On January 13, the Walton County Board of County Commissioners took a quiet but significant step to preserve the county’s rural character. With a unanimous vote, the board adopted the Walton Forever Land Acquisition Program — a locally controlled framework designed to protect agricultural, forested, and environmentally sensitive land through conservation easements and strategic acquisitions.
The SEASIDE Institute™ has announced the recipients of the 2026 SEASIDE Prize™, a recognition reserved for those whose work has shaped the fields of architecture, urban planning, and community development. The prize is awarded annually to individuals whose contributions have a lasting impact on how places are built and experienced.
— It’s Already Here
If you live anywhere along Highway 331, you don’t need a market report to tell you something has shifted. You feel it in the traffic that no longer thins out mid-day. You notice it in the cranes rising beyond the tree line, the freshly staked parcels, the new signage appearing almost overnight. And you hear it—in grocery store aisles, at stoplights, over coffee—What’s going in there?
Every Martin Luther King Jr. Weekend since 2010, the 30A Songwriters Festival has turned South Walton’s quiet winter season into a destination built around music, storytelling, and community. On this episode of the HWY 331 Podcast, host Kerri Parker sits down with festival producers Jennifer Steele and Russell Carter to reflect on 17 years of a songwriter-focused festival that has become a cultural and economic cornerstone for Walton County.
By mid-February, South Walton usually knows what it wants to be: a little slower, a little softer around the edges, still shaking out winter while hinting at spring. Valentine’s weekend tends to arrive with dinner reservations, long walks, and the quiet confidence of a place that doesn’t need spectacle to feel full. But for three nights in 2026, something else will cut through the calm.
When the holiday season arrives, DeFuniak Springs comes alive like nowhere else in Northwest Florida. Its historic downtown, spring-fed lake, and Victorian architecture become the backdrop for a twinkling winter wonderland that draws families, friends, and travelers from across the region. But don’t just take our word for it—locals who have loved this town for years share why Christmas here feels truly magical. From horse-drawn carriage rides to festive markets and dazzling light displays, their voices guide you through the ultimate roadmap to holiday cheer in Walton County.
