Inweekly Nov. 7 2024 Issue by Inweekly

PENSACOLA MUSEUM OF ART

70TH ANNIVERSARY

Presented by Pensacola Museum of Art Oct. 31 - Nov. 10

ECLECTIC FIDELITIES

Presented by Pensacola State College Oct. 31 - Nov. 11

THE BLUE TREES

Presented by University of West Florida Historic Trust | Nov. 1 - 9

PENSACOLA THROUGH THE CAMERA

Presented by the Wide Angle Photo Club | Nov. 1 - 3

LIZZIE: THE MUSICAL

Presented by PenArts | Nov. 5 - 9

CARMEN: THE TRAVELER

Presented by Pensacola Opera | Nov. 7

THE LIVING MUSEUM: A TRIP THROUGH PENSACOLA ’ S HISTORY

Presented by Fiesta Pensacola | Nov. 7

VOCTAVE: THE CORNER OF BROADWAY & MAIN STREET

Presented by Choral Society of Pensacola | Nov. 8

JOYFUL NOISE! GOSPEL CELEBRATION

Presented by WSRE PBS | Nov. 8 - 10

HIZASHICON

Presented by Japan America Society of Northwest Florida | Nov. 9

NIGHT MOVES MUSIC FEST

Presented by Night Moves | Nov. 9

JAZZ FOR JUSTICE

Presented by Legal Services of North Florida Nov. 10

NIGHT ON THE TRACKS

Presented by 309 Punk Project | Nov. 10

Gospel Competition | Featured Performances | Food Trucks Special Guests: SING HARLEM

SAT NOV 9 | 12PM-5PM | FREE! Gospel Competition, Featured Performances & Food Trucks Pensacola High School Auditorium

SAT NOV 9 | 12PM–5PM Pensacola High School Auditorium

Celebrate the cultural impact of gospel music with performances by New York’s Sing Harlem choir, Solomon Bozeman & The Sounds of the Gulf Coast, Pastor Larry Watson Jr., Soulful Movement: Spirit of Excellence, Dixon After Hours Performing Arts Academy, plus eight local groups singing for top honors in the Joyful Noise! Gospel Competition.

SPONSORED IN PART BY: Foo Foo Festival, Scarlett Magazine | FACES Pensacola, Cat Country 98.7 | NewsRadio | ESPN Pensacola, Anonymous, Edward Jones I

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winners & losers winners losers

Friday–Sunday, Nov 15–17

Hours: 10–6 Fri & Sat | 12–3 Sun

WSRE Jean & Paul Amos Performance Studio Pensacola State College

Free Admission & Weekend Photos with Santa

Take the tree of your dreams home for the holidays!

Trees and wreaths, decorated by local designers and community groups, will be available for purchase or online auction bidding with proceeds supporting the WSRE-TV Foundation.

Scan for event details at wsre.org/events.

outtakes

By Rick Outzen

COMMON SENSE

A recent University of West Florida Haas Center study covering 46 acres of a former Navy landing field (OLF-8) found that building light industrial facilities on the site would generate significant economic impact: $1.3 billion over five years for the local economy; local tax revenue of $10.8 million; 1,550 direct, indirect and induced jobs; and $445.5 million in total personal income.

Four years ago, the Pensacola News Journal (PNJ), consultant firm DPZ CoDesign and a small group of Beulah residents headed by Theresa Blackwell tried to convince the county commission and the public that the best use of OLF-8 was a town center with residential, retail and public space.

According to the Request of Proposal, DPZ had been tasked to "determine and balance the highest and best economic use for the property with uses that enhance the quality of life for those who live or work in Beulah while maximizing the creation of jobs with wages higher than the Escambia County median income."

In September 2020, DPZ had Weitzman Associates present its market research study, which was pessimistic about OLF-8's potential as a commerce park. The study favored retail that catered to Navy Federal's employees and more housing—specifically, 900 new traditional rental units, 200 loft rental apartments, 400 for-sale townhomes, 100 for-sale patio homes, 100 forsale cottages and 200 for-sale traditional singlefamily homes built over four phases. It should be noted that Navy Federal paid for the consultant.

Weitzman underestimated the need for a light industrial commerce park, concluding that 100 acres for the commerce park would be sufficient to create 2,000 jobs but would likely only succeed if built along with a "compelling mixed-use program."

DPZ said that locals led by Blackwell, under the guise of the Beulah Coalition, wanted its Village Plan. This hybrid design devoted 286 acres to open space or farms, 170 acres to multi-family and lowdensity residential, 72 acres to a commerce park and nine acres to retail and other commercial uses.

But there was a problem. For more than two decades, the Escambia County Commission and the Pensacola Chamber had worked to create a commerce park with easy access to Interstate 10.

They identified OLF-8 in Beulah. With the help of Congressman Jeff Miller, the county eventually got the Navy to agree to exchange it for land near NAS Whiting in Santa Rosa County.

When DPZ CoDesign unveiled its plan, the county commissioners pushed back, and so did this newspaper. Millions had been spent to acquire OLF-8 for job creation, not a town center for Beulah. Blackwell and the PNJ weren't happy.

"We are fortunate to have DPZ and their partners working for us, helping us as we map out OLF-8's future," she wrote in a viewpoint. She urged residents to contact their commissioners. "Tell them we don't need another ghost town commerce park on our public land."

The PNJ Editorial Board would later echo Blackwell's feelings and saw the commissioners' discussion as a "brazen insult to the citizens of Beulah." They wanted the OLF-8 master plan to validate its CivicCon model for community involvement. The debate over OLF-8 sparked the daily newspaper's editorial attacks on the county commission, which continued and intensified over the past four years.

However, the planning process was rigged and didn't reflect what Beulah residents and the rest of the county wanted.

Inweekly requested DPZ's emails and found that the consultant had a special relationship with Navy Federal, PNJ and Blackwell, giving them copies of their report before anyone else. DPZ even coached Blackwell and Navy Federal leaders on how to fight against a commerce park. The consultant's spokesperson helped the News Journal write her story about the master plan.

Eventually, the county commission passed a hybrid plan that set aside 271 acres for light indus trial and job creation, and now we know the true economic impact of that land.

COMMERCIAL LAND FOR SALE

$2,800,000 • 7.8 acres New wetland survey April 2023! 3283 Gulf Breeze Pkwy by Publix at Tiger Point and Tiger Point Park Drive. Access from Hwy 98 and Tiger

Haas Center director Nicole Gislason told me it is common sense that light manufacturing jobs are more impactful than retail ones: "If you take one manufacturing job and compare it to one retail job, the amount of personal wealth you build from that manufacturing job's always going to outpace that of a retail one."

Why didn't the PNJ realize this?

{in} rick@inweekly.net

(Annual)

Pensacola Waterfront on Palafox with Parking! 2 story building

(dock not included).

By Tom St. Myer

SCHOOL BOARD FIXTURES STEP ASIDE

Two Escambia County School Board fixtures bid adieu this month after leaving an indelible mark on the school district.

Patty Hightower and Bill Slayton each decided against seeking another term and participated in their last school board meeting earlier this month. Hightower steps aside after serving 20 years. Slayton nearly matches her with 16 years of service.

"The number of students through their leadership who have benefited is over 1.5 million," Supt. Keith Leonard said. "That's a lot of students to have an impact on as a school board member."

The school district underwent its share of seismic changes during the past two decades, but the two level-headed school board members provided a calming influence amidst some chaos—the switch from an elected to appointed superintendent, the firing of Supt. Tim Smith and the removal of dozens of books from school libraries each occurred in their final two terms.

"We've handled ourselves well as a board," Hightower said. "I don't know if I can take credit for that, but I think we've been professional and collegiate, and I think that comes from all of us wanting to work together and set a good example for our students and community."

The two school board members responded effectively to those challenges by putting students' interests first. They left the school district in better shape than when they began their tenures. Their curtain call comes with career academies thriving and school grades on the rise. For the 2023-24 school year, 16 schools improved their grades, and only one earned a grade worse than a C. Four schools earned Ds, and four earned Fs the previous school year.

"A school board member is an integral part of the equation for allowing a school district to find ways to be successful," Leonard said.

PATTY HIGHTOWER

Hightower advocated for students, their parents and employees throughout her tenure. She is one of nine school board members in the state to earn the advanced boardman certification for demonstrating leadership deemed above and beyond.

She never taught at an Escambia County school, but she contributed significantly to education locally and statewide.

Before serving as a school board member, Hightower positively influenced the school district as a member of parent-teacher associations (PTA) and parent-teacher-student associations (PTSA).

Hightower has held various leadership positions for the Florida School Boards Association, including president from 2015-17. She currently serves as chair of the Florida School Labor Relations Board and is a member of the Florida School Boards Insurance Trust.

"Probably more so at the state level, her leadership is going to be missed," said school board member Paul Fetsko.

Fetsko said he and Hightower disagreed on some issues, but he respected her, and their disagreements always remained civil.

One issue they butted heads on concerned Smith. Fetsko made the motion to terminate the embattled superintendent. His surprising motion passed 3-2. The two dissenting votes? Hightower and Slayton.

"I don't think they really gave Dr. Smith enough time," Hightower said. "That one was a little harsh in the way the board carried it out. I think we should have given the public a little more notice."

Slayton agreed with Hightower, saying, "I had a great relationship with Tim Smith. I thought we were moving in the right direction. Other board members didn't feel that way."

"I thought we were moving in the right direction. Other board members didn't feel that way."

Bill Slayton

Both Slayton and Hightower commended Leonard for his stewardship since replacing Smith as superintendent. Based on students improving their Florida Assessment of Student Thinking (FAST) test scores, the school district is unquestionably moving in the right direction.

"Keith's done a wonderful job," Slayton said. "If we had stayed with elected, he might have been the superintendent anyway."

BILL SLAYTON

Slayton felt the sting of losing an election for superintendent. Jim Paul defeated him in 2004. Still, Slayton preferred to let voters determine the superintendent. When the school board voted on a motion to put a referendum on the 2018 ballot to switch to an appointed superintendent, Slayton cast the only dissenting vote. Escambia voters approved the referendum by fewer than 1,000 votes.

Slayton steps away from the school district after 52 years of service. "Anything we have been able to do to make education stronger in Escambia County, that's what I'm proud of," he said.

The Pensacola High School graduate began as a band director at Tate High. In 1981, he directed "Showband of the South" to the No. 1 ranking in the nation.

Slayton then served as a fine arts supervisor for the school district. Fine arts programs benefited from Slayton and Hightower serving on the school board. Each fought to keep the fine arts programs alive during lean budget years.

In 1991, Slayton turned his attention to administrative roles, first as the assistant principal

and later as principal at Woodham High School. He capped his career by serving two years as principal at George Stone Technical Center. Slayton retired in 2007 and was elected to the school board the following year.

"I always looked at him on the board for the administrator point of view," Hightower said. "Bill would bring that former administrator sense."

Hightower and Slayton both reflect fondly on their years of service, but neither of them will miss school board meetings that dragged on for hours due to a vocal minority in the community questioning why certain books remained on library shelves. House Bill 1069 took effect July 1, 2023, and opened the floodgates.

The bill restricts books that include sexual content from grades deemed unsuitable. The school district began pulling books at a precipitous clip in response to the bill, but the vocal minority still used the public forums at school board meetings to criticize anyone associated with the school district.

"What bothers me is people come to the podium who make it sound like we have people in our district doing things to hurt our children," said Hightower, whose voice cracked before she paused to cry. "For them to come and say that our teachers are putting things in the hands of our students that will hurt them— it's so disrespectful."

Slayton said some books deserved to be removed, and he was embarrassed they were in the libraries. However, he said, "These are statutes that came from the legislators that I don't think were well thought out."

Neither Hightower nor Slayton made rash decisions without thorough research. Perhaps the best indicator of their steadying influence on the school board was that both ran unopposed in all but their first elections.

Ironically, Slayton defeated Tom Harrell in 2008. Now, 16 years later, Harrell replaces him as the District 5 representative. Slayton endorsed Harrell during his campaign.

