Downtown Events in Panama City, Florida are always a lot of fun for locals and the many tourists who vacation in our beautiful waterfront communities. In the past few years, the Downtown Improvement Board has improved the appearance of our downtown community and they have drawn many wonderful new businesses to the traditional "Main Street" downtown area.
One of the most interesting events planned for March is the Chautauqua Wine Tasting set for Friday evening, March 28, 6:00-9:00 pm at beautiful McKenzie Park on Harrison Avenue. The downtown stores will be open and several restaurants will serve special menu items and wine-complimenting appetizers.
"Chautauqua" - what is it, you ask? Writers will appreciate the old text below ... modern writing cannot compare to this paragraph copied from The Complete Chautauquan entitled "Chautauqua in Florida" By Jeffrey Scott Maxwell (copyright 2000)
1885, First Assembly [Vincent, 41] "The Florida Chautauqua, located in Western Florida, on the Pensacola and Atlantic Railway, about eighty miles from Tallahassee, and about the same distance from Pensacola. It is on a high ridge of land, three hundred feet above the level of the Gulf of Mexico, which is twenty-four miles away. Two hundred and eight acres surround a beautiful lake, a mile in circumference, and sixty feet in depth, the water being clear and pure, and the beach of hard white sand. The Southern pine, oak, magnolia, and bay grow on the grounds. There is a tabernacle which will seat twenty-five hundred persons. There are also buildings for cooking-school, kindergarten, and young people's headquarters, and a large two-story building with assembly-room and class-rooms. The 'Hotel Chautauqua' is a large and comfortable house.
One of the best sources of information on Chautauqua activities in local communities is The Chautauquan monthly magazine which was published from 1880 to 1914.
The Chautauqua Vineyards is located just north of DeFuniak Springs, Florida. Both the vineyards and the winery are owned by Kate and Paul Owens who planted them in 1979. DeFuniak Springs is the county seat for Walton County, immediately west of Bay County _ Panama City Beach.
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Sounds like fun for all.