Ballyhoo festival kicks off the festival season here on Alabama's Gulf Coast every year with a…read morefocus on fine arts and cultural exchange from all across the southeast, local seafood, and lots of live music! It's a great event for young and old so bring the whole family and you can bring your puppies too! The location was formerly at Waterway Village but moved to Gulf State Park at Lake Shelby 2 years ago. In my 2020 review I said "I wasn't impressed because the organization seemed lacking, couldn't find many of their signs and, in my opinion, they could do a whole lot better better at their communications, maybe they'll do better next year." They have live music both Saturday and Sunday with lots of booths almost exclusively from local artists. The only downside that the state park venue is alcoholic beverages are not allowed there otherwise it's all a big step up. There were signs and ads everywhere around the area with a nice social media push, 9 food trucks and assorted programs on both days and terrific organization and was very enjoyable. On Saturday we were there for the tribal dancing with the Poarch Creek Indians. They are a federally recognized tribe of Native Americans and are descendants of a segment of the original Creek Nation, which once covered almost all of Alabama and Georgia. It was an excellent demonstration with great history and information. See more at: https://www.facebook.com/PoarchBandofCreekIndians We also enjoyed live music with "Rolling in the Hay and Sunday there was the Crosby Family with bluegrass music and a fiddle and banjo competition. Bottom line: It's a good time and super way to get the family-friendly season started. Recommended!!

Packed with local artists. Beautiful location by the water. Music and food trucks added to the…read moreexperience. I only wish I had more money to spend. Deciding what to leave behind was the only negative.

The Baldwin County Strawberry Festival, held annually in Loxley, Alabama, has been a beloved…read morecommunity event for over three decades. Celebrating its 35th year in 2024, the festival showcases the region's agricultural heritage, promotes local businesses, and brings together residents and visitors alike for a fun-filled weekend centered around the star of the show: the strawberry. I have wanted to come here every year but just haven't been able to work it out. This year we did it and now I'm happy :-) We brought a neighbor friend with us and I won her an ENORMOUS by shooting out a star with a bb machine gun. I did it in the first try, but I've always been good at that. I got a try for my honey and I was surprised how well she did, but it's tough.  The Baldwin County Strawberry Festival began in 1987 as a way to honor the area's strawberry farmers and their contributions to the local economy. Originally held on the first Saturday in May, the event took place in downtown Loxley before moving to its current location at the Loxley Municipal Park in 1999. The festival date was also changed to the second weekend in April to better align with the strawberry harvest season. This year's 35th annual Baldwin County Strawberry Festival promises to be an unforgettable experience for attendees. Taking place on April 13th and 14th, the festival offers free admission, making it accessible to everyone who wants to join in on the fun. With an expected turnout of thousands of visitors, the festival is sure to bring the community together in celebration. The Baldwin County Strawberry Festival has a wide array of activities, entertainment, and, of course, strawberry-themed treats. Some of the highlights are the Strawberry Shortcake Booth where you can indulge in delicious, freshly prepared strawberry shortcakes, a beloved festival tradition that tastes great! :-) There's vendors and exhibitors with a diverse selection of local arts and crafts, food trucks, and informational booths. There's live music with  performances by talented local musicians on the festival's main stage. Family-friendly activities so bring the kiddies along for face painting, pony rides, and other fun activities. Bottomine mine: The Baldwin County Strawberry Festival has evolved into a highly anticipated event that celebrates Loxley's heritage, fosters community spirit, and supports local businesses. As the 35th annual festival takes place, attendees can look forward to creating sweet memories with friends and family, all while savoring the delightful flavors of the season's strawberry harvest.

What Strawberries. A lot of great artist and vendor booth, plenty of food trucks. 2 strawberry…read moretrucks with horrific lines. Not worth going.

