Community Calendar

The Apalachicola Area Historical Society (AAHS) announces the return of its popular self-guided history tour, “If This House Could Talk,” taking place May 2 through May 17, 2026, throughout historic Apalachicola. This free event transforms the town into an open-air museum with 30 locations expected where visitors can explore local history through engaging visual storyboards. Guests are invited to view the storyboards (but not enter the properties) at their own pace during this event.

What if the homes, historic locations and buildings in Apalachicola could talk? What stories would they tell? The Apalachicola Area Historical Society invites guests to find out by viewing storyboards placed in front of notable homes, businesses, parks, and historic sites. Created by property owners, these displays share interesting and sometimes odd historical facts and stories of these Apalachicola places and their past residents. The self-guided format allows visitors to explore the town at their own pace, choosing their own route and schedule while following a tour of photos, maps, and narrative text, bringing local history to life in an accessible way.

Maps, showing storyboard locations, will be available soon at the Raney House Museum at 128 Market Street, the Apalachicola Bay Chamber at 73 Avenue E, Oystertown Books at 67 Commerce Street, Franklin County Visitor Center at 731 US 98 Eastpoint, the Apalachicola Margaret Key Public Library at 80 12th St., online at Apalachicolahistoricalsociety.org and at the AAHS Facebook page. Guests can use the map to visit a variety of storyboard locations of their choosing including businesses, parks, historic homes and more.

For more information, please call and leave a message at (850) 653-1700, email AAHS.Raney@gmail.com, or check online at www.apalachicolahistoricalsociety.org. The Raney House Museum at 128 Market Street at the corner of Avenue F in historic downtown Apalachicola and is open from 10:00 am - 4:00 pm Tuesday through Saturday. Funded in part by the Franklin County Tourist Development Council.

In celebration of Thomasville’s Rose Show, the Lapham-Patterson House will host a special pop-up exhibit featuring a display of past Thomasville Rose Queen gowns and crowns. This installation offers a unique opportunity to experience the tradition, pageantry, and local history of one of Thomasville’s most beloved events.

The exhibit will be on view from April 23 through May 16, 2026, and is included with regular guided tour admission Thursday through Saturday (tickets available online or at the Thomasville History Center front desk).

A special free open house will also be held on Saturday, April 25, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Opening Reception: Funkadelic Visions
Thursday, May 14 | 5:00 PM – 7:30 PM

Join us for an unforgettable evening celebrating the opening of Funkadelic Visions, a vibrant exhibition honoring the spirit, rhythm, and visual legacy of funk culture. Immerse yourself in a dynamic atmosphere where art, music, and community come together.

Enjoy live music by Bay Kings Band as you explore the exhibition, connect with fellow art lovers, and experience the energy behind the work. An in-house bar will be available throughout the evening.

Come celebrate, connect, and be inspired. We look forward to seeing you there.

Spend an evening with Dr. Chris Watkins as she discusses her groundbreaking book, The Drag Gospel of Queer Jesus, with Dr. L. Lamar Wilson.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Rescuing biblical language from misuse by those who would persecute queerness and subjugate the natural world, The Drag Gospel of Queer Jesus contemporizes and enlivens Biblical mysteries, exploring queer/trans identities and Florida ecologies through poetic forms (both received and invented) as often as through free verse. Simultaneously playful and serious, like the best drag performances, these poems nod equally and as often to the work of RuPaul or Marsha P. Johnson as to William Shakespeare or the author(s) of Genesis. Meanwhile, as the poems point to the artificial constructions of gender, they also embrace the (queer) natural world.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Chrysanthemum (Chris) Brook Watkins is a trans poet, writer, and environmental activist living in North Florida. They spend as much time as they can on the water and in the swamps, and they are a proud board member of Apalachicola Riverkeeper. Chris received their PhD in Poetry with a focus in Ecopoetics and Environmental Writing, Poetic Forms, and Queer Literature from Florida State University. Chris now works as the Academics and Partnerships Coordinator at FSU’s Office of Sustainability (Sustainable Campus) and teaches both writing and sustainability courses.

ABOUT L. LAMAR WILSON

L. Lamar Wilson is an Affrilachian writer of multiethnic descent. He holds an MFA from Virginia Tech and a PhD from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. L. Lamar Wilson's poems have appeared in African American Review, Callaloo, jubilat, Los Angeles Review, The 100 Best African American Poems, and other journals and anthologies.

