Mark Your Calendar for Spring Fest-May 17

Mark Your Calendar for Spring Fest Destin, FL, April 17, 2014 — On the Coast Magazine and Okaloosa Arts Alliance have joined together to host Spring Fest at HarborWalk Village. Join us for Spring Fest on Sat, May 17, 2014 from 11am-6pm at HarborWalk Village benefiting the Okaloosa Arts Alliance (OAA). Spring Fest is a free, family friendly lively event unmatched on the Emerald Coast. Live entertainment, arts and craft vendors, free family activities, live animals, face painting, hands on art activities, a silent auction, and a display of posters from the talented students in our area. Be part of the fun and connect with locals and visitors in a powerful way by being a booth vendor or sponsor of this premier event. For more information on becoming a sponsor, vendor, or the OAA Okaloosa Schools Poster Contest, please contact Amy at amybaty1@gmail.com or Nancy Babin at kidzonthecoast@aol.com About the Okaloosa Arts Alliance-The Okaloosa Arts Alliance (OAA) is the designated non-profit arts agency for Okaloosa County. The purpose of OAA is to support and promote art and culture in Okaloosa County. The Okaloosa Arts Alliance enhances the cultural environment of its community, and promotes, coordinates, and nurtures high quality arts and cultural resources that enrich the lives of residents and visitors. The OAA is supported in part by the Florida Department of State and from Arts auto license tag revenues but could not exist without its members and community support. Go to www.okaloosaarts.org for more information. About On The Coast Magazine-On the Coast Magazine is a lifestyle magazine with a family focus. The informative, well written editorials deliver an entertaining, useful format. Each issue is designed so that every page is not only enjoyable and informative to read, but easy to navigate and visit time and again. On the Coast also includes an extensive local event calendar that keeps our readers involved in the community. With an active facebook page and website, On the Coast Magazine offers businesses a chance to reach it's active readership in many ways. This unique representation has earned us many industry honors, including two local "Addys" and over 22 national awards for original editorial, outstanding photography, interesting headlines and distinctive graphics. We offer all the local tidbits that you'll find helpful while enjoying your time here, On the Coast! About Emerald Grande at HarborWalk Village- Park, stay, and play at Emerald Grande at HarborWalk Village. Enjoy shopping, dining, weekly free events, concerts, fireworks, parades, and nightly entertainment throughout HarborWalk Village. Take a cruise on the pirate ship, The Buccaneer, then stroll for a happy hour cocktail at Crab Island Cantina, all before sitting front row at Harry T’s to the best sunset view in Destin. Continue your dining adventures with soon to open Margaritaville and Jackacuda’s Seafood and Sushi restaurants. Whether you’re in the mood for fishing, dolphin cruises or jet skis, the opportunities for water adventures on the Destin Harbor are endless. Join us for one of our many special events to include Fat Tuesday Parades for beads, brass bands, and fun for all ages as our lighted floats, stilt walkers, jugglers, and musicians stroll through HarborWalk Village. The opportunity for fun can be found in every corner here, and at the end of the night, your suite is only an elevator ride away. Once inside, enjoy all the amenities of our full service resort, including a relaxing Spa, fitness center, an outdoor pool overlooking the Gulf of Mexico, covered parking garage, daily housekeeping, room service and full service concierge.

OAA School Poster Contest Deadline Extended to April 30

The Okaloosa Arts Alliance (OAA) would like to invite all Okaloosa County School students to participate in the 6th Annual OAA Okaloosa County School Poster Contest. The OAA wants to know what you consider "Summer Fun". It can be anything you can create on paper with markers, pencils, paint, pastels, charcoal, or crayons. There will be a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winner for three elementary school students (K-4), for three middle school students (5-7), and for three high school students (8-12) in Okaloosa County. Each 1st place winner will receive a $75 gift card, donated by the Eglin Federal Credit Union, each 2nd place winner will receive a $50 gift card, and each 3rd place winner will receive a $25 gift card. Additionally, the 1st place winners' artwork will be posted in the OAA newsletter and on the OAA website. All of the poster contest entries will be on display at the Spring Fest. Any Okaloosa County School student can enter; entries can be mailed through an Okaloosa County School or by an individual student. The poster contest deadline has been extended until April 30, 2014. Please submit only one entry per student. Posters should be standard size (8 ½ x 11) for the contest and should include, the name of the artist, their grade, and the name of their school. Please mail entries to the Okaloosa Arts Alliance, Attention: School Poster Contest, P.O. Box 4426, Ft Walton Bch, FL 32549. The Arts & Design Society has agreed to allow poster contest entries to be dropped off at their office, which is located at 17 First Street, SE, Fort Walton Beach and their hours are Tue-Fri 12 - 4 pm, Sat 1-4 pm, (Closed Mon-Sun). The winners will be chosen by a panel of judges and will be announced at the Spring Fest. Go to www.okaloosaarts.org for more information.

Murder Mystery Dinner-April 12

Join us this Saturday, April 12th at the Wyndham Garden Inn on Okaloosa Island for a wonderful dinner and show to benefit the Okaloosa Arts Alliance. Email Amy at amybaty1@gmail.com or call 850-499-8335 to reserve your tickets! Act4Murder, a local professional acting troupe, has been performing original comedic murder mysteries for public, private, special and fundraising events since 2003. Okaloosa Arts Alliance supports and promotes art, music, and culture in Okaloosa County, enhancing the cultural environment of our community. The show, ON STAGE FOR MURDER, gives you a backstage look at what REALLY goes on in the green room during a night of songs, dances, and plenty of murderous fun! Enjoy a delicious 3-course plated dinner and HUNDREDS of laughs during this fundraising event for a worthy cause. Tickets are $50.00 per person, and can be purchased by calling Amy at (850) 499-8335 or online at http://www.okaloosaarts.org. Reservations must be made by April 11th, but arrangements can be made with Amy to pay cash or check at the door. Social/Cash Bar and begins at 6:15, dinner and show at 7:00. There will also be a drawing for chances to win some great prizes like 4 tickets to Gimme Abbey Concert donated by Mattie Kelly Arts Foundation and 2 tickets to the April 25 and 2 Tickets to the April 26 Dance Facets donated by Mattie Kelly Arts Center. Thank you to the Fort Walton Beach Wal-mart, Sam's Club, Emerald Coast Concert Association, Mattie Kelly Arts Center, Mattie Kelly Arts Foundation, Wyndham Garden Inn, and Asiago Catering Services for your generous donations.