The Spring Gallery Night of the 2012 season begins 5pm Friday, May 18th in Historic Downtown Pensacola. This year the third Gallery Night, of the 2012 season, takes place during National Military Appreciation Month!  Gallery Night Official Participants will have Military Appreciation themed events and the recently casted bell, for the Marine Aviation Memorial Tower, will be on display on South Palafox Street.  Gallery Night patrons are encouraged to stop by to view the bell and learn more about the Marine Aviation Memorial Tower that is scheduled to be built!

Hosted by the Downtown Improvement Board (DIB), Gallery Night is dedicated to the support of Pensacola's visual and performing arts community and it continues to expand.  Gallery Night currently hosts between forty to fifty downtown Official Participant venues hosting local artists, drawing thousands of attendees to the free event.

Gallery Night is a great event to spend time with your friends and family and enjoy the wonderful culture, cuisine, and history that you find Downtown, said Hilary Gilles, manager of Gallery Night at the DIB,Gallery Nights success is a testament not only to our talented art community,but support of local businesses and residents as well.

Aside from sampling Downtown's unique local cuisine and entertainment, attendees are also encouraged to take part in events hosted by local businesses.  From strolling through Downtown's charming streets to sampling artisanal goods, there's plenty to do on Gallery Night. We hope to see you there!

North Palafox Street between Wright and Gregory Streets, South Palafox Street from Intendencia to Main Streets as well as Government Street between Palafox and Tarragona will be closed to vehicular traffic during the hours of 5pm-9pm.  South Palafox Street, from Garden to Intendencia Streets, will be closed from 5pm-Midnight.  5pm - 9 pm Street closures are sponsored by Stella Artois and Purus Organic Wheat Vodka.  A special thanks to Hopjack's Pizza Kitchen & Taproom, The Wine Bar on Palafox, The Tin Cow, Helen Back Cafe, Lotus Lounge, PLAY & The Leisure Club for sponsoring the extended street closure on South Palafox between Garden and Intendencia Streets.

About Gallery Night

Gallery Night is a celebration of the local and regional arts, both performance and visual, in Downtown Pensacola. There is no fee to attend and enjoy this downtown celebration of the arts. Gallery Night is funded solely by the downtown businesses that participate and the DIB. Be sure to look for the Official Participant sign in business windows and show your appreciation with a compliment, a thank you or maybe even a purchase. For more information, to find out which artist each venue is featuring, or for a map of Gallery Night, visit www.downtownpensacola.com.

The Humane Society of Pensacola announces its next Bathe-In set for Saturday, May 19. Bathe-In's at the Humane Society of Pensacola offer low-cost dog bathing, grooming, nail clipping and flea dips during the warm weather season.

Events are held every third Saturday of the month April through October from 9 am until 2 pm and are scheduled for May 19, June 16, July 21, August 18, September 15 and October 20. "Pet owners are trying to find affordable ways to care for and keep their pets," says Monie Russo, volunteer coordinator of HSOP. "Our Bathe-In's give people a convenient and inexpensive opportunity to keep their pets clean, healthy and pest free."

In addition to providing a service to pet owners, the Bathe-In's are an important fundraising activity for the Humane Society, providing a substantial portion of the shelters revenue. The events are run by shelter staff and volunteers. New volunteers and experienced groomers and nail clippers are always needed. Those interested in helping should contact Monie Russo at 850-432-4250 or email director@humanesocietyofpensacola.org.

The Humane Society is a NO-KILL adoption facility providing shelter, food and medical treatment for homeless, neglected and abused cats and dogs and is located at 5 North Q Street, Pensacola. For more information visit HSOPs web site at www.humanesocietyofpensacola.org.

You can't stop the beat! Join in the fun for the fabulous summer musical as Pensacola's Little Theatre's Mainstage and Treehouse Theatre, Andrews Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Center, Emerald City, Randall's Men's Formal Wear and Karin Garvin, Attorney at Law will present "Hairspray", PLT's biggest hit of the season this July and August.

