Things to Do This Week in Pensacola
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(September 28-October 4)
October arrives this week, and Pensacola is wasting no time filling the calendar.
Bands on the Beach continues Tuesday night, the Pensacola Beach Songwriters Festival begins rolling out events later in the week, downtown has First Friday Art Walk, the Santa Rosa Island Triathlon takes over Pensacola Beach Saturday morning and Milton has a free Storybook Village for families.
Downtown also has Ballet Pensacola’s Frankenstein and the Pensacola Symphony Orchestra opening its new season Saturday night.
We also worked in a few bookable options for anyone who wants to spend part of the week on the water.
Here are some of the best things to do around Pensacola September 28 through October 4.
Catch Bands on the Beach
Tuesday, September 29
7 PM to 9 PM
Gulfside Pavilion
Pensacola Beach
Tuesday nights on Pensacola Beach are still going strong.
Float Like a Buffalo takes the Gulfside Pavilion stage this week for Bands on the Beach, bringing a mix of rock, funk, ska, reggae and jam music to Casino Beach.
The concert runs from 7 PM to 9 PM and admission is free.
Bring a lawn chair or blanket and make an evening out of it on Pensacola Beach.
Kick Off the Pensacola Beach Songwriters Festival
Tuesday, September 29 through Sunday, October 4
Pensacola Beach and Downtown Pensacola
The Pensacola Beach Songwriters Festival officially runs October 1 through 11, but this week starts with an early kickoff event before performances spread across Pensacola Beach and downtown.
The festival brings professional songwriters to local venues for performances centered around the stories behind the songs.
Instead of a traditional concert where artists simply work through a setlist, many festival performances put several songwriters together to perform and talk about how their music was created.
The Tuesday kickoff includes an open mic at From the Ground Up Community Garden, with additional performances beginning later in the week at venues around Pensacola and Pensacola Beach.
Many performances are free, although some special events require tickets.
Get on the Water While September Weather Is Still Here
Available throughout the week
Pensacola Beach
Fall events are starting to take over the calendar, but Pensacola Beach is still very much in water season.
If you have an open morning or afternoon, this is a good week to work a water activity into your plans before the calendar gets even busier later in October.
Go Parasailing
See Pensacola Beach from above the water with a parasailing trip over Santa Rosa Sound.
It is an easy activity to fit around the rest of the week because you do not have to dedicate an entire day to it.
Book Pensacola Beach parasailing
Rent a Jet Ski
If you want something more active, rent a jet ski and spend an hour exploring the water around Pensacola Beach.
Book a Pensacola Beach jet ski
Take a Frisky Mermaid Dolphin Cruise
For something more relaxed, Frisky Mermaid offers dolphin sightseeing cruises around Pensacola Bay.
This is an easy option for families, visiting friends or anyone who wants to get on the water without operating anything themselves.
Book a Frisky Mermaid dolphin cruise
Walk Through First Friday Art Walk
Friday, October 2
Downtown Pensacola
First Friday Art Walk gives you an easy reason to spend Friday evening downtown.
The event brings art, shopping and local businesses together around downtown Pensacola, making it an easy starting point before dinner, drinks or one of the Songwriters Festival performances happening nearby.
See Ballet Pensacola’s Frankenstein
Friday, October 2 through Sunday, October 4
Clark Family Cultural Center
400 S. Jefferson Street
Friday: 7 PM
Saturday: 1:30 PM and 7 PM
Sunday: 1:30 PM
Halloween season officially starts creeping into Pensacola this weekend.
Ballet Pensacola presents Frankenstein at the Clark Family Cultural Center beginning Friday, with additional performances Saturday and Sunday.
The production puts a ballet spin on Mary Shelley’s classic story and gives you an indoor option if you want something completely different from the festivals, markets and beach events happening this week.
Watch the Santa Rosa Island Triathlon
Saturday, October 3
Morning
Casino Beach
Pensacola Beach
Saturday morning starts early on Pensacola Beach with the Santa Rosa Island Triathlon.
The sprint distance race includes an approximately 600 yard Gulf swim, a 21 kilometer bike course and a 5K run.
The first swim start is just before 7 AM, so expect activity around Casino Beach early.
Even if you are not competing, you can head out and watch athletes transition between the swim, bike and run before spending the rest of the morning on the beach.
Take the Kids to Storybook Village
Saturday, October 3
10 AM to 2 PM
Jernigan’s Landing
5165 Willing Street
Milton
Families have a free Saturday option just up the road in Milton.
Storybook Village: Grow Into Reading! takes over Jernigan’s Landing with interactive story stations, crafts, games, character experiences and activities centered around reading and early learning.
Kids are encouraged to dress as their favorite storybook character.
Admission and all activities are free.
Spend Saturday Night at the Symphony
Saturday, October 3
7:30 PM
Saenger Theatre
118 S. Palafox Street
Downtown Pensacola
The Pensacola Symphony Orchestra opens its new season Saturday night at the Saenger Theatre.
Opening Night begins at 7:30 PM and marks the beginning of Maestro Peter Rubardt’s 30th season with the orchestra.
The program includes works by Dvořák, Tchaikovsky, Barber and Ravel, with violinist Elissa Lee Koljonen joining the orchestra for Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto.
Make a Week Out of It
Tuesday gives you an easy Pensacola Beach night with Bands on the Beach, while the Songwriters Festival starts picking up as the week continues.
By Friday, downtown gets busier with First Friday Art Walk and Ballet Pensacola’s Frankenstein.
Saturday is the busiest day of the week.
Start early at the Santa Rosa Island Triathlon on Pensacola Beach, take the family to Storybook Village in Milton, catch another round of Songwriters Festival performances and finish the night with the Pensacola Symphony Orchestra downtown.
And if you want to skip the schedule completely for a few hours, September and early October still give you plenty of time to parasail, ride a jet ski or head out on a dolphin cruise.
For more concerts, festivals and local events, check the Must Do Pensacola Events Calendar.
Looking for something you can book anytime? Browse cruises, attractions and local experiences in our Best Things to Do in Pensacola guide.
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