This was our first visit to the Zydeco and Crawfish Festival. They closed up a little early due to…read morethreats of inclement weather, which didn't really matter to us because it only took a little over an hour to see and do everything there. It's much smaller than most of the festivals around here. That's positive in a way because parking is easier. There were about 20-30 vendors set up and they had some cool and unique items for sale. My favorite local candle lady/photographer was there with her candles and wax melts. There were several people selling jewelry, paintings, and other things you typically expect to find at these kinds of events. The bands were good, but the stage was so close to a couple of the booths you could barely hear the vendors. Now for the negative... tickets for food and drinks. Are you kidding me? Everything you buy to eat or drink (except beer) is purchased with tickets, which are $1 each. We had to go look at different vendor booths, figure out what we wanted, then go buy that number of tickets. The beer is cash only and was like $5-$6 for domestic beer like Miller Lite. There were plenty of cool crawfish tables set up, but there was nowhere to wash your hands. Next year, we'll probably just eat before we go. There's room for improvement but we enjoyed it. All in all, it was worth checking out and we will go back again.

Okay this was great. Entertainment, sales booths and crawfish. Now we are northerners and I've…read morenever had crawfish but when in Rome.... lol. The people were great after impromptu how to eat crawfish I was off and running. I'm hooked I love em thanks to all the friendly people we met.

Stairs in multiple places of the course so not good for anyone that may have limited mobility…read more Staff was friendly. The balls are all decorated which is a nice touch. They have seating, misters, and fans all throughout the 18 hole course. Didn't get any of the ice cream so can't review that. They had water jugs periodically along the course which is an amazing idea but they were all empty.

Stumbled across this gem! Perfect for families and date nights!. Lots of different holes, fun…read moredecorations. And wonderful staff. Also a bonus they have ice cream!! It's a must if you are in the area

2023 is the 63rd annual Pensacola Greek Festival with the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church and it…read moreis a terrific event! They offer a variety of family friendly activities to keep you entertained during your visit and the food, OPA!! They offer 20 minute church tours for an insight into the history, architecture, music and iconography of the Greek Orthodox Church, live Greek bouzouki music, Greek Dancing, and more.  It's the first,  and highly anticipated, time back since 2019 due to COVID and I saw some very happy faces there and mine was one of them. I'm a big Greek cuisine fan so I had an good  assortment of fantasic dishes. The Spanakopita (spinach and cheese), and dolmades were outstanding but one of my absolute faves is Pastitsio, which is Greece's answer to Italian Lasagna with layers of pasta, a rich cinnamon spiked red wine meat sauce, topped with a thick layer of cheese sauce that was crazy good. Of course other offerings include lamb shanks, gyros, souvlaki, salads, and more.  They did however put out a "Menu Alert" which in part stated:  "We know there are going to be some favorites missing from the menu this year and to those that are heartbroken, we are too. There have been so many changes over the last four years in both our community and with the supply chain, that we just weren't capable of providing certain things we have in the past. If your favorite isn't on the menu this year, that doesn't mean it won't be back next year, it just means you might find a new favorite this year!"  Okay, I don't know what those "favorites" were but the extensive menu they had was fantastic.  There's some amazing sweets too, with 3 kinds of baklava, ergolaves, chocolate kok, kantaifi, my honey's fave cookies, kourambiethes, and I had Napoleon, which is thin layers of pastry, cream and a topping of cocoa, vanilla icing or almond fondant. We also had something for the first time "pasta" which is layers of shredded filo pastry and honey, with cold custard filling and almonds, it was amazing. The church members come together to cook all this food, which is Herculean undertaking and I spoke to a few of those church ladies who were excited to see the festival return.  Admission is free and the lines move quickly and Greek beer and wines are available that pair wonderfully with the fabulous food. There's free parking around the event but free  shuttles also run most of the day from the Blue Wahoos stadium that's only 5 minutes away.  Bottom line: This is fabulous event that everyone should make plans to enjoy! Highly recommended!!! OPA! https://pensacolagreekfestival.com/ https://facebook.com/profile.php/?id=100064404591220

Whoa! This place is super cool. Lots of restored aircraft from navy and military history. Lots of…read moreinteractive exhibits, displays, and even flight simulators. With special areas featuring World War I, World War II, Korean, and the Vietnam war. Can easily spend 3-4 hours here. Great for kids and adults.

