This past holiday season, Pensacola Winterfest brought its “Winterfest Express” miniature train to downtown Pensacola's historic streets. Visitors and locals immediately fell in love with the mini-train, and thus, the idea for an after-Christmas train experience—Winterfest’s Orange Blossom Special—was born.

Palafox Market began eleven years ago as a loosely-organized seasonal farmers market with a handful of vendors. It is now open every Saturday year-round and has more than 150 vendors showcasing products from cold brew coffee to organic beauty products and anything in between. To celebrate the market — and thank its vendors and thousands of loyal customers — Palafox Market will hold an anniversary celebration on May 5 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. In addition to the usual market offerings, visitors will enjoy an expanded kids’ area, live music, celebrity chef food tastings featuring fresh vendor ingredients and much more.

In the near future, locals and visitors can travel by ferry to three must-see destinations—downtown Pensacola, Fort Pickens and Pensacola Beach. A new ferry system, owned by National Park Service and formally named Pensacola Bay Cruises, is planned to begin operating in time for summer.

Considering Pensacola’s celebrated maritime history, the announcement by Tall Ships America® that it is bringing the first official TALL SHIPS CHALLENGE® Gulf Coast to downtown Pensacola in April isn’t surprising. Pensacola is one of only three host ports—and the only Florida port—included in the Gulf Coast series of Tall Ships® races and port festivals happening over a three-day period from April 12-15 at Plaza DeLuna, in partnership with Visit Pensacola. The grand event includes onboard tours, sail away adventures, VIP viewing parties and receptions, entertainment, food and vending booths.

In 2014 crews began a $2 million renovation of the historic REX Theatre at 18 N. Palafox Street in downtown Pensacola. Said to be Florida's earliest Art Deco-style theatre, the building had lain gutted and vacant for nearly 30 years. Today it's a vibrant 400-seat theatre that serves as a home to Generation Church and a venue for community theatre, seminars and other events.