"It was easy to tell people that's who you should vote for," Slayton said.

Who replaces Hightower will be determined by a runoff election, the results of which were not announced until after the newspaper's print deadline. Either veteran Navy pilot Rich Holzknecht or teacher and guidance counselor Carissa Bergosh will represent District 4. Whoever is elected will serve a maximum of two terms. In 2023, the state reduced term limits to eight years. Hightower and Slayton are the last of their kind, and their departures leave a sizable void. For the first time in two decades, the school district will operate without either of them sitting on the dais for school board meetings.

"I'll probably be home watching," Hightower said. "I've already told them, 'Trust me, if you do something stupid, I will call you.'" {in}

NAS WHITING FIELD MWR HONORED

The American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration, in partnership with the National Recreation and Park Association, announced Naval Air Station Whiting Field's Morale Welfare and Recreation (MWR) department as the Grand Plaque Recipient for the 2024 National Gold Medal Award (Excellence in Park and Recreation Management in the Armed Forces category).

This prestigious accolade is awarded to public parks and recreation agencies, state park systems across the U.S. and armed forces recreation programs worldwide. It recognizes outstanding performance in long-range planning, resource management and innovation in recreation service delivery.

NAS Whiting Field MWR Director Katie Prestesater said, "After years of competition, being celebrated as a finalist and ultimately receiving the gold medal is remarkable."

"This award serves as a testament to the outstanding efforts of our team. This achievement reflects the dedication, hard work and collaboration of our employees who serve our warfighters, their families and the Department of Defense community."

Commanding Officer NAS Whiting Field Capt. Ted Elkins added, "I have been blown away by how awesome our MWR team is and love all they do to improve the quality of life for our Sailors, Marines and Coast Guardsmen here in Milton, Fla."

The NAS Whiting Field MWR team serves military members and their families at Whiting with recreational, physical fitness and family activities such as 5K fun runs, physical fitness challenges, campouts, movie nights, library activities and many other events geared toward enhancing a family community and morale among Sailors.

Agencies are judged on their ability to address the needs of those they serve through the collective energies of community members, staff members and elected officials.

PLEASE MOVE EYESORE The Pensacola Beach waterfront sewage treatment plant is an eyesore that beach residents want moved

elsewhere. But that eyesore will remain on the pristine beach for the foreseeable future.

ECUA board member Dale Perkins made that point abundantly clear during a meeting Monday night organized by Pensacola Beach Advocates.

"People have wanted us to move that plant forever, and the bad news is that it's not really technically, financially or practically feasible to just move the plant at this time," Perkins said.

Perkins further doused the beach residents with cold water when he explained that an unsightly structure would remain on the property even if the plant was moved.

"A lot of people think if they move the plant, we're just going to have nice, beautiful Soundfront property that we can utilize. That's not the case," he said. "Even if we move the plant, we're still going to have a massive lift station there. That pipe's still going to be there; we're still going to have a huge building."

Perkins said pumping raw sewage from the beach to another plant would cause issues. He said that environmentalists as well as residents who live near the chosen plant would voice their displeasure.

"You've got [people saying,] 'Not in my backyard—we don't want Pensacola Beach pooping all over us.' And then a lot of environmental people don't want raw sewage lines going across that Bay. If a barge hits it, if it leaks, if it rusts, you don't have highly treated effluent in the Bay; you have raw sewage in the Bay. That's a big threat, a big problem."

Perkins used to live on the beach and said he sympathized with the residents. He acknowledged the plant is an eyesore.

"You don't want a sewage treatment plant in the middle of a beautiful paradise like this, but we have to do something with the stuff you send us," Perkins said. "That's the reality of it. We can't just let it pile up or go into the water."

An engineering firm conducted a study in 2017 on the cost of potentially building pipelines across the Sound and Pensacola Bay to the Cantonment plant. The study estimated the cost to be $175 million.

"It would be a hard sell politically to get the rest of the county citizens to agree to fund that, and that's even if you could do it technologically

and scientifically in addition to the politics and geography," Perkins said.

Beach resident Tom Luke suggested using some of the remaining BP oil money to cover the expense.

"It's sitting in a big pile over here," Luke said. "With an environmental project, we can use the money on it. We just need somebody to ask for it. If nobody asks, you're not going to get it. There are so many people out there who want to get this done. The financing has been the problem."

When questioned about that possibility, Perkins said, "I support that 100%. If you can get the BP committee, the local members who sit on there, to move the beach treatment plant and find a way of doing that, I'll be the first one out there addressing them and saying, 'Hey, I support this, and we'll do everything we can to facilitate it.'"

Luke said obtaining government grants is another option. He cited how the City of Gulf Breeze received grants for its septic-to-sewer conversion project.

Pensacola Beach Advocates President Rhonda Dorfman sided with Luke and a significant portion of the crowd who believe moving the plant is viable if researched thoroughly enough.

"My board members and other people say we can do this, and then, of course, [Perkins] started off saying, 'You can't do this. It's too expensive.' It's too this and too that," Dorfman said. "We know where there's a will, there's a way. It sounds like there's no will over there, but we'd like to show them the way."

SWAT HISTORY Last month, Mayor D.C. Reeves unveiled the Pensacola Police Department's BearCat for its SWAT unit. He said the vehicle replaced an old white van that had served as the SWAT's previous transportation.

"I'm not sure how many plumbers in the city would've used the old Econoline van for their own business," he told Inweekly later. "I believe this request has been on the books for either 13 or 14 years. Having a BearCat causes de-escalation. When you roll up and there's some bad actors at a bank or wherever, they will be more intimidated and more likely drop their weapons when they see the BearCat rather than the Econoline van."

Escambia County Sheriff Chip Simmons served as the police chief before joining the county, first as an assistant county administrator and then as chief deputy, before running for sheriff in 2020. He also was the PPD SWAT commander and joked about what it was like before the BearCat.

"We had a wood panel van, and sometimes we rented a van," Sheriff Simmons recalled. "I do remember one case where we all jumped into the back of this moving van because we were doing a search warrant at a hotel room, which is very difficult. And we actually had an easel in the back of that van, and we were drawing on pieces of paper talking about how you get to side A, B and C and D. We had fold-up chairs back there."

He added, "Of course, that was a long time ago. We're a lot better now."

FOR KIDS The Escambia Children's Trust Program Committee met last week for two hours. They approved sending the Trust board a proposal to let local middle school students attend the National Flight Academy for one week during the school year. The committee also approved a Micro-Grant program and discussed how the measurement of its Out-of-School programs would be tightened heading into Year 3 of their grants.

Pat Everly presented the committee with a sole-source request to fund a National Flight Academy project that would send 42 students to the academy for one week. Each Escambia County middle school would choose a cohort of students that would have a week once during the school year. The annual cost will be $383,670.

"The overarching theme is to get an experience to the kids in Escambia County that wouldn't necessarily get to go through one of our programs in the summer," said Everly. "This is a way, in a very contained, controlled educational environment, to give them some very unique experiences and the ability to see some things they might not normally get to see."

Committee member Tori Woods expressed concerns about committing to three years as the Trust budget tightens when other programs expand and are renewed.

"I think the program is great," Woods said. "My biggest concern is we have other programs, so I want to be sure that we have money to take care of them."

Executive Director Lindsey Cannon showed the committee a rolling five-year budget that estimated the Trust had about $1.8 million uncommitted annually. The Trust would like to use $500,000 for a proposed Micro-Grant program, leaving $1.3 million for programs like the Flight Academy proposal.

Eventually, the Program Committee approved sending the Flight Academy proposal to the full board. The vote was 3-1, with Stephanie White, Dr. Rex Northup and David Williams in favor and Tori Woods opposed.

The Escambia Children's Trust CARE (Community, Access, Resilience and Empowerment) grants will allow nonprofits to seek funding for existing programs, advocacy efforts or events and activities that support the children and families in Escambia County. The grants will be up to $50,000 and are only available for one time.

Not all the funds allocated for various programs are used, and the Trust recaptures them.

"We started looking into how could we help our nonprofits with some of these recaptured or unspent dollars," Cannon said. "They don't need to sit in the bank. They need to be out working for children."

Cannon's counterparts in Miami recommended establishing a mini-grant process. "And so we looked into that and saw how they did it. We morphed that to what we were hearing from our local community and from our

Photo Courtesy of NAS Whiting Field Public Affairs Office

individual meetings with nonprofits that we have not funded yet, and we looked at how we could establish relationships with them to make sure they have what they need to serve the kids they're serving."

Cannon also informed the committee that the Trust staff has been meeting with OST providers and expects to tighten the monitoring and measurement of their programs. The programs are set to enter their third year in late February 2025. She warned that not all of them may be recommended for renewal. Some may be recommended for a third and final year but at a reduced budget.

"We're already having our collaborative meetings with them where we're reviewing budget outcomes, attendance, all the things and how they're going to proceed going forward, looking at their original proposal and what they proposed for their budget and give them the opportunity to adjust within the dollars that were there in their proposal," the executive director said. "So we're in the process of that. We'll have a recommendation on those in December at our program committee and then the board meeting."

Cannon asked the program committee to consider doing a partial extension to the end of the school year so the Trust can see the

school year data on the students in the various programs. Providers offering summer programs may be extended to the end of July. The committee didn't vote on that recommendation, but she will bring it back next month.

Deborah Ray, the director of programs and performance, said, "You should have enough measures through February, at least two official ones as far as standardized tests. If their outcomes are aligning with what those goals would be, we would be able to see at least two data points for them."

The committee expects the providers to show their results. Woods shared that in Year 2, the Trust and providers found "the kinks" in their programs, and the Trust staff learned more about what data to request from them.

"So now we're on to Year 3," she said. "Now it's like, 'Okay, we had two years; we have a little more experience. So now this is what we need y'all to do because we didn't know that until you got experience."

The Escambia Children's Trust Board meets in commission chambers at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 12. Visit escambiachildrenstrust.org for more information.

BRUCE BEACH COMPLETE The City of Pensacola has rescheduled the grand opening

of Bruce Beach to celebrate the completion of the Bruce Beach Revitalization Project and the unveiling of Phase 2. Weather permitting, the event will take place at 3 p.m. Friday, Nov. 8, at Bruce Beach, 601 W. Main St. Originally postponed due to a spike in water bacteria levels, the city is moving forward with the park's grand opening as bacteria levels have returned to normal, and the "No Swim" advisory lifted.

In late October, the city's Community Redevelopment Agency was awarded the 2024 Roy F. Kenzie Award at the Florida Redevelopment Association Conference in Tampa for Best Capital Project/Infrastructure for a Large City for Phase 1 of the Bruce Beach Revitalization Project.

The project is part of the Pensacola Waterfront Framework Plan, supporting the city's goal of creating a more connected public waterfront. All residents, stakeholders and community members are invited to join the City of Pensacola, Mayor D.C. Reeves, Pensacola City Council and the City of Pensacola Community Redevelopment Agency to celebrate this grand opening.

The project was designed by the planning and engineering firm HDR, with consistency review from SCAPE and input from the public. The City of Pensacola awarded Biggs Construc-

tion Inc. a contract to begin construction of the Bruce Beach Revitalization Project in 2022.

OTHER CITY NEWS Early this past summer, Mayor Reeves reported that the installation of outdoor restrooms, Portland Loos, would be delayed because the installation bids come back at $140,000 each.

"We had just put one in at Bruce Beach for maybe $50,000 or $60,000, and that was just a few weeks before that," he said. "We hit the pause button, and then we said, 'You know what? We'll probably get even better pricing if we go ahead and wait on the third one, which we're putting in Museum Plaza.' ... Our thought was, we were so close to getting that third one and getting the agreement done that we would've kind of felt silly to go re-bid the two and then go re-bid one. So we just said, 'All right, let's clump 'em all together.'"

The mayor added, "We've got a bid out there to install all three with the hopes that we were somewhere in the stratosphere of a reasonable cost."