It's 1962, and pleasantly plump Baltimore teen, Tracy Turnblad has only one desire... to dance on the popular "Corny Collins Show." When her dream comes true, Tracy is transformed from social outcast to sudden star. She must use her new found power to vanquish the reigning Teen Queen, win the affections of heartthrob Link Larkin and integrate a TV network all without denting her "do"!

Director Roy Bracken, is looking for 29 people for lead and supporting roles to portray specific ethnicities and body types. Auditions will be held on May 21 and 22 at 7:00 p.m. Actors will be asked to prepare sixteen bars of a song and bring clothes to lightly dance in. For all the audition information, visit our website at www.PensacolaLittleTheatre.com. Performance dates are July 27-29 and August 3-5, 10-12 & 17-19.

Pensacola Little Theatre is proudly celebrating our 75th season. Pensacola Little Theatre is a 501(C) 3 non-profit organization providing a complete theatrical experience to children and adults through performances, volunteer opportunities, outreach programs and classes. PLT is located inside the Pensacola Cultural Center at 400 South Jefferson St., Downtown Pensacola. For additional information, visit PensacolaLittleTheatre.com or call (850) 434-0257.

Its full steam ahead for the 57th Annual Billy Bowlegs Pirate Festival, scheduled for May 31 through June 2 at The Landing (139 Brooks Street) in Fort Walton Beach, FL. The pirates are plotting their course for Fort Walton Beach, anxious to recapture the City for the 57th time.  Festival goers will relish the same pirate-themed adventures and entertainment they have always enjoyed, with some changes in schedule from previous years.  And for the first time, there will be fireworks on Friday AND Saturday nights.  A combination of man and nature kept us from enjoying the fireworks last year, said Diana Duffey, the 2012 chair of the FWB Chambers  Bowlegs committee.  So were doubling up this year on one of the community's favorite components of the festival. 

The pirates are arriving earlier than usual this year because they've heard that the Mayor has some new defensive tactics up his sleeve.  They'll party with the townsfolk on Wednesday night, May 30, at the Billy Bowlegs Pub Crawl in downtown Fort Walton Beach from 6:00 to 10:00 pm (go to www.FWBBPubCrawl.com for more information). Children who attend the Pirate Walk (pirate themed trick-or-treating) sponsored by the downtown merchants from 4:30 to 6:30 pm on Thursday may be able to spot a few neer-do-wells on Highway 98. 

Not to be taken by surprise, the city will welcome the scoundrels with the Torchlight Parade sponsored by Carter & Co. on Thursday evening, May 31 at 7 pm.  (There's still time to register your float go to www.BillyBowlegsPirateFestival.com). 

The festival grounds will actually open for vendors and patrons at 6 pm on Thursday evening, and be the venue for pirate contests and headline entertainment Jukebox Super Heroes.  The festival will end at 10 pm that evening.

The pirate fun will begin again at 3:00 pm on Friday (free admission).  Tom Mason and the Blue Buccaneers will entertain at 4:00 pm, followed by Juke Joint Willie at 5:30 pm.  Capt. Billy and his Krewe will arrive by sea at the Landing at 7:00 pm on their reconnaissance mission, and headliner Cabo Rock will play at 8:00.  The Friday fireworks at 9:30 pm will close the festivities for the evening. 

On Saturday, the fun will begin again at Noon, and Tom Mason and the Blue Buccaneers will entertain the crowd at 2:00 pm.  Capt. Billy and the Krewe will return at 4:00 pm to storm the City, and the crowd will celebrate their arrival with entertainment by Red 423 at 5:00 pm and the Kasba Dancers at 6:30 pm.  The headliners for the evening will be The Landsharks Band at 7:00 pm, followed by the closing fireworks at 8:30 pm.

Billy Bowlegs Pirate Festival Schedule (subject to change without notice. For more information, contact the Greater Fort Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce at 244-8191.