April 25, 2016 – Santa Rosa Beach, FL – Cinco De Mayo at The Bayo It’s that time of year again for the big Cinco De Mayo at the Bayo party!!! As you know, The Bay loves to throw a good party. So, this Cinco de Mayo, we are pulling out all the stops to bring you the best fiesta yet! Bring your friends and family May 5, […]

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The 11th Annual CCA Kid’s Fishing Tournament took place on Grayton Beach on Sunday, April 24 from noon to 4pm.  The annual fishing tournament hosted by Coastal Conservation Association Florida – South Walton Chapter is a great opportunity for parents and young anglers to enjoy! The first 150 anglers received a rod and reel combo […]

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Alaqua Animal Refuge Pet of the Week “LeLe”   LeLe is a senior girl, but don’t tell her that! She has plenty of pep left in her step. LeLe is timid in nature, however, she loves human attention. She will quickly warm up and let her wonderful personality shine through.  She is quiet, calm and […]

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Alaqua presents ASPCA’s Help a Horse Day (Freeport, Florida) – April 23, 2016 – Alaqua Animal Refuge, in partnership with the ASPCA is holding several events to raise awareness for our rescue horses and donkeys. All proceeds will benefit Alaqua Animal Refuge. With the help of Laura’s Horse and Pet Supply in Niceville we hope […]

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MATTIE KELLY ARTS FOUNDATION EXTENDS AN OPEN CALL FOR VISUAL ARTISTS & SPONSOR SUPPORT  21st Annual Festival of the Arts to Award $10,000 in Cash Prize Awards   DESTIN, FLA (April 18, 2016) — Mattie Kelly Arts Foundation (MKAF) announces a call for artists for its 21st Annual Festival of the Arts. This year’s Festival […]

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“Winter Reading Challenge for Kids” Bike Winners Drawn Walton County Coastal Branch Library Santa Rosa Beach, FL Walton County Coastal Library presents the 2015-16 “Winter Reading Challenge” for ages 7-14. Our theme, “Back to School, Back to the Library- Read to Ride” will present one girl’s bike and one boy’s bike donated by Santa Rosa […]

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Celebrate Cinco De Mayo and Mother’s Day on the SOLARIS Yacht Cruise through May with two memorable experiences on the water Miramar Beach, Fla (April 14, 2016) – As the only dining and entertainment yacht in Northwest Florida, SunQuest Cruises’s SOLARIS yacht offers two unforgettable experiences in May that combine coastal cuisines with a relaxing […]

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  Internationally famous artist Wyland completed the world’s largest painted American flag mural, an impressive 3.8-acres in size, on roof of Legendry Marina, the world’s largest single indoor marine building. The awe-inspiring 555’ x 229’ flag honors the United States military armed forces who defend our country and first responders who watch over and protect […]

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Seabreeze Jazz Festival® Returns With Jazz Packed Weekend Of Top Entertainment Smooth Jazz, White Sands, and Fun set for April 20-24th in beautiful Panama City Beah, FL Celebrating 18th Anniversary Presented by ResortQuestBy Wyndham Vacation Rentals Panama City Beach, FL Platinum-selling and multi-Grammy winning Michael McDonald, top-charting saxophonist Boney James, vocalist Peabo Bryson, and guitarist […]

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Julie Hurst wanted it built in 7 days. An ambitious plea, but 500 odd days later the Pierce family Children’s Advocacy Center opened April 8th. The center provides a safe environment for abused and neglected children to tell their story just once, to trained staff, so law enforcement can take the next steps to prevent […]

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6th Annual Chi Chi Miguel Sip N Shop to Benefit Alaqua Animal Refuge (Freeport, Florida) – April 8, 2016 – Alaqua Animal Refuge recently announced that the 6th Annual Chi Chi Miguel Sip N Shop event will be held on April 15, from 11 am until 2 pm, at The Market Shops located at the […]

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WCSO ESCORTS WWII VETERAN ON MISSION FROM COAST TO COAST  For Immediate Release April 4, 2016 Walton County, Fla— Ernie Andrus is on a mission. The 92-year-old World War II Navy Veteran is running from the West Coast to the Atlantic Ocean near Brunswick, Georgia to help raise money for the LST 325 Ship Memorial, […]

