If you are looking for a classic kickoff to the holiday season, be sure to check out Northwest Florida Ballet’s annual presentation of The Nutcracker, on Saturday, November 23rd, and Sunday, November 24th. Join a number of talented local and regional ballerinas as they bring the classic story of Clara and the Nutcracker to life at the Mattie Kelly Arts Center at Northwest Florida State College. For 44 years, the local ballet company has been delighting viewers with this classic Christmas tale. Tickets are also still available for the Kingdom

Can’t stomach the thought of Black Friday shopping? Locally owned and operated retailers along the Emerald Coast are teaming up with American Express to promote “Small-Business Saturday” on November 30th. Encouraging consumers to spend their time and their money at local businesses resonates with the small-town and community-oriented values of the Emerald Coast. By shopping with local retailers, you’re supporting the men and women who make the Emerald Coast home, and your dollars get reinvested back into the towns and communities you love so much. Don’t know where to start?

The Emerald Coast is known for sugar white sand beaches, great golf, and fantastic, fresh seafood. This year, local shopping centers like Destin Commons and Silver Sands Factory Stores are pulling out all the stops for Black Friday, and many stores are opening well before midnight on Friday. Here are some ways to get the most out of your Black Friday adventure. Get the lay of the land. Head to your destination’s website and download or print the map. Knowing exactly where the electronics are or where you can find

es Virginia, there is a Santa Claus, and there is ice skating in Northwest Florida. The Village of Baytowne Wharf, located in San Destin, between Destin and the beaches of 30A opened its’ annual Ice Skating Pavilion this week. Located on the resort’s central green, the skating rink will be open daily until the end of January. For $11.00, plus an additional $2.00 for skate rental, you can enjoy 90 minutes of outdoor, covered skating. APEX Broadcasting will be spinning the tunes, and the first hour of everyday is designated

In June, 2012, The City of Destin realized a long time dream when they completed and opened the Destin Boardwalk. This festive boardwalk includes plenty of lighting, seating, and the participation of Harbor Business from The Boat House to The Emerald Grande. On Sunday, November 17, the businesses located on the Boardwalk are hosting the first ever Artwalk On The BoardWalk, a family-friendly event that celebrates the arts and the artists found in Destin. Running the length of the Boardwalk, visitors can explore a variety of arts and crafts, including

Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and if you are planning a fall holiday get away, you may be wondering what area restaurants are open on the holiday. While cooking in your gourmet kitchen might be an ideal way to celebrate the holiday for some, others are leaving it to the professionals. The following restaurants will be open Thanksgiving Day, and many are serving a full menu in addition to a traditional thanksgiving feast. Be sure to give them a call or check out the website for more information or

Do you spend a few moments every Thanksgiving counting your blessings? Is this the year you decided to “give back” in recognition of all the good things you have? Some worthy organizations are looking for gifts of time, money, food, and toys to help make the holidays brighter for local families in need. Volunteers are needed to sort and bag more than 50,000 pounds of food for distribution to area food banks, soup kitchens, and churches at the annual Crop Drop on November 23rd. Set up begins at 5:30 a.m.,

Celebrate the performing and visual arts and the annual migration of the Monarch Butterfly during Rosemary Beach’s Flutterby Festival. Sponsored by the Cultural Arts Alliance of Walton County, the two-day outdoor, family-friendly , and free event will feature live music, interactive performances by Seaside Rep, arts, crafts, food and games. The daily Flutterby Costume Parade is one of the event’s highlights, and kids have an opportunity to create an decorate their own wings for the procession. The Children’s Volunteer Health Network (CVHN) also debuts its 2013 Cottages for Kids Fundraiser

Sneaking away for a spa treatment is perfect way to look and feel great before, during, and after the holiday rush. Many local salons and spas offer discounts and deals during the winter off-season. Here are a few ways to stretch your beauty budget. Make friends. Many local salons and spas are posting specials on Facebook and announcing daily deals on Twitter. Be sure to like, follow, or friend your favorite spa or salon to get insider deals. Bundle up. Book and pay for a series of treatments at once.

By all accounts, this year’s Destin Fishing Rodeo was the most successful one in years. Between the re-opening of red snapper season, the fantastic weather, and the record number of fall visitors, the Fishing Rodeo and the docks behind AJ’s has been the place to see and be seen all month long. While The Destin Fishing Rodeo officially ended on October 31, the City of Destin will host the “unofficial” wrap up on Saturday, with the 15th Annual Kids’ Pinfish Tournament . Kids 14 and under can try their hand