Since August 2022, Inweekly has provided "Potty of the People," a portable toilet on North Palafox Street that is available to the public 24 hours a day. {in}

Biggs Construction Company, Inc. is honored to have worked with The City of Pensacola Redevelopment Agency and HDR Engineering, Inc. to construct Bruce Beach Phase 1 and 2 Revitalization Project for the enjoyment of the citizens of Pensacola.

Biggs Construction Company would like to recognize the local venders and specialty contractors that assisted us with this 2.25 year build:

A-1 Hurricane Fence

Alabama Pipe & Supply

Allstop Waterproofing, LLC

Aluma Designs

Banner Industrial Construction, Inc.

Bay Area Blueprint

Bayou City Striping

Bell Steel Company

Breeze Concrete Construction, LLC

Building Supply Center

Chucks Concrete Pumping

Coastal Container

Coastal Machinery

Coastal Pile Driving, Inc.

Consolidated Pipe & Supply Company

Cygnus Solutions, LLC

Daniels Commercial Insurance

Eager Beaver

Ed Emmons Steel Erectors, Inc

Ferguson Enterprises

Florida Pest Control

Gulf Coast Traffic Engineers, Inc.

Herc Rentals

IDS Concrete Cutting

J & J Plumbing and Gas, LLC

Joe Dereuil & Associates

Johnson Electrical Services, Inc.

McDirt Industries, LLC

Outerspaces Landscapes

Panhandle Concrete Cutting

Paul Patrick Electric, Inc.

Pensacola Hardware Company

Ready Mix USA

Rudd & Sons Welding

Talcon (Warrington Utility)

Thompson Tractor

Tompkins Painting Inc.

Tracy Downs Plumbing

United Rentals

They're hermits, but they're not unfriendly.

This is how Alec O'Hanley (guitar) breaks down the band members of Alvvays (pronounced Always) beyond their music. He plays pick-up basketball games at the nearest YMCA or at a city gym in Toronto, and Molly Rankin (lead vocals) is a bike rider who can usually be found hanging out with Kerri MacLellan (keyboards).

Along with Sheridan Riley (drums), they'll play dumb board games together; it's all very cute and normal, he said. But hermits must venture out sometimes, too.

"You have to be comfortable with yourself; you kinda got to like your own company to go into the solitude of creativity, but you do have to temper that with, I think, hanging out with people," O'Hanley said. "It's always better when you do the thing. If someone's around and wants to hang, more often than not, you derive some value from not being a total cave-dweller."

It's probably O'Hanley's grounded nature that allows him to tune out the noise—even if it's widespread critical acclaim. Alvvays is known for staying under the radar.

Rolling Stone Magazine calls Alvvays' debut album "the best indie-pop record of the 2010s." Released in 2014, it topped the college charts. Their second album, "Antisocialites," and third album, "Blue Rev," each won the Juno Award for Alternative Album of the Year; a Juno Award in Canada is the equivalent of a Grammy Award in the U.S. Their song "Belinda Says" was nominated for Best Alternative Music Performance at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards.

But they can't listen to that acclaim much, O'Hanley explained. They're not like jazz, which he describes as an "internal pure art thing." They're pop music, written with an audience in mind, he said.

a slippery slope," O'Hanley said. "But it's certainly nice when people give you a nod; it's better than the alternative—tomatoes being thrown our way. I don't know. It's patchy. I feel like we will always be a bit of a cult band, and the most we could hope for is sort of that niche approval, I guess, in certain pockets. I don't know if we have that sort of pop oomph to really push ourselves anything beyond that, and that's cool—most of the bands we listen to are kind of cult-y, for lack of a better term."

'ARCHIE, MARRY ME'

Alvvays wasn't an overnight success.

They came from humble beginnings, building the band around talent, chemistry and a couple instruments they sourced from a pawn shop. It's all they needed.

O'Hanley met Rankin in Halifax in Nova Scotia, Canada, at one of his high school band's shows. Because of shared musical tastes, they often ran into each other at different concerts.

"I, like a lot of kids from that part of the world, had grown up listening to her family's music, The Rankin Family," O'Hanley said. "It's traditional Celtic, sort of Scottish music that's pretty folk inflected and pop-y. And it was just the summer soundtrack for a lot of people, a lot of Canadians in particular. So I knew about Molly's lineage, and she started sending me a few songs, demos of hers, and you could tell she sang like a bird and had this very pure angle on songwriting that I hadn't heard before. I had been playing guitar for a while at that point."

The band was born when Rankin showed him a demo for "Archie, Marry Me."

Feeling the Melody With Night Moves Fest Headliner Alvvays

By Savannah Evanoff

melodic capacity was pretty deep," O'Hanley said. "I kind of feel like I exist to assist in many ways, so I love getting the germ of an idea and trying to water it with someone and see what sprouts, and Molly is just sort of a fountain of melodic ideas and funny lyrics; she was so receptive to The Replacements records I was lending her and The Smiths and Teenage Fan Club and all this stuff."

They're fortunate they can listen to the same stuff, he said, mentioning Rankin was an Oasis zealot growing up.

"She ended up getting tickets for the Toronto show coming up later this year, so she's pumped."

'UNHINGED ENERGY'

While new music is in the more long-term goal category, they're always writing; it never stops. O'Hanley said his strength is in reharmonizing, i.e., putting different chords together for Rankin's melodies.

"She's the best melody maker I know," O'Hanley said. "We just go down into our respective dungeons mentally, and then if we find anything down there worth showing the other, then we show off our shiny objects … Usually, we'll run into a roadblock of some sort compositionally that the other person can typically help resolve in fairly speedy fashion."

Because this year marks the 10th anniversary of their first album recorded with Chad VanGaalen, they made a version remastered specifically for vinyl that will drop later this year.

"We don't play it every night, but for whatever reason, I'm into The Psychedelic Furs quite a bit lately, and that one kind of scratches that itch for me," O'Hanley said. "But 'Tile By Tile' has been fun to play lately, too. For whatever reason, it's a little more technically demanding. I don't play a ton of guitar, but it's just a funny cartoon of a little pop song."

They look forward to performing at Night Moves Fest—and in Florida specifically. They've had good Florida experiences; he distinctly remembers they played "where the Seminoles play."

"That was a funny one; that was the one show, our one and only show [where] our manager at the time mixed like he was the sound guy, so it was a weird unicorn in our minds," O'Hanley said. "But Tampa and Orlando this year were—I don't know—it felt like there was some pent-up energy that was released both nights. We were looking around; it had that kind of chaotic, jittery, excited, unhinged energy that you reach for on certain nights and just isn't there. But the crowds of Florida were actually insane."

ALVVAYS AT NIGHT MOVES FEST*

WHAT: An outdoor music festival featuring Alvvays, Silversun Pickups, Beach Fossils, Tigers Jaw and more

WHEN: 1-11 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 9

"If you start having a wandering eye toward critical consensus or something like that, then it's

"I could immediately see something emerging from that seed," O'Hanley said.

They didn't have a gestation period, he added.

"I feel like we weren't totally fully formed when we started tracking, but we were close enough to get the point across, and Molly's

They've enjoyed playing many of the selftitled tracks lately; they have as much fun playing older material as newer stuff. In other words, they're not one of those bands that denigrate the old stuff in order to artificially prop up the new, O'Hanley said.

He likes playing some of the weirder ones (tracks), alluding to "Velveteen" from the album "Blue Rev."

WHERE: Hunter Amphitheater at Community Maritime Park, 301 W. Main St. COST: $59.99 GA, $199.99 VIP

DETAILS: alvvays.com, nightmovesfest.com

*For more on Night Moves Fest, turn to page 12.

Alvvays / Photo by Tim Snow

Not Just a Show

By Savannah Evanoff

It's hard to forget the first time you experienced live music.

For Robert Goodspeed, it was at a festival— and the first band he saw was a local one called EndingsEdge.

"When I watched them, I was like, 'This is a band from here that's playing the kind of music I like. I can't believe this exists.' I thought music only existed at big concerts," Goodspeed said. "So then, I follow them on MySpace and find out they're playing shows in town. And when I go to their shows, I see that there's this whole underground scene. It's the reason I got into everything I'm doing, I guess this is 20 years later."

Goodspeed, the founder and director of Night Moves Fest (and a musician), knows he's shared that story a time or two but doesn't mind repeating himself if it means people understand the impact a festival can have.

"I hope [Night Moves Fest] gives people in the audience a chance to experience that, too; we have seven local, regional acts that people can say, 'Whoa, I'd love to go see them the next time they play,'" Goodspeed said. "Obviously most of these bands play The Handlebar, so that gets them into The Handlebar, and that gets them into the music scene, and maybe gets them to pick up an instrument and start a band or makes them want to book a band themselves—or book a better festival than we do."

The second annual Night Moves Fest lineup

is composed of many bands they've inquired about in the past, such as Tigers Jaw—a band that loves Pensacola but has never performed here, Goodspeed said. A chunk of it is actually a tour, he said, including Drug Church, Modern Color, Soul Blind and Pony.

"We were very fortunate to have that entire tour join the festival," Goodspeed said. "I've played with Soul Blind … those are all bands that are very intertwined with the hardcore space, which is where I learned how to book shows and promote and everything like that. So having elements of that is super important to me on the lineup, because I think we all speak the same DIY, hard-work language."

To clarify, they're not all "hardcore bands."

"I'd say Drug Church is a hardcore band, but it's very accessible music," Goodspeed said. "It's groovy, upbeat, energetic."

The headliner, Alvvays, is an indie pop icon, Goodspeed said.

"They have several hits that are very big— and they've certainly risen the ranks in the alternative space," Goodspeed said. "Same with Beach Fossils. Beach Fossils was, I think, a solo project that was like a bedroom lo-fi indie thing that turned into this really great atmospheric and chill live performance."

Goodspeed likes having a band that ties it all back to a different time—like Built to Spill did at last year's festival.

"We think Silversun Pickups is kind of the same concept, and then we have some bigger, up-and-coming artists to round it out, with stuff sprinkled in that we personally really like," Goodspeed said. "And that's how the lineup gets built."

Baby in the 90s and Hubble are regional acts that have performed at The Handlebar and fit well into this year's lineup. The Gills, Heavy Kid, Feed Lemon and Morning Trips are local bands that do the same.

And Night Moves won't just have music; it will include food vendors, such as P'cola Rolla, MI SU Street Food, Maker's Cafe & Espresso Bar and Parlor Doughnuts. It will also feature resale vendors, jewelry and art vendors.

"A new installment we're working on is something with UWF in regard to creating art through environmental sustainability, so a lot of recycled products are being reused into creating these art pieces that are going to be interactive at the festival grounds," Goodspeed said. "We wanted the festival to feel a little bit more immersive. Last year, we had a show and that was fun, and we really liked that. But this year, we want there to be a little bit more going on. So we have a two-stage concept, and we're gonna have some DJs in a little lounge-y area, and just a lot of different things to do while you're there to make you feel like you're at a festival, and not just at a show."

featuring Alvvays, Silversun Pickups, Beach Fossils, Tigers Jaw and more WHEN: 1-11 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 9

WHERE: Hunter Amphitheater at Community Maritime Park, 301 W. Main St. COST: $59.99 GA, $199.99 VIP DETAILS: nightmovesfest.com

Night Moves Fest is also selling $114 weekend passes that include access to the following events:

•Anthony Raneri at The Handlebar on Thursday, Nov. 7

•AJJ and Michael Cera Palin at The Handlebar on Friday, Nov. 8

•Night Moves Fest at Hunter Amphitheater at Community Maritime Park on Saturday, Nov. 9

•Show Me the Body and MSPAINT at The Handlebar on Sunday, Nov. 10

Photo Courtesy of Night Moves Fest / By Dee Dee Kohl

Make Some Joyful Noise

By Jennifer Leigh

When Jennifer Knisbell saw a preview of the Henry Louis Gates documentary "Gospel," she was inspired to share that energy with the WSRE community.

singing along. I got chills," said Knisbell, WSRE Director of Development and Community Engagement. "In that moment, it became clear that gospel music wasn't just a subject for a documentary—it was a living, unifying force."

