The school buses are back, summer routines are starting to change, and the Gulf Coast calendar is getting ready for a big weekend.
August 17–23 brings everything from major concerts in Orange Beach and Pensacola to Gallery Night, waterfront baseball, local markets and a tailgate cook-off just in time for football season. Alabama voters also have a couple of important absentee-ballot deadlines approaching ahead of the August 25 municipal elections.
Here’s what’s happening this week across Baldwin, Santa Rosa and Escambia counties.
Baldwin County, Alabama
Alabama Absentee Ballot Deadlines — August 18 & 20
With Alabama municipal elections coming up Tuesday, August 25, two absentee-voting deadlines fall this week.
Tuesday, August 18 is the deadline for a mailed absentee ballot application to be received. Thursday, August 20 is the final day to apply for an absentee ballot in person.
After those dates, emergency absentee applications may be available through Monday, August 24 for qualifying circumstances. Hand-delivered absentee ballots are also due to the appropriate Absentee Election Manager by the close of business August 24, while mailed ballots must arrive by the applicable Election Day deadline.
Municipal elections determine local leadership and can affect decisions involving zoning, development, short-term rentals, infrastructure and other issues that matter to Gulf Coast property owners. Check with your municipality or election officials for your ballot, polling location and current voting requirements.
Goo Goo Dolls with Neon Trees — August 21
Friday night is a big one in Orange Beach as the Goo Goo Dolls bring their tour to The Wharf Amphitheater with Neon Trees.
The show begins at 8 p.m., and with thousands of concertgoers heading toward The Wharf, give yourself some extra time if you’ll be traveling along Canal Road or through the surrounding area Friday evening.
Even if you grew up with songs like Iris and Slide, Neon Trees joining the lineup makes this one feel like more than a nostalgia show. It should be one of the bigger concert nights of late summer in Orange Beach.
4th Annual Coastal Tailgate Cook-Off Challenge — August 22
Football season is right around the corner, which means it’s time to start arguing about something almost as important as the games: the food.
The 4th Annual Coastal Tailgate Cook-Off Challenge takes over the Marina Lawn at The Wharf on Saturday. Teams will compete with their best tailgate dishes in an event that combines food, community and a little friendly competition.
It’s a fun way to spend a Saturday at The Wharf without needing an amphitheater ticket.
Coastal Alabama Farmers & Fishermens Market — August 22
Saturday morning also brings another edition of the Coastal Alabama Farmers & Fishermens Market at 781 Farmers Market Lane in Foley.
The year-round market is open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. with local produce, seafood, baked goods, honey and other locally made products.
Late August is a particularly good time to see what’s coming out of local fields before the growing season begins its transition toward fall.
More Happening Around Baldwin County
The Tee Off Turned Up summer live music series continues at The Wharf throughout August, offering a more casual option for anyone looking for live music without the concert-ticket price.
Elsewhere around the county, you can catch the Haunted History Ghost Walking Tour in Foley, the Brandon Styles Magic Show at Downtown OWA or live music at LuLu’s in Gulf Shores.
Santa Rosa County, Florida
Florida’s Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday Ends — August 20
If there are still a few things left on the back-to-school shopping list, Thursday is the final day of Florida’s 2026 Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday.
Qualifying purchases include certain clothing and footwear, school supplies, learning aids and computers, subject to the state’s price limits.
After Thursday, the regular sales tax rules return.
The Market of Milton — August 20
Thursday evening also brings The Market of Milton back to Jernigan’s Landing.
From 5 to 8 p.m., local farmers, bakers, artists and makers gather along the Blackwater River in downtown Milton. It’s one of those events that doesn’t need a complicated itinerary—walk the market, grab something to eat and enjoy an evening by the water.
Jams in the Sand — August 20
Over in Navarre Beach, Jams in the Sand continues Thursday evening at Windjammers on the Pier.
The free concert series takes place right on the sand near the Navarre Beach Fishing Pier and continues into early September.
Bring a beach chair or blanket and settle in for live music with the Gulf as the backdrop.
Next Stop Comedy — August 22
Saturday night gives Milton something a little different.
Next Stop Comedy brings a rotating lineup of touring comedians to 6821 Caroline Street in downtown Milton from 7 to 9 p.m.
For Santa Rosa County residents who normally head toward Pensacola for comedy and nightlife, this one keeps the evening much closer to home.
