Downtown Crowd - February 2023

Morgan Cole, Editor

I’m writing this editorial letter while stranded in a small town in Colorado where the temperature is literally negative 20 degrees. My flight that was scheduled to land last Friday has been delayed for four days due to an epic snow storm, and I couldn’t be more ready to be back in Pensacola! The snow has been great, but this Florida girl is ready to see the sand and the beach again.

For this issue, we’ve brought you the scoop on all of the local Mardi Gras festivities happening across the city. From grand parades to themed balls and parties, there’s no shortage of fun to be had this Mardi Gras season. We might not be in New Orleans, but here in Pensacola, we definitely know how to let the good times roll!

You’ll also read all about the upcoming Pensacon convention kicking off this month. This year marks the 10 year anniversary of Pensacon in Pensacola, and to celebrate this momentous occasion, this year’s event is going to be bigger than ever before!

As always, we hope you enjoy the read and until next time, Cheers!

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5 Questions With Creatives

Dollie Jewell of Dollie’s Monsters

by Nicole Willis

Dollie Jewell creates creepily cute illustrations riddled with bright colors and fun 90’s nostalgia under the artist name Dollie’s Monsters. Jewell’s affinity for vintage cartoons and her appreciation for American traditional tattoos—which are characterized by bold black outlines, vivid colors and minimal shading—serve as primary inspirations for her fun, colorful creations. She fuses the cuteness of familiar cartoon characters with the edginess of American traditional-style tattoos to create each of her pieces. Describing her work and artistic style as “the Lowbrow end of illustrative pop culture,” Jewell’s work is both eye-catching and creatively bold.

Though Jewell is somewhat new to the Pensacola area, she has already found her niche in the local arts scene. She brings her work to a variety of local events and arts markets throughout town, including the upcoming February Gallery Night in downtown Pensacola. Jewell also takes commissions via email at dolliesmonster@gmail.com. To check out more of Jewell’s work, visit @dolliesmonsters on Instagram or visit her website at dolliesmonsters.com.

Let’s start with you telling me a little bit about yourself and your professional background.

I’m 24, and I’ve been a professional artist for about three years now. I always thought of myself as an artist; creativity was always a natural instinct to me. I didn’t ever really grow out of my imagination. I’m not from Florida, although I do love it here. I was actually born just south of Atlanta. My parents used to vacation in Panama City and thought it’d be a great place to settle down. I actually just moved to Pensacola from Panama City a few months ago and am getting acquainted with the art scene here. I love how massive the art community is here; it makes me really excited to see such a large tight-knit community as I’m coming from a small town art community that’s very diverse and close as well. I currently run an oddities and art market called The After Dark Market in St. Andrews out of Floriopolis, an art nonprofit that I’ve had a very close relationship with for years. I’ve been doing commission pieces for years before I was a professional artist, but vending has been a somewhat new adventure for me. I’ve vended at over 20 shows, pop-ups, and my own curated markets in 2022, and it was such a fantastic way

to showcase my work while meeting fellow creators and art lovers.

How long have you been interested in illustration, and how did you first get into it?

I have been interested in illustration since I was a small kid. I think the cartoons I watched as a kid had a huge impact on me. From watching Care Bears and Dragon Tales, to discovering what anime was and staying up late to catch Toonnami airing the latest episodes of Bleach and Naruto, I loved it all. I used to trace everything out of my coloring books instead of actually coloring in the pages, as well as tracing a lot of tattoo flash as a young kid out of a Miami Ink book my parents had. I think my family is just full of creative folks, so I was inspired as a kid by lots of music, art and pop culture.

Can you take me through your creative process and describe what goes into creating one of your pieces?

I’m one of those people that likes to meticulously plan out their paintings, although I may not follow my plans 100 percent. At the end of my process, I end up drawing each piece three to fourtimes. I go

through preliminary sketches and thumbnailing, then create a finalized sketch from that. I use transfer paper to make sure all my linework will turn out perfect while painting. I’ve always been passionate about the technical side of the tools I use to create my art as well, so I use the same paints and paintbrushes for everything which makes finding new brushes so frustrating, haha. I usually paint with acrylic, inks and watercolor (mostly a mix of the three) on various woods. I enjoy playing around with color theory and optical illusions along with special effects in my original paintings. I like to add pops of secret blacklight paints or 24k gold on metal accents.

Why did you decide to combine horror and grunge elements with what are conventionally seen as cute and wholesome characters?

I think it’s just part of that childhood whimsy that everyone lets go of, or forgets to hold onto, rather. I think that’s where a lot of my juxtaposition subject matter comes from, like the memento mori of our childhoods, the characters that we cherished weren’t left behind but instead grew up with us and became experienced adults with trauma and baggage, blood-stained and full of tears. It’s often a

mirror or reflection of how I’m feeling, whether that be sadness, rejection, euphoria, etc. I like the thought of evoking those uncomfortable feelings with characters people are often very comfortable with. I’ve also been a big horror fan my entire life.

From Sanrio characters and Care Bears to Kewpie dolls and Furbies, you illustrate a slew of different characters. Can you tell me about the different types of pieces you create? What is your favorite subject or character to capture?

Lots of my inspiration comes from things I grew up with as a kid and being a 90s baby–Sanrio, Care Bears, Furbies–all the 90s nostalgia. Kewpie dolls have been an obsession of mine for a really long time. I started drawing them when I was a teenager, but they progressed as I got more into the tattooing world, and they’ve quickly become my favorite thing to create. One of my arm sleeves is dedicated almost entirely to Kewpie doll tattoos. A lot of my work is very influenced by American traditional tattoo styles, and it’s become one of my favorite styles to draw now. I try to combine cute frilly femme subjects with the bold edginess of American trad.

Let The Good Times Roll!