Hello HizashiCon

By Dakota Parks

Calling all fans, gamers and cosplayers— there's a new con coming to town. Hosted by the Japan-America Society of Northwest Florida, the HizashiCon Anime Festival is more than just a celebration of anime, manga and video games; it's also a tribute to Japanese pop culture and a unique opportunity for cultural exchange.

"Anime is one of the most popular forms of Japanese culture in America, and people are so passionate about it," said Joe Vinson, Vice President of the aforementioned society. "This convention is a great way to build on that interest and fulfill our mission of promoting stronger ties of friendship and understanding between the U.S. and Japan."

This new festival aims to deepen appreciation for Japanese culture while creating a space for fans to connect, learn and celebrate their shared interests. Vinson's personal journey into Japanese culture began during his year abroad in Hiroshima.

"After studying abroad, I started attending the Japanese New Year Celebration in Pensacola

be performances from Soloman Bozeman, The Sounds of the Gulf Coast and Sing Harlem, the resident group at New York City's renowned Red Rooster Harlem. Part of the gospel celebration will be a private student workshop at Dixon School of Arts & Sciences and a Sunday gospel brunch with Sing Harlem. The brunch is sold out, but don't worry: Sing Harlem will be performing at the Saturday competition, which is free admission. The celebrity guest judge will be Ahmaya Knoelle Higginson, Sing Harlem choir director.

Knisbell was lucky enough to see Sing Harlem on a trip to New York City last year. The experience was "magical," she said. And she's looking forward to sharing that with Pensacola.

"I'm incredibly excited to introduce Sing Harlem; their presence will elevate the event and amaze our audience," said Knisbell. "They are a nationally acclaimed, award-winning choir that has graced some of the most prestigious stages across the country. Most recently, they were seen on 'America's Got Talent' and 'The View,' where they celebrated the 30th anniversary of 'Sister Act 2' alongside the original cast."

Sharing the stage will be local choirs showcasing their talents to an audience beyond their congregations. The top prize will be the opportunity to record a half-hour TV concert to be broadcast on WSRE.

"Highlighting local talent is impactful because these gospel singers and choirs represent the living legacy of the Black community in Pensacola, continuing to carry forward stories and traditions that have shaped the city for generations," said Knisbell. "This blend of national and local talent enriches the event, making it a truly inclusive celebration of both heritage and artistic expression."

"Before I was saved, I heard gospel music, but it was just music to me. It was good music, but it was just music," he explained. "I enjoyed the bass and the beat more than anything else. But after I was saved, the words of the songs meant more to me. … It was then when I truly heard the Gospel in the music. … That is the impact it has made in my life."

"No matter the context of your worship setting—black, white, rich, poor, suburban, rural—if the Gospel is being brought forth through song, the Spirit of the Lord will be in the midst of those whose hearts are in tune with the Gospel," he added.

The impact of gospel music is universal, said Knisbell.

"While its roots are in the African American church, gospel music transcends cultural, racial and religious boundaries, making it a universal language that speaks to the human spirit," she said.

Recognizing the cultural impact of gospel music was important to Knisbell. Like the documentary, it's an opportunity to educate and connect people, which is needed now more than ever.

"Our event incorporates educational moments that illuminate gospel's rich history, offering insights that invite all attendees to appreciate its cultural significance," said Knisbell. "Most importantly, it provides a welcoming space where individuals from all walks of life can come together, creating a sense of belonging and unity that is especially needed in today's divided world."

JOYFUL NOISE! GOSPEL COMPETITION

WHEN: 12-5 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 9

grant, the local PBS-affiliate is hosting a threepart event celebrating the cultural and creative impact of gospel music.

The main event is the gospel music competition featuring regional groups. There will also

Pastor Lonnie Wesley of Greater Little Rock Baptist Church will be one of the emcees of the competition. Gospel music has been a big part of both of his lives, he said—the life before he became a Christian and the life after.

every year to reconnect with the culture," he shared. "That is the event most people know our organization from. It's been wonderful to make events like these possible and to help foster the relationship between Pensacola and our Japanese sister city, Gero. Just this past summer, my own child got to travel to Gero and stay with a Japanese host family."

On Saturday, attendees can look forward to panel discussions featuring renowned voice actors from popular anime series, film screenings and music performances. Of course, no convention would be complete without meticulously crafted and heavily researched costumes. Attendees are encouraged to dress as their favorite anime characters and compete in a cosplay contest.

But the HizashiCon festivities kick off on Friday night with a concert.

"We're putting on a concert with Vocaloid and J-pop artists," Vinson said. "Fans will have the chance to meet these voice actors and get signed merchandise and photos. Alongside dozens of

arts, crafts and food vendors, the festival will also feature a maid café, which is a unique experience from the Shinjuku district of Tokyo as well an idol fest and a J-fashion show featuring an array of different clothing styles and subcultures."

Cultural representation and exchange are at the heart of HizashiCon, which gets its name from "Hizashi"—the Japanese word for sunshine. Vinson and organizers hope to shine light on Japan's rich culture and foster connection through art.

"Japanese culture is woven into anime and manga, and people who enjoy those media learn so much about the culture just through osmosis," Vinson explained. "It's important to us that we've created an event for all ages."

"I hope that people will leave wanting to learn more," he added. "We're co-hosting Japan Culture Day at the University of West Florida the weekend after HizashiCon, and our Japanese New Year Celebration is coming in January. Maybe [attendees'] love of anime will inspire them to visit Japan and see our sister city Gero."

WHERE: Pensacola High School Auditorium, 500 W. Maxwell St. COST: Free

DETAILS: wsre.org/events/joyfulnoise

WHAT: A weekend of Japanese anime and pop culture

WHEN: 6 p.m. Friday, Nov. 8 and 9:30 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 9

WHERE: First United Methodist Church's Wright Place, 6 E. Wright St. COST: $25 for adults, $15 for students and Japan-America Society of Northwest Florida members

DETAILS: animepensacola.com

Sing Harlem / Photo Courtesy of WSRE

Foo Foo Fest Week 2 Calendar

foofoofest.com/2024-events

The PMA is turning 70 and celebrating with free admission to the museum, located at 407 S. Jefferson St., through Sunday, Nov. 10. A curator presentation commemorating 70 years of the museum is 6-7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 7. The Permanent Collection Exhibition Gala is 5-8 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 9 at the museum. Tickets are $100 and can be purchased at pensacolamuseum.org.

THE BLUE TREES

University of West Florida Historic Trust presents environmental installation artist Konstantin Dimopoulos with his exhibit called "The Blue Trees: Environmental Installation." Trees along Zaragoza Street and Tarragona Street will be transformed as part of the installation which will be on view Nov. 1-9. More details at historicpensacola.org/plan-your-visit/calendarof-events/blue-trees.

ECLECTIC FIDELITIES

This joint exhibition from Pensacola State College's Visual Arts Department and Performing Arts Department features artwork and performances about women in the arts. Rachel Livedalen, Associate Professor of Printmaking at Texas Christian University, will be exhibiting paintings, prints and drawings through Dec. 13. The artist will host a workshop 5-6 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 6 and Thursday, Nov. 7. For more information, visit visualarts.pensacolastate.edu.

LIZZIE: THE MUSICAL

PenArts will debut this gothic rock musical about the cult pop culture figure Lizzie Borden. Performances are 7:30 p.m. Nov. 7-9 at The Gordon Community Art Center, 306 N. DeVilliers St. Tickets are available at penarts.org.

THE LIVING MUSEUM: A TRIP THROUGH PENSACOLA'S HISTORY

Fiesta Pensacola presents this interactive experience that tells Pensacola's story through the diverse residents who lived it. And it all starts in 1559 with the discovery of Pensacola by Don Tristan de Luna. The event is 5-7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 7 at the Pensacola Museum of History, 330 Jefferson St. Details at fiestapensacola.org.

abridged and re-orchestrated version of Bizet's libretto set in 1930s Seville. The show revolves around the downfall of a soldier who falls for a fiery woman named Carmen. Showtime is 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 7 at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. Tickets are $75 and include pre-show activities that begin at 5:30 p.m. Purchase tickets at pensacolaopera.com.

VOCTAVE: THE CORNER OF BROADWAY & MAIN STREET

The Choral Society of Pensacola presents this Central Florida-based a cappella group performing familiar tunes from Broadway musicals, Disney favorites and more. The ensemble will perform 7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 8 at First Baptist Church, 500 N. Palafox St. Tickets are $25 and available online at choralsocietyofpensacola.org.

HIZASHICON

The Japan American Society of Northwest Florida presents the HizashiCon Anime Festival celebrating anime, manga, video games and music. The convention is all day Saturday, Nov. 9 at First United Methodist Church's Wright Place, 6 E. Wright St. Tickets can be purchased at animepensacola.com/passes.

JOYFUL NOISE! GOSPEL CELEBRATION

This three-day event includes a private workshop for k-8 students and Sunday gospel brunch (sold out). The main event is the gospel competition, 12-5 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 9 at Pensacola High School auditorium, 500 W. Maxwell St. The competition will also feature a performance from New York City-based gospel choir Sing Harlem. The competition is free and open to the public. For details, visit wsre.org/events/joyfulnoise.

NIGHT MOVES FEST

The alternative/indie music festival is back with 2024 headliners Silversun Pickups, Alvvays and Beach Fossils. Gates open 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 9. The festival is at Hunter Amphitheater at Community Maritime Park, 301 W. Main St. General admission starts at $49.99 with VIP packages available. Free entrance for children under 10 years old. For more information, visit nightmovesfest.com.

JAZZ FOR JUSTICE

This annual jazz festival benefits Legal Services of Northwest Florida and features headliners Kermit Ruffins, Flow Tribe and 9th Avenue Brass Band

1-5 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 10 at Pensacola's Museum Plaza, 300 S. Tarragona St. Admission is free with VIP experiences available including catered food and bar. Details available at jazz.lsnf.org.

NIGHT ON THE TRACKS

309 Punk Project's regular event highlights the arts and culture of the railroad tracks and the neighborhood around it with a street parade, live music, film screenings, vendor market and more. Event begins at 1 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 10. Visit facebook.com/309punkproject for details.

FRIEND OF FOO EVENTS

QUAYSIDE GALLERY SCAVENGER HUNT

Visit Quayside Gallery at 17 Zaragoza St. for a list of questions you can answer through clues in the gallery. The scavenger hunt will be available through the duration of Foo Foo Fest.

PENSACOLA BACK TO THE FUTURE: TIME TRAVEL ADVENTURE AND SCAVENGER HUNT

Take part in this walking tour to learn more about Pensacola. Tours are available daily through Nov. 11. Tickets are $30 and can be purchased at pensacolaghostevents.com/tickets-tours-tolleys-hunts.

PENSACOLA AMAZING RACE: TOUR AND SCAVENGER HUNT

A blend of art, history and entertainment. Tours are available through Nov. 11. Tickets are $30 and available at pensacolaghostevents.com/ticketstours-tolleys-hunts.

SPIRITS OF SEVILLE QUARTER GHOST TOUR AND LUNCHEON

Explore Seville Quarter with this spooky tour available Nov. 7 and 10 at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. Times vary. Tickets available at pensacolaghostevents.com.

SEC SOCCER TOURNAMENT

The 2024 SEC Soccer Tournament will be played in Pensacola through Nov. 10 with the top 10 teams competing for the championship title. Games take place at Brosnaham Sports Complex, 10370 Ashton Brosnaham Dr. Tickets available at pensacolasports.org/sec-soccer-tournament.

FRANK BROWN INTERNATIONAL SONGWRITERS' FESTIVAL

Listen to the songs you love by the people who wrote them with one of the oldest songwriter festivals. Nearly 200 songwriters will be performing at various venues around the Pensacola area Nov. 7-11. For a full festival lineup, visit frankbrownsongwriters.com.

