Events

Get ready to kick off your shoes and dive into a weekend of bay-front rhythms and savory coastal flavors in SoWal's North Beach at the foot of the 331 bridge in Santa Rosa Beach.

The first-ever Smoke, Salt & Sound Festival is officially hitting the shores of South Walton this April 3–5, bringing a sunny, sandy three-day celebration to North Beach Social and The Bay. Whether you’re coming for the music, the food, or a little Easter magic, this free community event is shaping up to be a standout weekend in South Walton.

Celebrate Easter with Hilton Sandestin! Bring the whole crew on Friday, April 3rd for family fun. Be sure to return on Saturday, April 4th for the complimentary Egg Hunt. Events are open to the public. 

Friday, April 3 | 2-4PM
Hosted in the Lobby, participate in the coloring contest and sweet treat jar guessing. Winners will be announced April 4th.

Saturday, April 4 | 12PM & 12:30PM
Complimentary Egg Hunt at the Veranda.
12PM: Ages 5 & under.
12:30PM: Ages 6-12. 

Join the SoWal community at Alys Beach on Good Friday, April 3rd, for the annual Good Friday Crawfish Boil, featuring a refined take on a Gulf Coast tradition. Enjoy steamed crawfish with all the fixings, thoughtfully crafted cocktails, and turning up the energy with live music at Central Park from 4-7PM.

Purchase tickets TODAY for this family-friendly event: Alys Good Friday Crawfish Boil

Bounce on over to the Village of Baytowne Wharf for an Easter Explosion, Saturday, April 4 from 12 -3PM. Enjoy a day filled with face-painting, arts & crafts, and more. Also, don't forget to get your picture taken with the Easter Bunny.

Get your lines ready—something exciting is coming to SoWal: the first-ever Battle of the Bayou Fishing Tournament, benefiting Point Washington Medical Clinic - it's a brand-new fundraising event benefiting the free, volunteer-driven primary care clinic serving uninsured and underinsured residents across the Florida Panhandle.

Get tickets/register online.

Celebrating the donation of 2,295 acres for the Choctawhatchee River Delta Preserve in Walton County, there will be a ribbon cutting ceremony on Thursday, April 9, at 10 a.m.

Hosted by the Northwest Florida Water Management District and The Nature Conservancy, the event will take place at 87 Pitts Bayshore Drive in Freeport. Officials and partners will gather to commemorate the preservation of this significant tract of land along the Choctawhatchee River and Bay.

As the warm April breeze settles over the coast, the South Walton Beaches Wine & Food Festival is ready to pour out another world-class weekend of discovery. From April 23–26, 2026, Grand Boulevard’s Town Center transforms into a vibrant celebration of flavor, bringing together dozens of celebrity winemakers, master distillers, and regional chefs for an unforgettable four-day extravaganza.

Art Month presented by the Cultural Arts Alliance of Walton County (CAA), is a month-long celebration of the arts held each May in Walton County, Florida.

The Cultural Arts Alliance of Walton County (CAA) kicks off Art Month in Walton County with the 38th Annual ArtsQuest Fine Arts Festival on May 2 & 3, 2026.

The corks are ready to pop as one of the Emerald Coast’s most enduring traditions returns for its 39th year of excellence.