Pensacola Mardi Gras Parades, Parties & Balls

by Morgan Cole

It’s Mardi Gras season once again, and while New Orleans is typically considered to be the epicenter of this festive pre-Lenten celebration, our neighbors in Mobile were actually the first to host Mardi Gras (aka “Fat Tuesday”) in the United States. The tradition originally dates back to the French settlers who founded Mobile in 1702, a decade and a half before New Orleans existed. Today, Mobile’s Mardi Gras season, the oldest in America, stretches for months, kicking off in November with festive balls, krewe events and more.

In 1874, the Pensacola community saw all the fun being had in Mobile, and decided to host their own Mardi Gras. Now, more than a century later, the Pensacola Mardi Gras Grand

Parade serves as one of the largest celebrations along the Gulf Coast, drawing some 6,000 participants and nearly 100,000 spectators each year.

The Pensacola Mardi Gras season officially kicks off on the first Saturday in January with a festive street party hosted along downtown’s historic Palafox Place, complete with a reverse parade and plenty of colorful krewe members. The season runs through Fat Tuesday, with tons of festive celebrations and parades occurring non-stop throughout the city.

“The energy among Pensacola’s 90 plus Mardi Gras Krewes is higher than ever. That energy is translating into a growing community that is energized and excited for the 2023 Mardi Gras Season,” Pensacola Mardi

Gras President Danny Zimmern said. “Balls, parades and special events centered around Mardi Gras have had record attendance so far this year and we can’t wait to celebrate the rest of the 2023 season.”

Unlike many other parades, our local Mardi Gras boasts a more welcoming and family-friendly environment. While Pensacola Mardi Gras Inc. acts as a central hub and sponsors some of the season’s biggest events, it takes a village to make Mardi Gras happen. Pensacola is home to more than 100 krewes — social groups that form to celebrate the season — that help organize and participate in the annual parades. Pensacola’s Mardi Gras krewes have membership bases ranging from a handful of people to hundreds. A number of local businesses and organizations

also support and take part in the Mardi Gras festivities by sponsoring, volunteering or hosting events throughout the season.

So, for those who thought Mardi Gras was something that was only celebrated in New Orleans, you’re in for a treat because nobody does Mardi Gras quite like we do in Pensacola.

If you’re looking to indulge in some fantastically fun revelry this Mardi Gras, there’s no shortage of options in the Pensacola area. We’ve brought you details on upcoming parades, balls and events happening throughout the Pensacola area to help you get the most out of this year’s Mardi Gras celebration.

Pensacola Parades & Events

Pensacola Beach Krewe of Wrecks Parade

When: February 19 from 2 pm to 11:30 pm

Where: Pensacola Beach

festival will feature a crawfish boil, Cajun food trucks, king cake and beignets, musical entertainment and dancing.

Other Parades

Milton Mardi Gras Parade

When: February 4 @ 4 pm

Where: Starts on Raymond Street, Milton

Krewe of Lafitte Illuminated Mardi Gras Parade

When: February 17 @ 7:30 pm

Where: Downtown Pensacola

The first parade is the Krewe of Lafitte Illuminated Mardi Gras Parade. This parade is extra special since it is hosted at night which allows the floats to be lit up.

This family-friendly event starts at 7:30 pm and goes on for a few hours. Parade-goers can catch candy, beads, toys, stuffed animals, bouncy balls, local swag and, of course, lots of Moon Pies. For more information, visit pensacolamardigras.com.

Pensacola Grand Mardi Gras Parade

When: February 18 @ 2 pm

Where: Downtown Pensacola

The Pensacola Grand Mardi Gras parade draws in tens of thousands of people and is one of the biggest parades of the year. This parade has hundreds of floats and tends to last about four hours, so be sure to arrive early to claim your spot. For more parade details, visit pensacolamardigras.com.

The Krewe of Wrecks Parade serves as the last parade of the season and it’s held on Pensacola Beach. This is a smaller-scale parade that first happened in 1980. The parade starts off at Avenida 10 and Via de Luna, runs west and then disbands at the Gulfside Pavilion in the Casino Beach parking lot. The parade concludes with a series of afterparties where judges will award trophies. Visit pensacolabeachmardigras. com for complete parade details.

Pensacola Mardi Gras Fat Tuesday Celebration

When: February 21 from 11 am to midnight

Where: Seville Quarter, downtown Pensacola

Pensacola Mardi Gras, local Krewes and Seville Quarter have teamed up to host a special French Quarter Fat Tuesday Celebration February 21 at Seville Quarter in downtown Pensacola. This Big Easy-style Mardi Gras

The event will kick-off at 11 am with The Priscus Celebration, a longtime Pensacola Mardi Gras tradition. The celebration will include a Jazz Royalty Brunch with a special Mardi Gras-themed menu, a bloody mary bar and famous crawfish boil. Local Mardi Gras krewes will transform each of the rooms inside the historic complex into the French Quarter for the day.

At 2 pm, Krewe Royalty and elected officials will be on-hand to join in the festivities as Seville Quarter is taken over and turned into the French Quarter. At 5 pm, Pensacola Mardi Gras krewes will come together for a celebration featuring live entertainment. The coronation of a new King and Queen of Priscus for 2024 will also take place, along with a special Mardi Gras Drag Show and awards ceremony presented by President of Pensacola Mardi Gras, Danny Zimmern. For tickets and more information, visit pensacolamardigras.com.

Join the Krewe of Airship Pirates for the five-year anniversary of hosting the Milton Mardi Gras parade. The parade starts at Milton High School and heads down south on Stewart Street, turns east on Berryhill Road, turns north on Willing Street and ends at Jernigan’s Landing in Downtown Milton. Immediately following the parade, an after-party will be held at Jernigan’s Landing from 6 to 10 pm featuring a live performance by Frank Fletcher. This afterparty event will include a free kids’ zone, food trucks and vendors.

Navarre Parade

When: February 11 @ 1 pm Where: Navarre Beach

The Krewe of Jesters is hosting the Navarre Mardi Gras Parade on February 11. The theme is dancing through the decades. This parade attracts around 30,000 spectators from the surrounding area and features participants from krewes located throughout the Gulf Coast.