Escambia County, Florida
Blue Wahoos Baseball Returns — August 18–23
Baseball is back on Pensacola’s waterfront this week.
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos host the Knoxville Smokies for a six-game series running Tuesday through Sunday at Admiral Fetterman Field.
A Blue Wahoos game remains one of those outings that works whether you’re following every pitch or mostly there for the waterfront atmosphere. With six games on the schedule, there are plenty of opportunities to fit one into the week.
Bands on the Beach: Paperchase — August 18
Tuesday night also brings another edition of Bands on the Beach to the Gulfside Pavilion on Pensacola Beach.
Paperchase performs from 7 to 9 p.m. as part of the free weekly concert series.
Bring a lawn chair, find a spot overlooking the Gulf and enjoy one of Pensacola Beach’s longest-running summer traditions.
Gallery Night Pensacola — August 21
Downtown Pensacola should be busy Friday night as Gallery Night returns from 5 to 9 p.m.
August’s event features the Rusty Knuckle Torque Club Car Show alongside the usual mix of art vendors, food, music and live performances.
Palafox and the surrounding downtown blocks become part street festival, part art walk and, this month, part car show.
If you haven’t been to Gallery Night in a while, this is a good week to change that.
Vince Gill: 50 Years From Home — August 22
Saturday night, Vince Gill takes the stage at the historic Saenger Theatre in downtown Pensacola as part of his 50 Years From Home tour.
Gill brings a five-decade catalog and 21 Grammy Awards to one of Pensacola’s most intimate major concert venues, with Wendy Moten also appearing on the bill.
Between the performer and the setting, this should be one of the standout live-music nights of the week.
Island Fights 100 — August 22
Saturday is also a milestone night for Pensacola’s Island Fights.
The locally based combat-sports promotion reaches its 100th event at the Pensacola Bay Center, with the first bouts expected around 6:30 p.m.
Reaching event number 100 is no small feat for a homegrown Pensacola promotion, making this one particularly notable for longtime local fans.
Looking Ahead
Next week isn’t exactly slowing down.
Tuesday, August 25 brings Alabama’s municipal elections. Then on Wednesday, August 26, the Blue Angels are scheduled for a practice over NAS Pensacola, while Jack Johnson and Lake Street Dive take over The Wharf Amphitheater that evening.
The Wharf follows that up Saturday, August 29, with Jason Aldean.
In other words, late August still has plenty left on the calendar.
What Does Late August Mean for Gulf Coast Real Estate?
By this point in August, the Gulf Coast real estate market starts to feel different than it did in June.
School has started. Families who needed to be moved before the first bell have largely made their decisions, and some of the urgency that defines early summer begins to disappear.
That doesn’t mean the market stops. The people looking now often have different motivations.
For buyers, late August can bring an interesting opportunity. There’s typically less competition from summer shoppers, while some properties have now been sitting through the busiest portion of the season. That can create more room for conversations about price, closing dates, repairs or other terms.
For sellers, this is a good point to look at your listing with fresh eyes. If a property has been available throughout the summer without producing the right offer, simply waiting for fall may not solve the problem. Sometimes the better move is revisiting the price, photography, presentation and how the property compares with what buyers can purchase nearby.
And then there’s hurricane season.
Late August puts us into the most active portion of the Atlantic hurricane calendar. If you’re already under contract, now is the time to understand your insurance company’s binding requirements and timelines. Tropical activity in or approaching the Gulf can affect when new coverage can be bound, which can create problems for a closing if insurance is left until the last minute.
It’s one of those Gulf Coast details that’s easy to overlook—until suddenly it matters quite a bit.
Enjoy the Week on the Gulf Coast
This week has a little bit of everything.
You can spend Tuesday night watching baseball or listening to music on Pensacola Beach, head downtown for Gallery Night Friday, catch the Goo Goo Dolls in Orange Beach, and then choose between a tailgate cook-off, Vince Gill, Island Fights or a farmers market on Saturday.
Not bad for the second half of August.
And if all the activity has you thinking about more than just your weekend plans, we’re here for that too.
Whether you’re buying, selling, relocating or simply trying to make sense of the market in Baldwin, Santa Rosa or Escambia County, the Coate Connection Team at RE/MAX Gulf Properties is ready to help.
David Coate: 251-213-8811
Virginia Coate: 251-752-1231
