Pensacola, Florida is world-renowned for its white sand and warm summer sun. But have you ever considered what Pensacola sounds like? The cry of gulls, the laughter of friends in the surf, maybe? The truth is that Pensacola shines brightest come Fall, when Some of the finest music in the world can be heard through the streets of downtown. What’s the sound of Pensacola? In a few words, it’s the Foo Foo Festival.
A twelve-day showstopper extravaganza with over thirteen featured events from art installations to day-long themed festivals; the Pensacola Foo Foo Festival is the nexus spot for culture, food, and most of all, music, soundtracking your cool Autumn nights with light and life.
This year, the local PBS Station WSRE is presenting The Joyful Noise! Gospel Celebration, three days of soul and song performed by the award-winning New York gospel choir, Sing Harlem, Nov. 8-10. Featuring a regional gospel competition, a Sunday gospel brunch, and a gospel workshop for K–8 students at the Dixon School of Arts & Sciences; this weekend-long event highlights the profound impact and rich history of African American voices in the region and hopes to be a source of spiritual inspiration and neighborly love.
“We wanted to bring something new to the Foo Foo Festival this year and quickly realized that there had been no sizable focus on gospel music before,” says Jennifer Knisbell of WSRE. “We want to inspire authentic community engagement through gospel music which has always been a cornerstone of comfort, joy, and unity.”
Featuring a classic tent-style revival and one of the most popular gospel choirs in the country, The Joyful Noise! Gospel Celebration will be a soulful standout in a packed lineup of musical acts which include the return of Night Moves Music Fest on Nov. 9, a day-long alternative/indie music festival featuring headlining acts like Alvvays, Silversun Pickups, and Beach Fossils, and the iconic Jazz 4 Justice on Nov. 10.
Presented to audiences since 2015 by Legal Services of North Florida, a non-profit that provides civil/legal assistance across sixteen counties in North Florida, Jazz 4 Justice has closed out the festival for nearly ten years with a symphonic mix of blues, jazz, and even some rock & roll that harkens to the musical history of Pensacola’s Big Easy neighbor.
“Jazz 4 Justice is heavily influenced by New Orleans, but brings our own hybrid infusion of music that gets people laughing and dancing all day long,” says Charlotte Waters from Legal Services of North Florida. “Pensacola loves its jazz and it’s so fun to see the whole community come out to celebrate good music.”
A free-to-the-public event, Jazz 4 Justice is headlined by Kermit Ruffins, with performances by Flow Tribe and the local NOLA-influenced group 9th Avenue Brass Band. Legal Services of North Florida is also partnering with MESS Hall and Gallery Nights Pensacola, along with other food vendors to keep the good times rolling and stomachs filled with great food, while also providing their Mobile Office to festival-goers who want to learn more about their mission and legal service offerings.
These events; along with the Carmen: The Traveler, a newly adapted, abridged, and re-orchestrated version of Bizet’s monumental masterpiece presented by Pensacola Opera, The Corner of Broadway & Main Street, an a cappella singing extravaganza presented by Choral Society of Pensacola, and the 40th year of the Frank Brown International Songwriters’ Festival make up just a small sample of all the spectacular sounds of Foo Foo Festival 2024. While Pensacola means a great many things to a great many visitors, it most assuredly sounds like the ideal place for great food, better people, and the best music you’re apt to hear this year. Come down and listen for yourself!
To learn more about other events and experiences, please visit foofoofest.com.