A Decade of Pensacon

Celebrating Ten Years of Fandom Along the Gulf Coast

by Nicole Willis

WHEN YOU’RE DRIVING DOWN PALAFOX STREET and suddenly see a Star Wars stormtrooper walking alongside Mario’s Princess Peach, you know what time it is: it’s Pensacon time. Each year, this beloved pop culture event takes over downtown Pensacola decorating the streets with creative costumes, cosplaying pets, pop culture-inspired ar t, themed celebrations, fun competitions and more. This year marks the 10th anniversary of Pensacon, and to celebrate this momentous milestone, the 2023 convention is set to be bigger than ever before.

Pensacon’s roots trace back to 2013 when founder and CEO Mike Ensley began conceptualizing the event. The first annual Pensacon convention made its debut the following year at the Pensacola Bay Center. With nearly 11,000 fans in attendance, the first con proved to be a tremendous success, prompting its return year after year. Throughout the years, the convention has continued to receive unwavering support from the local community and enthusiastic fans worldwide, growing the convention into the annual event that we know and love today.

Since the very first convention, Pensacon has continued attracting tens of thousands of pop culture-loving locals and tourists alike. Last year’s attendance numbers were estimated to be well over 33 thousand and, this year, Pensacon organizers expect attendance numbers to far exceed that number.

A milestone as large as ten years deserves a blow-out celebration, and Pensacon organizers promise that 2023 will be the con’s biggest and best year yet. With this year’s convention hosting more celebrity guests than ever before, ticket sales are through the roof and VIP passes for this year have already sold out. Filled to the brim with fans, artists, cosplayers and more, Pensacon 2023 promises to deliver an experience like never before.

“It is going to be our biggest year yet with it being our 10th anniversary event and celebration. We have more guests than we have ever had before. So in that regard, we are bringing a lot more to the community than we ever have before,” Pensacon Director of Marketing and Guest Services, Julio Diaz explained.

One of the biggest announcements made for this year’s anniversary event is the reunion of Doctor Who actors and actresses in celebration of the show’s 60th anniversary. Fans of this science fiction television series can look forward to a large presence of cast members including five doctors–Christopher Eccleston, Colin Baker, Paul McGann, Peter Davison and Sylvester McCoy–several companions and other characters.

“We’ve got some very big individual guests and groups of guests this year that we’re really excited about,” Diaz said. “We have been focusing a lot on it being not just Pensacon’s 10th anniversary, but the [60th] anniversary of the science fiction series Doctor Who. We have the biggest gathering of Doctor Who stars

that has ever been hosted at a United States convention. We are very pleased to have that. I think we are getting a lot of people traveling to Pensacola specifically for that.”

Christopher Eccleston will likely be Pensacon 2023’s largest and mostanticipated celebrity guest. Pensacon organizers think that Eccleston is such a prominent guest that his fanbase may drive tickets to sell out on the day of his arrival.

“Saturday is always our biggest day. This year one of our biggest guests, Christopher Eccleston, is only here on Saturday,” Diaz said.

Doctor Who will not be the only fandom represented at this year’s event. Pensacon is also hosting a slew of incredible celebrity guests from television and anime serieses such as Naruto and Stranger Things, as well as movies and film franchises such as E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Clerks, Scream and more.

Apart from the Doctor Who celebrity guests, some of the other highly anticipated actors and actresses include Grace Van Dien who is known for her role as Chrissy Cunningham in the most recent season of the popular Netflix series Stranger Things, Rose McGowan known for playing Tatum in the 1996 Scream movie and Henry Thomas who was most known for his role as Elliott in E.T. the ExtraTerrestrial. Most known for his role in Starship Troopers, Van Dien’s father, Casper Van Dien, who is a native of Milton, will also be in attendance.

Anticipated anime voice actors include Sean Schemmel who is the

voice of Son Goku in the Dragon Ball franchise, and Colleen Ann VillardO’Shaughnessey who voices Ino Yamanaka and Konohamaru Sarutobi in Naruto. Whether you enjoy sci-fi, horror, fantasy or anime, just about every genre and fandom will be represented at Pensacon through guests, artists and vendors.

As usual, Pensacon will be hosted at the Pensacola Bay Center with artists, vendors and celebrities scattered throughout. The main floor of the Bay Center will once again serve as the main vendor floor where more than 75 different types of vendors will be selling a variety of pop culture and character-themed merchandise. On the second floor, fans will have a chance to meet and greet their favorite celebrities, take photos, get autographs and more. The “Artist

Alley” and “Writer’s Row” portions of the convention, will be held on both the third floor and around the top ring of the Bay Center. Here, attendees will find dozens of artists and writers from across the country. Attendees can also meet the artists and writers, view their works, and purchase anything that they may have for sale.

As always, though, the Pensacon festivities won’t be limited to just the Bay Center. A variety of venues throughout downtown and the Pensacola Historic District will host events in conjunction with Pensacon. Some venues will be the same as in previous years, for example, the Pensacola Cultural Center and the Rex Theatre will once again host Pensacon events. In addition to these venues and other venues throughout the Pensacola Historic District, Pensacon will host panels and different types of gaming events at The Wright Place, an event space located inside the First United Methodist Church.

“There are several big rooms at this facility that are going to enable us to expand the audience over what we have had the past couple of years in terms of some of our largest panels,” Diaz explained. “Having this facility is going to allow us to turn the Pensacola Museum of Commerce over to gaming. So we will be able to bring gaming back for the first time in a few years.” In previous years, Pensacon hosted gaming events at the Pensacola Grand Hotel which has since been closed.

Aside from the special appearances of the Doctor Who cast members, Pensacon’s 10th anniversary celebration will be marked by a

special party held at Seville Quarter. The party will feature Pensacon fun, food, drinks and live music from the goth band Vision Video.

“On Saturday night, we will be throwing a party to celebrate our 10th anniversary that is free to attend for all of our badge holders or Saturday day pass holders. The party will be at Seville Quarter in Phineas Phogg’s,” Diaz said.

