DISCOVER 🫧 P’COLA

Pensacola’s #1 Newsletter

If you're itching for some adventure, we're here to help you stumble upon the finest local festivities, those tucked-away treasures, and every bit of excitement stirring in our community. It’s the perfect way to truly get to know the heart of our home, Pensacola.

QUICK. FREE. INFORMATIVE. 

Morning P’Cola!

You know how special our local wildlife is? Well, the Perdido Key Association is leading a wonderful event that you can be part of: 'Light the Way' in preparation for the start of Sea Turtle Hatching Season.

Did you know the unhatched eggs and shells are like vitamins for our beaches? They provide nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus that help our dune vegetation grow strong and hold our dunes together, protecting our homes and businesses from big storms and keeping our shoreline from washing away. 

Sea Turtles are the "Gardeners of the Gulf". Our Green Sea Turtles are the only ones that graze on seagrass keeping the beds healthy and productive. These grasses are the "lungs of the sea" and serve as a nursery for the shrimp, crabs, and fish. Loggerheads use powerful jaws to crush shells, which helps recycle nutrients back into the ocean floor. Leatherbacks eat their weight in jellyfish every day! Without them, the jellyfish population would skyrocket, eating up all the fish eggs and making it a lot less fun for us to go for a swim.

And, because our sand is a bit cooler than down south, NWFL produces mostly male turtles. The females return to the beach where they were born to lay eggs making every single nest we find on Pensacola Beach a rare and beautiful miracle. 

See ya out there.

COMMUNITY & COUNTY NEWS

• Dark Beach Pledge: Preparing for sea turtle nesting season May 1st through October 31st, 2026. The Perdido Key association is leading a campaign called 'Light the Way,' encouraging all property owners in Perdido Key to take the ‘Dark Beach Pledge’.

• Escambia County has officially celebrated the opening of Carpenter Creek Headwaters Park, featuring walking paths and boardwalks through restored wetlands.

• Neighborhood Clean up! A wonderful chance to spruce up our beautiful city! The focus area is north of East Hill and surrounding neighborhoods. Check the city's website for the specific cleanup map.

  Saturday, March 28th, 2026 (Morning).

• Mayor D.C. Reeves continues with plans to bring a professional soccer team to the city! Market interest and potential ownership are in place, but the effort hinges on securing a stadium site and funding plan.

MARCH FORECAST  

Wonderful news for your outdoor plans!—there is almost no chance of rain for most of the week! The sky will be clear as can be from Sunday all the way through Thursday.

We might see a small increase in cloud cover as we head into the weekend, with about a 20% chance of rain popping up on Friday and Saturday, but it is nothing to worry about.

SPONSORED BY OUR FOREVER FRIENDS

~ Waiting for their 'Happily Ever After ~

THIS WEEK in P’COLA

Fri 3/27

11th Annual Perdido Key Songwriter Festival. If you love music and that classic, casual beach vibe, you have to get yourself to Perdido this weekend.. Various intimate venues and restaurants all along Perdido Key.

America’s Best Beach Bash. Celebrate Pensacola Beach being named America’s Best Beach with live music, drink specials, and complimentary appetizers at The Salty Rose on Pensacola Beach

Sat 3/28

Palafox Market Over 200 vendors selling everything from fresh local produce and baked goods to handmade art, jewelry, and delightful crafts. 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM Martin Luther King Jr. Plaza (North Palafox St) .

Mayor’s Neighborhood Cleanup The City of Pensacola is offering free pickup for bulky items like old furniture, appliances, and electronics (no TVs). It’s purely grand for sprucing things up for spring! Morning (check the map on the city website for your neighborhood’s specific route). Focus area is north of East Hill and surrounding neighborhoods.

Books by the Bay Book Festival. Bayview Park in Pensacola hosts this waterfront literary celebration featuring author signings, free presentations, youth activities, and interactive contests. From poetry slams to children’s readings.