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Alaqua Animal Refuge Pet of the Week “Meadow”  Sweet little Meadow is a two year old Chihuahua/Rat Terrier mix and weighs about 10 lbs.  She came to the Refuge a few months ago with her five puppies and was a very good momma. Her puppies have all found their new homes and now it is […]

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Sales Professional Earns International Designation For Luxury Home Marketing Expertise Santa Rosa Beach, FL (March 31, 2016) – Kelly Klein with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices PenFed Realty has earned the prestigious Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist® designation in recognition of her experience, knowledge and expertise in the luxury home market. “Kelly Klein is an example of […]

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WCSO DEPUTY SAVES KAYAKER FROM RIP CURRENT EASTER SUNDAY For Immediate Release March 28, 2016 Miramar Beach, Fla— A Walton County Sheriff’s Deputy rescues a man from the Gulf under red flags Easter Sunday after he was caught in a rip current in his Kayak. A call came in to Walton County Sheriff’s Office around […]

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Life at The Beach is a Lifestyle television show, focused on the people, places and adventures that makes the Scenic corridor of 30A in NW Florida so unique. Utilizing a combination of controlled reality television, interesting characters, informative interviews and excellent cinematography, we will bring a fresh, unique approach to local programming. Originally from Atlanta, […]

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Good Grit Magazine Launches “Character of the South Awards” Birmingham, Alabama, (March 25, 2016) – Good Grit Magazine
has launched their first annual “Character of the South Awards” for
2016. Nominations are submitted online via the magazine’s website GoodGritMag.com until April 1st and open voting begins on April 11th. Categories range from “Best Brunch to Innovative and […]

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Alaqua Animal Refuge Pet of the Week “Carolina” Carolina is a 3 year old Hound who was found homeless and hungry. Like most Hounds, Carolina has a gentle temperament and can make a great pet. She is well behaved, loves human contact and is very affectionate to her visitors. Because of her energy level, she […]

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Chef Jim Shirley Offers Easter Breakfast and Brunch Buffets The Bay, Great Southern Cafe and 45 Central Offer Easter Buffets   Easter is a day of celebration with family and friends. It’s a time to enjoy each other’s company, eat a great meal and spend time together. There is no better way to celebrate such […]

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Mattie Kelly Arts Foundation presents the 21st Annual Concerts in the Village series Nine local and regional music acts to perform Thursday evenings, May 5–June 30, 2016 DESTIN, FLORIDA — (March 21, 2016) Thanks to Mattie Kelly Arts Foundation, orchestrating a family outing al fresco style during the summer is a breeze. This year MKAF […]

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Alaqua Animal Refuge Pet of the Week “Kristo”  Kristo is a sweet natured, medium size dog. He weighs 20 lbs and is a 2-1/2 year old Cattle Dog mix that was rescued from a county shelter. We think he spent quite a bit of time on the streets alone, because he is still a little […]

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CD WILLIAMSON KARATE MAKES DONATION TO FORE HER Niceville, March 14, 2016: CD Williamson Karate recently raised funds by way of a t-shirt fundraiser and donated the proceeds of the fundraiser to the Fore Her, Inc. cancer foundation. Mr. Williamson, along with members of several of his classes, presented a $750.00 check to Fore Her […]

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WALTON AREA CHAMBER ANNOUNCES PARTNERSHIP WITH UBER Helping to bring transportation and flexible work opportunities to the Walton Area  Santa Rosa Beach, FL– The Walton Area Chamber of Commerce and the ride-sharing service, Uber, announced a partnership today that will enable tourists and locals alike to take advantage of the hugely successful service.  With the growth […]

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Bay Breeze Patio Anniversary Event & Grilling Expo, April 1-2 Special event features outdoor living experts, grilling demonstrations/samples and more MIRAMAR BEACH, Fla.—March 16, 2016—Bay Breeze Patio is celebrating its 12th year serving the Emerald Coast with an Anniversary Event & Grilling Expo, April 1-2, 2016. The celebration features outdoor living experts from the most […]

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30a-video-toursThe 30A Video Tours series, sponsored by NatureWalk at Seagrove, is an entertaining look at all 30A has to offer, from eating out to hiking and biking down some of our wonderful and secluded beachside trails. We’ll be rolling out new installments all year. In the latest episode we take a look at all the great sporting activities available in the 30A area from pickle ball, golf and tennis to yoga by the Gulf of Mexico. CHECK IT OUT: More episodes in the series: The 30A Video Tours series is brought to you by NatureWalk at Seagrove.

