Creating Art & Filling Glasses at Gulf Place Wine Walkabout

Gulf Place is a happening place! What with all the cool restaurants, artists, shops and events, but perhaps the coolest of all is the Third Thursday Wine Walkabout from 5-7 p.m.

Pony up $20 and sample worldly wines and a huge variety of entrée’s offered up by participating Gulf Place merchants. Participants are given a commemorative wine glass (donated by Classic Luxury Real Estate) and a map showing the participating Gulf Place merchants who will fill your glass, put forth eats, and sign your map which will qualify you to enter a raffle - merchants donate a wide variety of items or even a free week-end stay at a ResortQuest rental property.

“Our last two Wine Walkabouts have seen record turnouts,” says Gulf Place Marketing Director Jordan Crowder. “It’s kind of like a Pub Wine Crawl and a lot of fun.

The food spreads are incredible, and the wines are literally from around the world. Some merchants have their own bands playing and the goal is to have folks make the rounds at all the Gulf Place stops. Music and entertainment are spread around. After making the rounds, the event ends at the centrally-located Artists of Gulf Place where the prizes are raffled off. At the March 21 Walkabout, “live” artists Billie Gaffrey, Sarah Thead, David Hansel, and Neal Brown painted away as walkabouts watched them transform blank canvas into whimsical painted expressions of their own unique styles. Their final paintings, at the end of the event, are of course, up for sale with the paint still drying with art buyers having had the unique experience of seeing their painting as it was conceived.

In addition to offering their own wine and eats, The Artists of Gulf Place features the main Wine Walkabout music attraction. Soulful singer-songwriter Casey Kearney entertained the enthusiastic crowd at the March 21 event. The crowd that night was a curious mix of outgoing Snowbirds and incoming Spring Breakers and it was impossible to tell who was having the most fun! Walkabouters were seen proudly showing off their cool raffle winnings, especially the cool sun hats and t-shirts.

“We are looking forward to a variety of Gulf Place events including our Farmers Market, Sidewalk Sales, Beer Walks, etc.,” explains Jordan. “We definitely will be having our free Summer Sunday Concert Series (June-August). Gulf Place IS colorful, it IS vibrant…it’s a relaxing beachfront community with accessible parking right across from the beach.”

So, circle the third Thursday of the coming months and plan on hitting up Gulf Place for some Springtime fun. Location: Gulf Place, 45 Town Center Loop (corner of Scenic Hwy 30-A and Hwy. 393 South). Watch their Facebook page for upcoming events or visit www.gulfplacefl.com.  The free Sunday Summer Concert Series schedule will be revealed soon.