Arts and music abound after Halloween thrills disappear
THINGS TO DO
Covenant Hospice dishes the scoop

Artwork by Vivian Spencer and other PJC faculty members will be on display Nov. 5 through Jan. 4. Pictured above is a piece created by Spencer.

In celebration of National Hospice Month, Covenant Hospice is inviting the community to an ice cream social from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, Nov. 2 at Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Plaza, located on Palafox Street in downtown Pensacola. The social is free and open to the public. In addition to ice cream, attendees will receive a copy of "Five Wishes," an easy to use living will, and will also be encouraged to share their story and legacy with their family and loved ones.

For more information about the ice cream social or National Hospice Month, contact Covenant Hospice at 438-9714 or visit www.covenanthospice.org.

Great Gulfcoast Arts Festival opens in Pensacola

The Great Gulfcoast Arts Festival, a three-day, juried art show, comes to Pensacola's historic Seville Square the first weekend in November. Each year, it draws more than 200 of the nation's best painters, potters, sculptors, jewelers, graphic artists, craftsmen, mixed-media artists and others who have been gifted with the ability to turn inspiration into art. They compete for your attention and $25,000 in cash awards.

Norman Vickers From left: Trumpeter Roger Villines, bassist Ken Chopcinski and soprano saxophonist Charlie Price perform at last month's Jazz Jam.

Live musicians will hit the right notes from the Main Stage with sounds ranging from of bluegrass, Cajun and blues to instrumental guitar. The Parrish Performing Arts Stage will showcase dance schools, performing companies, community groups, and area folk groups.

Food and beverages are available from a variety of vendors, including some of Pensacola's best-known restaurants and chefs.

Admission to the festival is free. Festival hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, Nov. 2 and 3, and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 4.

More information, including performance schedules, is available at www.ggaf.org.

PJC hosts faculty art show Nov. 5

The Visual Arts Gallery at the Anna Lamar Switzer Center for Visual Arts, Pensacola Junior College, is presenting the PJC Art Faculty Exhibition Nov. 5 through Jan. 4.

The artists' reception is 6 to 8 p.m. Nov. 8.

This annual show highlights an extensive array of media including drawing, digital imaging, graphic design, jewelry, painting, photography, ceramics and sculpture.

Artists include Warren Thompson, Bill Clover, Cindy App, Michael Boles, Krist Lien, Mark Francis, Kara Hardin, Steve Haworth, David Hines, Mark Hopkins, Gary Langhammer, Larry Manning, John Olsen, Doug Reiser, Patricia Reppenhagen, Patrick Rowe, Vivian Spencer, Paula Takahashi and Spiros Zachos.

The Anna Lamar Switzer Center for Visual Arts anchors the PJC campus at Ninth Avenue and Airport Boulevard. Gallery hours are 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday. The gallery is closed weekends.

Admission is free.

For more information, call 850-484-2550.

Jazz Jam is Nov. 5 at eat!

The Jazz Society of Pensacola's Jazz Jam will take place at eat! Restaurant, located at 286 N. Palafox St. in Pensacola, on Nov. 5 at 7 p.m.

There will be no Jazz Jam or Jazz Gumbo in December, because on Dec. 3, the Jazz Society will hold its special Jingle Jazz event at Seville Quarter, it Phineas Phogg's.

For more information, call 850-433-8382 or visit the www.jazzpensacola.com. 'Creatures of the Big Lagoon' extended

Friends of Big Lagoon/Perdido Key, Inc, proudly presents the fourth production of its popular Halloween event, Creatures of the Big Lagoon. This event is being held at Big Lagoon State Park, located at 12301 Gulf Beach Highway or the intersection of Bauer Road and Gulf Beach Highway. The dates of the event have been extended and now include Friday and Saturday, Nov. 2 and 3. The event runs from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. but participants may enter anytime after 6 p.m. to get parked and enjoy a light dinner including hamburgers and hotdogs on sale at one of our concession stands.

Details: 850-492-2785.