Upcoming Fall Entertainment

NOVEMBER

Wednesday Night Concert Series
SANDESTIN – The Village of Baytowne Wharf presents a free concert with Coconut String Band from 6 to 8 p.m. Nov. 25 in the Events Plaza. Call 267-8117.

ECCA’s 50th Concert Season
OKALOOSA COUNTY – It’s the Emerald Coast Concert Association’s 50th birthday and concert goers will be treated to several “surprises” throughout the season.
All performances begin at 7:30 p.m.  Tickets for individual performances will be available at the door and at local outlets. To order season tickets call 362-9356. For a season brochure, call 837-1742. Individual tickets are available three weeks prior to performance date.
 Season includes:
•Nov. 22: Brian Gurl in “Over the Rainbow,” an evening of American music, at the Fort Walton Beach Civic Auditorium.
•Dec. 19: Destino, a Canadian trio, takes the stage at the Fort Walton Beach Civic Auditorium as the final stop on their Canada/US tour.
•Jan. 9: Linda Gentille and the Linda Gentille quartet kick off 2010 with Great Balls of Fire at the Fort Walton Beach Civic Auditorium.
•Jan. 23: Dave Bennett’s New Orleans – A Salute to Pete Fountain, at Mattie Kelly Performing Arts Center in Niceville.
•Feb. 20: The Canadian group Barrage – Animado features an international, multi-talented cast performing an eclectic mix of music, song and dance at the Mattie Kelly Performing Arts Center in Niceville.
•March 6: Season finale, ABBA-Mania, musicians from Canada, at NWFSC.

Thanksgiving dinner at Harbor Docks
DESTIN – A 15-year tradition continues when Harbor Docks restaurant, 538 U.S. 98 East in Destin, provides free turkey dinners with all the trimmings from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 26. Volunteers from Habitat for Humanity will serve the sit-down dinners. A cash bar will be available.
Donations may be made to Okaloosa Habitat as a thank you and to assist them with their work in the local neighborhoods.      

I Love a Piano
PENSACOLA – Irving Berlin’s I Love a Piano comes to the Pensacola Saenger Theatre at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 27. The new musical revue spans more than seven decades of American history as seen through the eyes of Irving Berlin.
Tickets, starting at $39, are on sale at the Pensacola Saenger Theatre Box Office, Ticketmaster.com, or call (800) 745-3000.
This performance was previously scheduled for March 4, 2009. Subscriber tickets already purchased will be honored for this show.

Black Friday
The race begins for the best deals on holiday shopping on Nov. 27 — Black Friday. Silver Sands Factory Stores, one mile west of Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort, opens at midnight on the day after Thanksgiving.

Rosemary Beach Holiday Market
ROSEMARY BEACH – The annual Rosemary Beach Holiday Market is scheduled Nov. 28. Artisans and crafters are encouraged to apply, especially those vendors who have holiday items, decorations, holiday gifts, etc.
It will be part of a weekend that includes Breakfast with Santa, Turn on the Town, Rosemary Beach merchants’ open houses, caroling and other events that will jump-start the holiday season on the Florida Emerald Coast.
 For a vendor application, call 850-951-2148, or visit www. hilltopproductionsinc.com.

DECEMBER

Mattie Kelly Arts Center
NICEVILLE – The 2009-2010 season at the NWF State College’s Mattie Kelly Fine and Performing Arts Center will include a Broadway season package for four shows for $165 per package or $45 per individual ticket. A six-show Broadway/Artist combo package will be $200, with $30 individual ticket prices for Artist Series shows.
Season packages are available by phone, in-person or by mail only from the Mattie Kelly Arts Center Box Office. Individual show tickets go on sale through the center's online box office at www.mattiekellyartscenter.org and in-person or by phone.
Broadway package includes:
•Dec. 1: Camelot.
•Jan. 22: The Wedding Singer.
•Feb. 17: Le Grand Cirque.
Artist Series includes:
•Feb. 6: Ed Asner as FDR.
A series of children's shows which will be matinee performances for school groups include the following. Limited seating for the public may be available for $6 each.
•Jan. 12: Tales of a 4th Grade Nothing.
•March 9: Frog and Toad.
•April 13: Click, Clack, Moo.

Coffee seminar
DESTIN – Every first Tuesday, Starbucks Destin Commons will host a coffee seminar dealing with various topics with the growing, roasting and preparing of coffee. The next seminar will be held at 11 a.m. Dec. 1. Call 650-0333.

The Swamp
OKALOOSA ISLAND – The All-American Rejects and Taking Back perform in concert Dec. 4. Admission begins at 6:30 p.m.; you must be 18 to enter.
Tickets are available in advance for $37.50 or $42.50 the day of the show. Tickets are on sale now from the bartenders at The Swamp, at FYE in Santa Rosa Mall and online at EmeraldCoastTickets.com.

Dinner Theatre
DESTIN –  The dinner theatre production “Such a Night as This” will be presented by 2nd Acts drama group at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 4 and 5 and 5 p.m. Dec. 6 at Grace Lutheran Church, 4325 Commons Drive.
Tickets are $12.50 and available at Eagle's Wings Book & Gifts, 14071 F, Emerald Coast Parkway, near Office Max. Store hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday and Saturday.

