Special Events in Pensacola Before the Tourists Arrive

Memorial Day weekend marks the official start of tourist season in the Pensacola area, but there are plenty of attractions earlier in the spring as well. In fact, the months of March, April and May are a glorious time to visit the region: the oppressive heat and bugs of summer haven't arrived yet (nor has hurricane season), hotel rates are low and popular beaches and other attractions are much less crowded than they'll be come June, June and August.

So what's on the area's calendar in weeks to come? Check out some of these events:

Elberta German Sausage Festival. Scheduled for 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, March 31, this event was launched in 1978 as a fund-raiser for the fire department in the small Alabama town of Elberta. The festival has proven to be so successful that it is now held twice a year, once in March and once in October. Besides the obvious sausage, other specialties served at the fest will include German-style filled cabbage, goulash and red beans and rice, along with more typical fare like hamburgers, hot dogs and popcorn. The event will also feature some 200 arts and crafts booths, music and carnival rides. Admission is free.

Pensacola JazzFest 2007. Held in the beautiful and historic Seville Square in downtown Pensacola, this year's JazzFest runs from noon to 6 p.m. Saturday, March 31, and Sunday, April 1. Featured performers will include vocalist Kevin Mahogany, guitarist Bucky Pizzarelli, pianist John Colianni, bassist/vocalist Nicki Parrott, vocalist Kathy Lyon, vocalist Stephanie Pettis and her Latin Group, Joe Occhipinti's Big Band and Tim Jackson's "Mr. Big." Admission to the fest is free.

Pensacola Wine Festival. This first-ever wine festival will be held from 3 to 6 p.m. Saturday, April 14, in Plaza de Luna, which overlooks Pensacola Bay in historic downtown. Festival-goers will be able to taste more than 100 different wines from around the world, and all the featured wines will also be available for sale. Tickets are $45 each and only 500 will be sold, so plan to buy ASAP if you want to attend. Local jazz combos will provide entertainment, and executive chefs from some of Pensacola's top restaurants will lead cooking demonstrations.

22nd Annual Interstate Mullet Toss. Always held during the last full weekend of April (Friday, April 27, through Sunday, April 29, this year), the Mullet Toss is, to say the least, an odd competition: participants gather at the Flora-Bama Lounge in Alabama, just across the Florida state line, and compete to see who can toss mullet (a regional fish) across the border into Florida. There are separate competition categories for everyone from toddlers to physically challenged contestants to adults ages 60 and up. Besides the actual fish-tossing, the weekend also features music, food and other activities, and draws thousands of attendees. The event helps raise money for local youth organizations and other charities (the tossed mullet are fed to the birds).

23rd Annual Pensacola Crawfish Creole Fiesta. If you like fresh seafood and spicy Cajun specialties, and don't mind getting a little messy while you eat (eating boiled crawfish with your hands requires LOTS of paper towels), you'll love the Crawfish Fiesta, set for 5 to 10 p.m. Friday, May 4, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, May 5 and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, May 6, in historic Pensacola's Bartram Park. Expect some crowds, so bring along your own picnic blanket or camp chairs, just in case all the tables and chairs are taken. Admission is $5 for adults, kids under 12 get in free (food and beverages, of course, are extra).

Hawkshaw Music Festival. This first-time festival, set for Saturday, May 19, and Sunday, May 20, on Jefferson Street in downtown Pensacola, was organized just in the past several months to replace the city's long-struggling SpringFest, which will be no more. Named after an historic neighborhood in old Pensacola, the Hawkshaw fest is open to the public for $5 in advance, $10 at the door.

Cinco de Mayo and Reggae Fest. Scheduled for 2 p.m. to 2 a.m. on Saturday, May 5, this party at Juana's Pagodas on Navarre Beach will feature performances by five different bands, along with drinks and beach-themed fun.