There is more to the holiday season than searching for the best deals on Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Nineteen area non-profits are teaming up to promote Giving Tuesday, a first of its kind effort that will harness the collective power of a unique blend of partners—charities, families, businesses and individuals—to transform how people think about, talk about and participate in the giving season.
Ali Weil, owner of Nest 30A, is asking people in the community to bring in five canned goods to the store in Grayton Beach to enter to win a fabulous basket filled with wonderful Nest gifts. All food items collected at the store will go to Caring and Sharing of South Walton's food pantry for the upcoming holiday season.
The Seaside Repertory Theatre is bringing back its traditional holiday play, Every Christmas Story Ever Told (and then some!), this December. Opening night will take place on Dec. 4, at 7:30 p.m. Other showtimes in 2013 include, Dec. 5, 7, 11, 12, 13, 14, 18, 19, 20, and 21 - all at 7:30 p.m. There will also be two matinee performances on Dec. 14 and 21 at 2 p.m.
Davis Dunn Construction and Studio A Architecture's Andrea J. Plunk have teamed up for their 7th Cottages for Kids fundraiser. Every year the team has created fun and imaginitive cottages for a good cause. This year their creation is entitled Live it Up. The enchanting cottage has taken up residence on the East Long Green in Rosemary Beach.
“It’s a great program to help local kids, and it inspires kids to use their imagination too,” Andrea says.
It will be a special night in Seaside as the Florida Public Relations Association’s Northwest Florida Coast Chapter hosts its annual fundraising event on Dec.6 - Holiday Toast on the Coast: A Taste of Seaside, FL. Proceeds will benefit the local chapter and Food For Thought Outreach, Inc.
Last year Ryan Pfneisel of Heritage Builders teamed up with The Merchants of Rosemary Beach for Cottages for Kids and created "Torre de Juego" (Tower of Play). This year he has teamed up with interior designer Vern Yip to create a cottage entitled "Kid Comfort". Vern designed it based on his Gulf view home Ryan just completed in Rosemary Beach.
Grand Boulevard’s fourth annual “Festival of Trees” will showcase 12 uniquely decorated Christmas trees from area non-profit organizations, Nov. 26 – Dec. 25 in Grand Park. The public is invited to attend the kick-off on Tuesday, Nov. 26, 4 p.m. – 6 p.m. as the trees are lighted, judged on their decorations and winners are announced at 6 p.m. A People’s Choice winner will be selected by the voting public that night as well.
Families and friends, furry and otherwise, are invited to the Third Annual Rosemary Beach Unleashed event coming up on Sunday, Nov. 17. The community festival is a fun filled afternoon on East Long Green from 1 to 4 p.m. This year, dogs can participate in a variety of competitions such as children’s handling, best trick, dog fashion show, and agility demonstrations. Music, bake sale, children's dance performances, and photo opps will entertain one and all. Pet adoptions, pet-icures and "purr"fect tie-dye shirts are all part of the fun day in Rosemary Beach.
The South Walton Fire District (SWFD) is once again hosting the Caring and Sharing “Angel Tree” for the 13th consecutive year. Each holiday season the “Angel Tree” is filled with names of children ages one month to 12 years of age who live in Walton County and otherwise may not receive Christmas gifts.
Over 100 fine artists from the Southeast and cities across the country gathered in Destin last month to exhibit and compete for $9,000 in cash prizes at the 18th Annual Festival of the Arts juried art show held at the Mattie Kelly Cultural Arts Village. Local artist Juan Franciso Adaro, originally from Buenos Aires, Argentina who now resides in Santa Rosa Beach, received the coveted "Best in Show" and $1,500 cash prize for his contemporary artwork.
