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It’s Friday, Destin! Let’s finish this week strong.
In today’s can’t-miss-weekend-plans edition: Southwest’s new routes and jobs, a color-splashed 5K, and a Moulin Rouge gala + a stacked lineup of events this weekend.
Today’s sponsor (FinanceBuzz) built a free comparison tool that helped me cut my car insurance premiums in half. It took about 3 minutes, and honestly… I wish I’d done it sooner. If you haven’t shopped around in a while, you can easily check the best rates here.
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📰 In the news
Boost youth leadership and service: Fort Walton Beach’s 5K Color Run on March 28 will splash runners in colored chalk while raising funds for OCSO Explorers Post 245 and their June state competition — get all the details.
Crew base bringing 2,000 jobs: Southwest will add seasonal nonstop Austin to Destin flights in October, part of four new routes, with year-round Austin to Memphis service beginning Oct. 1 and additional expansions this year — get all the route details.
Candidate highlights city improvements: Fourth-generation Floridian Abel Albritton is running for Freeport City Council Seat 5 and recently filed to face Elizabeth Haffner, with priorities on safety, growth planning, street signs, and affordable housing — learn what he stands for.
Gold & silver are hot: Coming off gold’s best year since 1979, the momentum is carrying well into 2026 with silver remaining one of the most talked-about assets. Curious why they’re back in focus? American Hartford Gold has a free guide that explains what’s happening and how people are approaching it today. It’s free – and definitely worth a read.
Someone Googled you this week: Whether you’re dating again, selling something locally, or just meeting new neighbors… people are going to look you up. Like it or not, the internet has a way of surfacing past mistakes and outdated information that no longer reflects who you are. Thankfully, there’s a really easy way for you (or someone you care about) to clean up all that up – learn more here.
Highlights this week:
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🚗 Are you quietly overpaying for car insurance?
Together with our sponsor FinanceBuzz
Auto insurance premiums have been climbing across the country… and most folks won’t notice until it’s time to renew and they’re hit with a higher bill.
The frustrating part? Loyalty rarely gets rewarded. Insurers adjust prices constantly, and new customers often qualify for better rates than long-time policyholders.
I learned that the hard way. I had the same policy for half a decade. Autopay was on, I saw the charges come in every month and never thought twice about them. Turns out I was paying well above the national average ($175/mo) for a single car… for years.
This free comparison tool lets you check rates from multiple insurers in just a few minutes. It costs nothing to look, and it could save you hundreds this year.
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🫶 We got your back
Go-to green goodness: When the week gets chaotic, Formula Fresh comes through with cold-pressed juices, acai bowls, and satisfying salads and sandwiches that actually fill you up without the food coma. Vegan, gluten-free, or just hungry, they’ve got options that make weekday eating suspiciously easy.
Weekend treasure hunt: DeFrance Antiques packs a 13,000-square-foot showroom plus an 8,000-square-foot Fort Walton Beach annex with 200+ booths of antique, vintage, repurposed, and handmade finds. Inventory moves fast, so a quick lap can become a deep, happy rabbit hole for anyone chasing character and serendipity.
Wake-up-ready brows: Soft, natural arches or a whisper of lip blush, shaped to you. At Prime & Arched, permanent makeup spans microblading, nano, and powder brows, all customized for a believable finish, no heavy hand. Wake up polished, save a little time, and look like you, just fresher.
An emergency vet visit could cost you $7,000+ (ask me how I know 🙃). From the initial fee just to be seen to x-rays, surgery, medicine, and aftercare, it adds up quicker than a chew toy turns into a crime scene. The good news? You could get up to 90% cash back on your vet bill with this pet insurance plan.
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📆 Around town this weekend
Have an event to share? BaseLocal Verified Businesses can submit them for free! Learn more about how to submit an event here →
All events are subject to change without notice. Always check official event pages for the most up to date information.
🌹 La Vie En Rouge @ Emerald Coast Theatre Company | Friday (3/6) at 6:00 PM – Break out your fanciest rouge, we’re doing Paris for a night here. An immersive Moulin Rouge! gala with surprise performances, bottomless craft cocktails, and gourmet bites in a sultry red glow, all for a cause. Dress up, lean in, enjoy the scandal.