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History Team Wins Big for Emerald Coast Middle School Regional History Bee Santa Rosa Beach, March 10, 2016:  Local students won big as the Emerald Coast Middle School History Team recently competed in the Regional Finals of the National History Bee in Birmingham, Alabama. Team members Beau Adams, Witt Kessler, Nick Lee, Rachel Mc Cann, […]

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DeFuniak Springs, Fla— Forty grams of ICE methamphetamine is off the streets of Walton County following a traffic stop in DeFuniak Springs thanks to a joint effort of multiple departments within the Walton County Sheriff’s Office. Just before 4PM Tuesday afternoon a traffic stop was conducted by WCSO patrol deputies near the intersection of Coy […]

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It was a clear bright day at Frank Brown Park in Panama City Beach as the 24th annual Scottish Festival kicked off. A change of venue proved to be a blessing as the space was filled with interesting vendors, entertainment and food. If you are a fan of haggis or have never tried it , […]

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Grayton Beer Company Announces Major Expansion   Santa Rosa Beach, Fla. (March 7, 2016) – Grayton Beer Company is finalizing a staggering expansion. The locally owned and operated brewery recently announced it is increasing the current brewing capacity to meet the demands of their distribution reach. The brewery, located in South Walton County, expanded its production […]

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Panama City Beach, FL – Locally owned Electric Cart Company has opened it’s 2nd location in Panama City Beach. Ownership expects the dealership to provide a much needed retail outlet for street legal electric Low Speed Vehicles (LSV) and a service center for residents that currently own electric or gas carts. This second location will […]

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Emerald Coast Children’s Advocacy Center announces new director of development Niceville, FL (February 29, 2016)…The Emerald Coast Children’s Advocacy Center (ECCAC) announced Kim Henderson will be their new director of development effective May 1. Graduating from Wright State University with a Bachelor of Science in marketing, Henderson is the consummate professional who knows all about […]

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South Walton Fire District Lifeguards Take to the Beach (Santa Rosa Beach) – South Walton Fire District (SWFD) lifeguards will report to their ten (10) tower locations beginning March 1, 2016 from 10a-6p. This is the 11th season that the Beach Safety and Education Program, a partnership between the SWFD and the South Walton Tourist […]

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Santa Rosa Beach, Fla— A father struggling to find work is now struggling to find words to thank a handful of Walton County Sheriff’s Office deputies who helped provide food, clothes, and shelter for him and his two daughters.   As fate would have it the paths of the two parties would cross Saturday night […]

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SANTA ROSA BEACH, FL, — Honoring Staff Sgt Aaron Hale as Grand Marshal at 9th Annual St Patrick’s Parade and Festival. On December 8, 2011, Staff Sergeant Hale, an EOD technician, was severely injured in Afghanistan when an improvised explosive device (IED) detonated. Every bone in SSG Hale’s face was broken, he suffered severe burns, […]

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South Walton local Page Otey designed this skate deck art piece for a fundraiser for the new skate park held at Trebeache on February 20, 2016.For over ten years, skateboarders in Walton County have been dreaming of a new skate park. Those dreams are now close to coming true. Walton County has allocated 20,000 square feet of space at Helen McCall Park off U.S. Highway 98 in Santa Rosa Beach for a new skating facility. Walton Skate Society is now making a major fundraising push to help bring the project to fruition. The group held a fundraiser on February 20 at Trebeaché that drew huge crowds, showing what a large support base the project has. The Owsley Brothers performed for a packed house. Check out this video: Listen to this 30A Radio interview with Justin Gaffrey, a local artist and skater, about the project: Learn more at waltonsk8s.com.

