Places to Go, Things to Do
All information is subject to change. Call for up-to-the-minute details. Deadline for the Sept. 16 issue Places and Things submissions is noon Friday, Sept. 10. Email thebeachcomber@earthlink.net.

Sept. 5-Oct. 10. New Exhibitions at Mattie Kelly Arts Center Galleries, Northwest Florida State College, Niceville. Though different in medium, scope and point of view, all three shows are artists’ responses to the natural and manmade forces that shape life on the Gulf Coast and in Florida. Preview reception Sept. 3, 5-7 p.m. Gallery hours are 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Mon.-Thurs. and 1-4 p.m. Sundays; also 90 minutes prior to Mainstage Theater performances. For info, call (850) 729-6044.

Sept. 13-Nov. 15. Linda H. King’s “Body Rhythms” at Art Praha Galerie, Pensacola. Valparaiso bronze sculptor King has received national recognition and will showcase several brand new pieces. Gallery hours are 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon.-Sat. Call (850) 602-7052 for more info, or visit www.ArtPraha.com.

Sept. 17-Oct. 8. Heather Clements: A Selection of Works—Past. Present. But Not Future at Amelia Center Main Gallery, Gulf Coast Community College, Panama City Beach. Opening reception Sept. 17, 5-7 p.m. preceded by visiting artist lecture, 1-4 p.m. Free and open to the public. For more info, call (850) 769-1551, ext. 2890.

Through Sept. 24. “1,000 Words Make a Picture: StoryCorps in Pensacola” a collection of numerous moving stories and images to be archived at the Library of Congress Folk Life Center. Reception Aug. 26, 5-7 p.m. at the WUWF Studios in Pensacola. Additional info at wuwf.org.

Through Sept. 30. Suzanne Story Exhibit at the Coastal Branch Library, Santa Rosa Beach. Story is the creator of the official 2010 Spring Festival of the Arts poster. She works in acrylics, but enjoys just about every medium from watercolors to printmaking. Story considers herself a “beach bum” and her recent focus has been on “beachy art.” Presented by the Walton County Tourist Development Council and Friends of Coastal Branch Library. For more information on the Art in Public Places program, contact Debby at dpozza@beachesofsouthwalton.com or (850) 267-1216.

Through Sept. 30. “Wild at Heart” Exhibit at the ADSO Gallery, The Arts Center, Fort Walton Beach. Both wildlife and the wild passion of artists are featured. Gallery hours are noon-4 p.m. Tues.-Thurs. and 1-4 p.m. Saturdays. Call (850) 244-1271 for more info. Opening reception Sept. 3. www.artsdesignsociety.com.

Sept. 10 and 11. Destin United Methodist Women Present Fall Flair Arts and Crafts Show at Destin Life Center, 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday. Last year’s event offered 75 booths and attracted over 500 attendees. A variety of arts and crafts will be available for purchase, along with a huge bake sale of homemade goodies. Lunch and snacks available in the Soul Café. For more info about the event and vendor applications, call (850) 650-5658 or email fallflair@aol.com. All proceeds will go to the church’s missions.

Sept. 6. Laurie Woollard at Barnes & Noble Booksellers, Pensacola, 7 p.m. Woollard will sign his book of poetry Boy at the Fence. He will be joined by singer Brooke Woods, guitarist Ronnie Levine, and keyboardist Mark Coleman. Call (850) 969-9554 for more info.

Shelter House, Local Domestic Violence Center, seeks donations of unopened, canned and nonperishable food items summer tourists may have left behind after their stay on the Emerald Coast. Donations may be dropped off at the Fort Walton Beach (102 Buck Drive) and Santa Rosa Beach (78 Lynn Drive) locations. www.shelterhousenwfl.org.

Destin United Methodist Women’s 2nd Annual Fall Flair Arts & Crafts Show, to be held Sept. 10-11, seeks arts and crafts vendors. Email fallflair@aol.com, or call (850) 650-5658.

Point Washington United Methodist Women’s Group’s Second Annual Arts and Craft Fair to be held Oct. 16 seeks artists of all talents to display and sell their handiworks and arts and crafts. Deadline for submission is Oct. 1. Contact Kathy at (850) 231-2706 or jkcarpenter@mchsi.com for booth reservations and additional info.

Seaside’s Community Yard Sale coming to Scenic Highway 30-A Oct. 2, 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Turn those old sweaters, retro furniture, record albums and books into cash. Vendors will be sprinkled throughout the Seaside Amphitheater in one of the top attractions of the fall season. Vendor registration forms available at www.seasidefl.com/yardsaleregistration, or call (850) 231-6107.

Choctawhatchee Basin Alliance Seeks “Coast Watchers” to work within the coastal communities and report injured or oiled animals to the Wildlife Distress Hotline, report oiled shorelines, and report changes in air quality. No special training or registration required. Call (850) 267-1888 or visit www.basinalliance.org for more info.

Destin History and Fishing Museum needs and appreciates volunteers to help greet visitors, take admissions, give tours, and help at fundraisers. Call (850) 837-6611 or email kathydestinhistory@embarqmail.com.