ATLAS BEVERAGE CLASS WITH NOSOTROS TEQUILA

Sip and savor selected beverages paired with appetizers 5 and 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 7 at Atlas Oyster House, 600 S. Barracks St. Tickets are $30.

Reservations are required. Make yours by calling (850) 287-0200 or email taylor@goodgrits.com.

ITALIAN COOKING CLASS AT THE LOFT

Learn to create your own Italian culinary masterpiece with Chef Laura at The Loft, 2 E. Intendencia St., 6-9 p.m. Friday, Nov. 8. Tickets are $130 which includes the cooking class, meal and discounts at Rusted Arrow. Tickets available at rustedarrowmercantile.com/events.

FOO FOO T-SHIRT TIE DYE

Bring your Foo Foo shirt to get tie dyed at Sir Richards's, 2719 E. Cervantes St., 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 8. Event is free with all materials provided.

BTB COMEDY AT ODD COLONY

Comedy show hosted by Delisia Nicholas and Olivia Searcy with live portrait drawing by Carter J. Show is 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 8 at Odd Colony, 260 N. Palafox St. Tickets are $10 and available on Eventbrite.

PENSACOLA ARTS MARKET

Check out local arts at the Pensacola Arts Market 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 9 at Cordova Square. Details available at facebook.com/pensacolaartsmarket.

BOURBON, BACON & CIGARS

Try rare bourbons and brews complemented by cigars and bacon 2-4 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 9 at O'Riley's Irish Pub, 321 S. Palafox St. Tickets are $35-$70 and available at orileyspub.com.

PIECES ADRIFT ART SHOW

Enjoy art from recycled materials at this annual art show hosted by Keep Pensacola Beautiful. The art exhibition is 5-7 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 9 at First City Arts Center, 1060 N. Guillemard St. No ticket required to see the show.

PENSACOLA EGG FEST

Taste BBQ from local chefs and wannabe chefs 12 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 10 at the Hadji Temple, 800 W. Nine Mile Road. Tickets available at pensacolaeggfest.com.

PENSACOLA EARLY MUSIC CONSORT FALL FESTIVAL

Be transported back in time with this Renaissance-era music festival featuring the country's first sub-sub great bass recorder. The concert is 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 10 at St. Paul Lutheran Church, 4600 N. Ninth Ave. No ticket is required for this event.

ARTISTS FOR ASHEVILLE

Support artists affected by Hurricane Helene with this art auction, raffle and sale 4-8 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 10 at Coastal County Brewing, 3041 E. Olive Road. Details at facebook.com/coastalcounty.

BROADWAY DANCE PARTY

Live out your Broadway dreams with this singa-long and lyric battle 5:30-8 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 10 at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. Go in costume for a chance to win the contest. Tickets are $25-$40 and available at centerstagejukebox.com.

A Collaborative Celebration

By Savannah Evanoff

309 Punk Project’s Night on the Tracks isn’t just one event; it’s a lot of events wrapped into one.

And what all the events share is they’re creative, artistic and unique—and they’re all “on the tracks” (aka along the railroad tracks near downtown Pensacola).

Lauren Anzaldo, the event organizer for 309, said this installment of the biannual event will include a parade, film festival, outdoor live music, streetside sculpture, art exhibits, a night market, immersive light experience and postpunk show.

"There's multiple venues involved, so each place brings their own flavor to their event, and we're all participating collaboratively," Anzaldo said. "Everyone's just leading with their strengths. For example, we got the MESS Hall involved, and they have some of their cool science stuff. Obvi-

ously, The Handlebar is a music venue, and we have an awesome show that night. And then 309, as an arts and culture project, we have several really amazing artistic offerings."

Megan Pratt, the executive director of the Pensacola MESS Hall, said their part of the event is family-friendly and involves blacking out half of the museum starting at 3 p.m. for an immersive experience themed "Illuminate: White."

"We are going to have hands-on experiences about many of the cool properties of light, everything from a color mixing wall to infrared cameras, rocks that are fluorescent under UV light, even a radio—your radio, that's light—and refraction with a very fun lens we have," Pratt said. "All the different properties of light—it's almost an artistic exploration of it, because light is cool. Light has color and vision. But it's going to be a totally blacked

out space, so it'll feel very different than the regular MESS Hall adventure."

The MESS Hall is so excited about it and has put in so much work, Pratt said, that they've decided to keep it on display through Jan. 4. Night on the Tracks will mark the only time to see it with free admission.

"We're totally getting way too into our activities," Pratt said. "We're like, 'Ooh, ooh, look what it does.'"

The heart of Night on the Tracks is an event space called The Rails on Wright Street, Anzaldo said. That space will host the night market, featuring artisans, crafts, vintage clothing, collectibles, gifts, food trucks and community resources. There will be performances during the market, too. Birds of a Feather and Bread Box Puppet Troupe will perform puppetry, and URU Circus Crew will perform colorful circus acts.

Nearby there will also be art exhibitions from 309's November Artist in Residence and longtime local tattoo artist, Famous Gabe (Gabe Smith), and previous Artist in Residence and metalsmith, Jennie Andrews.

"[Jennie's] really amazing, does a lot of cool stuff; she's also a jewelry maker," Anzaldo said. "But she's creating a phoenix out of copper, and it'll be lit up, and it has some other cool elements to it … There will be photo opportunities with the sculpture. We'll be having a photo booth run by Natalie Allgyer, who does photo booths around town. There'll be a lot to look at," she said.

There will be a lot to hear, too. Starting earlier in the day at 1:30 p.m. is outdoor music (and an art show) by guitarist and vocalist Kevin Kinney, lead singer and songwriter for the Atlanta band Drivin N Cryin at From the Ground Up Community Garden. The Night on the Tracks Film Fest hosted by Calliope Films starts at 1 p.m., featuring short films from local, national and international filmmakers and runs for six hours or so.

"[The film festival is] the longest continually running thing throughout the event, and that'll be at a new space this year, Culinary Productions—which is an indoor catering and event space right there on Wright Street," Anzaldo said. "It's wonderful because we have so many assets in that area, and I really love that we get to highlight all of the cool arts and businesses that are right there."

Ending the event with music starting 8 p.m. is a show at The Handlebar, featuring headliner Show Me the Body with MSPAINT from Hattiesburg, Miss., and local favorites Mid Evil Times.

"I don't know if Pensacola is fully familiar with the band Show Me the Body, but they are really big; they're from Brooklyn, N.Y.," Anzaldo said. "They will be coming off of a European tour. They are very popular in that genre of post-punk hardcore. They kind of bring in hip-hop elements. This is the first time I know of that they're coming to Pensacola."

Anzaldo is happy Night on the Tracks will follow Night Moves Fest, a music event featuring multiple bands to be held a day earlier.

"We're really looking for a lot of music lovers to be in town for that, and then staying over and enjoying Night on the Tracks and the show that night—really making a weekend out of it," Anzaldo said. "The exceptional bands that we're able to get here in Pensacola are pretty impressive. We're able to draw that because of the support of Foo [Foo Fest] and really everything that's going on."

Anzaldo looks forward to experiencing how all the events complement each other and watching others enjoy it.

"I love seeing families out, people just walking around, and that communal, celebratory art energy," Anzaldo said.

"And this is really unique; I don't know how to describe it," Anzaldo said. "I was just talking to one of the neighbors who lives along the little parade route we do along La Rua; La Rua is a brick street in old East Hill, a historic street. We only have a few brick streets left in Pensacola that haven't been paved over. He was just saying, 'This is something that you don't get in other communities, the fact that we can have a little parade.' It's just really special to people, and I love that we get to celebrate our beautiful community."

NIGHT ON THE TRACKS

WHAT: A wide-ranging, multi-event block party hosted by 309 Punk Project

WHEN: 1 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 10

WHERE: Various locations along the railroad tracks near downtown Pensacola

COST: The block party is free to attend; tickets for the show at The Handlebar are $25 in advance

DETAILS: 309punkproject.org

NONPROFITS & FUNDRAISERS

VETERANS DAY GOLF TOURNAMENT AND SILENT AUCTION Emerald Coast Veterans Alliance hosts the annual golf tournament, raffle and silent auction to raise money for local veterans in need. The tournament is Monday, Nov. 11 at Stonebrook Golf Club, 3200 Cobblestone Dr., Pace. Details are at emeraldcoastveterans.org/copy-of-events.

HABITAT FOR HUMANITY GALA 4th

Annual gala is 5-8 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 14 at The Sanctuary, 716 N. Ninth Ave. Tickets are $200-$275 and available at pensacolahabitat. org/galatickets.

ANIMAL ALLIES FLORIDA BINGO Animal

Allies Florida hosts bingo twice monthly at Scenic Hills Country Club, 8891 Burning Tree Road. The cost is 10 rounds of bingo for $10, with cash prizes for winners. Food and drinks are also available for purchase. The full bar and restaurant offer special adult beverages just for bingo nights. You must be 18 to play. For more information, visit facebook.com/animalalliesflorida.

ANIMAL ALLIES CAT AND KITTEN

ADOPTION Visit Pet Supermarket 11 a.m.-3 p.m. every first and third Saturday of the month at 6857 N. Ninth Ave. to meet your furever friend. Visit aaflorida.org for details.

CARING & SHARING MINISTRY FOOD

DRIVE The Gloria Green Caring & Sharing Ministry is attached to the Historic St. Joseph Catholic Church, 140 W. Government St. The ministry feeds the homeless 10:30 a.m. Tuesdays. The ministry's food pantry opens 10 a.m. and also has clothing. Food donations needed are pop-top canned goods, Beanie Weenies, Vienna sausage, potted meat, cans of tuna and chicken and soups. Clothing donations needed include tennis shoes for men and women, as well as sweatshirts and new underwear for men in sizes small, medium and large. Call DeeDee Green at (850) 723-3390 for details.

ARTS & CULTURE

BANDS ON THE BAYOU CHECK

PRESENTATION Celebrate the total funds raised for this year's six local nonprofits 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 7 at Bayview Community Center,

Light refreshments from Classic City Catering.

BIG SCREEN ON THE BAYOU MOVIE

NIGHT Watch a free movie outdoors at Bayview Park, North 20th Avenue and East Blount Street, 6:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 8. Visit facebook.com/ ehnapensacola for updates and details.

AKEELAH AND THE BEE UWF theatre performance with showtimes 7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 8 and Saturday, Nov. 9 plus 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 10. Tickets are free to UWF students with Nautilus card. General admission is $7-$20. Purchase tickets by visiting uwf.edu/tickets.

FALL BAZAAR Hosted by Post 12 Ladies Auxiliary. Live music, food, vendors and raffles to benefit charities. Event is 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 9 at 3220 Gulf Beach Highway.

ANNUAL CRAFT AND VINTAGE FALL

MARKET Shop local crafters and vintage sellers 12-4 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 10 at Odd Colony, 260 N. Palafox St. Details at facebook.com/oddcolony.

WHEEL OF FORTUNE LIVE Audience

members will be selected to spin a replica of the wheel, solve puzzles and win prizes. Show is 7 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 10 at Saenger Theatre, 118 S. Palafox St. Tickets are available at pensacolasaenger.com.

PENSACOLA ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOCIETY LECTURE SERIES: FLORIDA'S CREEK INDIANS IN THE 1800S Lecture is 7-8 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 12 at Trinity Presbyterian Church, 3400 Bayou Blvd. in the activities building. Lecture is free. Visit pasfl.org for details.

UWF VOICE FACULTY RECITAL UWF Dr. Grier Williams School of Music Voice Faculty will present a one-night-only concert 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 12. The concert is free and open to the public, but tickets are required. Visit uwf. edu/cfpa or call (850) 857-6285 for tickets.

WISTERIA TAVERN MARKETS Wisteria Tavern will host monthly market dates for the fall with live music and food trucks. Markets are 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Sundays, Nov. 17 and Dec. 15 at 3808 N. 12th Ave. Details are at wisteriatavern.com.