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Photo from Hilltop Production Events.Don’t miss the upcoming Market Days of South Walton, an event in the style of West Indies markets, the fine art shows of Coconut Grove in Miami and the wildly popular South Walton Community Yard Sale, formerly held in Seaside. The event will be held on March 26-27 at South Walton High School. It will include hand-crafted art, market and wholesale goods, food vendors, a community-wide yard sale, live music, an outdoor living exhibition and a kids’ zone. Saturday’s event will also feature an antique and vintage car show. On Sunday, join in for an Easter egg hunt. Find beautiful handcrafted jewelry and furniture, one of-a-kind paintings and sculptures, vintage furniture, antiques and collectables, sporting goods, folk art, home accessories and decor. Like the yard sales of South Walton over the past decade, only yard sale items in good condition will be allowed, and this category will be carefully monitored. This event is sponsored by Hilltop Production Events, Kathleen’s Cottage, & H & M Event Rentals. The tentative schedule is as follows: SATURDAY, MARCH 26 Arts/crafts/commercial vendors, sponsors: Start time: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m., South Walton High School football field South Walton Antique & Vintage Car Show: Cruise-in time: 9:30 a.m., South Walton High School track Car show: 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., awards presented at 2:30 on center field Outdoor Living Exhibition/Kid Zone: Start time: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., Exhibitions, games, interactive activities, nature displays and educational booths , Festival lawn 3 p.m. – Gates Close SUNDAY, MARCH 27 Arts/crafts/commercial vendors, sponsors: Start time: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m., South Walton High School football field South Walton Community-Wide Easter Egg Hunt: Start time: 2 p.m., Adjacent practice field Outdoor Living Exhibition/Kid Zone: Start time: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., Exhibitions, games, interactive activities, nature displays and educational booths , Festival lawn 3 p.m. – Gates Close Find more info here.

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The Hip Abduction30A Radio and Oyster City Brewing Company present The Hip Abduction, a funk and afro-beats band out of Tampa, live at Trebeaché on March 14. This inaugural 30A Radio concert is bringing one of the hippest bands in the state to South Walton for a rocking night of live music. Doors open at 6 p.m. The Rips, a surf rock band out of Destin, will open the show at 7, followed by The Hip Abduction. The show is for ages 21 and up only. Tickets are $10 donation at the door, with 100 percent of proceeds benefitting The Sonder Project. Sponsors include Oyster City Brewing Company, Trebeaché, ResortQuest by Wyndham Vacation Rentals, Gentle Breeze Dentistry, Growler Garage, Sunrise Coffee and YOLO Board. The Hip Abduction has shared stages with Ziggy Marley, Umphrey’s McGee, Thievery Corporation, The Movement, Passafire, Easy Star Allstars, The Funky Meters, Dawes, Galactic, and MOE.  At the show March 14, they will be celebrating the release of their new album, Gold Under the Glow. Check out their brand-new music video: And a live performance: Their last release, a self-titled album, debuted as #5 on the Billboard charts, and their live shows are critically acclaimed. “I have never seen so many people actually DANCING at this festival,” reported Creative Loafing, an entertainment magazine out of Atlanta. “The reality and energy of their performance and the audience response blew me away.” 30A Radio is a free, internet radio station that can be streamed live online or in the 30A App for iPhone or Android. Also, subscribe to 30A Radio wherever you get your podcasts to hear great interviews and other recordings from the beach. Breaking news update from 30A Radio: The Hip Abduction recently played in Pensacola and 30A Radio was invited to tape the show. Check it out:

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30A-life-shinesEvery day, The 30A Company works hard to promote our laid-back beach lifestyle and to help support and promote Gulf Coast businesses. But we’re also very passionate about giving back to our local and global community. Here are a few of the worthwhile projects that we’re very proud to be involved with: The Sonder Project 360 Blue, YOLO Board and The 30A Company are founding partners of The Sonder Project, a non-profit organization that supports high-impact, sustainable projects aimed at ending extreme poverty and hunger, locally, domestically and abroad. What does “Sonder” mean? Sonder is the realization that each random passerby is living a life as vivid and complex as your own — each with a story to tell and each with a story worth hearing. One of our endeavors is Project: feed, a program that helps vacation rental companies across the country to collect and redistribute the nonperishable food items routinely left behind by departing guests. We then work with a network of nationwide volunteers to redistribute the otherwise discarded food to local charities and food banks in each community. Over 100 vacation rental management companies have already joined the program, and the hope is that with minimal effort, Project: feed can help the vacation rental industry come together to make a real impact in the fight against hunger. In December 2015, our Sonder team completed construction of a new school in the village of Bagyambin, Burkina Faso, in Africa. The new school will make education possible for 77 students in the village, which is a huge milestone in a country where 78 percent of the population is illiterate. Our team also completed construction of a water well in the village of Nabadogogo, Burkina Faso. Prior to the completion of this project, the 3,500 people living in this village had to spend hours and walk miles to retrieve filthy water needed for survival. With a water well now in their community, they can enjoy clean water near their homes and use their most valuable resource — time — in more productive ways. To learn more about The Sonder Project, or to find out how you can get involved, please visit thesonderproject.org. 30A Sticker Donation Box Partnership with Alaqua Animal Refuge So far, we’ve given away over 990,000 of our famous round blue 30A stickers. Although we give them away for free in local businesses, donation boxes have been set up in many locations to encourage contributions to Alaqua Animal Refuge, our local no-kill animal shelter. Alaqua Animal Refuge is located on 10 gorgeous acres of farmland in Freeport, just north of Santa Rosa Beach. As many as 100 animals are adopted every month at Alaqua, and the refuge is home to as many as 250 animals at any given time. It costs about $80,000 a month to run Alaqua, which is dependent on private donations. To date, our 30A Sticker Donation Box partnership has raised over $130,000 for this special local charity. Any local business that would like to have an Alaqua Animal Refuge 30A Sticker donation box can call Alaqua at 850-880-6399. 30A Charity Golf Classic Created by The 30A Company’s co-founder Angela Ragsdale, the 30A Charity Golf Classic has raised over $73,000 for charities to date. Proudly sponsored by The Aesthetic Clinique and many other local businesses, 100 percent of all proceeds from this annual event go straight to help local charities in need. In its first year, $23,000 was given to Off The Mat and Shelter House Domestic Violence Center. In 2014, $27,000 was raised for Alaqua Animal Refuge. In 2015, $23,000 was raised for Food for Thought. In 2016, the tournament’s charity partner will be Children’s Volunteer Health Network. For more information about the 30A Charity Golf Classic, visit 30Acharitygolfclassic.com. 30A 10K & Fun Run Partnership Every Thanksgiving morning, thousands of runners gather in Rosemary Beach for the 30A 10K & 1-Mile Fun Run. The annual race, organized by Karen Meadows, Craig Baranowski and Amy Stoyles, benefits different local charities each year with a focus on families and children. To date, the 30A 10K has raised over $150,000, and The 30A Company is a proud sponsor of this new holiday tradition. For more information, visit 30a10k.com. In addition to these initiatives, The 30A Company frequently donates product, promotion, time and resources to many other wonderful local organizations and events, including South Walton Fire District, Choctawhatchee Basin Alliance, Food for Thought, Seaside Neighborhood School, Cultural Arts Alliance, The Repertory Theatre, Children’s Volunteer Health Network and many more. Get involved! To learn all about South Walton’s many wonderful local charities, please visit 30Acharities.com.