Read Across Pensacola Day Extravaganza! Celebrate the magic of reading with high-energy performances, interactive activities, and fun for all ages. 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM Museum Plaza (300 S Tarragona St.

Pensacola Beach Art & Wine Festival 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Boardwalk at Pensacola Beach.

Annual Gulf Coast Gourd Show is returning this weekend, and is purely grand. Guy Thompson Community Center (5629 Byrom St) in historic Downtown Milton.

24th Annual Marine Corps League Vehicle & Cycle Show. One of the biggest fundraisers for the Marine Corps League of Pensacola, supporting their vital programs for veterans in need. 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM (Registration for vehicles is from 8:00 AM – 10:00 AM). University of West Florida, Building 78 (Pensacola).

Mon 3/30

Pensacola Beach Junior Lifeguard Summer Camp - Registration Opens! Online registration officially opens today Youth ages 13-15. Spots fill up faster than a stadium on game day, so you’ll want to be ready! Camp sessions are in June & July). Register online at myescambia.com.

Tue 3/31

Pensacola Blue Wahoos: Opening Week Preparations The first home game isn’t ‘til next week, the excitement is certainly building at Blue Wahoos Stadium! Now is a perfect time to secure your tickets for the home opener and opening week series against the Chattanooga Lookouts.

Sunbelt Cinference Baseball Championship Pensacola is the proud host! Tuesday, March 31st – Sunday, April 5th, 2026. Blue Wahoos Stadium (Downtown Pensacola).

Wed 4/1

UWF Softball vs. Georgia College (Home Doubleheader) Cheer on our University of West Florida Argonauts! The softball team is taking on Georgia College in an exciting home doubleheader. Games at 2:00 PM and 4:00 PM. UWF Softball Complex (UWF Main Campus).

CIVIL PARK & BUSINESS NEWS

CITY EVENTS - CALENDAR

NEW!! 

#1 You may remember the county agreed to sell the OLF-8 property on Nine Mile Road to a developer last year for $42.5 million. This week, a representative for the buyer has asked the County Commissioners if they will keep nearly one-third of the property (about 171 acres) and lower the total selling price by over $14 million. As you can imagine, this has caused a large discussion. I’m sure this will continue to be a very lively debate at the next commission meeting! ♡

#2 Mayor Reeves shared wonderful updates regarding the Port of Pensacola! The Port is now moving ahead with a large $11.6 million road and rail rehabilitation project. While it will help our current tenants be more efficient, the real reason is resiliency. Lance Scott, the Port Director, believes this project is crucial to ensuring the port can withstand a major storm—like Hurricane Sally.

PENSACOLA REAL ESTATE  

Harness the Sunshine: Your 15-Minute Home Prep

If you are showing your home this week, you need to let that Pensacola sunshine work its magic!

1. Throw Open the Shutters.

   Before any showing, walk through and pull back every curtain, throw open every blind, and let that natural, golden light pour into every room. It makes spaces look bigger, cleaner, and purely grand.

2. Clean those Windows.

   While you’re at it, take 15 minutes to quickly wash the main windows, especially the front ones and the sliding glass doors. Removing that thin layer of spring pollen or winter grime will make the whole house feel brighter and fresher.

3. The Final Touch - a Fresh Air Scent.

   A bright, sunny home should have bright, sunny smells! Simmer some water with orange slices and a touch of rosemary on the stove, or put out a fresh vase of tulips. It is just as simple and effective as can be!

UPCOMING EVENTS

April 1

• Blue Angels Practice: NAS Pensacola, 10:30 AM

• Bands on the Beach (Cristi Dee & Bad JuJu): Gulfside Pavilion, 7:00 PM

• Registration Opens: Pensacola Beach Junior Lifeguard Summer Camp (Online)

April 2

• Blue Angels Practice: NAS Pensacola, 10:30 AM

• ZZ Top: Pensacola Bay Center, 7:30 PM

• Grand Opening: Habitat for Humanity Restore (W Street)

April 3

• Pensacola Blue Wahoos vs. Montgomery Biscuits: Blue Wahoos Stadium, 6:05 PM (Opening Night!)

