It was just after developer and co-founder of Sandcastle Resorts and Hotels Frank Flautt had purchased a 10-acre beachfront lot that would house the future Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa that he placed a call to his friend…
Best friends Autumn Johnson and Kasey Caldwell co-worked for years selling their respective artwork out of co-op shops. But they never anticipated graduating their work relationship to co-owners. “We’re like soulmates,” Johnson says. “We know each other very well,…
Tutoring is a lucrative profession and is often used to supplement a teacher’s salary. Beginners can charge as low as $15 per hour, while those with more experience can receive as much as $80 per hour for high-demand subjects such…
In February, the Arts & Design Society of Fort Walton Beach announced Michael Lunsford’s Grand Turk painting as the winner of the Viewers’ Choice award in the 65th Annual Beaux Arts Exhibition. And at the 2025 ArtsQuest Fine Arts Festival…
I have lived in this flourishing beach town for eight years, and I have never had the opportunity to attend the 30A Songwriters Festival—until this year. I attended in hopes of being a part of something unique and discovering a…
In commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the conclusion of the Vietnam Conflict, the Greater Fort Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce proudly hosted Honoring Our Heroes: Welcome Home, a tribute to Vietnam veterans with a three-day event that brought together…
For 10 years, the Southern Shakespeare Company (SSC) has been bringing the beloved works of Shakespeare to life in Tallahassee. “We are devoted to making his work accessible and exciting for all,” says SSC Artistic Director James Bond. “We do…
DESTIN, FLORIDA (April 2, 2025) — Mattie Kelly Arts Foundation (MKAF) invites music fans to gather under the stars at the picturesque Dugas Pavilion for the much-anticipated 2025 Concerts in the Village series. From April 10 to June 12, every…
Zen. That is how freelance photographer Romona Robbins Reynolds describes the feeling she gets when she dons her goggles and takes to the saltwater with her camera. Above sea level, Reynolds juggles a small business, a home, a husband, a…
“Sun-kissed” is a phrase often used here in our beach paradise. Our winters are brief and mild, and on sunnier days, we can even bask on the shore in swimwear during the colder months. However, on January 21 and 22…
“I’m not a fan of blank walls,”says artist and teacher Terry Baker. Thanks to him, you won’t find many empty walls throughout Freeport High School. He’s painted the school’s bulldog mascot, which hangs in the main hallway, and several of…
One resin artist, two mixed media sculptors, and three painters teamed up in fall 2024 to bring Emerald Coast Magazine’s Love EC signature hashtag to life. The result—a one-of-a-kind mural fit for the best night of the year. “The colorful,…
The tattoo industry has long thrived in Pensacola where a perfect combination of military members, locals, and tourists have kept books full at shops throughout town for decades. “I think it’s just a really good, supportive community,” says Carrie Daniels,…
At just 8 years old, Jessica Murphy saw something on television that would ignite a lifelong passion. “There was a child on TV, I want to say Oprah, who performed violin for the audience,” Murphy recalls. “I remember wanting to be…
From March 6-April 12, 2025 the Gallery of Art in Panama City will host an exhibition of works by Emily Frances Ellis, the gallery’s Best of Show winner. An opening reception will be held on March 13 from 5-7 p.m. for…
The Cultural Arts Alliance of Walton County (CAA) is excited to announce a groundbreaking collaboration between the Underwater Museum of Art (UMA) and the Florida Cancer Specialists Foundation (FCSF) that will introduce a unique addition to the UMA’s seventh annual…
Success is often found when preparation meets opportunity. Northwest Florida Ballet’s (NFB) Académie and Pre-Professional Program give both to its students. The success of both programs is owed in great part to NFB’s artistic director and CEO Todd…
It was the sand dunes that artist Michelle Held focused on as she looked out at the calm Gulf waters off Mexico Beach. She knew about Hurricane Michael and the devastation it brought to the town in 2018. But it…
This time we got much more than we bargained for, or more than we expected at least. It was more than the minor flurries that a few of us have been lucky enough to catch falling onto car windshields in…