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Photo by Sean MurphyBring your funky beach cruiser to the third annual 30A Sand Rover Rally in South Walton, Florida, on April 9, 2016, presented by Land Rover Gulf Coast. Last year, over 80 vehicles showed up for the rally, which was featured in the Summer 2015 issue of ROVERS magazine. Land Rovers, dune buggies and beach cruisers of ALL MAKES AND MODELS are welcome. SCHEDULE 8:30am – 12pm: Trail Rides or early setup 12pm – 5pm: 2016 30A Sand Rover Rally (in the parking lot at the corner of 30A and 393 by Gulf Place) 5pm – 8pm: After-party at La Playa (just across the street) featuring The Courtyard Saints (More details below) CLICK HERE NOW TO LET US KNOW YOU’RE COMING! PRESENTED BY:   WE’D ALSO LIKE TO THANK OUR 2016 SPONSORS:     3RD ANNUAL 30A SAND ROVER RALLY SCHEDULE SATURDAY, APRIL 9, 2016 8:30am – Noon: Trail Rides or Early Setup This year, we’ll skip the long, slow caravan crawl out into the woods. Instead, we’ll MEET in the woods at 8:30am. We’ll provide everyone with coordinates to the big meadow where we did the drone flyover last year (see photo below). After a few minutes of photos and introductions, we’ll break up and hit the trails for hours of fun! With any luck, we’ll have some rain in advance that week. All drivers are asked to be responsible and courteous to other drivers and to local property, and any off-roading activities should adhere to Tread Lightly principles. South Walton features over 25,000 acres of protected land, including Point Washington State Forest. But if getting muddy or dusty just isn’t your thing, no worries! You can hit the beach that morning instead, or cruise along Scenic Highway 30A, or just head over to the official rally location to mingle with other enthusiasts. IMPORTANT TRAIL RIDE NOTES: Some of the trails in Point Washington State Forest are very narrow (as in, “knock your mirrors off,” “scratch your paint,” and “tear up your roof rack” narrow). If your don’t like the sound of limbs scratching along the sides of your vehicle, we strongly recommend that you stick to the main dirt roads (see map below). If you drive down the narrow unmarked sand trails, you might not be able to back out, especially if you’re part of a long caravan. Please also note that anything on TOP of your truck (flood lamps, luggage, surf boards, etc.) could easily be damaged on the narrow trails, so please take it slow and easy. Please don’t feel pressured to venture onto these narrow trails. There are plenty of wide dirt roads to explore! 12pm – 5pm: The 2016 30A Sand Rover Rally will be held in the parking lot just across the street from Gulf Place and Ed Walline Beach Access. We’re expecting another big turnout this year, so if “getting a good spot” is important to you (or if you have a stunning “show car”), you might consider skipping the morning trail ride and head straight to rally location to secure a great spot. We really have no way of knowing for sure how many vehicles are planning to attend, but volunteers will be ready to help park vehicles as they arrive. If the main parking lot fills up (first come, first served), there are other public parking spaces nearby. Just come prepared to HAVE FUN and bring your best casual beach attitude! 5pm – 8pm: Official rally after-party featuring The Courtyard Saints at La Playa in Gulf Place CLICK HERE TO LET US KNOW YOU’RE COMING! Check out this recap of our 2015 event by 8 FIFTY Productions: CAMPING: Campgrounds fill up fast, so if you plan to camp, please make your reservations as soon as possible. Local camping options include: Grayton Beach State Park Topsail Hill Preserve State Park Camping on the Gulf Live Oak Landing Point Washington State Park: $10/night (RSVP: 850-547-7083) HOTELS & RENTAL HOMES: Scenic Highway 30A is home to a very wide range of accommodations, from multi-million dollar beach front estates to cabins, studio apartments and boutique hotels. To find some great options, visit 30Ahotels.com and 30Arentals.com. OFF-ROADING TRAILS: South Walton is home to 25,000 acres of protected land, with Point Washington State Forest accounting for over 15,000 acres. This map shows the best access points for trail rides: GENERAL CONDITIONS: — Easy Trails: 2, 6, 8, 11, 13, 20, 22, 26, 27, 28, 31 (the north side) — More Challenging Trails: 1, 12, 14, 15, 24, 25, 33 + unnumbered roads and trails Click here now to join our official 30A Sand Rover Rally Facebook group! Photos by Sean Murphy Photography:

