Carrabelle Chamber of Commerce E-Newsletter January 2023

Activities around town.... Mark your calendars! Avis Berry and a jazz quartet for Ballads & Bossa Nova At Rio Carrabelle Saturday, January 21 at 7:30 pm Avis Berry is the queen of vocalists in Tallahassee. She's got the voice and the right attitude when she delivers a song. Rio is excited to have Avis returning to Carrabelle once again for what will be an outstanding performance.    While being immersed in the sounds of these talented musical artists, guests will be surrounded by the works of a group of gifted visual artists. The striking paintings of Roger Leonard are featured along with works by wonderful artists Pat Moore, Bill Owen, Joe Kotzman, and Bo May.    This musical performance will be enjoyed in an intimate Cabaret-style listening room and is BYOB. Seating is limited.   Tickets are on sale at www.RioCarrabelle.com for $22. The historic Rio Carrabelle is located at 102 St James Ave (Hwy 98) in Carrabelle   Our museum is located in the Old Carrabelle City Hall, built by local mason Marvin Justiss in 1933 during the Depression as a work program to employ locals. The museum has exhibit rooms to display collections, a large entry hall for special displays, and a workroom/ office for the volunteers to process the incoming artifacts. They have several displays that highlight Local Heroes; the Steamship Tarpon, which was key to building our community in the early 1900's; and Carrabelle's "First People", indigenous people who lived here thousands of years ago. Trivia costs just $1 per player, with the cash jackpot going to the winning team (frequently donated back). At the end of the quarter, St James Bay matches donations and we present a check to our community partner! Call the restaurant to reserve your table 850-697-5050 SPECIAL PRESENTATION:  The Battle of Natural Bridge January 21, 2023, at 10 am - 12 pm   This history program features historian and author, Dale Cox and will be held in the upstairs room at C-Quarters Marina, 501 St. James Ave (Hwy 98), Carrabelle, FL.   This program will explore the little known facts about the 1865 Union raid that culminated at the Battle of Natural Bridge, the largest Civil War engagement in Florida's Big Bend region and one of the last significant Confederate victories of the Civil War. Dale Cox is the author of a book entitled, “The Battle of Natural Bridge, Florida: The Confederate Defense of Tallahassee”. He has produced more than a dozen books on Southern history and culture, and has won numerous awards. There is no fee for this program. Donations are gladly accepted to defray costs. Sponsored by C-Quarters Marina and Shaun Donahoe Realty. Funding in part by the Franklin County Tourist Development Council. Seating will be limited and masks are optional. Attendees are asked to follow health guidelines including social distancing and sanitizing hands