Choral Society of Pensacola
PENSACOLA – The Choral Society of Pensacola’s concerts for the 2009-2010 season include the following. Tickets are $15/reserved seating, $12/general admission, and $5/students. To purchase, call 484-1806 or e-mail csop1@juno.com.
•Dec. 5: Handel’s “Messiah” at 7:30 p.m. at St. Paul Catholic Church, Hyde Park Road.
•March 13: Durufle’s “Requiem” at 7:30 p.m. at St. Paul Catholic Church, Hyde Park Road.
•May 1: “Bach to Broadway” at 7:30 p.m. at St. Paul Catholic Church, Hyde Park Road.

Butler Organ Recital Series
FORT WALTON BEACH – The music ministry of First United Methodist Church, 103 First Street S.E., will feature Dr. David Ott for the Butler Organ Recital Series at noon Dec. 9. Call 687-0862.

Northwest Florida Symphony Orchestra
NICEVILLE – The Northwest Florida Symphony Orchestra at Northwest Florida State College, under the baton of Jeffrey Rink, announces its 2009-10 concert season and the availability of season tickets. The 23rd season of the region’s professional orchestra will include five concerts, special events and new benefits for season subscribers, award-winning guest artists, the premiere of a new work written for the NFSO, collaborative performances with the Northwest Florida Symphony Chorus and more.
Regular season subscriptions for the 2009-10 series of five NFSO concerts are now available for $100. NFSO season tickets are available for purchase in-person or by phone from the college’s Mattie Kelly Arts Center Box office at (850) 729-6000 or online at www.nfsymphony.org.
Conductor’s Circle memberships, for subscribers who make a tax deductible gift of at least $250 to the symphony in addition to their purchase of the $100 season subscription, are also available.
The Mattie Kelly Arts Center is on the Niceville campus of Northwest Florida State College at 100 College Blvd.
•Dec. 11: The orchestra and the Northwest Florida Symphony Chorus present “Holiday Pops!”.
•Feb. 19: Annual “Stars of Tomorrow” concert featuring the winners of the  regional Concerto Competition.
•April 10: “European Masters” features the Northwest Florida Symphony Chorus and orchestra.

Christmas Keepsakes
The Fort Walton Beach Community Chorus will present its 2009 Christmas concert, “Christmas Keepsakes,” at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 11, 3 and 7:30 p.m. Dec. 12 and 3 p.m. Dec. 13.
Tickets, $12/adults and $10/children and seniors, can be purchased at P.S. Gifts in Fort Walton, Connect With Flowers in Shalimar, Bayou Books in Niceville, Diamond Works in Mary Esther and Eagle's Wings Books and Gifts in Destin. Call 650-5715.

Sinfonia Gulf Coast
DESTIN – The 2009-2010 season of the Sinfonia Gulf Coast will include the following events. Season subscriptions and tickets are available at www.SinfoniaGulfCoast.org or call 269-7129.
•Dec. 19: An Orchestral Christmas at 7:30 p.m. at Grace Lutheran Church in Destin featuring the music of Mannheim Steamroller and the orchestra will perform holiday favorites.
•Jan. 3: Violinist Caroline Goulding will make an appearance in a special recital at Grace Lutheran Church in Destin. This concert is free to season subscribers.
•Jan. 16: Seasons Squared at 7:30 p.m. at Grace Lutheran Church in Destin features violinist Nicholas Kendall performing Vivaldi's classic masterpiece “The Four Seasons” and the premiere of tango king Astor Piazzolla's “The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires.”
•Feb. 28: Time Travel at 3 p.m. at Good News United Methodist Church in Santa Rosa Beach features the Manhattan Piano Trio and Demetrius Fuller, clarinet.
•March 23: The Sinfonia Gala Event,  “An Evening in Vintage Hollywood featuring Pink Martini,” will be held at 6 p.m. at the Emerald Coat Conference Center.

Pensacola Symphony Orchestra
PENSACOLA – The Winter Chamber Concert features  Handel’s Messiah with the Choral Society of Pensacola and the UWF Singers Dec. 5 at St. Paul’s Catholic Church in Pensacola.
Pensacola Pops! schedule includes:
•Dec. 31: Vocalist Diane Penning will be the featured guest artist in a celebration of the New Year.
•Feb. 13: Classical Mystery Tour – A Tribute to the Beatles.

Holiday on the Harbor Boat Parade
DESTIN – The Destin History and Fishing Museum will host the 23rd Holiday on the Harbor Destin Boat Parade at 6 p.m. Dec. 13. Festivities will be held along the harbor. The parade can be viewed from docks and restaurants west of Grand Harbor Condominiums.
All commercial, charter, and private boats are invited to help light up the harbor with the true Destin spirit. Entry forms may be picked up at the Museum, Destin Community Center, City Hall, Destin Chamber of Commerce or many harbor businesses.  Request a form by fax at 850-837-6611 or e-mail kathydestinhistory@embarqmail.com.
Entry fee is $25/boat. There will be seven categories: Private 30 ft. and under, private 31 ft. and over, charter/commercial boat 30 ft. and under, charter/commercial boat 31 ft. and over, tour boat/motorized, sailboat 30 ft. and under, and sailboat 31 ft. and over. Prizes will be awarded in each category.