Billy Bowlegs Pirate Festival May 15-19
The Billy Bowlegs Pirate Festival returns to Fort Walton Beach May 15-19 with fireworks, a parade, fun family activities and much more. This is the 69th festival benefiting the William Augustus Bowles Historical Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization that promotes a love for local history.
The Bowlegs Treasure Hunt begins in April, with clues being announced on local radio. Participants can search for Bowlegs coins and win a piece of Captain Billy’s treasure. Look for updates at kreweofbowlegs.com, along with an irresistible poem.
Digital Graffiti Festival May 16-17
Digital Graffiti at Alys Beach is an innovative and dynamic event that celebrates the intersection of projection art and architecture. During the event, international artists display their original digital art upon the white walls of Alys Beach, transforming the SoWal town into a vibrant canvas of motion, color, light, and fun! The draws digital artists from across the globe to explore how their fluid forms connect with people and architecture to create spontaneous and wondrous experiences. Purchase Tickets: https://digitalgraffiti.com.
Friday, May 16 | 8 – 11 p.m.: Digital Graffiti at Alys Beach opens with an adult-only (21+), all-inclusive food and beverage experience. Stroll the festival path, lined with art installations intermixed with festive food and beverage presentations from the best local and regional chefs, restaurants, winemakers, distilleries, and breweries. This evening will be a spectacle for the senses!
Saturday, May 17 | 8 – 11 p.m.: For the finale of the 17th Annual Digital Graffiti event, we welcome families and guests of all ages to experience the projection art installed along the festival path. Engage and interact with the artwork in the immersive festival experience, with food trucks and beverage stands positioned throughout the path with fun eats and drinks for purchase.
Destin Rotary Crawfish Bash May 16
Get ready for a flavorful evening at the Rotary Club of Destin’s 13th Annual Cajun Crawfish Bash on Friday, May 16, 2025, from 5:30 to 9 p.m. at The Towne Centre at Seascape. This family-friendly event promises authentic Cajun cuisine, including fresh Louisiana crawfish served with traditional fixings like potatoes, sausage, and corn on the cob. For those preferring alternatives, grilled hamburgers, hot dogs, and rotisserie chicken will be available. Enjoy live music from the Fais Do-Do Band, bringing their unique blend of zydeco and R&B to keep you dancing all night. Tickets are priced at $40 for a regular crawfish meal, $50 for all-you-can-eat crawfish, and $15 for kids and non-crawfish meals. Proceeds support young families in need and the Rotary Club of Destin Scholarship Fund. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.DestinRotary.com or Facebook/RotaryClubofDestin or contact any Destin Rotarian.
Lionfish Festival May 17-18
The area is once again diving into conservation and coastal celebration with the highly anticipated 2025 Lionfish Festival, returning this spring with a splash. Set to take place May 17–18, 2025, along the Destin Harbor Boardwalk, this vibrant, family-friendly event merges environmental awareness with fun, food, music, and marine education.
The festival will run from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday, transforming the Destin Harbor into a bustling celebration of local culture and ecological stewardship. The event is free and open to the public, making it the perfect weekend destination for families, divers and seafood lovers alike.
Memorial Day Service at Gulf Cemetery May 26
Gulf Cemetery will host the annual Memorial Day Ceremony on Monday, May 26 at 10 a.m. in Santa Rosa Beach. The approximately 150 veterans interred in the cemetery will be honored in a service. Folks are encouraged to bring umbrellas and/or personal lawn chairs. A limited number of folding chairs will be provided. The speaker for the 2025 Memorial Day Ceremony will be Colonel Ed Hubbard (edhubbardpow.com/biography/). Gulf Cemetery is located at 1466 S County Highway 393, Santa Rosa Beach.
The REP Rumpelstiltskin in Seaside Mondays
The Seaside REP Theatre presents Rumpelstiltskin Mondays in May at 6 p.m. at the Seaside Amphitheater. This complimentary event will entertain the entire family. Step into the magical storybook world of Rumpelstiltskin where young Biddy, a humble peasant girl, must spin straw into gold. There is only one problem. Biddy has no magical powers! In a desperate race against time, Biddy forms an unlikely alliance with the mischievous trickster Rumpelstiltskin. Visit LoveTheRep.com.
Huck & Lilly @ Seaside Amphitheater Tuesdays and Thursdays
Huck & Lilly will perform live in the Seaside Amphitheater Tuesdays and Thursdays at 5 p.m. Bring a chair or blanket, snacks and drinks, and enjoy the show. Free and open to all ages. Singer/songwriters Ken Johnson and Andi Zack-Johnson as Huck and Lilly specialize in music for kids AND the grown ups who love them!
Frog’s Leap Wine Dinner at Burnt Pine Sandestin June 7
Get ready for a show to die for—join in the fun at Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort’s Burnt Pine for an unforgettable Murder Mystery Wine Dinner on Saturday, June 7th from 6-9 p.m. featuring the renowned wines of Frog’s Leap Winery. RSVP to Julie.Lewis@sandestin.com to secure your seat—space is limited, and this is one dinner you don’t want to miss.
Kick off the evening with a lavender champagne toast before diving into a multi-course menu paired with wines from one of Napa Valley’s most iconic and sustainably driven estates. From scallops on a rice paper flower to lamb lollipops and chocolate-dipped strawberries, each course is as dramatic and delightful as the mystery that will unfold around you.
Author: Sowal Editor
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