If you are anything like me and my family, we are D-O-N-E with the hyperheat and counting down until we are in the BIG “R” months. We may even have Halloween decorations spooking the inner walls of the house.
Do not get me wrong. Summers on the Gulf Coast are beautiful and filled with lots of fun, but with the crisp, cooler weather comes a new type of fun- FESTIVALS!
Beginning in October, there seems to be some type of community event (or multiple events!) occurring every weekend, but below, we have your guide to the family-friendly festivals to round out your year.
Family-Friendly Fall Festivals
September Festivals
29th-October 1 Seafood Festival (Seville Square)
Yes, the food and music are always enjoyable, not to mention the amazing vendors featuring their arts and crafts. The children’s tent is equally as fun for our littles, and there is even a 5K!
You can start your Saturday by participating in the fun 3.1-mile event as a family, then celebrate with shopping and eating! The children’s area includes face painting, crafts, and giveaways.
While making your next purchase for that bare wall in your home, there are also vendors specifically for the children with superhero gear, local children’s authors, and more.
30th 9th Annual Pensacola Dragon Boat Festival (Bayview Park)
Benefitting Gulf Coast Kid’s House, Habitat for Humanity, and The Escambia County Public Schools Foundation, this event is a huge team-builder for various companies and organizations throughout the community.
Teams begin racing at 9 AM, but the vendors and kids’ activities will begin an hour prior. There is a DJ, arts and craft booths, face painting, and games for the kids. It is a great day in Bayview Park!
October Festivals
13th Breeze-O-Ween (Gulf Breeze Parks and Recreation)
This first-time event will feature costume contests, pumpkin carving, food trucks, and trick-or-treating stations. Anything and everything your family needs to get into the spooky spirit.
Festivities begin at 6:00 PM.
14th-15th Munson Heritage Festival (Krul Lake Recreational Area)
History comes to life for two days with food and local arts and crafts, highlighting the culture of the area’s past and celebrating the beautiful nature surrounding Munson.
There is also a Trail Ride and Saturday night camp, archery contests, a car show, and a petting zoo. Admission is $10 per car, with handicap parking available.
Tip: This is a cash-only event.
21st Milton’s Blackwater Food Truck Festival (Jernigan Landing)
This is the inaugural event year for this festival. The event will begin at 11 AM and is free admission. There will be food trucks, live music, and bounce houses.
November Festivals
3rd – 5th Pensacola Greek Festival (Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church)
FINALLY! It is back! I have been counting down the days since 2019 for this three-day event to return, and come the first weekend of November, I will be there with baklava in one hand and spanokopita in the other.
This weekend event is the perfect opportunity to eat, drink, and be merry- the Mediterranean way.
3rd-5th Great Gulf Coast Arts Festival (Seville Square)
Pensacola is home to this premier and well-regarded event each Fall. The three-day festival features hundreds of artists, live musicians, performing arts, food vendors, a student art exhibit, and its own Children’s Art Festival.
Bartram Park has free kids-crafts-galore with masks, wands, capes, buttons, clay, flowers, and more.
I particularly enjoy this event for the focus on emerging student artists and performers and Very Special Arts Day- the Friday event for special needs students in Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties.
Tip- This is primarily a daytime event, with the Children’s area operating 10-4 and the event itself closing each evening at 5.
18th Food Fall Truck Festival (Vince Whibbs Sr Community Maritime Park)
What is better than another whole festival centered around food?
This food truck festival will have live music, bounce houses, and a culinary competition.
Tip- There is a $5 entry fee for anyone 13 and older.
[…] Guide to Family-Friendly Fall Festivals […]