2021 Real Florida Summer Festival Guide

In this issue:

Panhandle Watermelon Festival

Over 60 Years of Cucurbit Celebration

Patriotic Pictorial

Regional Independence Day Celebrations

Wausau Possum Festival

One of America’s Most Unique Festivals

Spotlight on Our Patrons & Sponsors

‘Thanks for your support over the years’

2021 Real Florida Summer Festival Guide 1

2 2021 Real Florida Summer Festival Guide

Northwest Florida Celebrates Summer


Panhandle

Watermelon

Festival

Last Full Weekend in June

in Chipley, Florida





Now in Print, on Radio & TV, and Online

MAGAZINE STAFF

Publisher- Real Florida Media

Editor- Paul Goulding

Production Manager- Debbie Goulding

Photographers- Ryan Ward, Debbie

Goulding, Sydney Spencer

Advertising Sales- Debbie Goulding

CONTACT INFORMATION

Real Florida Magazine

PO Box 615

Chipley, Florida 32428

850-258-2546

RealFloridaMagazine@TheGouldingAgency.com

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 2010-2021

REAL FLORIDA MEDIA

Please contact us if you would like to

showcase your business in ‘Real Florida

Magazine’.

DISCLAIMER

The statements and opinions in the articles

of this publication are solely those of the

individual authors and contributors and do

not necessarily reflect the opinions of The

Goulding Agency, Real Florida Media or

the editorial staff of Real Florida Magazine.

The appearance of advertisements in this

magazine is not necessarily a warranty,

endorsement or approval of the products or

services advertised, and these businesses

are not charged for these ads.

All materials are protected by intellectual

property laws and unauthorized use of these

materials may violate such laws, except as

expressly provided by Real Florida Media,

Paul Goulding Photography, Real Florida

Magazine and The Goulding Agency.

FRONT COVER- ‘The Real Florida’ of Washington, Holmes, Jackson and Bay

County enjoys beautiful young ladies, as photographed by Debbie Goulding for

Real Florida Media, a subsidiary of The Goulding Agency in Chipley, Florida.

















Vernon, Florida Miss Firecracker Pageant








Vernon, Florida July 3 Celebration














Marianna

Independence Day

Celebration


Marianna, Florida July 4 Celebration











Lynn Haven

July 4

Celebration


Lynn Haven, Florida July 4 Celebration









Panhandle

Patriotic

Celebration


Bonifay, Florida Panhandle Patriotic Celebration





The small town of Bonifay, Florida has hosted the annual Holmes County Ministerial Association’s ‘Panhandle Patriotic

Celebration’ for several years, and the event, although hot and subject to rainy weather, draws thousands of people from

across the Florida Panhandle on the Sunday prior to July 4 each year.

Featuring a totally free event- including food, musical entertainment, amusements and kid’s activites, along with one of

the largest fireworks show in Northwest Florida- the afternoon of fellowship is an opportunity for the many churches in our

area to provide an outreach to the community, with many attendees recycled back to the respective churches in successive

weeks after the event.




Real Florida Magazine’s Reader’s Choice ‘Best Of The Real Florida’

Real Florida Magazine solicited readers to nominate choices

for the best providers of goods, services and events, in

response to requests to refer these services to the public.

Please join us in congratulating these winners for 2021:

Air Conditioning Service: Woodall’s Total Comfort (Marianna)

Attorney/Law Office: Shannon Saunders, P.A. (Marianna)

Automotive Detailer/Car Wash: Splash and Dash (Chipley)

Automotive/Oil Change: Nichol’s Auto Repair (Chipley)

Automotive/Repair: Nichols Auto Repair (Chipley)

Bank: One Florida Bank (Chipley)

Bedding: WestPoint Home Factory Outlet (Chipley)

Butcher Shop/Meats: Stone’s Meats (Chipley)

Carpet Cleaning/Water Extraction: Carpet Masters (Chipley)

Caterer: Catering By Lisa (Panama City)

Chiropractor: Dr. Mark Taylor (Chipley)

Clothing/Boutique: Emmie & Co. (Chipley)

CPA/Accounting Services: Sasser’s Bookkeeping (Chipley)

Credit Union: Community South Credit (Chipley)

Dentist: Jack Taylor, DMD (Chipley)

Event/Holiday: Vernon, Florida July 4 Celebration (Vernon)

Event/Children: ‘ArtKidDoo’ Festival (Chipley)

Event/Festival: Panhandle Watermelon Festival (Chipley)

Farm/Feed and Seed: Main Street Market (Chipley)

Florist: Blossom’s Floral & Boutique (Chipley)

Fraternal Organization: Chipley Kiwanis Club (Chipley)

Furniture Store (New): Chavers-Brock (Chipley)

Furniture Store (Used): B&B Furniture (Chipley)

Fresh Fruit & Vegetables: Main Street Market (Chipley)

Grocery Store: Walmart (Chipley)

Guns/Firearms: Chipley Gun & Pawn (Chipley)

Gym/Fitness Facility: Chipley Therapy Group (Chipley)

Hair Stylist: Salon Blow (Chipley)

Hardware/Building Supplies: Chipley Hardware (Chipley)

Health Foods: New Beginning (Chipley)

Hospital: Northwest Florida Community Hospital (Chipley)

Insurance (Car/Home/Life): Rogers Insurance (Chipley)

Jeweler/Jewelry Store: Watson Jewelers (Marianna)

Lawn Care: Legendary Lawn Maintenance (Chipley)