ARTIST IN RESIDENCE ANNUAL EXHIBITION

Enjoy an exhibition of work from 2023 Artists in Residence at the 309 Punk House. This exhibition consists of artists from myriad underrepresented cultural backgrounds and is diverse in race, class, sexual orientation and gender. This exhibit is on view at Pensacola Museum of Art, 407 S. Jefferson St., through Nov. 24. Details are at pensacolamuseum.org.

DRAW TOGETHER: A LIVING EXHIBITION

As a living exhibition, the works and curation of the gallery space will continue growing as viewers are invited to participate in the art-making process. UWF and the surrounding communities can visit TAG, in the Center for Fine and Performing Arts, Building 82, 11000 University Parkway, to view and interact with the exhibition. Public workshops, facilitated by Jarrod Goldman and inspired by game-based art activities, will take place in TAG 5-8 p.m. Nov. 6 and Nov. 13. The exhibition runs through Nov. 21. The final iteration of the exhibition can be viewed during the closing reception, held 5-7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 21 in TAG.

ECLECTIC FIDELITIES Artwork and performances celebrating women in the arts is on view through Dec. 13 at Anna Lamar Switzer Center for Visual Arts, Building 15, 1000 College Blvd. Artist lectures and workshops are in November. Find details at foofoofest.com/2024-events/ eclectic-fidelities-presented-by-pensacolastate-college/.

KINGS AND QUEENS OPEN MIC COMEDY

Try your hand at stand-up comedy or watch others perform 8 p.m.-1 a.m. Tuesdays at Sir Richard's Public House, 2719 Cervantes St. Details are at sirrichardslounge.com.

SILENT BOOK CLUB AT BODACIOUS

Sundays are for quietly reading at Bodacious Bookstore & Café, 110 E. Intendencia St. Join the Silent Book Club 10-11 a.m. Sundays. Details are at facebook.com/bodaciousbookstore.

PENSACOLA ROSE SOCIETY Monthly meetings are normally 6 p.m. the second Monday of the month at the Pensacola Garden Center, 1850 N. Ninth Ave. Visit pensacolarosesociety.org for more information.

BTB COMEDY Watch live standup comedy in open mic style 7 p.m. Mondays at Odd Colony, 260 N. Palafox. Follow BTB Comedy on Facebook for updates.

COMEDY SHOWCASE AT SUBCULTURE

BTB Comedy presents a comedy showcase the first Thursday monthly at Subculture Art Gallery, 701 N. V St. Follow facebook.com/pensacolasubculture for updates.

SCRIPTEASERS Join writers at Pensacola Little Theatre, 400 S. Jefferson St., for Scripteasers every month. Visit pensacolalittletheatre.com for details.

PALAFOX MARKET Enjoy Palafox Market 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays. The event features local farmers, artists and crafters on North and South

Palafox Street at Martin Luther King, Jr. Plaza and Plaza Ferdinand. For updates, visit facebook. com/downtownpensacola.

CABARET DRAG SHOWCASE AT AMERICAN LEGION POST #193 Don't miss Cabaret Drag Showcase every second and fourth Saturday at the American Legion Post #193, 2708 N. 12th Ave. Doors open 8 p.m. Showtime is 10 p.m. For more information, contact show director Taize Sinclair-Santi at taizesinclairsanti@gmail.com.

SPIRITS OF SEVILLE QUARTER GHOST TOUR AND LUNCHEON Dine inside Pensacola's oldest and most haunted restaurant and investigate the spirits with actual paranormal equipment at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. Tickets are $12 and include a voucher toward Seville Quarter's menu. Tours are 11 a.m.-2 p.m. weekdays and 2-4 p.m. Sundays. Make an appointment by calling (850) 941-4321.

AFTER DARK: SEVILLE QUARTER GHOSTS, MURDER, MAYHEM AND MYSTERY TOUR AND DINNER After Dark Paranormal Investigation and Dinner happens inside one of Pensacola's most haunted restaurants with real ghost-hunting equipment 6-8 p.m. Sundays. Listen as your guide weaves tales of ghosts, debauchery, murder, mayhem, paranormal activities, history and more related to Seville Quarter and downtown Historic Pensacola. After your ghost tour, enjoy dinner at Seville Quarter Palace Café, 130 E. Government St. Reservations are required. Call (850) 941-4321. Tickets are available at pensacolaghostevents.com.

BODY, MIND, SPIRIT MARKET AT EVER'MAN Local vendors, artisans, holistic practitioners, speakers and more come together 10 a.m.-4 p.m. the first Saturday of the month at Ever'man Downtown, 315 W. Garden St. This is a free indoor and outdoor event with door prizes, entertainment and children's activities. For a vendor table, call (850) 941-4321 or go to empowermentschoolhouse.com.

FOOD + DRINKS

FLAVORS THAT FORGED THE SOUTH A food and wine event at Jackson's Steakhouse, 400 S. Palafox St. 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 7. Tickets are $90. For reservations, call (850) 4699898 or visit jacksonsrestaurant.com.

ATLAS BEVERAGE CLASS Samples from Nosotros Tequila and appetizers at 5 and 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 7 at Atlas Oyster House, 600 S. Barracks St. Tickets are $30 per person. Limited seating. Call (850) 287-0200 or email taylor@ goodgrits.com.

STREET FOODS: JAPANESE Cooking class is 6-8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 8 at Pensacola Cooks, 4051 Barrancas Ave. Tickets are $60 per student and available at facebook.com/pensacolacooks.

COUPLES COOK: SHOW ME YOUR TAPAS Cooking class is 5-8 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 9 at Pensacola Cooks, 4051 Barrancas Ave. Tickets are $100 per couple and available at facebook. com/pensacolacooks.

2000 E. Lloyd St.

Palafox Market / Photo by Tim Bednarczyk

a&e happenings

PERFECT PLAIN'S 7 YEAR BIRTHDAY

PARTY Celebrate all day with trivia events, live music and more 11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 9 at Perfect Plain, 50 E. Garden St. Details at facebook. com/perfectplainbrewingco.

ST. JOSEPH CATHOLIC CHURCH

INTERNATIONAL FOOD FESTIVAL Festival is 12-4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 9 at St. Joseph Catholic Church, 140 W. Government St.

VINO MAGNIFICO Sample wines and socialize with other wine lovers. Event is 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 12 at V. Paul's, 29 S. Palafox St. Cost is $18 per person. RSVP required. Reserve your spot at vpauls.com.

TROLLEY BAR TOUR Five Flags Trolley Co. hosts this hop-on/hop-off tour of the favorite bars in downtown Pensacola. Dates are through Dec. 31. For tickets and information, visit pensacolawinterfest.org/pub-and-party-trolley-indowntown-pensacola/.

MEN'S NIGHT AT WISTERIA From 3 p.m. to close Mondays, guys can play free darts and enjoy $6 craft tallboys. There are more than 150 craft beers to choose from. Wisteria is located at 3803 N. 12th Ave. Visit wisteriatavern.com for details.

FIGHTER GAME NIGHT AT O'RILEY'S Gamers unite 5 p.m.-close Mondays at O'Riley's Irish Pub, 321 S. Palafox St. Visit orileyspub.com for details.

SIN NIGHT AT O'RILEY'S SIN Night is 11 p.m. to close Mondays at O'Riley's Irish Pub, 321 S. Palafox St. Visit orileyspub.com for details.

TRIVIA NIGHT AND SIN Trivia is 9-10:30 p.m. Mondays, and SIN is 11 p.m.-3 a.m. at Mugs and Jugs, 12080 Scenic Highway. Visit mugsjugsbar. com for details.

BINGO NIGHT AT CALVERT'S IN THE HEIGHTS Play bingo 6-8 p.m. Mondays at Calvert's in the Heights, 670 Scenic Highway. For more information, visit calvertsintheheights.com.

DOUBLE MONDAYS AND SIN NIGHT Enjoy Double Mondays 8 p.m.-midnight and SIN Night 11 p.m. to close at O'Riley's Tavern, 3728 Creighton Road. Details are at orileystavern.com.

75 CENT OYSTERS AT ATLAS Enjoy 75-cent oysters 5-9 p.m. Tuesdays at Atlas Oyster House, 600 S. Barracks St. For more information, visit greatsouthernrestaurants.com.

MUSIC BINGO Test your music knowledge 7-9 p.m. Tuesdays at Wisteria, 3808 N. 12th Ave. Take part in half-price bottles of wine and $5 canned cocktails. Visit wisteriatavern.com for details.

POKER NIGHT AND BINGO AT O'RILEY'S

Visit O'Riley's Irish Pub for poker at 6:30 p.m. and bar bingo 8-10 p.m. Tuesdays at 321 S. Palafox St. Visit orileyspub.com for details.

LUNCH AT THE DISTRICT The District Steakhouse, 130 E. Government St., is open for special lunch seatings the third Friday of the month. Enjoy a $5 martini or house wine. Seatings are 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Reservations are accepted but not necessary. Details are available at districtsteaks.com.

DOLLAR NIGHT Enjoy Dollar Night 8 p.m.midnight Tuesdays at Mugs and Jugs, 12080 Scenic Highway. Visit mugsjugsbar.com for details.

SECOND TUESDAY THEMED TRIVIA Visit

Perfect Plain Brewing Co. for themed trivia nights 7-9 p.m. the second Tuesday of each month at 50 E. Garden St. Visit facebook.com/ perfectplainbrewingco for details.

DOLLAR NIGHT AT O'RILEY'S Dollar Night is 8 p.m.-midnight Wednesdays at O'Riley's Tavern, 3728 Creighton Road. Details are at orileystavern.com.

TRIVIA AT O'RILEY'S Test your trivia knowledge 8-10 p.m. Wednesdays at O'Riley's Irish Pub, 321 S. Palafox St. Visit orileyspub.com for details.

SIN NIGHT AND KARAOKE Karaoke is 9 p.m.-1 a.m. and SIN specials are 11 p.m.-3 a.m. at Mugs and Jugs, 12080 Scenic Highway. Visit mugsjugsbar.com for details.

TRIVIA AT CALVERT'S IN THE HEIGHTS

Take part in trivia nights 6-8 p.m. Wednesdays at

Calvert's in the Heights, 670 Scenic Highway. For more information, visit calvertsintheheights.com.

SIPPIN' IN SUNDRESSES LADIES' NIGHT AT FELIX'S Pop-up shops, pink drink specials and live music is 5-8 p.m. Thursdays at Felix's Restaurant and Oyster Bar, 400 Quietwater Beach Drive.

PITCHERS AND TAVERN TRIVIA Get deals on pitchers 8 p.m.-midnight at O'Riley's Tavern. Trivia is 9-11 p.m. Thursdays at 3728 Creighton Road. Visit orileystavern.com for details.

DOLLAR NIGHT AT O'RILEY'S Dollar Night with a DJ starts 8 p.m. Thursdays at O'Riley's Irish Pub, 321 S. Palafox St. Visit orileyspub.com for details.

TRIVIA UNDER THE TREES Trivia is 6 p.m. Thursdays at Wisteria Tavern, 3808 N. 12th Ave. Visit wisteriatavern.com for details.

THURSDAY BIERGARTEN TRIVIA NIGHT

Gary's Brewery Trivia Night is back by popular demand 7-9 p.m. Thursdays at 208 Newman Ave. Test your trivia skills with a glass of beer or wine. Arrive early to grab a spot. For more information, visit facebook.com/garysbrew.

FEISTY FRIDAY NIGHTS Drink specials start

8 p.m. Fridays at Sir Richard's Public House, 2719 E. Cervantes St. Visit sirrichardslounge. com for details.

TGI FIREBALL FRIDAY Drink specials are all day Fridays at O'Riley's Irish Pub, 321 S. Palafox St. Visit orileyspub.com for details.

WEEKLY SATURDAY BRUNCH Brunch is 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays at O'Riley's Irish Pub, 321 S. Palafox St. Visit orileyspub.com for details.

SHAMROCK SATURDAY Shamrock Saturday is 9 p.m. Saturdays at O'Riley's Irish Pub, 321 S. Palafox St. Visit orileyspub.com for details.

