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Good morning!
A Niceville teen is headed to the Joffrey Ballet School in New York after being scouted at a national competition. Local softball delivered a packed week with district titles, no-hitters, and an upset, while Niceville flag football earned its first playoff win in program history. The Crestview mayor and a councilman received the 2026 Home Rule Hero Award, and Okaloosa County is seeking Affordable Housing Advisory Committee applicants. Also, Craftathon returns to Fort Walton Beach for a 10th year and three Destin open houses under $660K.
EVENTS
Craftathon beer festival returns to Downtown Fort Walton Beach for 10th year
Craftathon, the curated craft beer festival held each spring in downtown Fort Walton Beach, will return to The Landing Park on Sunday, May 3, for its 10th installment, with 100% of proceeds benefiting the Mattie Kelly Arts Foundation.
- The festival runs from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. for VIP ticket holders and 12 to 4 p.m. for general admission. Organizers cap attendance at under 1,000 people on purpose, co-founder Warren Bondi said.
“We really want the event to just be an enjoyable event,” Bondi said. “We don’t want you to be so packed in that you feel uncomfortable and waiting in line for a small sample of a beer.”
Craftathon first launched in 2015. The event has skipped two years over the past decade — one canceled by COVID and one canceled by the organizers — which is why the 2026 event is being billed as the 10th annual.
This year’s brewers are traveling from as far as Washington, D.C., Norfolk, Virginia, and Michigan. About 500 pounds of crawfish will be served by Evan Troxell of Gulf Coast Crawfish.
SPONSORED
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GAMES
WordroW: May 1, 2026
WordroW is brought to you by Fort Walton Beach Chiropractic – keeping your mind sharp and your spine aligned, one game at a time.
Can you guess today’s 5-letter word in six tries?
WordroW is Get The Coast’s daily word puzzle featuring local words, places, and phrases from our community. You have six guesses to find the mystery word – green letters are correct and in the right spot, yellow letters are in the word but wrong position, and gray letters aren’t in the word at all.
SPORTS
The latest in Okaloosa and Walton sports
DISTRICT CHAMPS: The Lady Vikings softball are district champions for the third year in a row. Fort Walton Beach rolled past rival Choctaw 7-0 on April 30 to secure the season sweep and a district title three-peat. Izzy Douglas tossed a no-hitter, and the Lady Vikings’ bats made sure she never had to sweat it. Anna Beyhl, Elyse Heymann, Brenna Williams, Ava Blankenship and Meredith Miller all drove in runs. The win marks Fort Walton’s 10th in a row heading into Friday’s bracket release. Click here for the full story
DISTRICT CHAMPS: It took everything they had, but Niceville softball are district champions once again. The Lady Eagles edged Gulf Breeze 4-0 on April 30 for their fourth straight district title and the 18th under head coach Danny Hensley. Briana Noles, who wasn’t even starting as she rehabbed an ankle injury, broke a scoreless duel with a sixth-inning grand slam. Chloe Bailey threw a perfect game, striking out 11 and facing the minimum 21 batters. Niceville will enter the postseason as the No. 1 seed. Click here to read the full story
SOWAL SOFTBALL: A four-run lead wasn’t enough for South Walton. West Florida Tech rallied with seven unanswered runs across the sixth and seventh innings on April 30 to deliver a stunning 8-5 upset of the Lady Seahawks in the district semifinal. Zoey Kreinus homered and Kayden Eckman drove in a run as South Walton built an early advantage, but a string of late breaks went the wrong way. The Lady Seahawks now wait on Friday’s bracket release, with a No. 3 seed appearing likely. Click here to read the full story
FLAG FOOTBALL: Niceville flag football made history Tuesday night, claiming the first playoff win in program history with a hard-fought 26-19 victory over Pace in the rain at Eagle Stadium. Peyton Carter threw for 264 yards and four touchdowns, connecting with Layla Hughes and Eden Shaw for two scores apiece. Katherine Newkirk’s clutch interception in the second half helped the Lady Eagles seal the win and push their program-record season to 16 wins. Niceville travels to Chiles on Monday for its Sweet 16 matchup. Click here to read the full story
GIVING BACK
Emerald Coast Science Center calls on designers for second annual eco-fashion show
From giving back to investing in the future, FPL is powering strong communities. Learn more here.
The Emerald Coast Science Center is accepting designer applications for its second annual Reduce, Reuse, Refashion eco-fashion show, a community event celebrating sustainability and creativity through wearable art made entirely from recycled and repurposed materials.
Presented by WM, the show will be held Nov. 14, 2026, at the Science Center. Designers can register until Oct. 17, 2026, or until the maximum capacity of 20 designs has been met.
