Emerald Coast Storytellers invites you to join them Friday, July 14th, as they celebrate One Year of Storytellers. This special event will be held at Emerald Coast Theatre Company and mark a significant milestone for the organization and its journey of storytelling.

The evening promises to be a delightful celebration with a vibrant community that has contributed to their success. As they reflect on their accomplishments, the theme of the night will revolve around “milestones,” inviting attendees to share their personal stories of the paths that led them to where they are today.

The event will showcase local talent from the beach and beyond, captivating the audience with engaging stories. Click HERE to buy tickets. 

Attendees can also indulge in a delightful grazing table featuring a delicious charcuterie spread from Graze 30A and an assortment of mouthwatering flatbreads from Bitterroot. Thirsts will be quenched with a variety of beverage options available for purchase, including wine by Vin’tij Food & Wine, beer, seltzers, and a specialty cocktail made with the award-winning Half Shell Vodka from Distillery 98.

Doors will open at 6 PM, commencing the cocktail hour, followed by the start of the show promptly at 7 PM. Eager to take the stage and share your own stories? Reach out to Emerald Coast Storytellers.

Photos by: Brenna Kneiss Photography

Jennifer Steele, the Executive Director of the Cultural Arts Alliance of Walton County (CAA), will be the marquee speaker at this event.

Jennifer Steele is the Executive Director of the Cultural Arts Alliance of Walton County (CAA), the Local Arts Agency that fosters creativity through the inclusive and collaborative advancement of the Arts. She has dedicated her entire career to that mission, beginning just out of college at the Center for Puppetry Arts in Atlanta, GA, as the co-founder and managing director of the Seaside Repertory Theatre, Northwest Florida’s first professional theatre company, and then as an Arts management consultant.

In 2008, Jennifer joined the CAA and has led the organization’s exponential growth over the past 15 years. Under her leadership, the CAA created the county’s first professional artist cooperative, The Foster Gallery, the nation’s first Underwater Museum of Art, and an Art in Public Spaces program. The CAA also produces large-scale events and initiatives, including Art Month Walton County, the ArtsQuest Fine Arts Festival, and the 30A Songwriters Festival, which she co-founded; presents ongoing Arts education, both online and at the Miramar Beach Creative Campus and Bayou Arts Center; provides critical arts funding to artists, students, schools and organizations; funds a Prison Art Program; and advocates for the Arts at the local, state and national levels.

Jennifer is a past co-Chair of Americans for the Arts’ Private Sector Network Council and a past member of Visit Florida’s Culture, Heritage, Rural, Nature committee. Jennifer is a recipient of the Van Ness Butler, Jr. Hospitality Award which recognizes excellence in hospitality service, travel/tourism marketing, advertising, promotion, and contributions to Walton County. She is the current Chair of the Walton County Tourist Development Council and a past chair of its Arts, Culture, Events, and Activities Committee, which implements the Artist of the Year program.

Graze 30A was one of the sponsors at the December Open Mic Night. Shot by Brenna Kneiss Photography.

Distillery 98 is a popular venue for the open mic nights. Their vodka, Half Shell Vodka, will be served at the One-Year Anniversary Open Mic Night. Shot by Jordan Crowder.

For more info, visit emeraldcoaststorytellers.com or follow them on Facebook.