What's On in Pensacola
Events, markets, games, library and parks programs in and around Pensacola, with times, prices and the organizer's own link.
Top story
Pensacola Veterans Day 2026: parade and ceremony Nov. 11
Pensacola's Veterans Day parade is Wednesday, Nov. 11, with an 11 a.m. ceremony at Veterans Memorial Park. Parade time, route, parking and city closures.
Coming up
The full month- Fri. Oct. 23 First City Art Center First Pick Preview Party
- Fri. Oct. 23 High school football: Fort Walton Beach at Booker T. Washington
- Fri. Oct. 23 High school football: West Florida at Pine Forest
- Fri. Oct. 23 High school football: Walton at Pensacola Catholic
- Now through Nov. 1 Pensacola Interstate Fair
- Sat. Oct. 24 First City Art Center 20th Annual Glass and Ceramic Pumpkin Patch
- Sun. Oct. 25 PSO in the Park
- Mon. Oct. 26 Hauntcert: A Family-Friendly Halloween Concert
- Oct. 26 to 27 Waitress
- Oct. 29 to Nov. 1 Taste of the Beach
- Oct. 29 to Nov. 9 Foo Foo Festival
- Oct. 29 to Nov. 9 Lightspill
Plan your weekend
Fourth of July
Pensacola Fourth of July fireworks 2027
Pensacola's July 4 fireworks go up over Pensacola Bay at 9 p.m. after the free Symphony Sparks & Stars concert. 2027 details are not out yet; 2026 shown.
Halloween
Trick-or-treat hours in Pensacola 2026
Halloween is Saturday, Oct. 31. Pensacola has set no official trick-or-treat hours. Beach-O-Ween is canceled; the free Halloween Market runs 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Valentine's Day
Valentine's Day in Pensacola 2027: events, dinners, date ideas
Valentine's Day 2027 in Pensacola is a Sunday. The symphony plays John Williams on Feb. 13, and Pensacola Little Theatre opens a new show Feb. 12.
Spring break
Spring break in Pensacola 2027: school dates, camps, what to do
Escambia County Public Schools' spring break is March 22-26, 2027. City day camps, splash pads, Fort Pickens and the zoo for the week off.
Easter
Easter in Pensacola 2027: egg hunts, brunch and services
Easter 2027 in Pensacola is Sunday, March 28, right after spring break. Egg hunt plans, Sunday brunch hours from restaurants' own menus and Good Friday notes.
Mother's Day
Mother's Day in Pensacola 2027: brunch, events and gift markets
Mother's Day 2027 is Sunday, May 9. Sunday brunch hours from Pensacola restaurants' own menus, Palafox Market for gifts the day before, and museum hours.
Memorial Day
Memorial Day in Pensacola 2027: ceremony, closings, trash
Memorial Day 2027 is Monday, May 31. Veterans Memorial Park holds its ceremony the Sunday before; city pools open that weekend; Monday and Tuesday trash shifts.
Summer camps
Summer in Pensacola 2027: camps, pools and splash pads
Summer 2027 in Pensacola: city Outdoor Pursuits camps from June 1 (registration April 5), Play Pensacola day camp, Hunter Pool and two splash pads.
Father's Day
Father's Day in Pensacola 2027: Blue Wahoos, brunch, fishing
Father's Day 2027 is Sunday, June 20, and the Blue Wahoos are home against Biloxi. Sunday brunch hours, the Pensacola Bay Pier and kayak rentals for dads.
Labor Day
Labor Day in Pensacola 2027: events, closings, trash pickup
Labor Day 2027 is Monday, Sept. 6. The last weekend of city pool season, Bands on the Beach on Tuesday night, and Monday and Tuesday trash routes shift a day.
Christmas
Pensacola Christmas parade and tree lighting 2026
Downtown Pensacola lights up at 5 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 4, with Santa at the Museum of History. The 2026 Christmas Parade date is not yet set; 2025 shown.
High school football
Friday night football 2026: Pensacola schedules and scores
Pensacola Catholic is 6-1 and Washington 5-1. Every Pensacola high school's 2026 football results and remaining games, plus the FHSAA playoff dates.