“We’ve done parties at Seville Quarter before, but it has been a

IT IS GOING TO BE OUR BIGGEST YEAR YET, WITH IT BEING OUR 10TH ANNIVERSARY EVENT AND CELEBRATION.

IT IS GOING TO BE OUR BIGGEST YEAR YET, WITH IT BEING OUR 10TH ANNIVERSARY EVENT AND CELEBRATION.

We are excited to be back there in downtown Pensacola’s largest entertainment complex and celebrating our 10th birthday.”

Through the ten years of Pensacon, one thing has remained the same: community. Whether you’re a superfan that attends the con decked out in cosplay or someone who stops by for a day to see what the event is all about, everyone is welcomed to the fun that is Pensacon.

“The biggest thing is really the community more than anything else in a number of ways. Everybody gets together and is in a community that’s accepting and relates to each other… everybody is there because they’re a fan of something; they get to be among their people for the weekend and see people that they don’t see every day. It is a great place to meet new people, make friends and renew

friendships every year if you don’t get to spend time with those folks throughout the year in other places,” Diaz said.

Pensacon has grown beyond just being a simple three-day convention. The event has created ripples throughout the Pensacola community. It has become something that unites old and young generations of Pensacolians through their favorite pop culture franchises. It is days of high-traffic and new customers for local shops, venues and restaurants. It is a month of fun as the Pensacola International Airport becomes the Pensacola “Intergalactic” Airport.

“The Pensacola community, Escambia County, the Panhandle and even Southern Alabama have really embraced this convention. That includes the individual fans, the businesses that have partnered

with us, and the city and county government that have been so important to making things happen with us. We’ve just been very lucky to enjoy that support, and it’s something we don’t take for granted,” Diaz said.

If you are interested in seeing what Pensacon is all about and want to take part in the ten-year anniversary celebration, single-day and weekend passes are still available for purchase: Single-day passes range from $35 to $45 each, varying by day, and weekend passes are $85 each. Tickets, a jam-packed guest list and participating venues list, parking information and much more can be found online at pensacon.com.

Be sure to check out @PensacolaPensacon on Instagram and @Pensacon on Facebook for important updates, special announcements, photos and more.

What To Know Before You Go

Avoid the Boot

As a Pensacola local you already know the perils of downtown parking. If you are an out-of-towner, trust us: you do not want to risk parking just anywhere, especially on downtown’s busiest weekend of the year. The lot in the back of the Bay Center off 9th Avenue is reserved for VIP passholders, vendors and media with the appropriate passes. The lot across Alcaniz Street from the Bay Center is available for all attendees at the cost of $20. Parking is also available throughout the city, with prices varying per lot. Handicapped parking is available in the front parking lot of the Bay Center off Alcaniz Street.

Organize Your Day

Organization can make your con experience stress-free and ensure that you don’t accidentally miss an activity. A perfect way to organize your day is through the Pensacon app. The app can serve as your personal event calendar; it allows you to build your own schedule and to-do list with the timing of activities, photo ops and events throughout town. In addition to these organizational features, the Pensacon app is your go-to for quick information during the days of the convention. The app is available on the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store. he app will be updated in the coming weeks to feature 2023’s details

Be Aware of Guestlist Changes

Life happens and cancellations inevitably happen, too. Pensacon.com/guests/ will have the most updated information regarding guests that may have had to cancel their appearances. Instead of scrolling through the long list of guests, click the “BY DAY” button at the top of the page and select “Canceled” to view only those who have canceled. On a more positive note, Pensacon is still rolling out guests. Stay tuned to @PensacolaPensacon on Instagram and @Pensacon on Facebook for exciting guest announcements.

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The History of Valentine’s Gifts

by Nicole Willis

How Three Valentine’s Day Staples Came to Be

Valentine’s Day– the holiday that all of us know and some of us love. During this time, people often give their loved ones gifts to express their love. There are a variety of traditional gifts that are commonly given to family, friends and lovers on Valentine’s Day. Gifts like red roses, heart-shaped chocolate boxes and conversation hearts are things you may have purchased a loved one--but do you know why these are the default V-Day gifts? Here are a few things that you may not know about three common Valentine’s gifts.

Nothing Says “I Love You” Like a Lozenge

Whether you love them or hate them, these little candy hearts with cute messages have become a staple sweet of the Valentine’s holiday. What you may not know about these chalky treats is that they were originally created to be medicinal lozenges.

The history of conversation hearts began with Boston pharmacist Oliver Chase in the 1840s. Medici nal lozenges were a popular remedy for sore throats, but they took a lot of time and work to make. To make this process simpler, Chase developed a machine that could quickly and easily make the lozenges.

As candies have a similar texture to lozenges, Chase soon began to make hard candies on the machine as well. This machine ended up becoming the first candy machine made in the US, as well as the first candy machine to create Necco wafers, which Chase would later sell under the business name Necco (New England Confectionery Company).

As for the cute sayings on the candies, Oliver’s brother is responsible. It is said that Daniel Chase first put the loving messages on the candy hearts in 1866, with the first one reading “married in white, you have chosen right.”

It’s All Rosy

One very popular symbol associated with Valentine’s Day and love is the rose. People all over the world buy roses for their loved ones on this holiday– whether it’s a pastel pink rose for their mom, a yellow rose for their best friend or a rich red rose for their lover; roses are a simple way to show your love on Valentine’s Day and every day.

The idea that roses symbolize love first began with Greek and Roman mythology. In Greek lore, Aphrodite is the goddess of love and beauty, and in Roman lore, Venus is the goddess of love and beauty. Both of these goddesses are often associated with the red rose. Aphrodite is said to have named the flower after her son, Eros. Since both of these goddesses are so strongly associated with love, the rose is tied to love as well. Today roses are the most popular flower to give on Valentine’s Day, with over 250 million being produced for the holiday worldwide.

So Sweet!