FREE POOL AND BAR BINGO AT O'RILEY'S TAVERN Enjoy free pool all day and play bar bingo 9-11 p.m. Sundays at O'Riley's Tavern, 3728 Creighton Road. Details are at orileystavern.com.

SUNDAY BRUNCH AT CAFÉ SINGLE FIN

Partake in brunch specials, full café menu, espressos and bottomless mimosas until 1 p.m. Sundays at Café Single Fin, 380 N. Ninth Ave. Live music begins at 10 a.m. Visit cafesinglefin. com for details.

SUNDAY BRUNCH AND KARAOKE

O'Riley's Irish Pub, 321 S. Palafox St., hosts brunch 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Sundays. Karaoke begins at 8 p.m. Visit orileyspub.com for details.

SUNDAY BRUNCH AT ATLAS OYSTER

HOUSE Sunday Brunch is 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Sundays at Atlas Oyster House, 600 S. Barracks St. View

LIVE MUSIC

RADIOLIVE WUWF monthly concert series. November artists are Dave Dondero, Jontavious Willis and Ben Arsenault. Show is 6 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 7 at Museum of Commerce, 201 Zaragoza St. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at radiolive.org.

YELLOW BRICK JOEL: ELTON JOHN/BILLY

JOEL TRIBUTE Show is 8 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 7 at Saenger Theatre, 118 S. Palafox St. Tickets available at pensacolasaenger.com.

ANTHONY RANERI Show is 8 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 7 at The Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona St. Tickets are $19 and available at thehandlebar850.com.

COREY SMITH Show is 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 7 at Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox St. Tickets are $20 and available at vinylmusichall.com.

HIZASHICON AFTERSHOW ANIME RAP

CONCERT Mac Ro, Azazus, Pagu. Show is 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 9 at The Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona St. Tickets are $10 and available at thehandlebar850.com.

COWBOY MOUTH Show is 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 9 at Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox St. Tickets are $23 and available at vinylmusichall.com.

PENSACOLA CIVIC BAND: WOMEN OF NOTE Showcase of music performed or written

by women 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 9 at Saenger Theatre, 118 S. Palafox St. Tickets are available at pensacolasaenger.com.

SHOW ME THE BODY, MSPAINT, MID EVIL

TIMES Show is 7 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 10 at The Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona St. Tickets are $25 and available at thehandlebar850.com.

SIXPENCE NONE THE RICHER Show is 7 p.m. Monday, Nov. 11 at Vinyl Music Hall, 2. S. Palafox St. Tickets are $35 and available at vinylmusichall.com.

BUMPIN UGLIES Show is 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 15 at Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox St. Tickets are $20 and available at vinylmusichall.com.

LIVE MUSIC AT FIVE SISTERS Enjoy live music at Five Sisters, 421 W. Belmont St. Glen Parker Band plays 6-10 p.m. Saturdays and Curt Bol Quintet 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Sundays.

PENSACOLA PICK NIGHT AT ODD COLONY

Music pickers of all levels are invited to play 7-9 p.m. every last Monday of the month at Odd Colony, 260 N. Palafox St. Bring your acoustic instrument and jam. Visit facebook.com/oddcolony for details.

TUESDAY NIGHT JAZZ AT SEVILLE

QUARTER Enjoy smooth jazz with Melodious Allen and The Funk Heads on Tuesday nights at Lili Marlene's in Seville Quarter, 130 E.

Government St. Show starts at 6:30 p.m. Visit sevillequarter.com for more information.

KARAOKE AT O'RILEY'S UPTOWN Sing your heart out 8 p.m.-midnight Tuesdays at O'Riley's Uptown, 3728 Creighton Road. Visit orileystavern.com for details.

OPEN MIC NIGHT AT GARY'S BREWERY Open mic night is hosted by Renee Amelia 6 p.m. every other Wednesday at Gary's Brewery & Biergarten, 208 Newman Ave. Visit facebook. com/garysbrew for details.

KARAOKE AT THE HANDLEBAR Karaoke is 9 p.m. Wednesdays at The Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona St. Visit thehandlebar850.com for details.

KARAOKE AT WISTERIA Wisteria Tavern hosts karaoke 7 p.m. Wednesdays at 3808 N. 12th Ave. Details are at wisteriatavern.com.

WHISKEY WEDNESDAY KARAOKE Karaoke starts 9 p.m. Wednesdays at Mugs and Jugs, 12080 Scenic Highway. Visit mugsjugsbar.com for details.

KARAOKE NIGHTS AT SIR RICHARD'S Bring your singing talents Monday and Thursday nights at Sir Richard's Public House, 2719 E. Cervantes St. Festivities are 9 p.m.-1 a.m. Visit sirrichardslounge.com for details.

a&e happenings

HAPPY HOUR LIVE MUSIC AT O'RILEY'S Drink specials and live music are 4-7 p.m. Fridays at O'Riley's Irish Pub, 321 S. Palafox St. Visit orileyspub.com for details.

SUNDAY KARAOKE AT MUGS AND JUGS

Karaoke starts 9 p.m. Sunday at Mugs and Jugs, 12080 Scenic Highway. Visit mugsjugsbar.com for details.

KARAOKE NIGHT AT O'RILEY'S IRISH PUB Karaoke is 8 p.m.-midnight Sundays at O'Riley's Irish Pub, 321 S. Palafox St. Details are at orileyspub.com.

LIVE MUSIC AT CALVERT'S Listen to live music 5-8 p.m. Sundays at Calvert's in the Heights, 670 Scenic Highway. Visit facebook. com/calvertsintheheights for details.

FITNESS + RECREATION

OCEAN HOUR CLEAN UPS Ocean Hour

Clean Ups are Saturdays at 8:45 a.m. Ocean Hour provides bags, gloves, grabbers and buckets. On Saturday, Nov. 9 at Chimney Park and Park West. For more information, visit oceanhourfl.com.

BIKE PENSACOLA SMALL GROUP SLOW RIDE Donation-based ride looping around downtown Pensacola and the waterfront 5-6:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 8. A donation of at least a dollar is required to register. Register at Eventbrite. For details, visit facebook.com/bikepensacola.

PENSACOLA ICE FLYERS Games are at Pensacola Bay Center, 201 E. Gregory St. Tickets and information are at pensacolabaycenter.com.

Upcoming dates:

•7:05 p.m. Friday, Nov. 8

•7:05 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 9

PUBLIC ICE SKATE Tickets are $15 for adults and kids with skate rental or $12 for adults and kids with their own skates. Season passes and private sessions are also available. Skate sessions are located at Pensacola Bay Center, 201 E. Gregory St.

Upcoming dates:

•9:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 8

•9:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 9

•1:30, 3, 4:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 10

GOAT YOGA AT GARY'S BREWERY Yoga class is 5-6 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 9 at Gary's Brewery, 208 Newman Ave. Tickets are $30 are and available at facebook.com/garysbrew.

YOGA UNCORKED AT 5ELEVEN Yoga classes are 5:30 p.m. Tuesdays at 5eleven, 511 S. Palafox St., with Disko Lemonade running the class. Register at diskolemonade.com.

YOGA WITH MARNI AT HA-YA Visit Ha-Ya Wellness for integrative yoga with Marni 10 a.m. the first and third Saturday of the month at 4301 Spanish Trail Road. Visit facebook.com/asherandbeeapothecary for more information.

SIP AND STRETCH YOGA Yoga class for all levels is Sundays through 2024 at Gary's Brewery, 208 Newman Ave. Class starts at 11:45 a.m. Cost is $18 for a one-hour class followed by

a complimentary beverage. Visit facebook.com/ garysbrew for details.

FREE YOGA IN THE PARK WITH BREATHE YOGA Enjoy a free, one-hour outdoor yoga class with Breathe Yoga 9:30-10:30 a.m. the first Sunday of the month at Bayview Park, 2001 E. Lloyd St. The next event is Nov. 3.

HOOK, LINE & SINKER MONTHLY FISHING SEMINAR SERIES Hot Spots Charters hosts a monthly free fishing seminar the first Monday every month at Flounder's Chowder House, 800 Quietwater Beach Road on Pensacola Beach. A free fish dinner is 6:30 p.m. with the seminar at 7 p.m. and typically lasts about an hour. Visit facebook.com/hlsseminar for details.

TIKI TUESDAY SUNSET YOGA Take in a slow flow yoga class led by Donna Dickey 6:30 p.m. Tuesdays at Sneaky Tiki Bar, 17 Via de Luna Dr. Cost is $15 to drop in and includes a drink. For details, visit iamabode.com.

LIVE JAZZ AND SWING DANCING From 6:30-11 p.m. the first Friday of each month, enjoy a live band for dancing Lindy, Foxtrot, East Coast and West Coast Swing. This is a fun, friendly atmosphere with lessons for all levels and no partner required. Location is at The Way You Move Dance Studio, 918 Winton Ave. The cost is $15. More information is at thewayyoumove.us.

WEST COAST SWING DANCE Join the fun 6:30-10 p.m. Wednesdays for $5 and 6:30-11 p.m. the fourth Saturday of each month for $10. All levels welcomed; no partner required. The Way You Move dance studio is at 918 Winton Ave. More information at thewayyoumove.us.

BALLROOM, LATIN, SWING DANCE

From 6:30-11 p.m. the second Saturday of each month, enjoy a mix of music for all dancers. All levels welcomed; no partner required. The Way You Move dance studio is at 918 Winton Ave. The cost is $10. More information is at thewayyoumove.us.

PENSACOLA PARKRUN The Pensacola Rec Plex North Parkrun is 7:30 a.m. Saturdays. The weekly timed 5K run or walk takes place at the University of West Florida and is free and open to everyone, regardless of fitness level. For more information, visit facebook.com/rpnparkrun or email recplexnorth@parkrun.com.

KID-FRIENDLY

SCIENCE SATURDAYS AT IHMC Science Saturdays returns offering 90-minute enrichment sessions at IHMC, 40 S. Alcaniz St. Programs are for kids in grades 3-6. Grades 3 and 4 attend the 9-10:30 a.m. session and grades 5 and 6 attend the 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. session. Dates and programs are Nov. 23 with 3D printing and Dec. 14 with bottle rockets. Registration begins two weeks prior to each session. Visit ihmc.us/life/ science_saturdays for details.

for more listings visit inweekly.net

free will astrology

WEEK OF NOVEMBER 7

ARIES (MARCH 21-APRIL 19): I rarely recommend acquisitive behavior. But my analysis of the astrological omens tells me you now have cosmic authorization to indulge in a sublime version of voracity. We might also refer to it as a license to practice a spiritually correct variety of greed. Here's the fine print: You should NOT interpret this as permission to amass materialistic treasures and status symbols. Instead, the things you gather will be rich feelings, encounters with inspiring beauty, epiphanies about your divine purpose and exquisite states of consciousness. You can also ask for and receive colossal supplies of love and affection.

TAURUS (APRIL 20-MAY 20): The last time I ate a hamburger was in 1994. I doubt I will ever eat another. Why? The taste is not enjoyable to me, and no matter how well I chew it, my stomach always rebels. There's an additional problem: For several reasons, cattle farming is a significant factor causing the climate crisis. I would rather not contribute to that decimation. Does my attitude toward hamburgers mean I am a judgmental, close-minded zealot? No, it doesn't. I don't proselytize to those who relish burgers, especially if they take other measures to reduce their carbon footprint. In this horoscope, dear Taurus, I am illustrating an approach I hope you will cultivate in the coming weeks. Be extra zealously devoted to your ideals and proclivities without condemning and dismissing those who don't share them.

By Rob Brezsny

How many other varieties can you imagine, Gemini? The coming weeks will be a favorable time to develop and expand your meditation skills. Here's a key consideration: How can you achieve maximum fun while meditating? I recommend you free your mind to experiment with a host of interesting approaches.

