Art Month Walton County Features 50+ Events In May

Each year in May, the arts take the stage in Walton County!

Art Month Walton County is back for an encore, brought to you by the Cultural Arts Alliance (CAA) of Walton County and Visit South Walton, and it's always a grayt month. We're talking a packed schedule with over 50 different ways to experience creativity, from engaging fundraisers to captivating festivals and everything in between. Artists, groups, businesses – everyone's coming together to make May 2025 the most creative month ever!

At the April 22 Board of County Commissioners (BCC) meeting, the Walton County Board of County Commissioners officially proclaimed May as Art Month Walton County, highlighting the county’s ongoing commitment to fostering the arts, supporting local artists, and enriching the cultural landscape of the community.

“We are honored and excited that the Walton County Board of County Commissioners continues to support Art Month Walton County,” said Jennifer Steele, President and CEO of the Cultural Arts Alliance of Walton County. “This official designation amplifies the value of the Arts in our community and helps us spotlight the many talented artists, cultural experiences, and creative opportunities available to both residents and visitors throughout the month of May and beyond.”

Underwater Art Party (April 30th): Kick things off with Dine + Dive at Grand Boulevard. It's a fundraiser for the super cool Underwater Museum of Art (UMA) – the country's first underwater sculpture park! Expect art previews, tasty drinks and bites from local hotspots like The Bay, Surfing Deer, and more, plus live New Orleans tunes. Get your tickets at CulturalArtsAlliance.com/upcoming-events. Wanna dive deeper into UMA? Check out www.UMAFL.org.

Stage Stars Align (Starts May 2nd): Catch Legally Blonde The Musical at the Emerald Coast Theatre Company (ECTC)! Elle Woods is about to blow your mind in this fun, award-winning show. Runs from May 2nd to 18th – grab your tickets and showtimes at www.EmeraldCoastTheatre.org.

Art Extravaganza (May 3rd & 4th): Get ready for the 37th Annual ArtsQuest Fine Arts Festival at Grand Boulevard! Over 120 artists from all over will be showing their stuff. Expect live music from bands like Boukou Groove, art demos, a cool prison art exhibit, and hands-on fun for everyone. NEW this year: snag a VIP Package for a special Sip & Shop and a private lounge! A $5 donation at the gate is encouraged to support the arts. All the details are at CulturalArtsAlliance.com/arts-quest.

Groovy Thursday Tunes (Every Thursday in May): The Mattie Kelly Arts Foundation (MKAF) Concerts in the Village are back with family-friendly music nights featuring everything from rock to reggae. Head to www.MKAF.org for the lineup and tickets.

Story Time (May 8th & 29th): The Emerald Coast Storytellers are back! Catch their Open Mic Night at Grayton Beer on May 8th for some local tales. Then, on May 29th, join them at the CAA’s Bayou Arts Center for a writers' hangout. Check out www.EmeraldCoastStorytellers.com for more info.

Write On! (May 10th-17th): Calling all writers! The Longleaf Writers Conference is happening in SEASIDE® with engaging visiting authors and literary agents. Workshops, consultations, readings – it's a writer's dream! Sign up at www.LongleafWritersConference.com.

Stroll and See (Various Dates in May): Explore the local art scene with Art Walks at 30Avenue (May 10th), the Artist Warehouses (May 10th), Grayton Beach (May 15th), and SEASIDE® (May 28th). Wander through local spots and see some remarkable art!

Digital Dreams (May 16th & 17th): Prepare to be wowed at Digital Graffiti at Alys Beach! Artists project their digital masterpieces onto the white walls of Alys Beach. It's a unique festival of art, tech, and architecture. Get your tickets at www.DigitalGraffiti.com.

Symphony Remix (May 17th): Get ready for Sinfonia Gulf Coast Presents Tchaikovsky X Drake! This sounds wild – classic symphony meets hip-hop! Tickets are available at www.SinfoniaGulfCoast.org.

Memorial Music (May 25th): Celebrate Memorial Day with a FREE family-friendly concert by Sinfonia Salutes in Alys Beach. Bring your blankets and enjoy the music! More info at www.SinfoniaGulfCoast.org or www.AlysBeach.com.

For all the juicy details on every Art Month event, visitCulturalArtsAlliance.com/art-month.

ART MONTH WALTON SCHEDULE

APR 30

‘DINE + DIVE’ FUNDRAISER WITH J & THE CAUSEWAYS BENEFITING THE UNDERWATER MUSEUM OF ART

Grand Park, 600 Grand Boulevard, Miramar Beach

6 - 9 p.m.