We all love unwrapping a beautiful heart-shaped box of chocolates from our loved ones on Valentine’s Day. Have you ever wondered how the sweet treat came to be? Well, this cute and delicious Valentine’s tradition started with the champions of candy– Cadbury.

Richard Cadbury, son of Cadbury founder, John Cadbury, and the mastermind behind the iconic heart-shaped chocolate box. Richard created the boxes to stand out among the other boxes of chocolates on the shelves. So, he took advantage of the Valentine’s Day iconography– cupids, hearts, and roses– and designed heart-shaped boxes that featured all of these things. Cadbury’s first heart-shaped chocolate box was created for Valentine’s Day in 1861.

The boxes were a success and have remained a Valentine’s Day favorite ever since. People preferred Cadbury’s boxes over other chocolates because the beautiful box could be reused for trinkets after the chocolate was gone. Cadbury’s creation of the heart-shaped chocolate box lives on today; these boxes can be purchased at almost every grocery store across the country. Thanks to Cadbury, chocolate has become a Valentine’s Day staple. Today, Americans purchase over 58 million pounds of chocolate for Valentine’s Day every year.

O’Riley’s Irish Pub Hosts Its Annual Grog March Pub Crawl

Donations to Benefit Manna Food Pantry

Every year, we at O’Riley’s Irish Pub love to give back to the community. March is one of the biggest months of the year for us, and we always kick it off with a fantastic charity fundraiser and food drive. On Saturday, March 4th of this year, we will be holding our annual Grog March Pub Crawl. We want people to come decked out in green and ready to have fun for a cause.

The Grog March is one of our biggest charity drives of the year. When you attend the Grog March, your donations go straight to Manna Food Pantry. Just by attending, you are helping the community by providing food and help to those who need it most. Entry into the Grog March requires a donation of two nonperishable food items or $10 to Manna Food Pantry. Manna’s most needed items include canned fruit, canned mixed vegetables, and oatmeal, but they will accept any nonperishable food items you donate regardless of expiration date.

Your entry donation gives you everything you need for the pub crawl and access to exclusive deals. All attendees will receive a refillable 22 ounce collectible mug and a Grog March lanyard. If you want to both give more and get more, you can donate an additional $10 on top of the entry donation to receive a limited edition Grog March 2023 T-Shirt. Wear this shirt with pride knowing you helped someone in need. With your refillable mug, you can grab any of our Grog March specials. These deals include $5 draft beer, $7 and $8 cocktail refills, and Grog Punch refills for $7!

This is an Irish Pub Crawl in March, so you should come dressed in your best St. Patrick’s day attire. It may not be St. Patrick’s day yet, but let’s paint the town green, shall we? We want to see you in your best green suits, dresses, hats, and more! Make it your own, and show us how creative you can get with our favorite color.

by Jay Ayer

Registration begins at 4 p.m. at O’Riley’s Irish Pub, and the March begins at 6 p.m. The pub crawl will go until 10 p.m. and is followed by an afterparty at O’Riley’s. Bring back your giveaway tickets, and you could win one of the great prizes O’Riley’s is giving away during the afterparty. Our DJ and weekly drink specials will start at 10 p.m. Continue celebrating like it’s St. Patrick’s Day and finish your night surrounded by a sea of green.

O’Riley’s Irish Pub Owner Warren Sonnen has a special message for the community:

“The Grog March is our annual St. Patrick’s themed pub crawl, and I think is the best way to start preparing for March 17th. Green beer, car bombs, Guinness, corned beef and cabbage, and a charitable pub crawl help us all to get into the spirit of St. Patrick’s day. Help us collect food and raise funds for Manna Food Pantries. It really is a great way for us to give back to and interact with our community, and we look forward to it every year. It’s a great way to kick off March and an even better way to remind the community to look out for each other.”

Please join us on Saturday, March 4th from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. to have a great time for a great cause. Help us kick all of our March festivities off with a bang! You can find more information and tickets for sale on orileyspub.com.

Our community is what keeps us alive and thriving, and with every charity drive we host, we see how the community comes together to help those in need. We at O’Riley’s Irish Pub thank you for your support throughout the years, and we thank you for giving us another opportunity to help make our community a better place. We look forward to seeing you at the Grog March.

If you have recently been married and have interest in appearing on the cover of the annual Weddings issue of Pensacola Magazine in April, visit ballingerpublishing.com/weddings2023 and submit up to three high-resolution images of your wedding or styled shoot for a chance to be featured on the next cover!

SUBMISSIONS DUE BY March 1 , 2023

Staff Picks: Album Reviews

Milky Chance, Trip Tape II

by Morgan Cole

Following a series of long and highly anticipated singles, German duo Milky Chance recently released their brand new mixtape album called Trip Tape II this past October. The release comes following the band’s 2021 surprise mixtape Trip Tape. Released via their own label imprint Muggelig Records, their new EP features fan favorites such as Synchronize, Troubled Man and a cover of recent hit As It Was by Harry Styles.

Made up of Clemens Rehbein (guitar, vocals) and Phillip Dausch (bass, percussion), on Trip Tape II, the pair offers a selection of originals, demos and covers. The LP kicks off with two already released singles Synchronize and Troubled Man, which have quickly drawn in fan bases from across the globe. With Synchronize already being this year’s smash single, tracks like Fabulous show their creative ability to make danceable sing-a-longs and gentle concentration songs. The album features a tasteful sound of electropop to the duo’s unique song formula of catchy sing-along songs. With Clemens Rehbein’s catchy vocals and guitar working simultaneously with Philip Dausch’s bass playing and cutting edge production, the album demonstrates their ability to excel as a duo. With Trip Tape II, Milky Chance delivers potent indie-pop, packed with swanky melodic textures and intoxicating rhythms.

