Come enjoy a much-deserved vacation here in Mexico Beach!
Spring Is Here!
Warm weather has arrived, and summer is around the corner! The palm trees are looking lush and the azaleas are beginning to bloom. The sand is warm between the toes and our beaches are pristine, as usual. If you’ve not made any spring plans, then now is the time to do so! Everyone deserves a trip to the beach, so why not make that phone call, book the rooms, and come enjoy a much-deserved vacation here in Mexico Beach.
And the winner is...
Last month we had a gift certificate from 40th Street Pizza up for grabs, and the lucky winner is Andrea Gilbert from Gainesville, Georgia. Congratulations, Andrea!
MARCH GIVEAWAY
This month we are offering a gift certificate to Caribbean Coffee. Start your morning off right with a fresh cup of joe and be sure to try one of the savory cinnamon rolls, made fresh in-house daily. To put your name in the hat, send an e-mail to Melissa ([email protected]) and be sure to put your contact info in the e-mail.
20 Years of Gumbo and Fun!
The 20th Annual Mexico Beach Gumbo Cook-Off took place on Saturday, February 17 and it was one for the books! With a new venue location—Parker Park—the event was tons of fun and a huge success. There were some great gumbos and stews, and more than 2,000 gumbo lovers joined us for the day. We had the biggest turnout with the most cooks ever. This year’s winners are listed below. All proceeds go towards the Best Blast on the Beach July 4th celebration. A big thank-you goes to the Special Events for Mexico Beach, a non-profit, all-volunteer committee who puts this event on each year. Thanks to all those who came out and enjoyed the event and we hope to see you next year!
Gumbo Restaurant
1st: Paradise Craft House & Grill – Port St. Joe, FL
2nd: Shipwreck Raw Bar – Port St. Joe, FL
3rd: Castaways Southern Cuisine – Mexico Beach, FL
Gumbo Amateur
1st: Tiger Dawg Gumbo Kings – Atlanta, GA
2nd: Sullivan Voodoo Roux – Mexico Beach, FL
3rd: BBQ Monster’s – Perry, GA
Brunswick Stew
1st: Sullivan Voodoo Stew – Mexico Beach, FL
2nd: Bobby Steele & Crew – Tallahassee, FL
3rd: Wylie’s Stew – Mexico Beach, FL
Best Decorated
Sullivan Voodoo Stew – Mexico Beach, FL
Best Team Spirit
Big Daddy’s Gumbo – Ashford, AL
Tom and Tina
This month we are delighted to introduce Tom and Tina, who made our beaches their wedding venue. The beach was beautiful, just like the bride, and it was a lovely, sunny wedding. Congratulations, Tom and Tina!
Mexico Beach Farmer’s & Craft Market
March 10
Spend the day going from booth to booth at the Mexico Beach Farmer’s and Craft Market. The market will take place at Parker Park, located on Hwy. 98 in beautiful Mexico Beach, and will be open to the public from 9:00 a.m. till 1:00 p.m. (CST). There will be plenty of produce, crafts, photography, jewelry, and much more to choose from.
The Mexico Beach 18th Annual Photography Contest starts April 1 and runs until July 31. We accept all photographs taken in Mexico Beach—past or present. You can either drop your photos off at the Mexico Beach Welcome Center or mail them in. A complete form can be found online at MexicoBeach.com. There is no fee to enter and the contest is open to all ages.
For the fourth year the Mexico Beach Community Development Council will be hosting their mass wedding vow renewal ceremony on the beach, and all married couples are invited to attend. The ceremony will take place on the beach at Sunset Park at 4:00 p.m. The event will include a traditional champagne and cupcake reception after the ceremony. Check with our vacation rental companies as some have special rates for that weekend.
The Spring Beach Blast Triathlon and Duathlon is set for Saturday, April 28, 2018. The race offers both a sprint and an Olympic distance run in either a triathlon- or duathlon-style race. Athletes can pick the best race and distance that meets their needs. All races start from the same spot on the beautiful beaches in Mexico Beach, and the bike and run venture through both Mexico Beach and St. Joe Beach.
Forgotten Coast en Plein Air: America’s Great Paint-Out
May 4–13
The 13th Annual Forgotten Coast en Plein Air – America’s Great Paint-Out will take place May 4–13 all along Florida’s Forgotten Coast. Nationally known artists gather to capture what some believe to be the last vestiges of authentic Old Florida. Artists can be seen painting alongside the roads overlooking the Gulf from the western end of Mexico Beach to the east side of Alligator Point, as well as in out-of-the-way settings. Artists from across the States, as well as international locations, capture images of nature, flora and fauna, and local color in the plein air tradition. This event comprises daily artist demonstrations, workshops, and sales of locally created art.
Mexico Beach is a Leave No Trace community, and we appreciate your assistance in helping us keep our beaches clean. Any items left on the beach unattended from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. will be removed and disposed of by the City of Mexico Beach. Items include, but are not limited to, tents and tent frames, beach chairs, coolers, umbrellas, toys, etc. Also, please fill in any holes before you leave. Your assistance with these requests will keep our beaches beautiful and pristine. For full details on this ordinance or questions, click here or contact City Hall at (850) 648-5700.
Butter Scampi
There are so many ways to prepare the fresh shrimp that we have here in the Gulf of Mexico that it’s difficult to pick a recipe each month; however, we believe this is one you will savor. We publish it compliments of the Mexico Beach Artificial Reef Association Seafood Cookbook (www.mbara.org).
INGREDIENTS
2 pounds jumbo raw shrimp, peeled
1 or 2 large cloves garlic, crushed
6 tablespoons melted butter
3 tablespoons snipped chives
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
Generous pinch cayenne pepper
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
PREPARATION
Place the garlic in the melted butter and let sit for 30 minutes. While the garlic is flavoring the butter, arrange the shrimp in a large, shallow baking dish. Sprinkle the shrimp with the herbs and seasonings. Pour the garlic-flavored butter over the shrimp. Place under a hot broiler, 4 inches from heat source, for 2–3 minutes per side. Serve immediately and enjoy!
St. Patrick’s Day
This month we celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, so here are a few Irish sayings that will bring a smile to your face.
– You know it’s summer in Ireland when the rain gets warmer.
– If you cannot get rid of the family skeleton, you may as well teach it to dance.
– It’s better to be quarreling than lonesome.
– The majority of the members of the Irish parliament are professional politicians, in the sense that otherwise they would not be given jobs minding mice at crossroads.
– Definition of an “Irish fact”: that which tells you not what is the case but what you want to hear.
– A police guard recruit was asked during the exam, “What would you do if you had to arrest your mother?” He answered, “Call for reinforcements.”
– Long ago, when men cursed and beat the ground with sticks, it was called witchcraft. Today it’s called golf.