The runway experience invites local designers, artists, students and creative teams to transform everyday discarded materials — such as plastics, paper, textiles and found objects — into fashion statements that highlight reuse and environmental stewardship.
REAL ESTATE
3 Open Houses in Destin this weekend under $660K
If you’re thinking about making a move or just want to see what’s out there, there are a few open houses happening in Destin this weekend that are worth a stop.
We pulled three active listings that will be open, each offering something a little different — from waterfront views to a backyard pool setup and a centrally located home near the beach. It’s a solid mix for locals who want to walk through homes and get a real feel for what’s currently on the market.
NEWS
What else is happening….
HOUSING: Okaloosa County is accepting applications to fill one citizen seat on the Okaloosa County/Fort Walton Beach Affordable Housing Advisory Committee. The committee advises the Board of County Commissioners and Fort Walton Beach City Council on local affordable housing issues, including incentives and recommendations to expand housing opportunities. The appointee will serve a three-year term, and the committee meets at least quarterly. Applications are due by 5 p.m. Thursday, May 14. Click here for the full story
POLITICS: The Florida League of Cities has honored Crestview Mayor JB Whitten and Councilman Shannon Hayes with 2026 Home Rule Hero Awards for their advocacy during the 2026 Legislative Session. The league recognized both officials for sharing community needs, local data and real-world examples with state lawmakers. The award celebrates local leaders who consistently engage state legislators to protect cities’ ability to address local problems with local solutions. Whitten has previously received the recognition. Click here for the full story
MILITARY: Hurlburt Field is accepting applications through May 8 for its 2026-2027 Honorary Commander Program, which pairs local civic and business community members with commanders across the installation. Designed for participants with limited Air Force knowledge, the one-year program includes five or six tours of represented units along with on-base functions and special events. The goal is to build lasting relationships, with honorary commanders continuing as ambassadors for Hurlburt Field after their term. Click here for the full story
EVENTS
A few things to do around town
Friday, May. 1 – First Friday Coffee sponsored by Waste Management – Fort Walton Beach – $40.00 – View
Friday, May. 1 – Meowsterpieces art show and competition – FT WALTON BCH – $25.00 – View
Friday, May. 1 – Mainstreet Family Fest – Crestview – Free – View
Saturday, May. 2 – Discover Science Saturday – Fort Walton Beach – $12.00 – View
Saturday, May. 2 – Connor’s Crusaders 16th Annual Crawfish Boil at T3 – View
Saturday, May. 2 – Seltzer Festival – Miramar Beach – $35.00 – View
Saturday, May. 2 – Hats & Horses – Panama City Beach – $45.00 – View
Saturday, May. 2 – HH Arts Gallery Night May 2 – Fort Walton Beach – Free – View
Saturday, May. 2 – Meet & Greet Candidates – Fort Walton Beach – Free – View
Sunday, May. 3 – 17th Annual School Poster Contest – Fort Walton Beach – Free – View
Wednesday, May. 6 – 2026 Destin World Ocean Day Beach Cleanup – Destin – Free – View
Thursday, May. 7 – May Networking Breakfast Sponsored by Florida Power & Light – Crestview – $10.00 – View
Thursday, May. 7 – Okaloosa County Women of Honor Recognition Ceremony – Fort Walton Beach – Free – View
Friday, May. 8 – “Duty Before Glory: Washington’s Enduring Legacy of Leadership” – valpariso – Free – View
Saturday, May. 9 – Girls Empowered with Math and Science Workshops – Fort Walton Beach – Free – View
Saturday, May. 9 – Okaloosa County America 250 Commission Grand Parade and Celebration – Crestview – Free – View
Friday, May. 15 – Billy Bowlegs Pirate Festival – Fort Walton Beach – Free – View
NEWS
Niceville teen headed to Joffrey Ballet School in New York after being scouted at national competition
Jane Taylor was sitting in class at Niceville High School when her phone buzzed with a text from her mom. Just her name, in all caps.
“I’m thinking I got in trouble or something,” Taylor said.
She slipped out to the bathroom and called her mom back. On the other end of the line, Carissa Taylor was crying.
- “She’s like, ‘they accepted you into the program,’” Jane said. “And I just start crying.”
The program is the Joffrey Ballet School’s year-round Trainee Program in New York City — one of the most competitive pre-professional ballet training programs in the country. Jane, a 15-year-old sophomore, will head to New York this fall to begin what could be up to four years of intensive training at the school’s Manhattan facility.
OK, that’s all I have for you this morning! I hope you have a great Friday. Help us shape the future of local news and make a meaningful impact on your community. Click here to learn how you can support us!
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Jared
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