Alys Beach Crafted 2026: Weekend Events and Market

Alys Beach Crafted 2026 is underway in Alys Beach, and the busiest stretch is still ahead. The five-day festival runs November 11 through 15, and today, Friday the 13th, starts a full weekend of food, drinks, music, art and a free holiday market.

Crafted puts the spotlight on the people who make things by hand: chefs, distillers, mixologists, artists and craftspeople. The idea is simple. You meet the makers, hear how they work, and try what they make, at spots spread across Alys Beach.

The festival's partner is the Cultural Arts Alliance of Walton County, the nonprofit that supports the arts here through education, advocacy, funding and community programs.

What already happened this week

Opening night, Wednesday, November 11, was the 30A Songwriters Session, held at Caliza's Red Loggia. Put on with the Cultural Arts Alliance, it brought a singer-songwriter to Alys Beach to share songs and the stories behind them, with drinks and light bites. It's a small taste of the 30A Songwriters Festival.

On Thursday, November 12, guests chose from three dinners, each with the same 5 p.m. start:

• Rob McDaniel, the Birmingham chef behind Helen and Bayonet, cooked a family-style Southern meal built around live fire at Caliza's Red Loggia, with cocktails by José Medina Camacho of Adiós Bar and Salud Birmingham using Foursquare Rum.
• Chef Camille Withall cooked with Gulf ingredients and global flavors at George's at Alys Beach, paired with cocktails by Nicole Greenwell of Pearl & Horn using Brown-Forman spirits.
• Alys Beach's own culinary team, led by Chef Drew Dzejak, served dinner at The Summerhouse at The Silva, paired with Menagerie wines and surrounded by photographs by David Yarrow.

Friday, November 13

Today is packed. The Holiday Makers Market kicks off this afternoon, running 2 to 4:30 p.m. at the amphitheatre in Alys Beach, with handmade goods from regional artisans.

Cocktails & Clay meets at The Summerhouse at The Silva. It's sold out, so check the festival website for details. The Cultural Arts Alliance leads this workshop, and local ceramicist Sarah Bumanglag walks guests through making two clay pieces. Those pieces are later glazed and fired in a kiln by professionals, so you don't take them home the same day.

In the evening, the 6th annual Firkin Fête starts at 6:30 p.m. in Central Park. Firkins are small casks, and local and regional breweries bring special beers poured from them. Chefs from around the Southeast handle the food, and Scott T. Smith plays live music.

The weekend: Spirited Soirée and the market

The Spirited Soirée is back Saturday, November 14, set along the North Sea Garden Walk and running from 1 p.m. until 4 p.m. It's a walking tasting. Mixologists and distilleries set up along the way, and guests sample cocktails and spirits, try pairings and talk with the people who made them.

The Holiday Makers Market keeps going all weekend at the amphitheatre:

• Friday, November 13: 2 to 4:30 p.m.
• Saturday, November 14: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Sunday, November 15: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The market is free and open to the public. Along with the artisans, there's live music, and Santa is there for photos Saturday and Sunday from noon to 2 p.m. It's an easy way to knock out some holiday shopping close to home.

Tickets and what to check first

Most Crafted events need a ticket, sold online through the festival's website, and several have limited space. Cocktails & Clay, the Firkin Fête and the Spirited Soirée are sold out, and the Holiday Makers Market is free and open to walk in. Check with the organizers on the festival website before you head over, since some events may still sell out.

Why it matters if you own or are buying here

Fall on 30A has its own rhythm. The summer crowds are gone, the weather is mild, and events like this one fill the calendar. Crafted is a good example of what the slower season looks like in Alys Beach: small dinners, local makers and a free market that anyone can walk into.

If you own a home nearby, it's an easy weekend outing. If you're thinking about buying on 30A, a weekend like this shows you what the community is like outside of summer, which is when many owners spend the most time here. You can read more about Alys Beach and the other towns along 30A on my neighborhoods page.

MLS numbers for Alys Beach show 30 single-family homes sold from May 18, 2026 to Nov 12, 2026, at a median sold price of $7,450,000, after a median of 12 days on the market. Right now 5 are under contract and 26 are for sale.

Garett's take

Just like every festival or event out there, it's what makes the area unique, and that's so important to people coming here. So many people love to come down for the weekend just to enjoy all the events and festivals that happen during the season and off-season.