Standout Tracks:

As It Was (Harry Styles Cover)

Synchronize (RAC Mix)

Troubled Man

Lost In Yesterday (Tame Impala Cover)

The 1975, Being Funny In A Foreign Language

by Nicole Willis

In October 2022, alternative band The 1975 released their fifth studio album, Being Funny In A Foreign Language (BFIAFL). Fans and critics anxiously awaited this release, as the group’s fourth album, Notes On A Conditional Form, received mixed reviews. On BFIAFL, The 1975 successfully incorporate their own unique sound while branching out.

BFIAFL’s strength has a great deal to do with its production. When I heard the lead single, Part Of The Band, I could immediately tell that Jack Antonoff produced it. The song’s string-driven punchiness is an excellent characteristic of Antonoff’s style.

I enjoy the rest of the album, too. BFIAFL starts on an upbeat note with tracks Happiness and Looking For Somebody (To Love). These songs feature 80s-style synths, a funky bassline and an upbeat melody, all of which are characteristics of The 1975’s pop-rock sound.

BFIAFL takes a more serious tone on tracks like All I Need To Hear and About You. These tracks feature lower-pitched instrumentals and more solemn lyrics emotionally sung by vocalist Matty Healy. About You is the album’s peak; from the drawn-out guitar tones to the female background vocals, every element meshes together to create a beautiful soundscape. As a decade-long fan, I am happy to see The 1975 reach new heights but not forget who they are.

Standout Tracks: About You Looking For Somebody (To Love)

I’m In Love With You

The Mountain Goats, Bleed Out

by Ian Lett

”I’M DOING THIS FOR REVENGE!,”

exclaims John Darnielle, band frontman, in the chorus of the opening track, Training Montage; setting the tone for The Mountain Goats’ twenty-first studio album, Bleed Out. The track is a beatdriven, anthemic beginning to an actionpacked concept album full of movie tropes referencing classic action scenes, such as high-speed car chases, hostage situations and even Rambo’s debut: First Blood. Despite each song portraying a different situation, they are tied together by the central theme of an obsessive desire to exact vengeance from one’s foes. The album is not about the good versus evil battle we see played out in our favorite films of the genre; it’s about people who take matters into their own hands in desperate perilous situations, cliches brought into a cold reality by Darnielle’s songwriting.

Although Bleed Out is very clearly a rock album, a few of the tracks include an overlay of other genres, such as Guys On Every Corner with its jazzy horns and laidback rhythm.

Shockingly, the Bleed Out tour will be in our neck of the woods. On April 2nd, The Mountain Goats will be at The Soul Kitchen in Mobile, AL. For tickets and tour info, go to mountain-goats.com.

Standout Tracks:

Training Montage

Wage Wars Get Rich Die Handsome

Hostages

Bleed Out

by Darien Hardy

After years of singing and writing about rebirth, Demi Lovato finally leaps away from their well-known Disney Channel Pop and R&B melodies to return to their rock-and-roll roots in this grungy, grownup album, HOLY FVCK. This new album, released in August of 2022, dials Lovato’s first pop-rock album (Don’t Forget) up a few notches—specifically in the third track, SUBSTANCE. The promised sharp lyrics and pained-guttural screams are all there, along with riffing guitars and a tour through punk genres and notes of heavy metal.

The opening track of the album, FREAK, features fellow Disney Channel alum YUNGBLUD, whose sandpaper-like voice grits up the track in the best way. A later track, EAT ME, features Royal & the Serpent. The artists match sludgy guitar with intense lyrics about the impossibility of meeting unrealistic expectations of American society. The album isn’t all screaming verses ripping guitars and crashing drums. Lovato’s tracks 29 and 4 EVER 4 ME both take a slower approach musically but still hold on to the cutting lyrics seen throughout the rest of the album. After everything that Lovato has been through, especially in this past year— coming out as non-binary, returning to rehab and much more—it seems that with HOLY FVCK’s bouncy, and albeit, angry melodies, Lovato is finally having fun taking the chance to show the world their true musical interests.

Standout Tracks:

SKIN OF MY TEETH

HAPPY ENDING

HELP ME (with Dead Sara)

Demi Lovato, HOLY FVCK

Token at Vinyl Music Hall

FEBUARY COMMUNITY EVENTS

Pensacola Ice Flyers Schedule and Theme Nights

February Home Games and Theme Nights at the Pensacola Bay Center. Games start at varying times. For tickets and information, visit iceflyers.com.

February 10: Peoria Rivermen vs Ice Flyers; $5 Night

February 11: Peoria Rivermen vs Ice Flyers; $5 Night

February 19: Birmingham Bulls vs Ice Flyers; Scout Day

UWF

Historic Trust’s Bootleg Ball

January 13

Dress in your finest 1920s gangster attire and celebrate the troublemakers of the 20s— gangsters, mobsters, politicians, and molls—at the Historic Trust’s Bootleg Ball. The Bootleg Ball serves as a fundraiser for the University of West Florida Historic Trust. Bootleg Ball will be hosted at the Museum of Commerce located at 201 Zaragoza Street. Tickets start at $100 each for UWF Historic Trust Members, $125 for non-members and $200 for VIP tickets. Doors open at 7 pm. For tickets and more information, visit historicpensacola.org.

WWE Road to WrestleMania at the Bay Center

...................................................................... February 5

WWE Road to WrestleMania is a live wrestling event that sees WWE’s talented roster of superstars take to the ring to unleash extreme feats of athleticism, strength and showmanship. The event is not televised and is only viewed by a lucky live audience. With no time restraints or televised scripts to follow, Road to WrestleMania shows give wrestlers a chance to face new opponents, try out new moves and interact more freely with fans. The event is held at the Pensacola Bay Center, located at 201 East Gregory Street. Doors open at 3:30 pm and the event begins at 5 pm. For tickets and more information, visit pensacolabaycenter.com.

6

Known for his razor sharp wordplay, headspinning verbal acrobatics, and off-kilter hooks, American rapper Token has taken the internet by storm. Token had a steady rise into the hop-hop world, amassing millions of streams on his tracks and millions of views on his YouTube music videos. The rapper will be bringing his electric show to Vinyl Music Hall this February. You can catch Token along with special guest Ben Reilly at 2 S Palafox Street. Doors open at 8 pm and the show begins at 9 pm. Tickets start at $20. VIP tickets are sold through Token’s website, nevertoodifferent.com. For general admission tickets and more information, visit vinylmusichall.com.