MAY 1-31

SPECIAL EXHIBITION AT EMERALD COAST THEATRE COMPANY

560 Grand Boulevard, Ste. 200, Upstairs, Miramar Beach

MAY 1

VERSES & VIBES OPEN MIC NIGHT

674 US HWY 331, DeFuniak Springs

6 p.m.

MATTIE KELLY ARTS FOUNDATION CONCERT SERIES - BLACK JACKET SYMPHONY

4323 Commons Dr. W, Destin

Gates open at 6 p.m. Concert begins at 7 p.m.

MAY 2 - 18

LEGALLY BLONDE

Emerald Coast Theatre Company

560 Grand Boulevard, Ste. 200, Upstairs, Miramar Beach

MAY 3 - 4

37th ANNUAL ARTSQUEST FINE ARTS FESTIVAL

Town Center in Grand Boulevard, Miramar Beach

Saturday, May 4: 10 a.m. - 7 p.m. and Sunday, May 5: 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.

MAY 8

EMERALD COAST STORYTELLERS OPEN MIC NIGHT

Grayton Beer, 217 Serenoa Rd, Miramar Beach

5 - 8 p.m.

MATTIE KELLY ARTS FOUNDATION CONCERT SERIES - DEAR AMY: AMY WINEHOUSE TRIBUTE

4323 Commons Dr. W, Destin

Gates open at 6 p.m. Concert begins at 7 p.m.

MAY 9 - 10

LAKE FEST

1226 Circle Dr., DeFuniak Springs

MAY 10

ART ON THE AVE!

12805 US Hwy 98 E, 30Avenue in Inlet Beach

MAY 12

RUMPLESTILTSKIN

SEASIDE® Amphitheater, SEASIDE®

MAY 10 – 17

LONGLEAF WRITERS CONFERENCE

Academic Village and other locations in SEASIDE®

MAY 15

GRAYTON BEACH ART WALK

14 Clayton Lane, Grayton Beach

THIRDSDAY ART WALK

416 S. County Hwy 393, Santa Rosa Beach

MATTIE KELLY ARTS FOUNDATION CONCERT SERIES - KICKSTAND JENNY

4323 Commons Dr. W, Destin

Gates open at 6 p.m. Concert begins at 7 p.m.

MAY 16 - 17

DIGITAL GRAFFITI

Alys Beach

MAY 17

SINFONIA GULF COAST PRESENTS TCHAIKOVSKY X DRAKE

1250 Miracle Strip Pkwy, SE, Ft. Walton Beach

MAY 19

RUMPLESTILTSKIN

SEASIDE® Amphitheater, SEASIDE®

MAY 21

COCKTAILS & CLAY

835 Serenoa Rd, Santa Rosa Beach

NATIVE SPECIES OF 30A - A COLLECTION OF ORIGINAL ANIMALS, ODD PEOPLE, AND PLACES THAT LINGER AT JUSTIN GAFFREY GALLERY

21 Blue Gulf Dr., Blue Mountain Beach

MAY 22

MATTIE KELLY ARTS FOUNDATION CONCERT SERIES - THE MOLLY RINGWALDS

4323 Commons Dr. W, Destin

Gates open at 6 p.m. Concert begins at 7 p.m.

MAY 25

SINFONIA SALUTES

Alys Beach

MAY 26

RUMPLESTILTSKIN

SEASIDE® Amphitheater, SEASIDE®

MAY 27

KIDS IMPROV BOOTCAMP

The Rep, SEASIDE®

MAY 28

SNOW WHITE

St. Augustine Green, Rosemary Beach

SEASIDE® ART WALK

SEASIDE®

MAY 29

KIDS IMPROV BOOTCAMP

The Rep, SEASIDE®

MATTIE KELLY ARTS FOUNDATION CONCERT SERIES - PETTY HEARTS

4323 Commons Dr. W, Destin

Gates open at 6 p.m. Concert begins at 7 p.m.

EMERALD COAST STORYTELLERS AFTER-HOURS WRITING NIGHT

CAA’s Bayou Arts Center, 105 Hogtown Bayou Ln, Santa Rosa Beach

6 - 8 p.m.

MAY 30

FRIENDS & FAMILY FINALE

The Rep, SEASIDE®

MAY 31

Certainly So LIVE at The Rep

The Rep Theatre, SEASIDE®