Festival of Fears Now through Oct. 31
Your haunted attraction has returned to Fort Walton Beach at the Santa Rosa Mall, featuring three all-new and unique haunted houses. The first one is the ‘Protocol Z,’ a military versus zombies theme walking inside a bunker. The second is the ‘Shriek Show,’ a circus themed clown maze. And the third is a more magical show with special effects, ‘Lazarus Toys,’ an abandoned toy shop.” There’s also carnival games, a concession stand, photo ops and more.
If you’re a local, you know Alex and Andrew Wentz, owners, have been hosting the Festival of Fears for 10 years and each haunted house has its own unique story that has been in development all these years. The houses include state of the art special and practical effects, professional sound design, incredible theming and dozens of live actors.
Open on Friday and Saturday nights through Oct. 1; beginning Thurs., Oct. 6, open Thursday-Saturday. Time: 6-11 p.m. Special open days on Sun., Oct. 30 and Mon., Oct. 31.
Each house requires a separate ticket for entry—3 houses ($45), two houses ($35), or one house ($20). Ticket purchases include access to the midway and photo ops for the night the tickets are good. Festival of Fears is located at the Southwest entrance of the Santa Rosa Mall.
The Wentz Brothers’ Festival of Fears offers limited private group outings; contact Andrew Wentz at andrew@wentzindustries.com or at (850) 803-1310.
To learn more or purchase tickets: www.wbfestivaloffears.com.
Choctawhatchee Audubon Society will be exploring the Panhandle looking for the latest migrating birds that pass through our area. All walks and programs are free and open to people of all ages to learn about birding and various nature topics. For a full fall schedule, visit Choctawhatcheeaudubon.org for dates.
Oct. 6 – Lionfish in the Gulf of Mexico with Michael Norberg, Coastal Resource Coordinator in Okaloosa County.
Oct. 8 – Field Trip to Fort Pickens, Gulf Islands National Seashore with bird expert Jim Anderton, 850-543-2223. Choctawhatchee Audubon monthly programs are held on the first Thursday of each month at Crosspoint Church in Niceville, room 800 on the 2nd floor of the Chandler Center, NW door of 519 Helms St. at 7:00 pm.
Oct. 15 – Mid-Migration Birds at the Wright Landfill and the Okaloosa Holding Ponds with rarity-spotter Leader Malcolm Swan, 210-452-4899.
Oct. 22 – Field trip to Conservation Park in Southwestern Bay County, 7:30 a.m., with leader Ron Houser, 850-774-9733.
Oct. 29 – Field Trip to Camp Helen State Park with CAS expert, Emily Ellis, 850-818-2262.
Baytowne Beer Fest Oct. 7 and 8
Time to roll out the barrel and discover unique suds and ales. The Village of Baytowne Wharf at Sandestin presents the 14th Annual Baytowne Wharf Beer Fest Oct. 7-8. American specialty beers from throughout the nation will be available for participants to sample and savor. The main event on Saturday, Oct. 8, will feature more than 200 domestic and international craft beers available for sampling. Brewery representatives will be available at the event, offering an opportunity to learn about the different types of lagers and ales from a variety of styles, and live music will be featured during the festival.
Tickets: Baytownbeerfest.com.
BrunchFest Oct. 9
The Second Annual BrunchFest will be held at Seville Quarter in Downtown Pensacola Sunday, Oct. 9, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. A brunch-themed festival benefiting the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Emerald Coast, competing teams provide samples to attendees and judges to battle it out for the Best Brunch in Town. All proceeds benefit the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Emerald Coast, a non-profit organization with clubs in Pensacola, Crestview, South Walton, Defuniak Springs, Destin and Fort Walton Beach. Limited spots for teams to compete are available and restaurants, food trucks, coffee carts and more are invited to bring their best brunch item to the competition. Those interested in competing as a cook team, volunteering and sponsoring, email hello@francesroy.com.
Big Green Egg EggFest Oct. 15
The 8th annual Big Green Egg EggFest Cooking Competition returns to Seascape Resort in Miramar Beach on Oct. 15 from 10 a.m.- 1:30 pm, celebrating the delicious results of cooking on the Big Green Egg. Benefiting Fisher House of the Emerald Coast and Food For Thought, Eggs on the Beach features unlimited bites, 5-taster votes, Knob Creek samples, Seasonal beer samples by Grayton Brewery & Abita Brewery, a chance to win a Mini-Max Big Green Egg, and more. Watch top college football games at the tiki bar while cook teams, including area non-profits, compete for your support. Purchase tickets at www.EggsontheBeach.com.
Walk to End Alzheimer’s Emerald Coast Oct. 29
Register for the 2022 Walk to End Alzheimer’s being held Sat., Oct. 29, at Northwest Florida State College, 100 College Blvd. in Niceville. Registration is at 9 a.m. with ceremony at 10 a.m. Walk to immediately follow. Contact Tina Henson, 618-292-9583 or thenson@alz.org, for more information or to sign up!
Bloody Mary Festival Oct. 22
On Saturday, Oct. 22, The Market Shops will hold its 7th Annual Bloody Mary Festival benefiting Habitat for Humanity – Walton County. Over the past six years, the annual event has raised more than $80,000 for local charities. The annual event, powered by Step One Automotive Group, will feature unlimited tastes of South Walton’s most creative and innovative bloody marys, made with Distillery 98’s Dune Laker Vodka, and served by the finest restaurants and bars on the Emerald Coast. For a $60 donation to attend, guests are invited from 11 a.m.- 2 p.m. to enjoy as many as 20 of South Walton’s most coveted bloody marys. Restaurants will compete for the 2022 title of “Best Bloody Mary in South Walton.” Visit 850Tix for the pre-sale price of $60 or can be purchased the day of the event at the door for $75. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.themarketshops.com.
