VIE’s editor-in-chief Lisa Marie Burwell joined long-time friends, singer-songwriter/Broadway star Morgan James and Sinfonia Gulf Coast music and artistic director Demetrius Fuller, in the stunning Alys Beach home of Bryan and Tina Corr for a meet and greet on May 28. James and Fuller took center stage for a patriotic summer kick-off concert at the Alys Beach Amphitheater.

Dearest Reader, the VIE Team thoroughly enjoyed celebrating the intersection between past and future along with the announcement of the winners of this year's Digital Graffiti festival at Le Bon Ton, An Artistic Garden Affair in Alys Beach, Florida, on May 19, 2023. We donned our best Bridgerton-inspired frocks and partook in sips from Gulf Water Wines and Coastal Coffee Bar Co., savory and sweet treats from The Salty Butcher and On The Fly PCB, and the musical stylings of a string quartet and pianist by Top Hat Live, aka The Whistledowns.

Songwriters in Paradise has just unveiled the artist lineup for the second annual SIP Healdsburg taking place July 18-22 in Healdsburg, California.   Songwriters in Paradise is a series of boutique, unique and very exclusive experiences that showcase a number of the world's most gifted singer-songwriters performing in some of the most awe-inspiring destinations.

The Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation (DCWAF) is pleased to announce that the 18th Annual Destin Charity Wine Auction presented by the Jumonville Family raised $3.5 million for children in need in Northwest Florida. Hosted April 28 and 29 to a sold-out crowd of more than 600 guests, proceeds from the auction benefit DCWAF’s 16 partner children’s charities in Northwest Florida.

Art Month Walton County, an initiative led by the Cultural Arts Alliance (CAA) of Walton County and sponsored in part by Visit South Walton, will provide a full month of creative offerings in May, including the “Under The Sea” fundraiser for the Underwater Museum of Art, 35th Annual ArtsQuest Fine Arts Festival, Longleaf Writers Conference, Digital Graffiti at Alys Beach, The Sound of Music at Emerald Coast Theatre Company, Open Mic Night with Emerald Coast Storytellers, Sinfonia Goes Pop in Alys Beach, events at The Foster Gallery, and more. All happenings take place in Walton County and are part of the Art Month mission to bring together communities, organizations and businesses to present quality and diverse arts entertainment.

Southern Sound Music Alliance and North Beach Social are proud to present a new event in the Summer Haze Music Fest event series: Summer Haze Spring Fling!

Emerald Coast Storytellers, a local creative writers group, is launching a series of Story-Pairing Dinners in 2023. The first event will be held on Tuesday, February 7 from 5-8 p.m. at Hotel Effie, located within Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort.

Tickets are now on sale for the Ascension Sacred Heart Foundation’s 2023 Emerald Ball to benefit Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast. Celebrating the 20th anniversary of Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast, the event is Saturday, February 4 at 6 p.m. at the Hilton Sandestin Beach Resort Golf and Spa and is presented by Howard Group, Grand Boulevard, and Silver Sands Premium Outlets.

A group of locals has come together to help Chef Brannon Janca, owner of Down Island Gulf Seafood Restaurant in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida. The holiday fundraiser, called Janca’s Jingle Bell Jamboree, will be held at Down Island on December 17, 2022 from 6-9PM and will include live music, a wine walkabout, local area chef demos, a large silent auction, a professional photo booth, and so much more.

The Pink Walk Benefiting Fore Her is back and better than ever! The event which takes place on Saturday, January 28, 2023 at The Village of Baytowne Wharf will introduce a timed 5k race in addition to the Survivor Stroll and annual Walk. The community is invited to walk or run with friends and family, wear pink, and have fun while raising funds for breast cancer patients in financial need.

Ryanhood is bringing their high-energy, big-harmony, dueling acoustic guitar approach to Santa Rosa Beach for two shows, December 16 & 17, 2022.  "A Winter’s Evening with Ryanhood,” is a live holiday touring show based on the duo’s award-winning album, On Christmas. An evening of songs and storytelling, heartstrings and laughter, the show features a blend of original holiday compositions, wintry covers, and reworked classics woven together with holiday stories and memories.

Chef Michael Sichel of Soleil in Destin, Florida will host another Chef's Table Wine Dinner, only this time it will benefit the Emerald Coast Children's Advocacy Center. The dinner will feature wines from Thompson Winery in Russian River Valley, CA. Guests will arrive and be seated at the Chef's table for a five course dinner - each course paired with a Thompson Winery wine. Chef will walk guests through each course, describing the wines and why they were chosen to pair with the dish.