Special Exhibit: Honoring our African American Soldiers Opens Jan 31, 2023, on display until Feb 25 In commemoration of Black History Month, the Camp Gordon Johnston Museum will present a special exhibit to honor our country’s African-American Servicemen. This exhibit will focus on the 473rd, one of the Black Amphibious Truck Companies that served at Camp Gordon Johnston during World War II, as well as go into more depth on the segregation and Jim Crow laws that our African-American service members faced. This exhibit will open Tuesday, January 31, 2023 and be on display until Saturday, February 25. The museum is open every Tuesday through Saturday from 11 am to 5 pm and there is no charge for admission.    African Americans served in large numbers during WWII in spite of being denied full rights as American citizens. African Americans served in segregated units in both the Army and the Army Air Corps, one of the most recognizable being the Tuskegee Airmen. Many trained at Camp Gordon Johnston in transportation units like Amphibious Truck Companies, and even these support units worked close to combat and under fire. The 473rd Amphibious Truck Company trained in the use of the amphibious truck known as the DUKW, using the bay and sandy beaches in Carrabelle and all along the Forgotten Coast to practice operating, loading and unloading these truly amphibious vehicles. The 473rd Amphibious Truck Company, along with the 471st and 476th who also trained at Camp Gordon Johnston, went on to be a part of a 21 unit force from the Army that deployed with the 4th and 5th Marines for the campaign on Iwo Jima. A recent find of a full roster of the 473rd is allowing us to research this company’s men.   Camp Gordon Johnston WWII Museum is located in Carrabelle, directly across from Carrabelle Public Beach Park at 1873 Hwy 98 West. For more information, contact the museum at (850) 697-8575 or museum@campgordonjohnston.com. Funded in part by the Franklin County Tourist Development  The Crooked River Lighthouse and the Carrabelle Lighthouse Association host the first Crooked River Park Fest Saturday, Feb 4 from 9 am-9 pm Fresnel Lens Exhibit The 4th order Fresnel Lens returned to the Crooked River Lighthouse after more than 45 years in New Orleans Louisiana. The new lens display case will feature the rotating original and replica burner with lamp. New interactive exhibits, artifacts, and interpretive panels will tell the story of the lens beginning with its placement in the newly erected tower in 1895, its service on the forgotten coast until 1976, when it was relocated to the 8th Dist. Coast Guard Headquarters in New Orleans, and its triumphant return in 2020. The new lens room exhibit was funded in full through (FLA) Tom Taylor, Gene Oakes and Hib Casselberry Grants. This special all-day festival features an expanded Country Market, the new Fresnel Lens Exhibit Grand Opening, a special benefit concert Full Moon Climb’ event on the Crooked River dock stage. We will have a local food vendor, a bond fire, and full moon climbs and souvenirs available at Museum.  The Lighthouse Museum and Tower will be open to visitors 9am-9pm  The new Crooked River Lighthouse Park Stage will host a benefit concert featuring Nashville’s international Pirate Band and Franklin County favorite, Tom Mason and the Blue Buccaneers. Also returning to the ‘under construction’ dock stage, the beloved Tallahassee Community College (TCC) dancers, frequently featured entertainment at Lantern Fest. For concert tickets please visit the Crooked River Lighthouse website! February’s Saturday Country Market will be extended and expanded to include food vendors and regional arts and crafts vendors. This event starts off with an extended Country Farmer’s Market from 9 am-3 pm with live music, art, and local and regional arts and crafts vendors.  The Country Farmer’s Market features local vendors selling gifts and goodies, like fresh roasted coffee, delicious baked goods, farm fresh produce, grass-fed beef, gorgeous local art and photography, handcrafted balms and soaps, demonstrators and exhibitors.  Admission to the park for the Country Market is free to the public (9am to 3 pm) Carrabelle Culture Crawl February 11, 2023, at 10 am - 3 pm The Carrabelle History Museum is hosting the Carrabelle Culture Crawl on Saturday, February 11, 2023, 10 am to 3 pm. This cultural event is a free celebration of amazing local culture, art, music, history, food, and fun in the heart of downtown Carrabelle. This is a wonderful opportunity to add a bit more fun as you experience the wonderful local culture that Carrabelle has to offer. The Carrabelle History Museum will be bringing live music outdoors to the streets of Carrabelle, performing a variety of Florida folk music, classic country, modern songs, and favorite oldies including the always popular Frank Lindamood. Art will abound at the Carrabelle Culture Crawl featuring several local artists. There will be art to view at a variety of shops and galleries including an art showcase at Rio Carrabelle Gallery. The always popular public art drawing and coloring activity will be hung in storefront windows. And be sure to walk over to see Carrabelle’s two large, stunning murals! Returning will be a Carrabelle Scavenger Hunt. For each location, a fun clue will be provided. The Scavenger Hunt is a great way to learn fun facts about Carrabelle’s history you may have never known. Guests can start at the Carrabelle History Museum, SE 106 Avenue B, Carrabelle, FL and walk to as many of the wonderful locations as they would like. For more information, contact the Carrabelle History Museum at 850-697-2141. Volunteers and sponsors are needed. The Carrabelle Culture Crawl was founded by the Economic Development Team of the Carrabelle Waterfront Partnership. Funding in part by the Franklin County Tourist Development Council and the City of Carrabelle Community Redevelopment Agency. Thanks for all your support through the years! Our 2023 Membership Applications are available on our website, or you may also stop by or give me a call 850-697-2585 We're all in this together!  ‌

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