vie-magazine-NOC2025-ABCRAFTED-HERO

Alys Beach CRAFTED Returns November 12–16, 2025

November 2025

Photos courtesy of Alys Beach

The fourth annual Alys Beach Crafted festival will be held this November 12 – 16, 2025. Crafted invites you into a multi-day journey of culinary expression, spirited tastings, and hands-on discovery. From elegant soirées to inspired makers markets, each event celebrates the creativity of chefs, distillers, designers, and craftspeople from across the country. Whether you’re savoring a firkin-poured ale or discovering handmade wares, every moment is designed to delight.

Alys Beach Crafted is pleased to announce that all proceeds, including those from our Silent Auction, will benefit the non-profit organization, the Cultural Arts Alliance of Walton County, significantly impacting the local arts community through leadership, advocacy, funding, programs, and education.

Details on the individual events that comprise the Alys Beach Crafted festival, ticket purchasing information, and information on participating mixologists, distilleries, breweries, restaurants, makers, and specialists in the beverage industry and culinary arts can be found on the Alys Beach Crafted website.

Follow Alys Beach on Facebook and/or Instagram for updates and developments.

Tickets for the Crafted events can be purchased here: BigTickets.com/events/alysbeach/crafted.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 11 | NEAT Bottle Shop & Tasting Room | 5PM

FIRED UP AT NEAT: A Special Crafted Edition of Wine & Song Featuring Legendary New Orleans Cocktails

Join author of The Café Brûlot, and latest title The Obituary Cocktail, Sue Strachan as she shares the stories behind some of New Orleans’ classic cocktails while Alys Beach’s own Austin Doiron performs a fiery demonstration of the dramatic Café Brûlot cocktail. This special “Crafted” edition of NEAT’s weekly Wine & Song event is complimentary and open to the public with live music, and features the opportunity to purchase tastings of both the Café Brûlot and the Obituary cocktails after the demonstration. Strahan’s books on these legendary cocktails and the New Orleans history and cultural insights around them will be available for purchase, with a book signing from 5-7PM. This complimentary event will get the Crafted spirits flowing to kick off the week’s events.

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 12 | RED LOGGIA AT CALIZA | 5:30PM

SONGWRITER ROUND TABLE SESSION WITH DAVID RYAN HARRIS + CHRIS STILLS

In partnership with the beneficiary of Alys Beach Crafted, the Cultural Arts Alliance of Walton County (CAA), we are proud to present a new event that pays homage to the CAA’s signature event, the 30A Songwriters Festival. The Songwriters Round Table will feature American singer-songwriters and 30A Songwriters Festival favorites, David Ryan Harris and Chris Stills. Cozy up in the Red Loggia at Caliza and listen to the sweet sounds of two renowned musicians, enjoying the stories behind the lyrics as you experience this intimate showcase. Beverages and light bites will be provided. Thank you to St. Augustine Distillery Co. for their partnership in sponsoring the beverages for this evening.

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 14 | EXPERIENTIAL DINNERS AT VARIOUS ALYS BEACH LOCATIONS | 5PM

BOAT DRINKS + WORTHY PARK ESTATE RUM | RED LOGGIA AT CALIZA

Take a vacation (from your vacation) with this Experiential Dinner presented by Boat Drinks (St. Augustine, FL) and Worthy Park’s (Lluidas Vale, Jamaica) award-winning rums. The warm glow of Caliza’s Reg Loggia is the tropical evening backdrop to explore the authentic Jamaican rums of Worthy Park, led by Whitney Hobbs (Boat Drinks) and Zan Kong (Worthy Park). You’ll learn how to look beyond color and proof to explore the true markers of rum style, flavor and character. Come prepared to challenge the old cliches about rum and discover one of the most diverse spirit categories in the world! Just like in Jamaica, when there is good rum, there is good food. Boat Drink’s Captain, Rob Crabtree, will be at the culinary helm to take you on a tour of tropical delights spanning the Caribbean and the Gulf Coast. All the while you’ll have frosty, tropical cocktails in hand, and you’ll understand why we say “Boat Drinks is a state of mind!”

