The Performing Arts in Pensacola
Pensacola has a sophisticated array of entertainment choices for such a small city. The highlight venue here is the Saenger Theatre, 118 S. Palafox St., near Romana Street (; [tel] 850/444-7686), a restored masterpiece of Spanish baroque architecture. Presentations feature the local opera company and symphony orchestra, Broadway musicals, and touring performers.The 10,000-seat Pensacola Bay Center, 201 E. Gregory St., at Alcaniz Street (tel. 850/432-0800), hosts a variety of concerts, exhibitions, sports events, and conventions.
The Club & Bar Scene in Pensacola
Pensacola has a downtown nighttime entertainment hub in Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St., at Jefferson Street (tel. 850/434-6211), in the Seville Historic District. This restored antique-brick complex, with New Orleans–style wrought-iron balconies, is a collection of pubs and restaurants whose names capture the ambience: Rosie O’Grady’s Good Time Emporium, Palace Cafe, Lili Marlene’s Aviator’s Pub, Apple Annie’s Courtyard, End o’ the Alley Bar, Phineas Phogg’s Balloon Works (a dance hall, not a balloon shop), and Fast Eddie’s Billiard Parlor (which has electronic games too). The pubs serve up booze, food, and live entertainment from Dixieland jazz to country and western. Get a calendar at the information booth next to Rosie O’Grady’s. The District Seville Steak & Seafood (tel. 850/332-5224) has a swanky upstairs lounge for those seeking a more sophisticated cocktail scene. Seville Quarter is open daily from 11am to 3am and Sunday from 2pm to 3am.The Seville Quarter is geared towards visitors. For a more local scene, head to McGuire’s Irish Pub the city’s popular brewery, and eatery. Irish bands appear nightly in summer, and on Saturday and Sunday the rest of the year. The Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona St., is in another top place in town for live music. It’s in its third incarnation, a brick walled, steel beamed spot for everything from hip hop and punk to post modern disco beats.
A more modern cocktail culture exists around town, as seen at places like Garden & Grain, 50 E. Garden St., a fabulous outdoor cocktail garden located behind the Perfect Plain Brewing Co., which is also, er, hopping in its own right. For a funky beer scene and a hideaway vibe, check out their sister property, The Well Floridian Lounge.
Party and parched people on Palafox love the cozy Old Hickory Whiskey Bar, 123 S. Palafox St. (tel. 850/332-5916), owned by historic preservationist and Pensacola native Katie Garrett and featuring over 750 types of its namesake. Up the block is Garrett’s other spot, a retro fab mid-century modern homage to the early 60s cocktail culture called The Kennedy, 1 Palafox Place (tel. 850/332-5916), For a more illicit vibe, head to speakeasy Sister Hen.
Beach nightlife centers on Pensacola Beach Boardwalk, Via de Luna at Fort Pickens Road, a complex on Santa Rosa Sound. With the lively beach-and-reggae bar at Flounder’s Chowder House just a few steps away, it’s easy to barhop until you find a band to your liking. Across Via de Luna, at Casino Beach, is The Dock (tel. 850/934-3625), which has live bands nightly in summer, and on weekends off season. Finally, Sidelines Sports Bar & Restaurant (tel. 850/934-3660) has a great game lineup.
The Last Great Road House: The Flora-Bama Lounge
Sitting on the Florida-Alabama state line on Perdido Key, about 15 miles west of downtown Pensacola, the Flora-Bama Lounge, 17401 Perdido Key Dr. (tel. 850/492-0611), is a shrine to country music. Billing itself as the “Last Great American Road House,” this Gulf-side pub is famous for its Saturday and Sunday jam sessions from noon to way past midnight. Flora-Bama is the prime sponsor and a key venue for the Frank Brown International Songwriters’ Festival, the first week of November. The wackiest shindig here has to be the Interstate Mullet Toss and Beach Party (the last weekend in Apr), which defies more in-depth description. Granted, the joint can get a bit rough, but you won’t soon forget the great Gulf views while sipping a cold one at the Deck Bar. The Flora-Bama is open daily from 9am to 2:30am.Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.