🧹 Cleanest City Roadside Cleanup @ Fort Walton Beach City Hall | Saturday (3/7) at 8:00 AM – Been waiting for a sign to tidy our slice of the Emerald Coast? Grab a bucket with Keep Okaloosa Beautiful and join the First Street cleanup downtown FWB. Meet at First Presbyterian on Beal, then sweep St. Mary to Eglin, and call it morning cardio.
💎 Not Your Typical Charm Bar @ Small Batches Cafe & Collective | Saturday (3/7) at 9:00 AM – Backyard hangs call for a not-your-average charm bar, with NecessiTees helping you personalize a book charm, bag charm, or car charm. Twelve bucks a pop, minimal fuss, and a tiny upgrade that says you still know how to read, park, and accessorize.
🔎 Neighborhood Treasure Hunt Bazaar @ Mattie Kelly Arts Foundation Amphitheatre | Saturday (3/7) at 10:00 AM – Ready to treasure hunt without cleaning the garage first? Mattie Kelly Amphitheatre becomes a community bazaar benefiting Destin High with student performances, artisan vendors, yard-sale gems, and food trucks, plus $5 kid wristbands so you can browse, eat, and pretend this counts as spring cleaning.
🔥 First Responder’s Cookoff @ Santa Rosa Beach Ace Hardware | Saturday (3/7) at 10:00 AM – Watch the folks who save our bacon cook it as first responders face off over wings, tenderloin, and brownies in a Recteq cookoff. It benefits the Ms. Reeder Project’s local missions, and Ace adds free drink tickets, $5 boxed lunches, and 15% off Recteq grills.
🚗 7th Annual Motors in March Auto Show @ The Village of Baytowne Wharf | Saturday (3/7) at 11:00 AM – Nothing beats chrome by the bay when it benefits Children in Crisis. The 7th annual Motors in March takes over Baytowne with muscle, classics, exotics, and a blessed no-rev rule, plus free admission, raffles, trophies, and an excuse for a High Noon victory lap.
🐰 Bunny Adoption Event @ Pet Supplies Plus | Saturday (3/7) at 11:00 AM – Take a break from the beach traffic and hop to Pet Supplies Plus in Destin for a bunny adoption day with Bunnychick Haven. Meet sweet rescues, learn rabbit care, and chat with volunteers. Kid-friendly, heart-melting, and yes, adoption is a commitment, not an impulse buy.
Live music & entertainment:
Wanna see more? Browse our full events calendar →
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🔥 Worth a peek
We’re always on the hunt for useful resources, deals, services, and products we think you’ll love. Here’s what caught our eye this week.
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📻 Destin report
Weather forecast
Today – High: 73°F – Low: 65°F – Precip: 12%
Patchy fog before 8am. Partly sunny, with a high near 73. Southeast wind 10 to 15 mph. Later: Areas of fog after 7pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 65. Southeast wind 5 to 10 mph.
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Tomorrow – High: 73°F – Low: 66°F – Precip: 4%
Patchy fog before 9am. Mostly sunny, with a high near 73. Southeast wind 5 to 10 mph. Later: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 66. Southeast wind around 5 mph.
Something in your house is about to break 🏠
It might be your AC, your water heater, your fridge… doesn’t matter. Every major system and appliance has an expiration date, and when it goes, you’re staring down a repair bill that can climb into the thousands fast.
It never happens at a convenient time, and most homeowners just eat the cost because they don’t realize there’s a better option.
American Home Shield covers repairs and replacements on most of your home’s major systems and appliances — old or new, no inspection required.
The best part? Select plans are 50% off now through March 9th.
This house is wild
This 7-bed, 7-bath modern coastal cottage in Crystal Beach sits a short stroll from Emerald Coast sugar sand, near Destin Commons for shopping and dining. Open-concept living shines with an extra-large quartz island, a harvest dining table, and a breezy lounge. Two main-floor king suites, plus four more upstairs, frame a central bonus family room.
Take a peek inside →
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