CANCER (JUNE 21-JULY 22): If there was ever an appropriate time for you to indulge in creatively rowdy thoughts and inspirationally unruly behavior, it would be now. Life is giving you license to de-emphasize decorum and formalities—and to emphasize boisterous enthusiasm and plucky adventures. For the sake of your mental health, I believe you need to engage in experimental improvisations that include maverick expressions. What areas of your life need liberation? What feelings need to be released from their constraints? What worn-out old theories and opinions should be abandoned?

LEO (JULY 23-AUG. 22): Are your talents even slightly underrated and overlooked by others, Leo? Have your gifts received less than the full appreciation they deserve? Could you be of greater service and inspiration to your fellow humans if only your offerings were better known? If you answered yes to any of those questions, I'm pleased to tell you that the coming months should bring remedies. Life will be conspiring with you to help spread your influence and boost your clout.

Godfather." It turned out to be a sensational rookie effort. He was ultimately awarded an Academy Award for it, and later garnered another Oscar for his screenplay for "The Godfather Part II." It was only then that Puzo realized he had found his calling and decided he should study the art of screenwriting. In the first chapter of the first book he bought about the subject, he read with great amusement that the ideal screenplay was the one by Mario Puzo for "The Godfather." I bring this story to your attention, Libra, because you are approaching a time with resemblances to Puzo's situation before Coppola solicited his work. Trust your rookie instincts!

CAPRICORN (DEC. 22-JAN. 19): Earlier this year, 79-year-old rock singer Rod Stewart performed his greatest hits during a multi-city tour in many countries. "I shall never retire!" he proclaimed. Can you guess what astrological sign he is? Capricorn, of course. Many members of your tribe age very well, displaying stamina and vitality into later life. I bring this to your attention because I think you are close to discovering new secrets and tricks that will serve you well as you ripen. Here are some meditations that might be helpful: 1. What haven't you been ready to do before, but might be soon? 2. What fun things would you love to be doing years from now, and how could you seed their future growth?

GEMINI (MAY 21-JUNE 20): There are numerous approaches to getting good results from meditation. One is to sit silently and still in a tranquil sanctuary. Another is to lie on the ground under a dark sky and beseech the stars to bestow inspiration. One of my personal favorites is to sing rowdy hymns to birds, insects and trees while hiking vigorously in nature.

VIRGO (AUG. 23-SEPT. 22): I wish it were true that the forces of darkness are lined up in opposition to the forces of light. Life would be so much easier for you. But I'm afraid it's not that simple and clear. In my view, a more accurate metaphor might be that the energies of smokey grey are squaring off with the energies of dusky beige. Each side has a touch of both wrongness and rightness, a bit of ugliness and beauty. So what is the most honorable role you can play in this showdown? My suggestion is to develop a third side, an alternate way.

LIBRA (SEPT. 23-OCT. 22): In the early part of his career, Libran author Mario Puzo wrote short stories and novels, but never a screenplay. At age 49, he was asked by director Francis Ford Coppola to co-write the script for the film "The

What haven't you been ready to do before, but might be soon?

SCORPIO (OCT. 23-NOV. 21): In the life cycle of a butterfly, the earliest stages are larva and pupa. As a larva, the future beauty crawls around as a caterpillar, cramming itself with nutritive substance. After it transitions into the pupa state, it's inert for a while, working on the inside of its cocoon to transform itself into its ultimate form. I don't want to be too literal about the comparison, but my sense is that your time as a larva will last another two months, whereupon you will begin your pupa phase. When will you emerge as a winged creature? It depends on how earnestly you work as a pupa, but I expect no later than March 2025.

SAGITTARIUS

(NOV. 22-DEC. 21): Brian Wilson, co-founder of the Beach Boys, is one of the most innovative and imaginative songwriters ever. Many of his compositions have become bestselling hit tunes. But he had a rough start in his craft. The first song he ever wrote was "Surfin.'" He submitted it to fulfill an assignment in his high school music class, but his teacher gave it an F, the lowest possible grade. Fifty-eight years later, Wilson returned to the school for a visit, and the new principal changed his original grade to an A. I foresee a comparable event occurring in your life sometime soon: a vindication, restitution, or reparation.

AQUARIUS (JAN. 20-FEB. 18): Scientists have discovered the fossil remains of over 700 dinosaur species buried underground. But the experts agree there are many more down there. Previously unknown species are still being unearthed every year. Let's use these facts as a metaphor for your life in the coming months. According to my analysis of the astrological omens, you could learn a host of fresh truths about your history. You may have imagined that your past is finished and finalized, but it's not. I encourage you to have fun hunting for revelations and investigations that will transform the story of your life.

PISCES (FEB. 19-MARCH 20): You haven't fully tapped into all of your vast potentials, Pisces. Latent talents and aptitudes within you may still be at least partially dormant. It's even possible that some of your future powers are so foreign to your self-concept that they will feel like magic when they finally come into full expression. Now here's the very good news: The coming months will be an excellent time to figure out what you need to do to express a more complete version of yourself.

HERE'S THE HOMEWORK: Maybe it would be beneficial to narrow your range of choices in one area of your life. Testify! {in}

news of the weird

THE LITIGIOUS SOCIETY The Colorado Supreme Court in Boulder was the setting on Oct. 24 for a showdown between justices and five elephants, the Associated Press reported. The elephants—Missy, Kimba, Lucky, LouLou and Jambo—live at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in Colorado Springs. But the NonHuman Rights Project believes the pachyderms should be able to dispute their detention there because they were born in the wild in Africa and are now showing signs of brain damage, such as rocking, which signals distress. The organization wants them to be moved to an accredited elephant sanctuary. The justices were moved by the story but skeptical: "How do I know when it stops?" asked Justice Melissa Hart, who was worried about pet emancipation. The zoo's attorney wasn't having it: "This court, no court is the proper venue for what they're trying to accomplish," he said.

THE CONTINUING CRISIS There's a metaphor for our times in here somewhere ... In the wee hours of Oct. 21, 39-year-old Adam Sotzen showed up at his mother's house in North Liberty, Iowa, The Smoking Gun reported. Sotzen, whose rap sheet is lengthy, was allegedly intoxicated and yelled at his mother while destroying property inside the house, police said, then shoved her to the ground. She was able to move to a recliner chair, where Sotzen approached her with a 3-by-5-foot American flag that he had stolen from a nearby home. Twisting the flag into a rope, Sotzen began choking her while threatening to kill her; she fell to the floor, and Sotzen continued strangling her until her boyfriend tried to intervene. The mother said her 6-foot-3, 230-pound son was "capable of killing her" and used a lot of force while strangling her. Sotzen was charged with assault with intent to inflict serious injury and harassment and held on $30,000.

SPOOKY! When Joshua Dairen and his wife, Keema Miller, bought a coffee shop in Opelika, Alabama, in early 2023, they might not have expected to experience paranormal phenomena— but the soldier ghost who frequents the place didn't know that. Metro News reported that Dairen hears "rustling" noises from the back office when he's in the shop alone, and on Sept. 24, the barista saw a "soldier" walking toward them before disappearing. Dairen believes the shop is haunted by someone who died in the Civil War. "I have seen unexplained boot prints on the floor," he said. "Nobody in our shop has ever worn combat boots." Dairen looked back into the town's history and found that many soldiers lost their lives in a raid on Confederate supply depots there. "Luckily, nothing has presented itself as threatening toward us," Dairen said.

•English Heritage, a charity that oversees many historic properties, revealed that Gainsborough Old Hall in Lincolnshire, England, houses a "staggering array" of witches' marks and curses carved into the walls. The Guardian reported on Oct.

By the Editors at Andrews McMeel

29 that volunteer Rick Berry found and mapped about 20 ritual protection marks, believed to repel evil. Berry also discovered daisy wheels and hexafoils, thought to trap demons, and overlapping letter V's, which called on the Virgin Mary for protection. "The Old Hall has undoubtedly had a tumultuous past," said Kevin Booth, English Heritage's head of collections. "Why it's the scene of quite such a high concentration of protective carvings remains a mystery."

LATEST RELIGIOUS MESSAGE Attendees of the Lucca Comics and Games conference in Italy this week are getting a first look at the new mascot for the Vatican's 2025 jubilee, the Catholic News Agency reported. The church declares a jubilee, or a year of grace and pilgrimage, every 10 to 50 years. This year's new addition is Luce, a cartoon figure a la Olympics mascots, who the church hopes will help engage with "the pop culture so beloved by our young people." Luce (which means "light" in Italian) and her "pilgrim friends" are promoting "the theme of hope, which is more central than ever to the evangelical message," said Archbishop Rino Fisichella.

BUT WHY? Mary Kay Bower, 42, of St. Paul, Minnesota, was arrested on Oct. 19 for rustling and livestock theft, which is a felony, the Minneapolis Star-Tribune reported. Officers were alerted to Bower when she and a man were seen walking a sheep and a dog on leashes. Bower told them that she purchased the sheep for $200, but her companion ratted her out: He said she stepped over a farm fence, put a leash on the sheep and pulled it out through the fence. When police checked with the farm owner, they found out that Bower had not paid for the animal, a breeding hair ram worth about $500. Bower's tattoo might have given her away: She has a sheep inked on her left cheek.

OOPS On Oct. 24, emergency officials in Stoughton, Wisconsin, contacted the county public health agency after transporting five people with "possible food-borne illness exposure," The New York Times reported. The common denominator? Famous Yeti's Pizza—but it wasn't tainted onions or bad cheese that sickened patrons. On Oct. 22, a worker at Yeti's ran out of oil while making pizzas, so he visited a shared industrial kitchen nearby. The oil he grabbed was from "food-grade hemp" and contained Delta-9 cannabis, or THC—the active ingredient in marijuana. "The oil can be used to make everything from cookies to condiments," the health department said. Famous Yeti's served "60 contaminated pizzas," prompting "dozens of reports" of sickness. The restaurant closed for deep cleaning on Oct. 25. {in}

Inweekly Nov. 7 2024 Issue

winners & losers winners losers

outtakes

COMMON SENSE

COMMERCIAL LAND FOR SALE

SCHOOL BOARD FIXTURES STEP ASIDE

PATTY HIGHTOWER

BILL SLAYTON

NAS WHITING FIELD MWR HONORED

'ARCHIE, MARRY ME'

Feeling the Melody With Night Moves Fest Headliner Alvvays

'UNHINGED ENERGY'

ALVVAYS AT NIGHT MOVES FEST*

Not Just a Show

Make Some Joyful Noise

Hello HizashiCon

Foo Foo Fest Week 2 Calendar

THE BLUE TREES

ECLECTIC FIDELITIES

LIZZIE: THE MUSICAL

THE LIVING MUSEUM: A TRIP THROUGH PENSACOLA'S HISTORY

VOCTAVE: THE CORNER OF BROADWAY & MAIN STREET

HIZASHICON

JOYFUL NOISE! GOSPEL CELEBRATION

NIGHT MOVES FEST

JAZZ FOR JUSTICE

FRIEND OF FOO EVENTS

SEC SOCCER TOURNAMENT

FRANK BROWN INTERNATIONAL SONGWRITERS' FESTIVAL

ATLAS BEVERAGE CLASS WITH NOSOTROS TEQUILA

ITALIAN COOKING CLASS AT THE LOFT

FOO FOO T-SHIRT TIE DYE

BTB COMEDY AT ODD COLONY

PENSACOLA ARTS MARKET

BOURBON, BACON & CIGARS

PIECES ADRIFT ART SHOW

PENSACOLA EGG FEST

PENSACOLA EARLY MUSIC CONSORT FALL FESTIVAL

ARTISTS FOR ASHEVILLE

BROADWAY DANCE PARTY

A Collaborative Celebration

NIGHT ON THE TRACKS

NONPROFITS & FUNDRAISERS

ARTS & CULTURE

FOOD + DRINKS

a&e happenings

LIVE MUSIC

a&e happenings

FITNESS + RECREATION

KID-FRIENDLY

free will astrology

WEEK OF NOVEMBER 7

SAGITTARIUS

news of the weird

Articles inside

Feeling the Melody With Night Moves Fest Headliner Alvvays