2011 Free Summer Movies at the Destin Commons 14

We had several requests for the free summer movie schedule at the Destin Commons 14 Rave theater.  I came across the information on the Abrakadoodle Facebook page so I wanted to share it here.  We are still looking for the Ridge schedule and the Gulf Breeze schedule (if either are participating in free movies this summer).  If you come across the schedule before us, we would appreciate it if you email it to us using the Contact Form!

Abrakadoodle, a mobile art educaton program, will be holding DC Kids Artful Play every Wednesday before the movie.  Join Abrakadoodle at 9am for an art project in the Destin Commons 14 Rave lobby!  I am not sure if there is a cost associated with the project.

The Destin Commons 14 Rave Free Family Film Festival schedule is as follows:

May 24th and 25th - Megamind

May 31st and June 1st – Yogi Bear

June 7th and 8th - Diary of a Wimpy Kid

June 13th and 14th - Marmaduke

June 21st and 22nd - Ramona and Beezus

June 28th and 29th - Percy Jackson

July 5th and 6th - Chronicles of Narnia 3

July 12th and 13th – Gulliver’s Travels

 *Please note that the Abrakadoodle flyer only lists the Wednesday dates because that is when the Artful Play is.  According to the main Rave Motion Pictures website, the Free Family Film Festival will occur on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.  As always, we advise calling ahead if you aren’t sure!

*Photo courtesy of NightRPStar via Flickr

Gallery Night and Gallery Night North

Gallery Night is tomorrow, May 20th, from 5-9pm.  The streets shut down and the businesses open up.  

Now you have another family friendly option with Gallery Night North.  The street will be closed from Sole’ Inn to Digital Now.  There will be an A-4 Skyhawk Interactive Cockpit Trainer from the National Naval Aviation Museum, a classic and exotic car show, live music by a local Beatles tribute band, a bounce house, and more.  There will be treats available from Oh Snap! Cupcakes and Beach Pops frozen treats.  

Pensacola Friday Family Flicks 2011 Returns This Week!

What: Outdoor movies; Where: Palafox Pier; When: scheduled once a month; Cost: FREE

Friday Family Flicks returns to Downtown Pensacola this weekend.  Friday Family Flicks is a series of movies that are shown on an outdoor screen on Palafox Pier.  The movie schedule is as follows (movie titles are subject to change without prior notice):

  • May 20, 2011 – The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader PG
  • June 17, 2011 – Yogi Bear G
  • July 15, 2011 – Diary of a Wimpy Kid2: Rodrick Rules PG
  • August 19, 2011 – Rio G

You will want to arrive early enough to get a good seat.  That being said, we didn’t have any difficulties seeing the screen from a blanket on the ground.  The movie starts at dusk which is usually around 8pm.  There are various vendors that sell popcorn, drinks and other food.  We usually pack a picnic dinner or pick up dinner from one of our favorite restaurants and snack our way through the movie!

Chagall for Children

What: Chagall for Children Exhibit (hands-on learning about art!); Where: Pensacola Museum of Art; When: On loan from the Kohl Children’s Museum of Greater Chicago until September 4th; Museum is open Tues-Fri 10 to 5pm and Sat-Sun Noon to 5pm; Cost: Adults $5; Children under 5 Free; Discounts for students and active duty military; FREE Admission on Tuesdays

We made sure that we visited the Chagall for Children exhibit at the Pensacola Museum of Art during the Opening Reception.  We had a great time and the kids loved exploring the different parts of the exhibit.  Each exhibit activity is focused around a Chagall painting.  For example, for Job Tapestry, children can practice weaving on a large weaving screen. 

We visited the museum with a friend and all four children worked for several minutes trying to create a tapestry of their own!  My daughter’s favorite part was the phone that was found at each station.  The phone plays a recording with information about many of the paintings.  Listening to the phone, she would exclaim different phrases she heard about the painting while pointing out what the recording was talking about.

We give this exhibit a big thumbs up and hope you will stop by!  The Pensacola Museum of Art offers free entry on Tuesdays but it does get crowded in the summer with day cares and group visits.

The Pensacola Museum of Art is located at 407 S. Jefferson Street and the contact number is 850-432-6247.

Rave Free 2011 Summer Movie Schedule

I was able to get my hands on the Bayou Rave Free Summer Movie Schedule and I am so happy to share it with you here!  Remember that this schedule is subject to change.  The Rave free movies are a great way to get out of the house and still stay out of the humidity!  So mark your calendars!  The tentative schedule is as follows:

June 7th and 8th - Megamind
June 14th and 15th – Yogi Bear
June 21st and 22nd - Diary of A Wimpy Kid
June 28th and 29th -  Marmaduke
July 5th and 6th - Ramona & Beezus
July 12th and 13th - Percy Jackson
July 19th and 20th – Chronicles of Narnia 3
July 26th and 27th - Gulliver’s Travel

When it gets closer to the first showing, I will post our tips to know before you go!