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Photo by Sean MurphybeSpring Break is HERE, folks, and we’ll be welcoming tens of thousands of visitors this season! Here’s a quick snapshot of when the major colleges, universities and school systems will be here. Looking for something fun to do while you’re here? Check out 30A Tours to book your Spring Break adventure NOW!   February 27 – March 5 School  Enrollment Ohio University 38,000 Rice University (Texas) 6,000 Rollins College (Fla.) 2,300 Temple University (Penn.) 37,700 University of Florida 49,600 University of Michigan 42,800 Wright State University 18,400   March 5 – March 12 American University (D.C.) 10,000 Appalachian State University (N.C.) 17,500 Arizona State University 72,300 Ball State University (Ind.) 22,100 Barry University (Fla.) 9,300 Baylor University (Texas) 15,200 Boston University (Mass.) 30,800 Bowling Green State University (Ohio) 17,800 Central Michigan University 27,000 College of Charleston (S.C.) 9,900 East Carolina University (N.C.) 27,000 East Tennessee State University 15,600 Emory University 13,900 Florida State University 40,500 George Mason University (Va.) 33,400 Georgetown University (D.C.) 17,200 Grand Valley State University (Mich.) 24,700 Illinois State University 20,800 Mercer University (Ga.) 5,500 Michigan State University 48,000 Middle Tennessee State University 24,200 Minnesota State University 15,700 Minnesota State University Mankato 13,600 Missouri State University 21,100 North Carolina State University 34,000 Northern Kentucky University 15,500 Northwestern University 20,000 Old Dominion University (Va.) 24,200 Park University (Mo.) 25,500 Pennsylvania State University 44,900 Sam Houston State University (Texas) 17,700 Southern Methodist University (Texas) 12,000 Tennessee Technological University 10,000 Troy University (Ala.) 29,700 University of Central Florida 59,000 University of Georgia 33,400 University of Memphis (Tenn.) 18,000 University of Miami (Fla.) 16,800 University of Minnesota 52,600 University of Pennsylvania 21,300 University of Pittsburgh (Pa.) 28,800 University of South Carolina 45,300 University of Tampa (Fla.) 6,900 University of Virginia 21,200 Vanderbilt University 12,700 Virginia Commonwealth University 32,000 Virginia Tech 31,000 Webster University (Mo.) 21,100 Western Kentucky University 21,100 Western Michigan University 25,100   March 12 – March 19 Armstrong Atlantic State University (Ga.) 7,600 Auburn University (Ala.) 25,500 Clemson University (S.C.) 15,500 Cleveland State University 17,200 Colorado State University 32,000 Columbia University (N.Y.) 27,700 Dallas Independent School District (Texas) Duke University (N.C.) 14,800 Florida International University 48,000 Georgia Southern University 20,300 Georgia State University 40,000 Gulf Coast State College (Fla.) 7,200 Harvard University (Mass.) 21,300 Indiana University (System) 83,700 Iowa State University 31,100 Kansas State University 24,400 Leon County, Tallahassee School System   Mississippi State University 20,000 New York University 38,400 Northern Illinois University 25,400 Ohio State University 56,900 Oklahoma State University 26,100 Oklahoma University 30,800 Purdue University (Ind.) 39,800 State University of New York (System) 465,000 State University of West Georgia 11,700 Stony Brook University (N.Y.) 24,700 Syracuse University 20,500 Tennessee State University 8,500 Texas A&M University 53,400 Texas State University 34,300 The George Washington University 24,600 University of Alabama 33,600 University of Arizona 40,000 University of Connecticut 22,500 University of Houston 39,900 University of Iowa 30,400 University of Kansas 29,500 University of Kentucky 28,100 University of Maryland 37,700 University of Massachusetts 68,400 University of Mississippi 20,800 University of North Carolina Chapel Hill 67,100 University of North Florida 14,300 University of North Georgia 9,000 University of North Texas 36,200 University of South Alabama 15,100 University of South Florida 47,200 University of Southern California 41,000 University of Southern Mississippi 18,000 University of Tennessee Knoxville 27,600 University of Texas 38,500 University of West Florida 10,200 Valdosta State University (Ga.) 13,100 Wayne State University (Mich.) 32,600   March 19 – March 26 Bay County (Panama City, Fla.) Public Schools   College of DuPage (Ill.) 29,000 Drexel University (Penn.) 25,500 Georgia Institute of Technology 20,500 Huntsville (Ala.) School District   Jacksonville State University  (Ala.) 9,500 Kent State University (Ohio) 42,600 Little Rock (Ark.) School District   Louisiana State University 29,600 Loyola University New Orleans 5,000 Miami University (Ohio) 20,200 Nashville (Tenn.) School District   Okaloosa County (Destin) Public Schools   St. Louis Public Schools   Texas Tech University 32,700 Tulane University (La.) 13,400 University of Akron (Ohio) 24,600 University of Alabama Birmingham 18,000 University of Arkansas 24,600 University of California Irvine 30,000 University of California Los Angeles 42,200 University of Cincinnati 42,700 University of Colorado Boulder 29,900 University of Illinois 28,100 University of Nebraska 50,000 University of Oregon 20,700 University of Wisconsin 42,300 West Virginia University 29,700 Western Carolina University (N.C.) 10,000   March 26 – April 2 Alabama State University 5,800 Birmingham (Ala.) Public Schools   Cornell University (N.Y.) 21,000 Dothan (Ala.) School District   Eastern Michigan University 23,000 Fayette County (Lexington, Ky.) Public Schools   Saint John’s University (N.Y.) 15,700 University of Louisiana (System) 24,500 University of Missouri 35,500 University of North Alabama 7,300 University of West Alabama 5,200 Walton County (Santa Rosa Beach) Public Schools     April 2 – April 9 DeKalb County (Ga.) Public Schools   Fulton County (Ga.) Public Schools   Jefferson County (Kent.) Public Schools   Kennesaw State University (Ga.) 32,500 BOOK YOUR SPRING BREAK ADVENTURE NOW! Although we did our best to verify all of the above information, of course, you should check with your school before making any travel plans. Please report any corrections to feedback@30A.com, and if your school isn’t listed, please shout out your dates below!