Destin Library Seeks Volunteers for Computer Workshops. Both instructors and teaching assistants are needed. Interested individuals should possess intermediate skills using Windows XP and at least one other application program (Microsoft Office 2007, Internet Explorer). Email wrogers@cityofdestin.com.

E.O. Wilson Biophilia Center Seeks Volunteers for 2010-11 School Year. Several categories for those who wish to inspire students. Visit www.eowilsoncenter.org/volunteerinfo.html for volunteer forms. For training dates, call (850) 835-1824.

Heritage Museum of Northwest Florida seeks responsible community volunteers to assist with greeting, reception and operating the gift shop. Flexible days and times available for one-to-three-hour shifts. Interested individuals may stop by the museum in Valparaiso 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tues.-Sat. Call (850) 678-2615 for more info.

Volunteers Needed for CAS Shorebird Surveys. Eight sections of the state parks in Walton County are yet to be covered; if you can help, email donware@embarqmail.com.

Volunteers Needed for Haunted History Tour. The City of Fort Walton Beach Heritage Park and Cultural Center seeks actors to play historical figures and ghosts of the past. Tour guides are also needed. The tours will be held Oct. 29 and 30 at 6:30 p.m. Call (850) 833-9595, or email mthomin@fwb.org.

Sept. 2-4. Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Northwest District ecosystem restoration section needs help building oyster reefs for a shoreline restoration project on Choctawhatchee Bay, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 939 Choctawhatchee Drive in Niceville. Please wear closed-toe shoes, gloves and clothes that can get dirty. Also bring a container for water and a snack or lunch. RSVP to (850) 475-5590 or (850) 324-1666 or Zachary.Schlang@dep.state.fl.us.

Artful Things in Niceville is now accepting a limited number of works for the gallery wall monthly. Interested artists should email up to six images with dimensions, medium, title and price along with a brief bio to info@artfulthings.net. Monthly shows include a meet the artist reception. For more info, call (850) 729-2600 or visit www.artfulthings.net.

Arts and Design Society’s October Show “Black and White.” All work must be in b&w—no color. Entries should be received by Oct. 2 from 1 to 4 p.m. or Oct. 8, 5-7 p.m. For more info, call (850) 244-1271. www.artsdesignsociety.com.

Emerald Coast Wildlife Refuge Accepting Donations for “Artfully Wild,” to be held in Fort Walton Beach Nov. 18. All mediums welcome, and art need not be wildlife-oriented. Contact Debbie at (850) 685-9014 or mknbkn4u@cox.net.

Northwest Florida Arts Association Fall Art Festival Poster Contest. All media accepted. Subject matter is open. The festival will be held Nov. 13 and 14 at Uptown Station in Fort Walton Beach. Artists interested in submitting entries can download a poster application at www.nwflaa.com. For more info, call (850) 598-9972.

Northwest Florida Arts Association Seeking New Members. Looking for something new and different in an art association? Check out www.nwflaa.com, or email membership@nwflaa.com for membership info.

13th Annual Via Colori Italian Street Painting Festival to be held Sept. 18 at Grand Boulevard at Sandestin®’s Town Center. Supplies, lunch and goodies provided. All proceeds from the free event benefit Seaside Neighborhood School. To help transform asphalt into art, call Lisa at (850) 231-0396.

24th Annual Concerto Competition Applications Now Available—Due Sept. 15. Sponsored by the Northwest Florida Symphony Orchestra Guild and the Mattie Kelly Fine & Performing Arts Center. Open to students of orchestral instruments, keyboard and voice who are 23 years old or under. Students will compete for prize money and the opportunity to perform with the NFSO. Application materials and contest rules available at www.nfsymphony.org and the Fine Arts Office at NWF State College in Niceville. For more info, call (850) 729-5382.

Adult Programs at Destin Community Center include aerobics, basketball, Brazilian martial arts, chair yoga, duplicate bridge, Jazzercise, oil painting, and more. Call (850) 654-5184.

American Red Cross Classes in Okaloosa and Walton Counties. For more info or to register, call (800) 773-7620, ext. 0. www.YourRedCross.org.

Arts & Design Center Classes in Fort Walton Beach. Adult clay classes, oil painting, life drawing with live models, and more. www.artsdesignsociety.com.

Art Classes at Full Circle Gallery, Fort Walton Beach. Upcoming classes include Sip & Spin first Friday and third Saturday of every month and Full Moon Raku the last Friday of the month. Visit www.fullcirclefwb.com for complete listing.

Art Classes at Judy Shillingburg’s Special Touch Gallery, HarborWalk Village, Destin. Acrylic and watercolor with Joy Fine. Supplies provided. For weekly class schedules and reservations, call (850) 424-3212 or email shillingburg@cox.net.

Artful Things in Niceville Offers Adult Classes in watercolor, oil, acrylic and drawing. Call (850) 729-2600 or visit www.artfulthings.net.

Arts and Design Society in Fort Walton Beach offers workshops in acrylics, photography, life drawing, and pottery, as well as open studio time to paint with others. Call (850) 244-1271 or visit www.artsdesignsociety.com.