Pensacola Symphony Orchestra

Presents Cirque Spectacular

February 11

Fusing elements of cirque acrobatics, classical dance and contemporary theatre, Troupe Vertigo joins with the Pensacola Symphony to take you on a spellbinding journey through the world of artistic movement and the thrilling cinematic music of John Williams, Michael Giacchino, Elmer Bernstein, Henry Mancini and more. Enjoy the magic of orchestral music played by the Pensacola Symphony Orchestra and the breathtaking skill of cirque-style acrobats and contortionists from Troupe Vertigo. The show will be hosted at the Pensacola Saenger Theatre at 118 South Palafox Place. Doors open at 6 pm and the show begins at 7:30 pm. For tickets and more information, visit pensacolasaenger. com.

Mania The ABBA Tribute at the Saenger Theatre

February 14

The world’s number one touring ABBA tribute is stopping by the Pensacola Saenger Theatre. Mania The ABBA Tribute has the look, feel and sound of the ABBA we all know and love. Ever since Mania The ABBA Tribute was formed in 1999, the show has been selling out theaters and concert halls across the globe. This show has toured the world in its quest to bring the music of the Swedish Supergroup to their millions of fans, old and new. The Pensacola Saenger Theatre is located at 118 South Palafox Place. Doors open at 7 pm and the show begins at 8 pm. For tickets and more information, visit pensacolasaenger. com.

Pensacola Chocolate and Cheese Fest

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February 19

If you love all things decadent and rich, the Pensacola Chocolate and Cheese Fest is the place for you! The First Annual Pensacola Chocolate and Cheese Fest will be hosted at Community Maritime Park at 301 West Main Street. The event will feature food trucks and vendors selling chocolate and cheese items, as well as other items like beer, wine, chocolate martinis and more. To stick with the event theme, each vendor is required to sell at least one cheese or chocolate item at their truck or tent. There will be live entertainment, contests and activities for kids. The event will run from 10 am to 6 pm. There is a $5 entry fee and kids 12 & under are free. For more information, visit apexshowsandevents. com/chocolate-and-cheese-fest.

Seventh Annual Pensacola Habitat Food Truck Festival

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Sun Belt Basketball Championship Games

........................................ February 28 through March 6

The Sun Belt Conference Basketball Championship Games will be played at the Pensacola Bay Center beginning on February 28. The games will be played through March 6. These tournaments mark the beginning of NCAA March Madness. The 12 men’s and women’s Sun Belt teams are competing over the course of the week at the Pensacola Bay Center (201 E Gregory Street). Pensacola will serve as home to the Sun Belt Conference basketball tournament through the 2024-25 season. Game times vary each day. For full game dates, times and tickets, visit pensacolabaycenter.com.

2023 Sun Belt Dribble Drive

.......................................................................... March 4

February 25 & 26

Pensacola Habitat for Humanity welcomes all to its seventh annual food truck festival in support of its mission of bringing people together to build homes, communities and hope. This two-day event features a diverse mix of over 25 food trucks featuring their signature dishes, live entertainment, a food truck tasting competition, and more. Attendees are encouraged to bring chairs and blankets. Tickets are $3 per weekday or $5 on the weekend, with 100% of the proceeds from ticket sales supporting Pensacola Habitat for Humanity. The festival is held at Community Maritime Park at 301 West Main Street and will run from 10 am to 8 pm on Saturday and 10 am to 7 pm on Sunday. For more information, visit eventbrite.com.

Pensacola Vintage Collective’s Return of the Vintage

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The 2023 Sun Belt Conference Andrews Institute for Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine Dribble Drive is scheduled for Saturday, March 4 beginning at 1 pm at the Pensacola Bay Center. Children ages 3-12 are welcome to join in on the fun and dribble their basketball around the venue grounds and into the Bay Center where games will be taking place. Each participant will receive a t-shirt, basketball and two tickets to the March 4th men’s quarterfinal games, all free. Registration will be closed once 500 participants have been reached. The Pensacola Bay Center is located at 201 East Gregory Street. To register or learn more, visit sunbeltsports.org/dribbledrive.

O’Riley’s Grog March 2023

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February 26

On the Sunday of Pensacon Weekend, the Pensacola Vintage Collective will be back for the “Return of the Vintage.” At this event, over 25 vintage dealers from all across the Gulf Coast will be bringing their finest assortment of vintage clothing and homegoods to Doc’s Hop Shop. After a weekend of Pensacon fun, take a break from the cosplay and switch into some vintage! While browsing all the vintage goodies, grab a cold brew from Doc’s and a bite from one of Pensacola’s newer food trucks, Public Affairs Gastropub, which will be serving up burgers and other tasty treats. The event will run from 12 pm to 5 pm and will be hosted at 500 E Heinberg Street. For details and event updates, visit @pensacolavintagecollective on Instagram.

March 4

O’Riley’s Irish Pub’s annual Grog March is back in support of Manna Food Pantries. Attendees are invited to show up in their best St. Patrick’s day outfit and help feed the hungry in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties. General admission is free with a donation of 2 non-perishable food items or cash to Manna. This admission includes a 22oz mug and more swag. T-Shirt Tier admission comes at a $10 ticket price and a donation of 2 non-perishable food items or cash to Manna. The $10 fee gets you a commemorative t-shirt. Registration starts at O’Riley’s (321 S. Palafox Street) at 4 pm. Tickets can be found on eventbrite.com. For more information, visit orileyspub.com.

