THINGS TO DO
Spring festivals offer exciting entertainment for area

Picture courtesy of Norman Vickers The Butch Thompson Big Three, Pictured above, will perform at the Pensacola Jazz Festival.

The Beulah Sausage Festival is back for its 22nd year with a jampacked weekend of rides, music, and of course, three tons of the tastiest Italian and Cajun sausage hot off the grill, April 4- 6 at its new location, the Escambia County Equestrian Center. The three-day event will feature Nashville stars Danielle Peck, Lonestar and Chris Cagle, as well as continuous local entertainment. Country music fans will also have an opportunity to browse more than 250 arts and crafts vendors, enjoy carnival-style rides and games, and try such sweet treats as funnel cakes or chocolate-covered strawberries.

Gates open at 4 p.m. on Friday, April 4 and country music sensation Danielle Peck takes the stage at 8 p.m. Eager fans can look forward to hearing the first single off of her debut album, "I Don't," the only debut song by a new female country artist to crack the Top 25 in the past year, and her latest chart topper, "Bad for Me."

On Saturday, April 5, Lonestar takes the stage with two revved up performances at 3 p.m. and 9 p.m. Lonestar made its debut on the U.S. country music charts in 1995 with the Top 10 single "Tequila Talkin'." Since then, the band has amassed a total of 27 singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, with nine of those singles reaching number one. Fans can look forward to singing along to such familiar hits as "Amazed," "My Front Porch Looking In," "Walking in Memphis" and "Mr. Mom."

Chris Cagle closes the weekend with a performance at 3 p.m. on Sunday, April 6. This chart-topping singer-songwriter is sure to unleash his unique version of highoctane country music that spans the gamut of emotion, from capturing the anticipation of a Friday night out with the boys to the passion of loving a soulmate or the heartbreak of the one that got away. My Life's Been a Country Song, the fourth album from Cagle, debuted at #1 on Billboard's "Current Country" chart, and his first single off of the album, "What Kinda Gone," is a Top Ten country single and is still moving up the charts.

Admission to the Beulah Sausage Festival is just $8 per person each day, and kids 7 and under are free. All parking at the Equestrian Center is free and handicap parking is available. The Equestrian Center concert arena boasts 4,000 bleacher seats and a covered awning for patrons to take a load off while they listen to their favorite country acts. More than one thousand floor seats are also available, so be sure to bring your lawn chairs!

To get to the festival from I- 110N, take I-10W to Exit 5 and turn left to proceed west on 9 Mile Rd (Alt 90). Drive to Beulah Road and turn left, heading south to Mobile Highway. Turn left onto Mobile Highway and proceed for about one mile. The Equestrian Center will be on your left at 7750 Mobile Highway.

For more information, go to www.BeulahSausageFest.com or call 850-944-3167.

UWF's presents Festival on the Green

The University of West Florida will hold its annual Festival on the Green event April 4 and 5 on the UWF Main Campus. Events will include an alumni jazz brunch and awards celebration, Time Portal to the Past, three stages, a dog sports exhibition, a children's festival, library book sale, a fine arts show, a university showcase, a crafts fair, a classic cars show and festival food.

Festival on the Green is a twoday event that welcomes the Northwest Florida and South Alabama community to the UWF campus. Last year, the festival attracted approximately 20,495 visitors.

The Kathleen T. and Philip B. Phillips, M.D. Jazz Piano Competition, a nationally recognized jazz performance competition sponsored by UWF, will return this year as the festival's main event. The final round of the competition will be held as a free public performance April 5 at 7:30 p.m. in the UWF Mainstage Theatre (Center for Fine and Performing Arts, Building 82) located on the UWF Main Campus. Tickets are required since seating will be limited.

For more information, contact Jeff Comeau, festival director, at 850-474-2610 or e-mail at jcomeau@uwf.edu. For a complete schedule of events, visit uwf.edu/festival.

JazzFest hits the streets

The Pensacola JazzFest is Saturday and Sunday April 5-6. The event will take place in Seville Square, in historic downtown Pensacola, and admission is free and open to the public. Headliners include The Butch Thompson Big Three, with Thompson on piano and clarinet, vocalist/banjoist Jimmy Mazzy and Duke Heitger cornet/ trumpet; Pianist Shelley Berg's trio; Jazz Guardians Big Band of Fort McPherson, Georgia; smooth jazz saxophonist Dayve Stewart's group; and clarinetist/saxophonist Bob Maksymkow's group. The winner of the UWF/Phillips Jazz piano competition will perform on Sunday.

Navarre concert series continues

Mark your calendars! The 2008 Evenings in Navarre III concert series continues with the following concerts scheduled: April 5 - University of West Florida "Canticle", April 19 - Perdido Brass and April 26 - First City Five. All concerts begin at 7:30 pm and are held at St. Sylvester Catholic Church located at 6464 Gulf Breeze Parkway, Gulf Breeze.

Tickets are $6 for adults, $4 for children. Tickets are available to everyone in the community after Masses, in the Parish Office by calling 850-939-3020 and at the door. Don't miss this springtime collection of beautiful music.