Computer Classes at Destin Library. January’s workshops include “Craigslist,” “Introduction to Internet,” “Introduction to PCs,” “Facebook 1” and “Introduction to Email.” Classes will be held Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to noon and Thursdays, 5-7:30 p.m. Register at the library, or call (850) 837-8572.

Figure Drawing at Studio B in Alys Beach, Wednesdays, 6:30-9 p.m. Bring your own supplies. There will be a different instructor each week. Cost is $15 per class, plus tip more model. More info at www.culturalartsassociation.com.

WAM! (Women and Money) Economic Empowerment Classes in Okaloosa and Walton Counties. Offered by Shelter House, local domestic violence shelter, in Fort Walton Beach at JobsPlus through Aug. 24, 2:30-4 p.m.; and at JobsPlus in DeFuniak Springs Sept. 1-Oct. 6, 2:30-4 p.m. Classes are once a week for six weeks, free and open to the public. Call (850) 243-1201 to register, or email info@shelterhousenwfl.org.

Aug. 21. Heritage Museum of Northwest Florida’s “Heritage Alive!” Craft Series Class. Lou Holt will teach students to make a traditional elbow basket at the Valparaiso museum from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Cost is $30 for members, $35 for nonmembers—includes all materials. Space is limited, so register by calling (850) 678-2615. www.heritage-museum.org.

Sept. 10. Jewelry Making at the Destin Library, 10 a.m. Artist and jewelry designer Julia Vijaka presents a hand-on opportunity to make your own bling. Call (850) 837-8572 for more info.

Sept. 11. Arabesque Bracelet/Earrings Class with Carole Atkinson at Artful Things, Niceville, 1-4 p.m. Cost is $15 plus supplies. Call (850) 729-2600, or visit www.artfulthings.net.

Sept. 18. Dreamcatchers Class at Fort Walton Beach Heritage Park & Cultural Center, 11 a.m. Cost is $45 plus $5 facilities use fee. All supplies included. Classes last three to four hours. Five-person minimum for each class, ten-person maximum. Part of the HPCC’s “Sunfeather Series Workshop,” a sequence of Native American arts and crafts classes scheduled through December. Registration required—call Mike at (850) 833-9595.

Act4Murder Comedic Murder Mysteries for Dinner Theater. Enjoy a delicious three-course meal along with a hilarious whodunit from local playwright Paula Hilton. Visit www.act4murder.com for more info.
- Sept. 15. “A Vacation to Die For” at Fajitas Grill, Destin. Lovable rednecks descend on the Emerald Coast. Call (850) 269-7788 for reservations, and check out the spicy sounds of the Wonky-Wunkus Mariachi Mystique!

Highsteppers Adult Tap Dance Classes at 17 Industrial Street, Fort Walton Beach. Call (850) 243-3085 or dance on over to their Web site, www.highsteppers.org.

Sept. 2. Choctawhatchee Audubon Presents “Red Tide and Other Harmful Algal Blooms” at NWF State College, Niceville, Learning Resource Center Room 128. Socializing and refreshments begin at 6:30 p.m., followed by speaker Dr. Allison Beauregard at 7. For more info, call Gary at (850) 678-1461.

Sept. 8 and 9. Registration for NWF State College’s Prime Time Personal Enrichment Classes in Niceville and South Walton. The schedule of classes and registration information is available at www.nwfsc.edu/schedule, local libraries and chambers of commerce, or by calling (850) 729-6084. All Prime Time classes are designed for leisure learning with no grades or tests given. Classes include computers, health, foods, politics, arts, gardening, dog obedience and more.

Sept. 2. The Cultural Arts Association of Walton County’s Nine-2-Ten Fashion for the Arts at Redfish Village Green featuring DJ Roonie G, 7-10 p.m. Entry fee is $25. Purchase online at www.culturalartsassociation.com/nine2ten, or pay at the door.

Sept. 11-12. Santa Rosa Beach Centennial Celebration at Gulf Place. Gates open Saturday at 10 a.m. with music by local bands and some big name headliners. Sunday’s focus is on folk music, and gates will be open from noon to 6 p.m. Both days will feature local artisans, historical maps, vendors, and much more. Throughout the month of September, locals and merchants across Walton County will commemorate Santa Rosa Beach’s 100th birthday. Presented by Waste Management. More info at srb100.com. Anyone interested in joining in on the fun and/or volunteering can call Johndra at (850) 622-5815.

Sept. 17-19. The 32nd Annual Destin Seafood Festival On the Destin Harbor at the Destin Fishing Fleet Marina, City of Destin Royal Melvin Heritage Park and Fisherman’s Wharf. Music from Starship and Loverboy, plus numerous local acts. Enjoy fresh local seafood from the area’s top restaurants, browse arts and crafts booths, and more. Kids’ area with rock climb, inflatables and more. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Destin Fishermen’s Fund. Admission is $5 Friday and Sunday, $10 Saturay, and $15 for a weekend pass. Hours are 4-10 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturday, and 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday. Complete schedule of events at www.DestinSeafoodFestival.org.

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