USPS Publication Number 16300
T h is C om mu n it y Ne w sp ap er is a publ ic at ion of Es c a mbi a-S a nt a R os a B a r A ss o c i at ion
Se r v i ng t he Fi r st Jud icia l Ci rcu it Section A, Page 1
Vol. 22, No. 44
V isit T he S ummation W eekly O nline : SummationWeekly.com
November 2, 2022
1 Section, 12 Pages
DI SCOVE R FOO FOO FE STIVAL A TWO WEEK CELEBRATION OF ARTS & CULTURE
by Kelly Oden
T
he Foo Foo Festival, Pensacola’s twoweek arts and culture extravaganza, is back for its eighth edition, and this year’s celebration of all things creative promises to be one for the ages.
Kicking off November 3 and running through November 14, the annual Foo Foo Fest is spearheaded and coordinated by local nonprofit, Arts, Culture and Entertainment, Inc. (more widely known as ACE). The event serves as an umbrella for the many of the city’s existing annual cultural events that typically occur in the fall and as an opportunity for newer events to contribute to the cultural landscape of Pensacola. Maria Goldberg, Foo Foo Festival board chair, is excited about the volume, diversity and quality of the events being presented as part of this year’s Foo Foo Fest “The great thing about Foo, is that it’s different every year,” Goldberg said. “There’s a little something for everybody, and
this year is no different. In fact, this year, we were able to award more grants than we have in any previous year.” For 2022, ACE awarded more than $400,000 in Foo Foo Fest grants to 12 local arts and culture organizations, whose events and performances will serve as anchors throughout the 14 days of Foo Foo festivities. In addition to the headlining events, the Foo Foo Fest committee also accepts applications from other nonprofit and for-profit entities interested in taking part in this year’s event as a “Friend of Foo.” Nonprofits or local for-profit businesses such as hoteliers, restaurants and bars who are interested in participating, and whose events meet the cultural mission of Foo
MODA, presented by Pensacola Opera Date: November 3 from 6 pm to 8 pm Location: Vinyl Music Hall Tickets: $125 for VIP Experience and $50 for General Admission
The 50th Annual Great Gulfcoast Arts Festival Dates: November 4 through 5 from 9 am to 5 pm; November 6 from 9 am to 4 pm Location: Seville Square Tickets: Free
38th Annual Frank Brown Songwriters’ Festival Date: November 3 through 13, times vary Location: Multiple venues Tickets: Vary by performance & venue
NAS Pensacola Blue Angels Homecoming Air Show Dates: November 11 & 12, Gates open at 8 am, Show begins at 9:30 am Location: NAS Pensacola Tickets: Free
Multimedia Artwork By Tra Bouscaren Date: November 3 through 4; November 7 through 11 Location: Anna Lamar Switzer Center for Visual Arts at Pensacola State College Tickets: Free
The 11th Annual Mahabhuta Yoga VegFest Date: November 12 Location: Margaritaville Beach Hotel, Pensacola Beach Tickets: Free and ticketed events; prices vary
Foo Fest, are invited to apply for this designation, which provides them inclusion on the official event website as well as on advertising and promotional materials for the festival. While the personal and creative impact of Foo Foo’s cultural contributions cannot be denied, neither can the economic impact. Dr. Rick Harper, an ACE board member and highly respected economist, recently discussed the results of several ACE commissioned research studies from Haas Center for Business Research and Economic Development at The University of West Florida regarding Foo Foo Fest. “The studies surveyed Foo Foo Fest attendees to assess spending by out of town visitors that would not have occurred absent the Festival,” Harper explained. “The Haas study of the 2021 Festival found Foo Foo Fest visitor spending was responsible for 136 net new jobs (spread across the local econ-
omy), generating $6.5 million in net new gross regional product, $11.7 million in net new sales and $3.75 million in net new personal incomes in the local economy. By way of contrast, these figures are some eight to 10 times greater than the amounts shown in the Haas study of the 2016 Foo Foo Fest for these same metrics.” Harper says the reason for the growth is clear—awareness. “In 2016, only 38 percent of respondents said that they had been aware of Foo Foo Fest prior to their visit,” he said. “Of those who had been aware, 73 percent said it played a role in their planning. In contrast, the 2021 surveys showed that 89.5 percent were aware of Foo Foo prior to traveling, and 65 percent of visitors said Foo Foo Fest was the primary reason for their visit to Pensacola. This large change in visitor awareness, trip planning, and thus new net spending can be attributed to prior experience with the festi-
val and to effective marketing.” As of this writing, the Foo Foo Fest website listed 27 events (grant winner events and Friends of Foo Foo events) scheduled for the 14 day festival. Organizers expect many more to be added before the kick-off date of November 3. From symphonies and operas to bluegrass and funk and from pop art, high fashion and fine art to improvisational comedy, immersive theatre and the finest air show in the world, Foo Foo Fest 2022 does seem to have something for every taste. We’ve rounded up information on all of the grant winner events and a selection of Friends of Foo Foo events to help you plan your 14 days of art, culture, music and more. Be sure to visit foofoofest. com for up to date additions and information. Check out @FooFooFestival on Facebook and Instagram for newly-added events and special announcements. •
Pensacola Big Green EggFest Date: November 13 Location: Blue Wahoo Stadium Tickets: $25-$40 General Admission & $75-$90 VIP
Vandals to Vanguards Dates: November 4 through 6 & November 8 through 11 Times: Tues. - Sat. from 10 am to 4 pm & Sun. from 12 pm to 4 pm Location: Pensacola Museum of Art (and other) Tickets: FREE with Reservations
Forty Forward: Celebrating Four Decades of Opera in Pensacola Date: November 12 at 6 pm Location: Pensacola Saenger Theatre Tickets: Start at $25
Unrequited, presented by Pensacola Little Theatre Dates: October 28 through November 9 (performances at 7 pm, 8 pm & 9 pm) Location: The Clark Family Center, downtown Pensacola Tickets: $50 each Pensacola Bubble Alley Dates: November 3 through November 14 (throughout Foo Foo Fest) Location: Intendencia Street, downtown Pensacola Tickets: FREE
PMA Art Factory Night Date: November 10 from 6 pm to 9 pm Location: Vinyl Music Hall Tickets: Free Admission, Reservations Required Music City Hit-Makers: The Songs, Their Stories, A Symphony Date: November 8 at 7:30 pm (doors open at 6:30 pm) Location: Pensacola Saenger Theatre Tickets: Starting at $29 (+ applicable fees)
Stamped LGBTQIA+ Film Festival Date: November 10 through November 13 (times vary) Location: Pensacola Little Theatre Tickets: Free & ticketed events
To view the complete lineup of scheduled events, visit foofoofest.com and be sure to check out @FooFooFest on Facebook and Instagram for special announcements and updates on newlyadded events.
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