MILITARYMATTERS

AN ARMED FORCES NEWS SECTION

NETC RECOGNIZES FY-22 SAILORS AND CIVILIANS OF 4TH QUARTER AND THE YEAR

Electronics Technician 1st Class Justin Thompson, assigned to NETC Site East in Virginia Beach, VA, was selected as NETC’s 4th Qtr. FY-22 Senior SOQ. Thompson supervised 13 sailors in the successful resolution of 4,751 service requests supporting 48 learning sites across 12 Department of Defense installations. As baseline team lead, his efforts resulted in the successful build of 35 Naval Nuclear Propulsion information computers for submarine learning facility installations, all while updating, patching and maintaining an additional 34 baseline images, used for the deployment of more than 2,400 assets across the Hampton Roads area of responsibility.

Rear Adm. Pete Garvin, commander, Naval Education and Training Command (NETC), presents Gunner’s Mate 1st Class Andres Derizans, assigned to the NETC’s Supply Chain Operations directorate (N3) in Millington, TN, with a plaque for his selection as NETC’s fiscal year 2022 senior Sailor of the year during an awards ceremony in Pensacola, FL on January 10.

Information Systems Technician 2nd Class Sharonda McKenzie, also assigned to NETC Site East, was selected as NETC’s 4th Qtr. FY-22 Junior SOQ. McKenzie completed daily remediation checks across Non-classified Internet Protocol, Secure Internet Protocol Router Network and Naval Nuclear Propulsion information networks. She also supervised the reimaging of workstations and installation of software patches, which directly contributed to the remediation of vulnerabilities.

Naval Education and Training Command (NETC) awarded the Junior and Senior Sailors of the Quarter (SOQ) and of the Year (SOY) and Civilians of the Quarter (COQ) and of the Year (COY) for 4th Qtr. fiscal year (FY) 2022 and for FY-22 during a ceremony in Pensacola, FL on January 10.

Rear Adm. Pete Garvin, commander, NETC, delivered opening remarks and presented accolades to the Sailors and civilians during a ceremony held at NETC headquarters on Naval Air Station Pensacola.

“Congratulations to the awardees and their teammates,” Garvin said. “I think that everyone would say that it takes a team, and the NETC team is world class. Thank you all for everything that you do day-in and day-out to support the training of our Sailors so that they may be ready to fight and win when the Navy and the nation calls.”

Ms. Kelly Looney, a program analyst for Planning, Metrics, Analytics and Future Capabilities branch (N51) in Pensacola, FL, was selected as NETC’s 4th Qtr. FY-22 Senior COQ. She demonstrated exceptional performance coordinating and collaborating across the domain to improve performance outcomes aligned to strategic objectives. Looney completely redesigned the dashboard functionality for domain-wide performance of the MyNavy HR strategic goals using Tableau Software to speed up the process of updates and ensure others could complete updates as necessary.

Mrs. Carla Orr, while serving as the Lead Command Quota Control Program Analyst Supply Chain Operations, Norfolk, Virginia, was selected as NETC’s 4th Qtr. FY-22 Junior COQ. Her scope of responsibility included managing, overseeing, reviewing and processing over 12,560 quota requests, emails, and phone calls; tracking and managing more than 30 fleet special convening requests; and coordinating quota management and scheduling with more than 60 learning centers and learning sites.

Gunner’s Mate 1st Class Andres Derizans, assigned to the NETC’s Supply Chain Operations directorate (N3) in Millington, TN, was selected as NETC’s FY-22 Senior SOY. As a Gunner’s Mate (GM) rating specialist, Derizans led 18 in-rate trainings for 11 GMs, leading to eight qualifications and four warfare qualifications. Hand selected to lead the Combat

Photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Zachary Melvin

STORY BY PETTY OFFICER 2ND CLASS ZACHARY MELVIN, NAVAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING COMMAND

Systems Production Alignment Conference, he produced immediate results through the planning of future training pipelines for 3,794 Sailors for 11 training commands. He also planned, developed and implemented NETC’s first personnel qualification standard for detailers.

Information Systems Technician 2nd Class Salena Salinas, assigned to NETC Site East, was selected as NETC’s FY-22 Junior SOY. Salinas maintained five sites to stay compliant for 35,000 students across 48 buildings. She also managed the electronic key management system and is the lead for NETC Site East’s training program.

Mr. Damon Deloach, a product line analyst for NETC’s Supply Chain Operations (N31) in Millington, TN, was selected as NETC’s FY-22 Senior COY. Deloach is the Navy’s Inter-Service (ITRO) Production Line Analyst (PLA) and quota manager for the Army and Air Force. He demonstrated outstanding technical acumen and sound judgment while providing direction to the Navy’s ITRO and “Other Service” programs located at multiple sites throughout the United States. He ensured the precise quota management of over 3,500 course reservations for 11 ITRO “A” schools, 283 Army courses and 152 Air Force training courses.

Mr. Michael Elkins, a program analyst supervisor and reclassification lead for NETC’s Supply Chain Operations (N31) in Millington, TN, was selected

as NETC’s FY-22 Junior COY. Serving as the PLA and reclassification program supervisor with Supply Chain Operations, in Millington, Tenn., he led the Reclassification Order Writing transformation initiative. To date, over 1,400 sets of orders were written and released with an average availability to orders released time of 6.71 days, a reduction of thirty-two percent. Maximizing talent management, Sailor satisfaction and needs of the Navy, Mr. Elkins’ efforts resulted in the reclassification of 2,963 Sailors including 1,042 Sailors from Warrior Challenge ratings, 118 Sailor nominations to the submarine community and 179 Sailors to the cryptologic community. Additionally, he managed a team of 7 personnel locally and dozens more throughout the United States.

NETC’s mission is to recruit and hire talented civilians, deliver training and education to transform civilians into Sailors, and distribute accession Sailors to the fleet to maximize readiness and ensure mission success; to provide specialized training and educational tools to advance the personal and professional development of Sailors throughout their career; and serve as the sole claimant for individual training and education and as the principal advisor to the Chief of Naval Operations and Commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command on training and education related matters. For more information about NETC, visit the command’s website at netc. navy.mil/ and follow NETC’s Facebook page at facebook.com/NETCHQ.