• Fantasia & Anthony Hamilton: Pensacola Bay Center, 8:00 PM

• The Molly Ringwalds: Seville Quarter, 8:30 PM

April 4

• Pensacola Blue Wahoos vs. Montgomery Biscuits: Blue Wahoos Stadium, 6:05 PM

• Pensacola Ice Flyers vs. Evansville Thunderbolts: Pensacola Bay Center, 7:00 PM (Regular Season Home Finale!)

• Arabian Nights & Ale at Gary's Biergarten / 208 Newman Ave, Pensacola, FL 32507 / 6-9PM FREE Admission 

April 5

• Pensacola Blue Wahoos vs. Montgomery Biscuits: Blue Wahoos Stadium, 4:05 PM

• Fiesta Children's Treasure Hunt: Museum Plaza, 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM

April 7

• Blue Angels Practice: NAS Pensacola, 10:30 AM

• Bands on the Beach (The Calverts): Gulfside Pavilion, 7:00 PM

April 8

• Blue Angels Practice: NAS Pensacola, 10:30 AM (Autograph session follows)

April 9

• Blue Angels Practice: NAS Pensacola, 10:30 AM

April 11

• Uncle Chuck's Legacy Car Show: 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM

• Cinemas in the Sand (The Parent Trap): Gulfside Pavilion, Sunset

• Candlelight Concert: First United Methodist Church, 6:30 PM & 9:00 PM

April 12

• Gulf Coast Whale Festival & Puppet Parade: Casino Beach Pavilion, 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM

April 14

• Blue Angels Practice: NAS Pensacola, 10:30 AM

• Bands on the Beach (Whitesands Panhandle Band): Gulfside Pavilion, 7:00 PM

• Pensacola Blue Wahoos vs. Knoxville Smokies: Blue Wahoos Stadium, 6:05 PM

April 15

• Blue Angels Practice: NAS Pensacola, 10:30 AM (Autograph session follows)

• Pensacola Blue Wahoos vs. Knoxville Smokies: Blue Wahoos Stadium, 6:05 PM

April 16

• Blue Angels Practice: NAS Pensacola, 10:30 AM

• Pensacola Blue Wahoos vs. Knoxville Smokies: Blue Wahoos Stadium, 6:05 PM

April 17

• Pensacola Beach Crawfish Festival: Bamboo Willie's, 1:00 PM

• Gallery Night (Vintage Vibes & Valor): Downtown Palafox, 5:00 PM – 9:00 PM

• Pensacola Blue Wahoos vs. Knoxville Smokies: Blue Wahoos Stadium, 6:05 PM

April 18

• Crawfish Fest 5K: Pensacola Beach, 8:00 AM

• Brandon Lake: Pensacola Bay Center, 7:00 PM

• Pensacola Blue Wahoos vs. Knoxville Smokies: Blue Wahoos Stadium, 6:05 PM

April 19

• Egga-Wahooza: Blue Wahoos Stadium, 11:00 AM

• Pensacola Blue Wahoos vs. Knoxville Smokies: Blue Wahoos Stadium, 4:05 PM

April 21

• Blue Angels Practice: NAS Pensacola, 10:30 AM

• Bands on the Beach (Smoke Stak): Gulfside Pavilion, 7:00 PM

April 22

• Blue Angels Practice: NAS Pensacola, 10:30 AM (Autograph session follows)

April 23

• Blue Angels Practice: NAS Pensacola, 10:30 AM

April 24

• Pensacola Crawfish Festival: Seville Square and Fountain Park, 11:00 AM – 11:00 PM

April 25

• Pensacola Crawfish Festival: Seville Square and Fountain Park, 10:00 AM – 11:00 PM