*Photo courtesy of NightRPStar via Flickr

Chagall for Children Exhibit and Reception at the Pensacola Museum of Art

The Pensacola Museum of Art has secured the Chagall for Children exhibit on loan from the Kohl Children’s Museum of Greater Chicago.  It will be at the Pensacola Museum of Art from May 6th to September 4th, 2011.  We are so very excited about this!  I love the fact that the Pensacola Museum of Art is trying to incorporate more child friendly exhibits in the museum!  The Chagall for Children exhibit will include hands-on interactive stations that encourage play while learning about Chagall’s painting.

There will be an opening reception on May 6th from 5pm to 7pm.  This is open to the public and is FREE!  PWK will be there checking it out and we will tell you all about it afterwards!  If you can’t make it to the free reception, don’t forget that the Pensacola Museum of Art offers free entry on Tuesdays!

 

Splash Pad at Plaza de Luna is Open for Business

According to the new Sunsets at Plaza de Luna Facebook page, the splash pad is now open for business:

The interactive fountain is now operating on its “fun season” hours: Monday – Wednesday from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. and Thursday – Sunday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Connect with them on Facebook by searching Sunsets at Plaza de Luna for any additional questions you might have about the splash pad.  There is both a page and a group.  According to the group page, they will be phasing out the group and moving to the FB page. 

Don’t forget that Sunsets at Plaza de Luna have already gotten started!

20 FREE Things to do in Pensacola on Spring Break

Escambia County School District begins their Spring Break today.  I have never been so happy to see a Thursday roll around!  Let me apologize to those of you in Santa Rosa County for not getting this list up during your spring break.  Ours was so late in the school year that your spring break had already finished before I realized it was coming up! 

  1. Visit the splash pad at Plaza de Luna, see the Pensacola Steel drum band perform, and get a chance to meet Winnie the Pooh (on April 28).
  2. Watch a Blue Angels Practice.
  3. While at the Naval Aviation Museum, visit Hangar Bay One.
  4. Attend Earth Day and National Junior Ranger Day at Bayview Park on April 23.
  5. Take a ranger led tour of Fort Barrancas.
  6. Pretend to pull into the Pensacola Port at the T.T. Wentworth Discovery Gallery.
  7. Visit a park you haven’t been to yet.
  8. Attend story time at one of our many libraries.
  9. Make a friend atBarnes and Noble’s story time.
  10. Take a nature walk at Arcadia Mill and have a picnic lunch.
  11. Head to the Goombay Festival, the second largest gathering of steel drum bands in the United States.
  12. Hunt for seashells on the beach.
  13. Attend the Bands on the Beach kickoff.
  14. Listen to ghost stories at Ft. Pickens (must pay to get into Ft. Pickens).
  15. Visit Cambridge Farms and see the chicks, go for a walk and more (this is on our list of things to do!).
  16. Attend Safari Club at Petland.
  17. Watch the planes take off and land at Aviation Park.
  18. Try geocaching with the kids.
  19. See the trains at the West Florida Train Museum.
  20. Visit the Wildlife Sanctuary of Northwest Florida (be sure to bring something to donate!).

What are you doing this spring break?

National Park Week – Free Entry to Gulf Islands National Seashore

This week is National Parks Week!  We headed out to take advantage of the free admission this weekend.  We played in the sand, cooled off in the water (and boy was it still cold!) and explored the fort.  Entry into the Gulf Islands National Seashore is usually $8 per car or $25 for the year but this week (until April 24th) you can enjoy it for free!

Sunsets at Plaza de Luna Park at Palafox Pier Begin April 7, 2011

One of our favorite family friendly events is starting back up again April 7, 2011.  Sunsets at Plaza de Luna at Palafox Pier are a great way to get the family out of the house and spend some time together!  Bring a picnic lunch, listen to the band, let the kids run through the splash pad and enjoy the sunset! 
The schedule is as follows:
Date-Band-Type of Music-Character
Apr 7-Hotcakes- Pop-Woody
Apr 14-Mr. Fahrenheit-Rock/Funk-Dora
Apr 21-Steve Perry-Precussion-Spongebob
Apr 28-Pensacola Steel-Steel Drum-Winnie Pooh
May 5-Reflections-Country-Elmo   
May 12-Night Shift-Folk/Pop-Barney
May 19-Kathy Lyon-Jazz-Scooby
May 26-EHS Jazz Band-Clifford the Big Red Dog
Jun 2-Cary Laine-New Country-Jack Sparrow
Jun 16-Knee Deep-Rock/Funk-Strawberry Shortcake
Jun 23-Bella Orange-Rock/Funk-Buzz Lightyear
Jun 30-James Askins-Rock/Pop- Ariel