If you ever find yourself on deck down in Florida, chart a course straight for the National Naval…read moreAviation Museum at Naval Air Station Pensacola. First order of business: secure a seat in their giant-screen IMAX theater. That screen is massive one of those experiences where the engines roar, the jets scream across the sky, and you feel like you're strapped into the cockpit yourself. It's the kind of show that makes you sit up a little straighter in your seat and remember why naval aviation has always been the sharp end of the spear. Now the museum itself shipmate, this place is the real deal. Founded back in 1962 by Rear Admiral Magruder H. Tuttle, it started small with just a handful of aircraft. Today it's a full-on aviation hangar of history with more than 150 restored aircraft from the Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard spread across huge exhibit bays. My son and I spent hours there, and the best part for him was getting up close with the aircraft climbing into cockpits, checking out helicopters, and seeing the machines that once launched off carrier decks into the wild blue. Top highlights include the historic Curtiss NC-4 (the first aircraft to cross the Atlantic), Blue Angels jets hanging in formation overhead, and flight simulators that let you feel like you're launching off a carrier deck. Bottom line: if you've got even a drop of saltwater in your veins or a love for aviation, this place is squared away. Bring the kids, bring your curiosity, and be prepared to spend a full day walking through the proud history of naval aviation. From one proud American to another this museum is absolutely mission ready.

The St. Benedict German Festival, an annual event held at St. Benedict Catholic School in Elberta,…read moreAlabama, is a much anticipated gathering that brings together the local community. This celebration of German heritage and culture has taken place for over 50 years, today was the 51st, for a delightful experience for attendees of all ages. The festival was initially established in the early 1970s as a way to commemorate the rich German ancestry of many residents in the area. What started as a modest gathering has since transformed into a tradition, drawing thousands of people each year to partake in the festivities. The festival has a nice array of activities and attractions to delight and entertain its visitors. One of the main highlights of the event is the authentic German cuisine, including traditional sausages, sauerkraut, potato salad, goulash and an assortment of homemade pastries and desserts, such as strudels and kiffels. I had a big grilled brat in a bun, some excellent German potato salad and strudel, very nice!  In addition to the tasty culinary offerings, the festival has a diverse range of entertainment options. Live music performances was one of our favorites, Symone French, her second year here, encouraging festival-goers to dance and sing along. Arts and crafts vendors showcase their unique wares, with an opportunity to purchase unique local area items and support local artisans. For the youngsters, the Kids Village offers an engaging and fun-filled experience with a variety of games, face painting, bounce houses, and other activities. Meanwhile, adults can partake in the beer and wine garden, sampling a selection of imported German beers and other refreshing beverages. Over the years, the St. Benedict German Festival has evolved to become more than just a celebration of heritage; it is now a symbol of community spirit and unity. The event serves as a significant fundraiser for the St. Benedict Catholic School, with proceeds supporting various educational programs and initiatives. Bottom line: The St. Benedict German Festival in Elberta, AL, has successfully preserved and promoted the town's unique cultural identity for more than five decades. Its continued success demonstrates the importance of communal gatherings in fostering a strong sense of camaraderie and preserving traditions.  https://saintbenedict.net/news-events/german-festival/ https://www.facebook.com/StBenedictGermanFestival/

3/27/2025: Cute displays of old time businesses in Pensacola (or everyday America years ago). This…read morewas part of the ticket we purchased at the museum of history. They only have a few displays, but it was worth the time. Took us about 20 minutes to view.

I went here for an introduction session of the past mayor, Ashton Hayward and current UWF…read morepresident, Martha D. Saunders. I absolutely love the set up of this museum! It's a reconstructed 1890s era streetscape. On exhibit are historic shops featuring toys, hardware, music, households, and leather goods. An interesting collection of horse drawn buggies and an antique local trolley car are also part of this nostalgic recreation of yesteryear. The University of West Florida Sea3D Additive Manufacturing Laboratory is located inside the Museum of Commerce. Prices are $12 for adults, $11 for AAA, Military, and 65+, and UWF alumni, kids 3-14 are $7 and under 3 are free. Hours of operation are 10am-4pm Tuesday-Saturday. If you are interested in taking a deeper dive into the historic side of Pcola, make sure you drop by. A very nostalgic feeling for sure.