A new entertainment venue in Fort Walton Beach is bringing together live music, private event hosting and food truck dining under one roof.
- The WaterGarden, located at 59 Beal Parkway, combines a 1,700 square foot event space with an established food truck operation that has served the area for five years. Owner Jijuan Pena and his wife Sheawna operate both the venue and the mobile food service.
“We’re running an event space that we rent out, but we also put on our own events,” Pena said. “We bring in DJs, small acoustic acts and whole bands to entertain our guests.”
The venue can accommodate up to 99 people and offers daily karaoke along with live bands and EDM performances. Pena emphasized that the space is available for private bookings, not just public events hosted by the business.
“It’s not just a space where we put events on, anyone can book the space,” he said. “We’re looking to cater to the small party areas and we’re charging about half of what most venues in the area are charging, so it’s definitely a fair value.”
The WaterGarden operates without an alcohol license, a deliberate choice by the owners to create a different type of entertainment atmosphere. However, as a “bottle club,” patrons can bring their own.
- “My wife and I don’t drink, so we wanted a space that was inclusive to people who don’t drink,” Pena said. “It’s a different energy being in a place that is a bar versus a place where the entertainment is the focus and not just bar sales.”
The venue includes an arcade and markets itself as family-friendly. The accompanying food truck specializes in what Pena describes as “burgers, brunch and tacos,” with menu items including omelets, French toast and specialty burgers.
Pena, a military brat and graduate of Fort Walton Beach High School, has expanded the food truck’s mobile operations to include stops in downtown Fort Walton Beach and Destin during peak evening hours.
Regular operating hours vary by day, with the venue closed Mondays and Tuesdays.
Information about events and bookings is available through the business’s Facebook and Instagram accounts under the handle @thewatergardenfwb, or by calling 850-974-4840.
