Arts & Culture

Performing arts, cultural and arts festivals, high energy concerts, serene galleries and museums – they can all be found in Okaloosa County!  Mattie Kelly Arts Center (MKAC) at Northwest Florida State College in Niceville features two fine art galleries, a theater-in-the-round, a 3,500 capacity amphitheater, a music wing  and a 1,650 seat mainstage theater that is home to the Northwest Florida Symphony Orchestra.  MKAC is also the site for regular performances by renowned Broadway productions and legendary entertainers.   The Northwest Florida Ballet in Fort Walton Beach has been a cultural mainstay for more than 50 years, providing artistic interpretations of beloved pieces such as The Nutcracker.  Mattie Kelly Arts Foundation (MKAF) operates the Mattie Kelly Cultural Arts Village, providing a central location to celebrate cultural arts in Destin.  MKAF’s Concerts in the Village, cited as of the Top 10 Things to do in Northwest Florida by the Florida Travel Guide, consistently draws regional and national acts for a Thursday evening outdoor concert series held every Spring.  MKAF also hosts the annual Festival of the Arts every Fall.  For those who prefer the festival scene, Fort Walton Beach’s Billy Bowlegs Festival, held annually since 1953, is truly Okaloosa’s time to cut loose.  Other noteworthy festivals include the Destin Charity Wine Auction in April, Smoke on the Coast (barbecue festival) in July and the Destin Seafood Festival in October.  Hungry anyone?