Join us on Wednesday evenings at 7PM for story time adventures thru June 24th! Whether you're out on the town for a family meal or finishing up dinner at home, please stop by for a fun time of reading with our reading volunteers!

Beautiful tells the inspiring true story of Carole King’s rise from teenage songwriter to music legend. Featuring smash hits like “You’ve Got a Friend,” “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman,” and “It’s Too Late,” this feel-good musical celebrates the woman behind the soundtrack of a generation. As a regional premiere, QMT is proud to bring this powerful story to our stage for the very first time—don’t miss the chance to be among the first in North Florida to experience it live.

This project is sponsored in part by the State of Florida through the Division of Arts and Culture & the National Endowment for the Arts.

SHOW TIMES:
Friday, May 8, 2026 - 07:30 PM EST
Saturday, May 9, 2026 - 07:30 PM EST
Sunday, May 10, 2026 - 02:30 PM EST
Friday, May 15, 2026 - 07:30 PM EST
Saturday, May 16, 2026 - 07:30 PM EST
Sunday, May 17, 2026 - 02:30 PM EST

The Apalachicola Area Historical Society (AAHS) announces the return of its popular self-guided history tour, “If This House Could Talk,” taking place May 2 through May 17, 2026, throughout historic Apalachicola. This free event transforms the town into an open-air museum with 30 locations expected where visitors can explore local history through engaging visual storyboards. Guests are invited to view the storyboards (but not enter the properties) at their own pace during this event.

What if the homes, historic locations and buildings in Apalachicola could talk? What stories would they tell? The Apalachicola Area Historical Society invites guests to find out by viewing storyboards placed in front of notable homes, businesses, parks, and historic sites. Created by property owners, these displays share interesting and sometimes odd historical facts and stories of these Apalachicola places and their past residents. The self-guided format allows visitors to explore the town at their own pace, choosing their own route and schedule while following a tour of photos, maps, and narrative text, bringing local history to life in an accessible way.

Maps, showing storyboard locations, will be available soon at the Raney House Museum at 128 Market Street, the Apalachicola Bay Chamber at 73 Avenue E, Oystertown Books at 67 Commerce Street, Franklin County Visitor Center at 731 US 98 Eastpoint, the Apalachicola Margaret Key Public Library at 80 12th St., online at Apalachicolahistoricalsociety.org and at the AAHS Facebook page. Guests can use the map to visit a variety of storyboard locations of their choosing including businesses, parks, historic homes and more.

For more information, please call and leave a message at (850) 653-1700, email AAHS.Raney@gmail.com, or check online at www.apalachicolahistoricalsociety.org. The Raney House Museum at 128 Market Street at the corner of Avenue F in historic downtown Apalachicola and is open from 10:00 am - 4:00 pm Tuesday through Saturday. Funded in part by the Franklin County Tourist Development Council.

Guided tour focusing on on innovative historic preservation approaches used in the award-winning Call-Collins House project

Led by John Grandage, founding director of the museum, this tour focuses on innovative historic preservation approaches used in the award-winning Call-Collins House rehabilitation project. Tours will consist of a guided walk both inside and outside the Call-Collins House, with stops along the way to examine architectural features.

This program is free and open to the public. Guests should wear comfortable clothing and be prepared to walk or stand for the majority of the tour.

On View: May 14-June 27, 2026 Open: Tuesday – Saturday 11 AM – 6 PM

LeMoyne Arts presents Funkadelic Visions, featuring the vibrant and imaginative paintings of music legend George Clinton. Known for his groundbreaking work in funk music, Clinton brings the same bold creativity and energy to his visual art, offering viewers a colorful, immersive experience that blurs the lines between music, culture, and imagination.

Kindly Presented by Akbar Thomas

Opening Reception:

Thursday, May 14- 5 pm-7:30 pm

Live music by The Bay Kings Band

In-House Bar

Muffins & Mimosas

Saturday, May 16 | 11:00am – 12:30pm

In-house mimosas, baked goods from Uptown Cafe, and hot coffee provided by Argonaut Coffee.

In celebration of Thomasville’s Rose Show, the Lapham-Patterson House will host a special pop-up exhibit featuring a display of past Thomasville Rose Queen gowns and crowns. This installation offers a unique opportunity to experience the tradition, pageantry, and local history of one of Thomasville’s most beloved events.

The exhibit will be on view from April 23 through May 16, 2026, and is included with regular guided tour admission Thursday through Saturday (tickets available online or at the Thomasville History Center front desk).

A special free open house will also be held on Saturday, April 25, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.