Massage: Dr. Mark Taylor (Chipley)

Music/Band: Dickie Merritt & Original Bama Jam (Marianna)

Musical Event: Marianna Summer Concert Series (Marianna)

New Car Sales: Marianna Toyota (Marianna)

News Service/Online: Foster Folly News (Chipley)

News/Newspaper: Jackson County Times (Marianna)

Parade: Bonifay Rodeo Parade (Bonifay)

Pest Control: Redmon Home Solutions (Dothan)

Pharmacy/Drug Store: King’s Drugs (Chipley)

Photographer/Studio Photos: Brannan Studios (Graceville)

Physical Therapist: Chipley Therapy Group (Chipley)

Plumber/Plumbing Service: Harrison’s Plumbing (Marianna)

Physician/PA/Medical: Wendy Corbin/Healthcare (Chipley)

Radio Station: WOOF-FM (Dothan)

Realtor/Real Estate: Cindy Birge, Elite Realty (Chipley)

Retail Store/General Store: Walmart (Chipley)

Restaurant/Sandwich: BJ’s Grill (Chipley)

Restaurant/Full Service: Javier’s Mexican Grill (Chipley)

Restaurant/Quick Serve: Zaxby’s (Marianna)

Shoe Store/Boots: Westerner (Chipley)

Sporting Goods: King’s Outdoors (Chipley)

College: Florida Panhandle Technical College (Chipley)

Television Station: WTVY-TV (Dothan)

Tires/Alignment: Walmart (Chipley)

Used Car Sales: Corbin Auto Sales (Chipley)

Veterinarian: Panhandle Veterinary Services (Chipley)


Wausau

Possum

Festival

First Saturday in August

in Wausau, Florida


Wausau, Florida Possum Festival









There have been a lot of changes in Wausau since 1970,

the year the Wausau Possum Festival and Fun Day was

created by Dalton Carter and the Wausau community.

In 1970 there were no computers, digital cameras or electric

cars. There was no internet, no cell phones, Facebook or

Instagram. Our children ran around barefoot on occasion,

stayed outside well after dark and even ran with scissors.

Children rode in the back of pick-up trucks, and we didn’t

even use seatbelts.

Still, we managed to live a good life, full of promise and

hope, and we loved and took advantage of most everything

God gave us- sunshine, the old swimming hole and the

culture and heritage of Northwest Florida.

The world has changed in the last 52 years, but this festival

remains- still paying homage to our history, heritage and

simpler way of life, and we wouldn’t have it any other way.

Thanks for being our guest at the 52nd anniversary of what

started out as a dream to put Wausau on the map and give

people something to do during the ‘dog days’ of Summer.




More Than You Need To Know About Wausau, Florida

The small town of Wausau, Florida has a small population

- just over 400- but holds a very big title- ‘Possum Capital

of the World’. To celebrate this ubiquitous animal, the town

holds an annual Fun Day and Possum Festival, a totally

free event on the first Saturday in August, and the world is

invited.

You’re likely to see local, regional and even national political

figures at the Wausau Possum Festival, especially during

election cycles, and the event was highlighted by Women’s

Day Magazine as one of the ‘world’s most unique festivals’.

Admittedly one of the most unusual festivals you are likely

to attend, this event celebrates the Possum, a marsupial

which thrives in this part of Florida and which helped the

local population survive the Great Depression in the early

20th century.

Arguably the hottest day of the year, the event includes a

large parade, with the festival normally inclusive of arts and

crafts, food (try the possum stew and possum ice cream),

entertainment and the annual Possum King and Queen

Contest.

The population consists of 26.9% under the age of 18, 8.3%

from 18 to 24, 24.1% from 25 to 44, 24.1% from 45 to 64,

and 16.6% 65 years of age or older. The median age is 37

years and for every 100 females there are 94.1 males.

For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 89 males.

The median income for a household in the town is $21,000,

and the median income for a family was $23,000.

The per capita income for the town is $10,722 and about

25% of families and 29.2% of the population were below the

poverty line, including 35.2% of those under age 18 aWWnd

19.7% of those aged 65 or over. Wausau has an elevation

of 85 feet above sea level.

All these (very dry) statistics aside, however, the reality is

that Wausau, Florida, along with the rest of Washington

County, offers what we like to call ‘The Real Florida’- a

pristine, unspoiled slice of a very relaxed lifestyle and a

quality of life sometimes all too hard to find elsewhere.

So enjoy your time here as our guest during the Possum

Festival, but make plans to visit us again soon.

Wausau is in Washington County, Florida, United States,

about 9 miles south of Chipley and Interstate 10. Wausau

has a total area of 1.1 square miles, all of it dry land, and

there are approximately 170 households, and 110 families

residing in the town.

This equates to a population density of around 352 people

per square mile with a racial makeup of 94.47% Caucasian,

.50% African American, 0.75% Native American, 0.25%

Asian, 0.50% from other races, and 3.52% from two or

more aces. Hispanics or Latinos make up 2.51% of the

population.

You will find that there is a quality of life, accompanied by

a laissez-faire attitude that is appealing, and a refreshing

change from urban or high-pressure areas. You’ll find

that this area is a great place to raise a family, relocate a

business or to retire.

For more information about Wausau, Florida and to view

more photos, video clips, and interviews, visit the Town of

Wausau on our website at www.WausauFlorida.net, visit

us on Facebook at Wausau Possum Festival or visit our

festival website at www.WausauPossumFestival.com.







2021 Real Florida Summer Festival Guide

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