to share on your site, blog, facebook, or any other site.

To kick off the 2013 Wine Women & Shoes weekend, Sinfonia Gulf Coast presents six Vintner Dinners featuring stellar wines and culinary creations highlighted by "Food & Wine Magazine&qu Read more... We'd love to hear what you think...you can comment here or on the story page. Feel free to share on your site, blog, facebook, or any other site.

The Seabreeze Jazz Festival is coming up and their venue just got a new... Read more... We'd love to hear what you think...you can comment here or on the story page. Feel free to share on your site, blog, facebook, or any other site.

One of our favorite local bands was the talk of the 30A Songwriters Festival recently. In this video, The Owsley Brothers play "200 Miles" on the Caliza stage in Alys Beach. Hailing from the Gulf Coast of Florida The Owsley Brothers Began as the Bedroom Recording project of multi-instrumentalist J.E. Reynolds. Armed with a cheap guitar, half a drum kit and an 8-track recorder, Reynolds crafted Last Years Acclaimed EP Pure Lust. Within a few months his Unique blend of Lo-Fi Scuzz & Gut Bucket Blues attracted much attention & glowing reviews of blog community stalwarts; My Old Kentucky Blog, Aquariaum Drunkard, Rollo & Grady, & Some Velvet Blog. The Owsley Brothers showcase his darker punk & blues underbelly: pounding drums, soulful vocals, reverb drenched guitars and undeniably catchy hooks.,The songs on this EP are charmingly lo-fi, each track draws the listener in, transporting them to a place where the past and present collide. The Owsley Brothers are garage-blues from the dark side, a complex, genre-bending puzzle that is immediately listenable.

Baytowne celebrates the 11th Annual Baytowne Bash Fat Tuesday Parade on Tuesday, February 12 at 5:00pm. Read more... We'd love to hear what you think...you can comment here or on the story page. Feel free to share on your site, blog, facebook, or any other site.

Enjoy 3 nights in a 3 bedroom Rosemary Beach Home from SoWal.com Rental Partner Paradise Properties! Read more... We'd love to hear what you think...you can comment here or on the story page. Feel free to share on your site, blog, facebook, or any other site.

Alan Baltazar brings over 18 years of culinary experience to SoWal local favorite, 723 Whiskey Bravo Bistro & Bar, and will now serve as Executive Chef. Read more... We'd love to hear what you think...you can comment here or on the story page. Feel free to share on your site, blog, facebook, or any other site.

It's a new year and 2013 is moving fast as one of South Walton's most popular events is coming around again the first weekend in March. Read more... We'd love to hear what you think...you can comment here or on the story page. Feel free to share on your site, blog, facebook, or any other site.

Zach Billingsley, executive director at Children's Volunteer Health Network was chosen as the Young Alumni Achievement Award winner by the Huntingdon College National Alumni Association. Read more... We'd love to hear what you think...you can comment here or on the story page. Feel free to share on your site, blog, facebook, or any other site.

Hydrotherapy has been around for thousands of years, but recently in its more modern use it involves the simple use of water (either hot or cold), water jets, underwater massage and even aromathera Read more... We'd love to hear what you think...you can comment here or on the story page. Feel free to share on your site, blog, facebook, or any other site.

Artists from around the globe to compete for $10,000 in prizes! Read more... We'd love to hear what you think...you can comment here or on the story page. Feel free to share on your site, blog, facebook, or any other site.

Click here to enter to win 2 tickets and swag! Read more... We'd love to hear what you think...you can comment here or on the story page. Feel free to share on your site, blog, facebook, or any other site.

Sinfonia Gulf Coast continues its seventh season of innovative musical programming on February 15 & 16, presenting the Amernet String Quartet at the Rosemary Beach Town Hall. Read more... We'd love to hear what you think...you can comment here or on the story page. Feel free to share on your site, blog, facebook, or any other site.

Gordie Hinds has long been one of our favorite artists. He loves to paint South Walton - outdoor scenes, fishing, still life, colorful people - he easily captures local color and local flavor. Read more... We'd love to hear what you think...you can comment here or on the story page. Feel free to share on your site, blog, facebook, or any other site.

For the third year in a row, Panama City Beach’s Firefly Restaurant has received Florida Trend magazine’s prestigious Golden Read more... We'd love to hear what you think...you can comment here or on the story page. Feel free to share on your site, blog, facebook, or any other site.

Enter to win 2 tickets to the Sandestin Gumbo Festiival on Saturday, February 16, 2013 from 12pm-4pm at the Village of Baytowne Wharf. We'll choose a random winner on Tuesday, January 29, 2013. Have some great gumbo and vote for your favorite, while listening to live Zydeco music by Dikki Du and the Zydeco Crew. Judges will award the top three restaurants and businesses in the “Area’s Best” Gumbo. Participating restaurants and businesses will vie for placement in the following categories: “Area’s Best - Veteran,” participating more than 5 years; “Area’s Best - 5 Years or Less,” participating 5 years or less; “Area’s Best – Freshman;” for the first-timers. Click here to enter! http://youtu.be/zMpffHw1DjQ