Fall festivals
Fall festivals and pumpkin patches in Pensacola 2026
Fall in Pensacola: the Interstate Fair Oct. 22 to Nov. 1, the glass pumpkin patch Oct. 24 and the arts festival Nov. 6-8. Holland Farms is closed after Isaias.
Halloween
Halloween events in Pensacola 2026: what is still on
Halloween 2026 in Pensacola: Ghoul-ery Night Oct. 16, Hauntcert Oct. 26-27, Rocky Horror from Oct. 30 and Halloween Market Oct. 31. Beach-O-Ween is canceled.
Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving in Pensacola 2026: turkey trots, closings, trash
Thanksgiving 2026 in Pensacola: two turkey trots Nov. 26, downtown and on the beach; city offices closed Nov. 26-27; Thursday trash moves to Wednesday.
Black Friday
Black Friday and holiday shopping in Pensacola 2026
Holiday shopping in Pensacola 2026: Wednesday holiday markets downtown from Nov. 4, Shop Small Saturday Nov. 28, Holiday Haul on Palafox Dec. 4.
Christmas
Holiday lights and Christmas events in Pensacola 2026
Christmas 2026 in Pensacola: half a million lights on Palafox from Nov. 4, Winterfest trolley tours from Nov. 20, the Elf Parade Nov. 27 and Santa downtown.
New Year's Eve
New Year's Eve in Pensacola 2026: concerts, fireworks, plunge
New Year's Eve 2026 in Pensacola: the symphony's 'My Way' concert with Ashley Brown at the Saenger at 7 p.m. Dec. 31, and what the beach did last year.
Brunch
Brunch in Pensacola: where to go on weekends
Weekend brunch in Pensacola from restaurants' own pages: the Fish House and Jaco's on Sundays, Five Sisters' jazz brunch, Calvert's and O'Riley's on weekends.
Palafox Street
A guide to Palafox Street and downtown Pensacola
Palafox Street and downtown Pensacola: Plaza Ferdinand, the Saenger, Saturday's Palafox Market, Gallery Night, the bayfront, Seville Quarter and parking.
Live music
Live music and nightlife in Pensacola: venues and where to go
Pensacola's live music venues with addresses and official links: Vinyl Music Hall, the Handlebar, Seville Quarter, the Saenger and free Gallery Night.
Date night
Date night in Pensacola: restaurants, theaters and late nights
Date night in Pensacola from venues' own pages: dinner on Palafox and the bay, the Saenger, the symphony and Pensacola Little Theatre, and late rooms.
Dogs
Dog-friendly Pensacola: dog parks, beaches, patios and leash rules
Dog-friendly Pensacola: city dog parks at Bayview and Roger Scott, two leashed dog beaches on Pensacola Beach, a bayfront patio and the leash rules.
Trails
Pensacola walking and biking trails: paths, loops and distances
Pensacola trails with distances and parking: the 6.7-mile bay bridge path, downtown bike loops, the LEAP Trail, beach paths and 20-plus miles of UWF singletrack.
Kids
Kids' activities in Pensacola: playgrounds, story times, rainy days
Things to do with kids in Pensacola: an inclusive playground, splash pads, library story times, family concerts and shows, and rainy-day picks.
Free
Free things to do in Pensacola
Free things to do in Pensacola: the Naval Aviation Museum, Gallery Night, Bands on the Beach, the bay bridge path, splash pads, the Wall South and free concerts.
Blue Angels
Blue Angels Homecoming Air Show: dates, parking and what to bring
The Blue Angels Homecoming Air Show is Nov. 6-7, 2026, at NAS Pensacola. Admission and parking are free; gates open at 8 a.m.
Great Gulfcoast Arts Festival
Great Gulfcoast Arts Festival: dates, hours, parking and music
The Great Gulfcoast Arts Festival is Nov. 6-8, 2026, in Seville Square: 200-plus juried artists, free admission, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
Mardi Gras
Pensacola Mardi Gras 2027: Grand Parade date, route and events
The Pensacola Grand Mardi Gras Parade rolls downtown at 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 6, 2027. The season opens Jan. 2 with the free Kick Off Celebration.