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Alys-Beach-Digital-GraffitiThe Alys Foundation is giving away a free, four-night stay in this stunning Alys Beach home during Digital Graffiti — the world’s first projection art festival! The lucky random winner will arrive on Thursday, May 12, 2016, and stay four incredible nights, departing on Monday, May 16, 2016. The winner will also receive six weekend passes to Digital Graffiti (valued at $300 each), which is being held May 13-15, 2016. The entire package is valued at over $5,000, and the deadline to enter is March 28, 2016. CLICK HERE NOW TO ENTER TO WIN! Check out the home: Learn more about Digital Graffiti:

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Photo by Sean MurphyIt’s time to vote for the 2016 30A HOT SPOTS. Only one (1) vote is allowed per email address, and you can vote until March 15, 2016. We received thousands of nominations, so although we would love to include EVERY local business in each category, we were only able to include the TOP 10 candidates with the most nominations. However, please note that you can vote for anyone using the write-in option. Nominees in each category are presented in random order, and the survey takes about 10 minutes to complete, so CLICK HERE TO VOTE NOW. Thank you for participating, and best of luck to all of our local businesses. To request report any errors or corrections, please contact us.

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SHIPT LAUNCHES GROCERY DELIVERY ON GULF COAST App-based grocery delivery service expands to 30A, Destin, Fort Walton Beach, Panama City and Panama City Beach PANAMA CITY, Fla. (Feb. 18, 2016) – Shipt, an app-based grocery delivery service, today announced that it will begin delivering fresh groceries from local Publix® stores to Gulf Coast residents beginning […]

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What’s up?! I’m Chelsea Nightly! Memphis native and die hard Mississippi State fan (Go Dawgs!). I love craft beer, rescue animals, new shoes, and kayaking! Also laying beachside is quickly becoming my fave pastime! Plus if you didn’t know…got a huge Nerd Girl side! Lovin being on the airwaves with Q92 and now with the […]

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The local Scottish Festival was born twenty three years ago on the grounds of the Grace Presbyterian Church in Panama City, Florida. With each passing year, the festival continued to grow until finally a search for a larger location began. We are excited to announce that this year’s festival will be held at Frank Brown […]

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The Black Tie Classic Car Rally — episode one Recently a group of performance car enthusiasts made their way to the starting point at Fat Clemenzas in Miramar Beach Florida to take a trip to the Red Bay Grocery in Bruce to pick up a bottle of Peaden Brothers Moonshine. The first car to arrive […]

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Alaqua Animal Refuge Pet of the Week “Eva”   Eva, an 8 year old Newfoundland, has been loved her whole life and has not known anything different until now. Both of her parents are sick and they do not have a lot of time left. They wanted to be sure that their best friend would […]

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Ann and George HartleyFor our Valentine’s Day edition of The 30A Show, we brought in one of the best couples we know — George and Ann Hartley, owners of the most historical restaurant in South Walton, Seagrove Village Market Cafe. The Hartleys give blind date tips, relocation advice and play a special “Match Game” contest. They also give an update on the cafe, which had to be relocated after the building was torn down last year, as well as share some breaking news on their next big project on 30A. Hear all this and more in the third episode of The 30A Show, brought to you by 30A Cottages and Concierge. The 30A Show airs Friday mornings on 30A Radio and is also available on Soundcloud, in the 30A mobile app and wherever you get your podcasts. Love what we’re doing? Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes to help more people find us. And now on to the show!

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Thanks to all our new and return visiting winter visitors to @30a #30atv h

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Sk8 Deck-o Fundraiser & Party at Trebeache Walton Skate Society is pleased to present Sk8 Deck-o! Come out for a night of skateboard art, live music and tasty food at Trebeache’ on Saturday, Feb. 20 from 5-8pm.   All proceeds will go to the Walton Skate Society for the creation of a new concrete skate park […]

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