BARRELS WORTH KNOWING PRESENTED BY BROWN-FORMAN + FONVILLE PRESS | FONVILLE PRESS MARKET + CAFÉ

Brown-Forman and its premium spirits portfolio will team up with the Fonville Press bar to present a fresh, innovative cocktail experience featuring world-famous brands Jack Daniel’s, Woodford Reserve, Tequila Herradura, and Diplomático Rum. With a multi-course dinner from the talented

Fonville Press team, paired with Crafted mixologists’ cocktails, guests can settle in for a warm, inspiring evening, showcasing some of Crafted’s most creative and talented personalities. This immersive cocktail dinner promises an elevated night of fun, bringing together a community of shared talent and genuine joy in gathering good people around the table.

JOSE MEDINA CAMACHO WITH HEAVY MET’L IMPORTS + ALYS BEACH CULINARY | PAPILIO PARK

Set beneath the stars and the olive trees of Papilio Park, this Experiential Mixology Dinner pairs James Beard Finalist Jose Medina Camacho of Salud Taqueria and Adios Bar (Birmingham, AL) with the tequila and Mexican rums of Heavy Met’l Premium Imports (Austin, TX) alongside the talents of Alys Beach Culinary. Expect a spirited journey through the bold, expressive landscapes of Oaxaca, Jalisco, and beyond as this colorful crew paints a bold, freshly approached, and thoughtfully composed collection of dishes and beverages, connecting us with their stories and inspirations along the way.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 14 | ARCHITECTURAL TOUR, HOLIDAY MAKERS MARKET, FIRKIN FÊTE | VARIOUS LOCATIONS

ARCHITECTURAL TOUR | NORTH SEA GARDEN WALK PEDESTRIAN PATH | 1PM

Walk the pedestrian paths and alleys of Alys Beach with Marieanne Khoury-Vogt, Alys Beach Town Architect and full-time resident of 20+ years alongside husband and partner, Erik Vogt. Marieanne and Erik have shepherded the master planned vision of the town, helping to define a new architectural language informed by the resilience of Bermuda and the classical traditions of the Mediterranean, enhanced by their own inclinations toward Moorish influences and detailing inspired by their travels and connections to different parts of the world. You’re sure to see Alys through new eyes as you learn more about the intentionality behind every detail and hear about the intensely thoughtful planning of the town. Walking through Alys Beach, Marieanne will share the stories behind the craft of architectural design and the shaping of a town that continues to inspire and captivate, imparting fresh insights into what makes Alys so special.

Thank you to Christiana Cabinetry for their partnership in sponsoring this year’s Architectural Tour.

HOLIDAY MAKERS MARKET | ALYS BEACH AMPHITHEATRE | 2 – 4:30PM

These thoughtfully selected artisans will showcase their craft, their inspiration, and their stories with products representing the best in regional workmanship. Guests are invited to stroll through the Amphitheatre in Alys Beach Town Center to peruse the works of these makers, specially curated as gifts for loved ones, for the home, or for yourself. Enjoy live music and a selection of treats and refreshments for purchase from our surrounding Merchants. This event is free and open to the public.

FIRKIN FÊTE | CENTRAL PARK | 6:30 – 9PM

The 5th Annual Firkin Fête features a unique tasting experience as we tap firkins of beer created by local and regional breweries. The firkins, each an 11-gallon keg, are unique in that no one, including the brewers themselves, can know what the final product will taste like until the firkins are tapped for the event. Firkin Fête will also feature the culinary creations of chefs from throughout the southeast and live music performances from powerhouse NOLA soul group, J & the Causeways. This festive evening is not to be missed!

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 15 | HOLIDAY MAKERS MARKET, BE THE MAKER WORKSHOP, SPIRITED SOIRÉE | VARIOUS LOCATIONS

HOLIDAY MAKERS MARKET | ALYS BEACH AMPHITHEATRE | 10AM – 2PM

BE THE MAKER WORKSHOP WITH SUGARBIRD 30A | Splash Pad at the Amphitheatre | 11AM

Join Sugarbird 30A for a beautifully curated Be the Maker workshop, celebrating the delicate, whimsical artistry of pressed florals. With an abundant array of blooms and botanical textures at your fingertips, Sonnie and Emily will walk you through creating your own one-of-a-kind floral composition using the time-honored process of pressing flowers. This intimate gathering invites cheerful creativity and camaraderie, complemented by light bites, refreshments, and thoughtful guidance in technique and design. Each participant will create an 8” X 8” pressed floral arrangement, elegantly framed – an artful keepsake to gift or to grace a special space in your own home.