Pensacola Crawfish Festival
Pensacola Crawfish Festival: dates, tickets, music and parking
The Pensacola Crawfish Festival fills Seville Square each April. 2026 ran April 24-26 at $5 for adults; 2027 dates are not yet announced.
Pensacola Seafood Festival
Pensacola Seafood Festival: dates, hours, parking and food
The free Pensacola Seafood Festival fills Seville Square each September. The 2026 festival ran Sept. 25-27; 2027 dates are not yet announced.
Restaurants
Where to eat in Pensacola: lists by category
Every Pensacola Local Today food list in one place: wings, pizza, Mexican, barbecue, breakfast, burgers, sushi, desserts, bakeries, patios and brunch.
Wings
Where to get wings in Pensacola: Bayou Boulevard and Ninth Avenue
Six Pensacola places that serve chicken wings, most near Bayou Boulevard and North Ninth Avenue, with hours, addresses and phones from their own sites.
Pizza
Where to get pizza in Pensacola: downtown, East Hill and Ninth Avenue
Ten Pensacola pizza places, from Palafox Street and East Hill to Cordova Mall and Davis Highway, with hours, addresses and phones from their own sites.
Mexican food
Mexican and Tex-Mex restaurants in Pensacola
Ten Mexican and Tex-Mex places in Pensacola, from a Palafox Place taqueria to Cordova Mall and Davis Highway, with hours and phones from their own sites.
Barbecue
Where to get barbecue in Pensacola: Belmont-DeVilliers to Ninth Avenue
Five Pensacola barbecue places, from Belmont-DeVilliers and East La Rua Street to North Ninth Avenue, with hours and phones from their own sites.
Breakfast
Breakfast and coffee in Pensacola: downtown, East Hill and Davis Highway
Nineteen Pensacola breakfast spots and coffee shops, from Palafox Street and East Hill to Davis Highway and the airport, with hours from their own sites.
Burgers
Where to get burgers in Pensacola: downtown, East Hill and Ninth Avenue
Fourteen Pensacola burger places, from a Garden Street smash burger shop and a 12th Avenue food truck to the Ninth Avenue chains, with hours and phones.
Sushi
Sushi and Asian restaurants in Pensacola: Bayou Boulevard and downtown
Eighteen sushi, Japanese, Thai, Vietnamese, Chinese and Hawaiian places in Pensacola, from Palafox Street to Bayou Boulevard and Cordova Mall.
Ice cream
Ice cream and desserts in Pensacola: downtown, East Hill and Ninth Avenue
Nine Pensacola places for ice cream, gelato, custard, doughnuts and cakes, from Palafox Street and Jefferson Street to Bayou Boulevard and Ninth Avenue.
Bakeries
Bakeries in Pensacola: bread, pastries, doughnuts and cakes
Seven Pensacola bakeries, from Belmont-DeVilliers, East Hill and Scenic Highway to downtown and Bayou Boulevard, with hours and phones from their own sites.
Patios
Patios and outdoor dining in Pensacola: Palafox, the bay and bayous
Nine Pensacola places whose own sites name a patio, deck, courtyard or outdoor seating, from Palafox Street and Seville to Scenic Highway and Bayou Chico.
Event news
Greek Festival
Pensacola Greek Festival 2026: Nov. 6-8 hours, menu, parking
The Pensacola Greek Festival is Nov. 6-8, 2026, at Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church on Garden Street: free entry, hours, dance times, menu prices, trolley.
Arts
Arts and exhibitions in Pensacola: October 2026
Arts in Pensacola, October 2026: Waitress at the Saenger Oct. 26-27, Rocky Horror and Side Show from Oct. 30, Foo Foo Festival art and the symphony Nov. 7.
Things to do
Things to do in Pensacola this weekend, Oct. 16 to 18
Gallery Night's Ghoul-ery Night Friday, Ali Siddiq at the Saenger Saturday, a Billy Joel tribute Sunday and public ice skating at the Bay Center all weekend.