3 Fall Festivals that We are Feeling
Posted: Aug 7, 2023 3:32 PMUpdated: Aug 7, 2023 3:33 PM
Fast forward to late September downtown. The cool breeze is a biblical relief for locals that know just how magic the fall can be in Pensacola. The dark blue skies and fading sun rays are annual signs that festival season is here, and there are three upcoming fall festivals that you won't want to miss!Pensacola Seafood FestivalThe Crawfish always boil, the Mullett usually toss, and the shrimp can really do the ’etouffee. Let your plate be the stage at this festival which features flounder, snapper, crawfish, mahi and mussels of all sorts. Wash it down with an IPA from the Pensacola Bay Brewery. (Sep 29-Oct 1)The Great Gulfcoast Arts FestivalSix hundred unique booths make this festival worth seeing over three days. The variety fuels a kind of consumer wanderlust that helps support local artists for the entire year. Judges also award the very best, and every year the competition grows an already diverse and amazing group of displays. Tip: this is a great place to buy unique holiday decorations and gifts ahead of the busy season. (November 3-5)Foo Foo FestivalThe newcomer of these festivals is quickly rising on the downtown cultural calendar. Bay Area Bourgeois are circling the first two weeks in November. Last year, Bela Fleck performed a soulful set that delighted fans. Bubble Alley captivated the city and created substantial "buzz" downtown. Visual treats, world-class food, and soulful music are the norm downtown during the Foo.Reviews have been outstanding. Critics say it's a long overdue dose of high culture in the city. "It's no big deal, though. Don’t make it a thing," says Andrea Russo, hipster and mother of three. "Or do," she shrugs. (November 2-13)We're Rolling!
Posted: Jun 19, 2023 2:27 PMUpdated: Jun 19, 2023 2:28 PM
Underneath Interstate 110, wheels are turning fast. People are reluctant to use their brakes. Crashes are accepted. It's not a driver’s nightmare. The Blake Doyle Skatepark is a boarders dream. The Blake Doyle Skatepark is named after the Pensacola skater who died in 2015. Local millennials have rallied around his memory. The park’s name is a soulful reminder of the flame of youth. Blake’s memory has bolstered the entire project during a long development journey. The park is a cornerstone of the Hollice T. Williams Greenway. The revitalized space is a phoenix rising from the ashes. ‘Project Greenway’ will connect neighborhoods and emphasize outdoor fun. The substantial buzz around the skatepark has many residents eager for the next steps to begin. “You can feel the neighborhood growing, people are coming out and staying out,” says Julie Sterbough, who owns a home on 6th avenue. Lifelong resident Jon Shell assembled the team and led the design process for the park. He says that the large and open design of the skatepark makes it a unique venue. At 25,000 square feet, the park is suited for all types of skateboards, with an emphasis on speed. The layout also accommodates the most important person at the skatepark: the newcomer. Young people in the area are encouraged to try skateboarding here in the beginner areas. Even though the park opened on May 2, the first major event was “Opening Day” on June 10th, a transformative event designed to represent the diversity of Pensacola. Hosting GOATS like Andrew Reynolds at “Opening Day” is one way that Jon Shell plans to put the skatepark on the map. Doing it in a way that brings Pensacola together under its historic interstate dividing line, might just guarantee it. Check out the Blake Doyle Skatepark under Interstate 110 in Pensacola along North Hayne Street. The park is open from 10am to 10pm and there is no admission. Remember to grab your helmet. See you out there!Story By: John SjobergPhoto: Anthony Potts: WUWF Public Media Palafox Market (South!)
Posted: Jun 19, 2023 2:19 PMUpdated: Jun 30, 2023 4:19 PM
A second Palafox Market location has opened to accomodate more vendors, more customers, and more memorable Saturdays. Palafox Market South is located on the round Plaza Ferdinand on the corner of Palafox and Government streets. The Downtown Improvement Board (DIB) says that the new venue will increase the vendor count by dozens and the visitor capacity by thousands.What began as a sleepy farmer's market and idea of the DIB in 2007, Palafox Market is now a Saturday morning staple of artists, chefs, farmers, and friendly passers-by. There's room to grow. Demand for more vendor spaces made it clear that Pensacola could easily accommodate a second farmer's market. Caroline King comes to the market to discover new arts and crafts that reflect the culture and heritage of the Pensacola Bay Area. "I like to find items that are made from local materials," as she looks at a wooden flute carved from driftwood. She gets pretty excited when you mention the new market. "More vendors means more unique gifts for my friends and family!"Palafox Market South kicked off on May 15, and it will run every Saturday from 9am to 2pm. The original Palafox Market (North) is located at Martin Luther King, Jr. Plaza on Palafox between Garden and Gregory Streets. Celebrating Pensacola's Black Owned Businesses
Posted: Feb 14, 2023 5:47 PMUpdated: Feb 14, 2023 6:15 PM
February is Black History Month, a month to honor the victories and struggles of African Americans throughout United States history.Black History Month originated from Dr. Carter G. Woodson, an American author and founder of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History. The celebration was introduced as Negro History Week in 1926 in February, recognizing the birthdays of Frederick Douglas and Abraham Lincoln. During the Black Awakening and Civil Rights movement of the 1960s, Americans became more aware of the importance of black history. By 1976, the celebration of black history expanded into a month and became nationally recognized. In honor of Black History Month, Downtown Pensacola wants to recognize a black woman owned vendor of the Palafox Market, Dacia Woodley. Robbie&China Confectionery is owned by Dacia Woodley, an artist in the kitchen. She is an Army wife and mother who fell in love with baking in the fall of 2018. After much praise from friends and family, she began her business in April 2019. At the Palafox Market, the Robbie&China Confectionery offers a wide variety of baked goods. Some favorites include macaroons, cupcakes, and cookie sandwiches, nicknamed “sammies''. Custom cakes and cookies are also available upon ordering in advance from her website. Come taste the Robbie&China confections at the Palafox Market on Saturdays from 9am-2pm. Look for vendor number 114!Palafox Market celebrates Mardi Gras with a special Mardi Gras Market Feb. 11
Posted: Jan 25, 2023 3:42 PMUpdated: Jan 25, 2023 3:42 PM
Pensacola Mardi Gras and Palafox Market will collaborate for a special event to celebrate the beginning of the 2023 Mardi Gras season. On Saturday, Feb. 11 from 9am-2pm, the award-winning Palafox Market will transform into Mardi Gras Market, fully equipped with purple, green and gold celebration necessities. All 90 krewes as well as the entire community can shop for Mardi Gras-themed goods during the special market, held just one week before the Grand Mardi Gras parade marches through downtown Pensacola. Mardi Gras Market is located on Palafox Street, stretching from Martin Luther King Jr. Plaza to Garden Street. Vendors at the Mardi Gras Market will show off their celebratory creativity with Mardi Gras themed home decor, baked goods, shirts, jewelry, soaps, pet goods and more.