The year-round sun and warmth of Florida make it the ideal destination any time of year. Pack your bags and gather your loved ones for a fun and exciting vacation full of fun, sand, and sun, as well as some special activities and events in Fort Walton Beach to make your stay just a little more special. Set your sights on Fort Walton Beach and its many exciting offerings and you’ll build a vacation to keep you happy and busy throughout your stay, along with memories to last a lifetime.
Destin Seafood Festival
Every fall, the Destin-Fort Walton Beach area celebrates what it’s best known for – seafood. The three-day Destin Seafood Festival is one of the biggest fall events on the whole Emerald Coast. It takes place in Destin Harbor in October, as a kickoff to the Destin Fishing Rodeo, another fall staple. You’ll enjoy seafood, live entertainment, arts and crafts, and even a fireworks display. Families will want to check out the “kid zone” along the boardwalk that includes plenty of fun and games for the young and young at heart, as well as a “fish throwing contest” and photo booth.
Destin Fishing Rodeo
Coming off the high of the Seafood Festival, you’ll want to keep the seaside fun going, and maybe catch your own fish for your next lunch or dinner. Destin shows off its “World’s Luckiest Fishing Village” name with an event that draws anglers from all over in search of their next fish story. Join in the fun when you charter a fishing trip or head out on your own. Just stop by AJ’s Oyster Shanty for an official weigh-in.
Camp Walton Schoolhouse Open House
Celebrate Christmas and a simpler time. The historic Camp Walton Schoolhouse Museum hosts an “old-fashioned” open house each Christmas season. The City of Fort Walton Beach Heritage Park and Cultural Center hosts the event at the 111-year-old schoolhouse, providing old-fashioned games and toys, crafts, and experiences like butter churning. You’ll also learn some local history while you’re at it. Admission to the museum is free.
Fort Walton Beach Christmas Parade
Greet the holiday season with plenty of Christmas cheer. The Christmas parade features marching bands, performers, floats, and more throughout the streets of Destin and Fort Walton Beach. Santa closes the parade as he waves hello and shouts “Merry Christmas!” from atop a big red fire truck.
Destin Lighted Boat Parade
Celebrate on land and on the water! The great thing about Emerald Coast communities like Destin and Fort Walton Beach is the ability to enjoy the water year-round. After the traditional parade through the streets in the morning, participants take to the waves and decorate their boats with their Christmas best in the evening. You can watch the parade from the many docks and restaurants in Destin Harbor and HarborWalk Village. The parade is followed by a fireworks display over the water.
New Year’s Eve Street Party
Start off the new year on the Emerald Coast. HarborWalk Village hosts its own New Year’s Eve bash, complete with an annual beach ball drop. Food, drinks, live music, and more preceding the ball drop over the harbor that rings in the New Year. There’s a family beach ball drop is at 8 p.m., so families with young children with early bedtimes can still ring in the New Year right. An official countdown and beach ball drop happen at midnight.
Pelican Plunge at The Boardwalk
Continue your New Year celebration with a dip in the Gulf on New Year’s Day. While the air temperature may be warmer than in most northern climates, the water can be on the chilly side. Still, you can slip into your bathing suit and join locals and visitors alike at the Pelican Plunge at the Boardwalk on Okaloosa Island. There’s an event in Fort Walton Beach pre-party but the official splashdown, and a post-plunge party with soul-warming coffee, hot cocoa, and gumbo to warm you up again. There’s a small entry fee, which supports the Emerald Coast Foundation, a supporter of children’s charities in Northwest Florida.
Book Today and Enjoy the Events in Fort Walton Beach
From a cozy one-bedroom for a small family or you and your love to a spacious three-bedroom for a larger group, the Breakers of Fort Walton Beach has a vacation rental that’s perfect for you. Step in and feel your stresses and worries melt away, knowing all your needs will be met. Enjoy making a home-cooked meal full of fall flavor in a fully equipped kitchen. Stretch out with some popcorn and your favorite show or movie, or retreat to a private bedroom for a nap or a good night’s sleep. Choose a premium unit for flat-screen TVs, stainless steel appliances, a wet bar, and much more to make your stay extra special.
Call us today to start planning your Fort Walton Beach getaway!