The Souh Walton Tourist Development Council (TDC) has named MC and Stella Davis as its 2012 Van Ness Butler Hospitality Award recipients. This award was first presented to Van Ness Butler Jr. in honor of his visionary leadership and the continuation of his family's legacy in making South Walton a premier tourist destination.
Local artist Andy Saczynski is far from an overnight success, but he's garnered much attention lately. His career just got a huge boost when he was revealed as the 2013 "South Walton Artist of the Year", at the South Walton TDC's annual meeting at the Sandestin Hilton.
The "Artist of the Year" program is in its eleventh year. The South Walton TDC selects a new artist in residence each fall. Artists are chosen based on their medium and how well they capture the nature, heritage and beauty of this coastal community.
Some forty years ago a tall, skinny hippie kid left a Missouri commune to search for a jug band in order to hone his skill as a washboard player.
Franko “Washboard” Jackson began playing in 1974. He turned professional after answering an ad in a New Orleans newspaper for a washboard player. He thought there would be a line of people out the door but “was the only who showed up.”
Franko has long been a member of local favorite band Hubba Hubba which has just completed recording its first CD, “Live at the Red Bar.”
Chandler Williams has had a camera in his hands since he was a senior in high school. It was a 35-millimeter camera and while he still loves film, he works more with digital now.
“Film is just not an option time-wise when doing production work,” he says.
Chandler didn’t plan a career in photography, but he was the one to take family photos and document travels. When he bought a house and learned he and wife Jessica were expecting twins, he realized he needed to make money.
The South Walton TDC has announced the addition of several new employees over the past few weeks.
Seaside Community Development Corporation (SCDC), has announced the hire of Lori Leath Smith as director of public relations and marketing. Lori is well known to the SoWal staff and we're so happy for her and know what a great person Seaside has on board.
Lori will focus on the planning, development and implementation of SCDC’s destination marketing strategies and public relations activities, both external and internal.
Upstairs in the Grayton Beach loft, there’s a stockpile of old musical instruments, rusty lawn tools and disassembled light fixtures. Vintage drawer knobs, bottle caps, and pieces of scrap metal fill up crates and drawers, waiting to be reassembled into something new.
Twenty-one years after opening Shades in Seaside, Billy McConnell is back where he began his South Walton adventure, in the same building which now houses the Great Southern Café.
Shades was the hub of the busy Central Square in Seaside for many years until it moved to Inlet Beach in 2006.
“Everyone says I’ve come full circle,” Billy says.
Dr. Walt Foegelleʼs pursuit of art, music, and photography began in childhood. They became his full-time passions after retirement from university teaching and administration.
He works in numerous media including acrylics, watercolors, colored pencils, pen and ink, wood sculpture, and photographic art. His artistic influences include Willie Nelson for his creative endurance and longevity, and Emily Carr for her ability to create drama through tonality. He is largely self taught and defines himself as an explorer - always experimenting and learning.
If you want to know what's going on in SoWal, all you have to do is sit on the porch at Grayt Coffee House with owner Cheri Peebles for a half hour. And If she doesn't know what you want to know, then one of the many locals walking in and out likely will.