• Pensacola Unplugged Songwriter Showcase: Studer Community Institute, 6:30 PM

• Pensacola Raqs Gala Show at the Fil-Am Philippine Cultural Center / 234 Oakfield Rd, Pensacola, FL 32503 / 7-9PM $20 General Admission

April 26

• Earth Day Pensacola: Bayview Park, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM

• Pensacola Crawfish Festival: Seville Square and Fountain Park, 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM

April 28

• Blue Angels Practice: NAS Pensacola, 10:30 AM

• Bands on the Beach (Chase Mitchell): Gulfside Pavilion, 7:00 PM

• Pensacola Blue Wahoos vs. Biloxi Shuckers: Blue Wahoos Stadium, 6:05 PM

April 29

• Blue Angels Practice: NAS Pensacola, 10:30 AM (Autograph session follows)

• Pensacola Blue Wahoos vs. Biloxi Shuckers: Blue Wahoos Stadium, 6:05 PM

April 30

• Blue Angels Practice: NAS Pensacola, 10:30 AM

• Pensacola Blue Wahoos vs. Biloxi Shuckers: Blue Wahoos Stadium, 6:05 PM

LIVE MUSIC LOWDOWN

MARCH 2026

• March 28 PSO: Symphonic Spectacular Saenger Theatre / 7:30 PM

• March 28 Robert Lester Folsom The Handlebar / 7:00 PM

• March 31 Varials & Unity TX The Handlebar / 7:00 PM

APRIL 2026

• April 4th White Tie Rock Ensemble Tribute to Americana Rock at the Pensacola Bay Center

BANDS ON THE BEACH

April 7 – The Calverts
April 14 – Whitesands Panhandle Band
April 21 – Smoke Stak
April 28 – Chase Mitchell

• THE HANDLEBAR

• BAMBOO WILLIES

• LAGUNA’S

• VINYL MUSIC HALL

• SEVILLE QUARTER

• PENSACOLA OPERA

• THE SALTY ROSE

SPORTS

PENSACOLA- Calendar

TEAM SPORTS

• Ice Flyers at Pensacola Bay Center 

  • March 28

  • April 3

  • April 4 (Regular Season Home Finale!)

• Pensacola Blue Wahoos (Double-A Baseball)

  • April 3, 4, 5

  • April 14–18, 19

  • April 28–30

• Youth Soccer League i9 Sports: Spring season kick off ages 3-12 Saturday, April 11 LEAD Academy

• Pensacola Catholic High ~Baseball & Softball:

  • Baseball: April 7 -8, 7:00 PM District Tournament April 14.

  • Softball: April 7, 6:00 PM, Escambia April 14, 6:30 PM

RUNNING & TRAIL EVENTS (RUN)

• MONDAYS MONDAY DOG RUN

• THURSDAYS FLEET FEET

• Mar 28 Bayou Hills Run: Official Pensacola 5K and 10K City Championships. 7:00 AM.

• Mar 28 Rec Plex North parkrun: Weekly 5K UWF 9:00 AM.

• Apr 3 Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month 5K

• Apr 4 Jelly Bean 5k

• Apr 11 9th Annual Coon Hill Day 5K Run/Walk Jay, Florida

• Apr 19 Glow Run for Autism Acceptance NAVARRE

PICKLE BALL, HIKING, SWIM & SURF

• Mar 28 Beginning Birding Guided Hike: Big Lagoon State Park (West Beach Parking Area) from 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM.

• Mar 28 Evening Under the Stars: Join the Escambia Amateur Astronomer Association at Big Lagoon State Park 5:30 PM until Midnight

• Weekend Surf Lessons Pensacola Beach / Early spring swells start picking up; check with Innerlight surf shop for clinics.

• Daily Hiking the Loop UWF Main Campus 20+ miles of trails for all skill levels (Nature Trail & West Campus). Best accessed from the Pate Street Trailhead (11969 Pate St.). It’s free to park there, and you can pick up the trail right from the lot.

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