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01 September 2012
MAY 2013
Artists, Blue Crabs & Historic Homes in May Spotlight
Butts & Clucks,
Tupelo Honey,
Golf & Fishing
Diversity – that’s the best way to describe the festivals and special events calendar for May on Florida’s Forgotten Coast. Ranging from a tour of historic Apalachicola homes to the 37th Blue Crab Festival in Panacea. From the 23rd Tupelo Honey Festival in the North Gulf County community of Wewahitchka to the Plein Air Paintout that takes the spotlight for some 10 days along the entire Forgotten Coast.
We have children’s fishing clinics and a “Butts & Clucks” Celebration (and auction) at the Riverfront Park on the shores of the Apalachicola River. And how about a “Civil War Living History” weekend in Apalach (read all about it in the Apalachicola Maritime Museum column (A-13). The Sharks & Chablis gathering is in Panacea on Sunday May 19 and we celebrate the life of the late Anne Rudloe (read Cynthia Paulson’s Wakulla Green column on A-8).
But that’s not all folks. We have a “Golf Gone Wild” tournament that will help the Florida Wildlife Mammal Association (FWMA) care for orphaned and injured critters and a fishing tournament for the big boys.
The most prominent & dominant of the events is the May2-12 PLEIN AIR PAINTOUT which is staged all along the Forgotten Coast. The 10-day open air painting event features national artists creating memories of the Forgotten Coast on canvas. Artists will be painting on the beach, across the marsh, beside the lakes and throughout the streets of waterfront towns from Mexico Beach, Windmark, Port St. Joe, Cape San Blas, Apalachicola, Eastpoint, St. George Island, Carrabelle and inland at Wewahitchka. Experience beauty through the eyes of America's finest plein air artists! This event is so extensive and comprehensive that we have devoted an entire page (A-3) to previewing the event.
HOME TOUR & BLUE CRABS
The 20th Apalachicola Historic Home & Garden Tour and 37th Annual Blue Crab Festival in Panacea gets things started off on the first Saturday in May.
The 20th Annual Spring Tour of Historic Homes sponsored by Trinity Episcopal Church of Apalach takes you on guided tours of many of Apalachicola’s historic homes and buildings that can only be viewed on the interior on this special day. Local guides walk you thru the homes. The participation fee goes to the Trinity Episcopal Church Restoration fund.
For over thirty years, the Annual Panacea Blue Crab Festival has been one of the largest such festivals on Florida's northern Gulf Coast. The festivities begin with a morning parade on the Coastal Highway 98. Yes, the Highway traffic will be blocked or diverted. Demonstrations and contests are held, including crab picking, crab trap pulling and a mullet toss.. 10AM -4 PM 850 984-CRAB
On May 3 the First Fridays Fine Art & Music Series will be held at the Port Inn & Thirsty Goat Bar & Grill, located at the corner of Hwy 98 and Cecil Costin Blvd in Port St. Joe, Florida. First Fridays is free and open to the public. Opening reception from 6-7 pm, followed by music on the porch from 7:00 to 11:30pm. Website:www.gulfalliance.org
On May 5 (yes, it’s a Sunday) the Ilse Newell Concert Series will be held at 4 pm at Lafayette Park in Apalachicola. It will feature the Franklin County Consolidated School Band, Karl Lester, director. Bring a lawn chair and snacks and enjoy the afternoon! On this same day a Franklin County Humane Society Cinco De Mayo Celebration will be held on St. George Island
The Kid's Win Fishing Tournament will be held at the beautiful Port St. Joe Marina on May 10 &11.. All Kids are winners in this Family Fun Fishing Tournament! Fish anywhere in Gulf County and come to the Port St. Joe Marina for weigh-in. First 300 Registrants will receive a Rod & Reel, Tackle, and a T-shirt. To register go to the Kid's Win website or stop in the Port St. Joe Marina. Website: www.kidswinfishing.com
Also a FREE KIDS FISHING CLINIC will be held at Woolley Park in Panacea on May 11. Weigh-in begins at 1:00 p.m.
Contact: David Moody
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You won’t want to miss the “Centennial Celebration Concert” May 11 at George Core Park from 3:00 to 11:30. Join music lovers for this exciting concert as Gulf County residents raise funds for Port St. Joe's 100th Celebration Event! With a line-up of The Villagers, Charlie & Dana Black, The George Boyer Band, Again We rise, Go Big or Go Home, upcoming artists 33, good food and cold drinks, this will be a bang on the bay! (No coolers allowed.) Tickets are $10 and are available at Boyer Signs, Sunset Coastal Grill, St. Joe Music Company and also available at the gate opening at 2:30 eastern time. Phone:850-227-3777
Butts & Clucks By the Bay. Bet that headline grabbed your attention! Rescheduled from January 5 at Riverfront Park (on Water Street & the Apalachicola River) in Historic Downtown Apalachicola the “Butts & Clucks By the Bay Cookoff” (and auction) sponsored by the Weems Memorial Healthcare Foundation has been moved to May 11. The object of the endeavor is to raise enough money to purchase an ultra sound machine to donate to the local Weems Hospital. Think you or your team can cook the most delicious darn pork or chicken this side of Sopchoppy. Call John Solomon at 370-6602 and fork over $25 to enter one of the categories or $50 for both. Cooking (yes, there are rules) starts early in the AM and concludes at 2 pm with the judging. The awards will be dispersed at 4 pm so you will still have time to make Happy Hour. You will also be encouraged to decorate your cooking/booth area. Do you enjoy the auction at the St. George Island Charity Chili Cookoff each year? If so, you are also sure to enjoy this one. Harry Arnold and Chuck Spicer are teaming up again for this one. And that means you are certain to pass a good time. The auction starts at 1 pm. Liz Sisung (670-8261) has collected lots of auction items. Naturally, there will be food available and pulled pork dinner plates and sandwiches will be available starting at noon. Volunteers will serve until the food runs out. There will be several tents set up in the wonderful waterfront park so things will proceed no matter the weather. If we haven’t provided enough information give Liz a call.
CIVIL WAR
Planning is underway for the Apalachicola Maritime Museum’s first annual Civil War Living History Weekend, which will take place the third weekend in May. The keynote speaker will be Ken Johnston, Director of the Civil War Naval Museum. The AMM is partnering with the Orman House, Apalachicola Historical Society, the St. George Lighthouse Association, the Apalachicola Center for History, Culture, and Arts, and other organizations to create a weekend full of activities, educational programs, living history demonstrations, and reenactments that will tell the story of the blockade and life here during the Civil War. Although no major battles were fought in Franklin County, there are still many interesting and dramatic stories to be told, both military and civilian. If you are interested in participating, please contact the AMM. And be sure to read the AMM column on page A-13.
The Entry fee is $100 per player. That includes a continental breakfast, range, golf, cart, box lunch, CASH & PRIZES to win. TO REGISTER: Please call St. James Bay's golf pro Rob Burlison at (850) 697-9606, or email him at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Please register by May 15 and save Rob some headaches. * Four-player teams, 18-hole Florida Scramble * Shotgun start* $5 per Mulligan (max 5 per player) * 4 prizes (golf rounds) for closest to the pin.
68oF 