SPIRITED SOIRÉE | NORTH SEA GARDEN WALK PEDESTRIAN PATH | 1 – 4PM

Spirited Soirée features an extensive gallery of cocktails crafted collaboratively in the pairing of specially selected mixologists and small-batch craft distilleries. On Saturday, November 15, 2025, from 1-4 pm, guests will have the opportunity to taste both the neat spirits and the crafted cocktail as each mixologist-distillery team reveals insights into the process and inspiration behind their creations. Enjoy specialty canapés, light bites, and desserts from the best culinary teams in the Southeast as you explore the vast collection of hand-crafted cocktails and spirits, and take home some of the new concepts, trends, and products currently setting the beverage world a-buzz.

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 16 | HOLIDAY MAKERS MARKET, BE THE MAKER WORKSHOP, PICKLEBALL & PICKLEBACKS | VARIOUS LOCATIONS

HOLIDAY MAKERS MARKET | ALYS BEACH AMPHITHEATRE | 10AM – 2PM

CHILDREN’S BE THE MAKER WORKSHOP WITH MARILU DOODLES | Splash Pad at the Amphitheatre | 11AM

This special edition of the Be the Maker series is for the kids! While you enjoy exploring the Holiday Makers Market, we invite your children to join artist Marilu Morgan of Marilu Doodles for an Alys Beach Crafted edition of her beloved Craft Club. In this hands-on workshop, young makers will craft their very own custom canvas stocking—perfect for adding a personal touch to their room or

seasonal décor. With Marilu’s expert guidance, they will paint and personalize a canvas stocking, embellish with bits and bobbles, and all the while learn simple but foundational design techniques.

While your family may already have its set of cherished holiday stockings, this custom keepsake is sure to capture a moment in each child’s artistic expression – their time in Alys Beach, their favorite holiday traditions, or simply their favorite childhood delights. A cheerful, festive, creative experience to commemorate time spent in this special place. This Be the Maker Workshop is limited to ages 5-18.

PICKLEBALL & PICKLEBACKS | RACQUET SPORTS FACILITY AT ZUMA | 12 – 3PM

Join fellow spectators at the 2nd Annual Pickleball & Picklebacks event, held at ZUMA Wellness Center on Sunday, November 16th from 12-3 pm with 8 teams of two participating in the pickleball tournament. As the finale for Alys Beach Crafted’s week of events, Pickleball & Picklebacks will feature an expansive brunch spread from Alys Beach Culinary in addition to pickle inspired cocktails and, of course, the namesake pickleback (traditionally a shot of neat whiskey chased with a shot of pickle brine). A full bar will be available, as well. Please note, if interested in participating in the pickleball tournament, a pickleball team is a separate cost.

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ABOUT ALYS BEACH

Located along the pristine white sands and sparkling turquoise waters of northwest Florida’s Gulf Coast sits Alys Beach, a fully-bespoke, luxury lifestyle and vacation experience – a coastal destination where life is refreshed. Known for its striking white architecture, Alys Beach is a New Urbanist community built for relationships, connection, and for building memories around the town’s most sought-after amenity, the pristine Gulf beaches. With all of its 158 acres within a short walk of the beach and designed for engaging and comfortable access to the town center’s shops and restaurants, Alys Beach is truly an unparalleled experience. Alys Beach has long attracted homeowners and vacation guests with an eye for distinctive design and detail, and the town’s signature events serve to reinforce a sense of being transported to a place of luxury found within the balance of beauty, simplicity, and grace. To a place where life is not just lived, it is defined. For more information, please visit alysbeach.com.

ABOUT THE CULTURAL ARTS ALLIANCE OF WALTON COUNTY:

The Cultural Arts Alliance of Walton County (CAA) has been the creative core of the local community for more than three decades – 30+ years of fostering creativity as a local arts agency in Walton County, Florida. Supporting the arts through leadership, advocacy, funding, programming, and education, the CAA’s mission is to encourage and promote creativity. With an emphasis on inclusivity and collaboration, the CAA provides opportunities for residents and visitors to experience diverse forms of art and learning, connecting them to broad, critical explorations through artistic expression and engagement.

The Alys Foundation and Alys Beach are committed to providing cultural experiences for the broader Alys Beach community, including creative programming, a permanent collection of art works displayed throughout the town’s landscape, and through partnerships with organizations like the CAA. Alys Beach Crafted is delighted to support the CAA while sharing the stories that craft tells.

Alys Beach Crafted | 9581 E County Hwy 30A | Alys Beach, FL 32461

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