In Alys Beach This Fall, the Free Calendar Runs Through Town Center

At 5 p.m. on Thursday, October 22, the shops and restaurants in Alys Beach Town Center start handing out candy. Merchant trick-or-treating runs 5 to 7 p.m. as part of Howl-O-Ween, which starts at 4. The dog-owner costume contest needs a ticket bought ahead of time. The trick-or-treating does not. That same day, the Garden & Gun Society and Friends Gathering starts four days of dinners, conversations, tours and music around Alys Beach, running October 22 through 25. Its itinerary and tickets are handled through Garden & Gun.

From here to Thanksgiving, Alys Beach's fall works this way. The ticketed events draw the visitors. The free events, the ones a neighbor can walk to on a whim, are put on by the Merchants of Alys Beach and centered on Town Center. This year, Town Center has more storefronts than it did last fall.

The Merchant Row Got Longer Before the Season Started

In an October 7 report, SoWal said Town Center "continues to grow," with a new restaurant and two new retail tenants joining the Merchants of Alys Beach.

The restaurant is Indaco, an Italian concept from Indigo Road Hospitality Group. It began serving guests in July 2026, with a menu built around fresh seafood, wood-fired pizza and handmade pasta. It's the group's second restaurant in Alys Beach. O-Ku opened in 2024. The Northwest Florida Daily News gave Indaco's opening date as July 2 and its address as 40 Mark Twain Lane, Suite 101. Indaco covers more of the day than most Town Center kitchens. The Alys Beach merchant directory lists dinner and aperitivo daily, lunch on weekdays and brunch on weekends.

The two shops are still on their way:

• Rowan is a California menswear brand opening its first store outside that state. It's headed for 11 North Castle Harbour Drive, Units 6–7. SoWal said it was expected to open in October 2026, and Rowan's own store page still says "Coming October 2026."
• KREWE, the New Orleans eyewear brand, has had a place in Alys Beach for years, both inside Alys Shoppe and in its Tiny House shop. This fall it opens its first Florida storefront, with optical frames, lens cutting and other services. SoWal's report gives the timing only as "this fall," and KREWE's store locator still lists the Tiny House near the Amphitheatre.

These storefronts matter because of the calendar ahead. Between October 22 and November 27, the calendar brings two merchant-presented events and a free holiday market into Town Center and the Amphitheatre, the same few blocks where these businesses are opening.

Crafted Week Splits Into a Ticketed Side and a Free Side

Alys Beach Crafted returns November 11–15, 2026, for its fifth year. 30A.com describes it as five days of food, drinks, music, art and craftsmanship. The official schedule shows how the week divides.

The ticketed side is built around named guests. The announced dinner talent includes Chef Rob McDaniel with mixologist José Medina Camacho, Chef Camille Withall and Nicole Greenwell, and Chef Drew Dzejak with the Alys Beach Culinary team, Menagerie Wines and photography by David Yarrow. At Cocktails & Clay, local ceramicist Sarah Bumanglag leads the session. Musician Scott T. Smith plays the Firkin Fête, which Crafted describes as rare firkin cask ales and craft brews with bites from local chefs. The songwriter for the Wednesday session hasn't been announced.

30A.com notes that several events have limited capacity. Tickets are sold on the Crafted 2026 BigTickets page. Crafted's FAQ says tickets may be sold at the door if any are left. The Cocktails & Clay page lists 2:30 p.m. doors and a 3 p.m. workshop. Its header says Friday, November 13, but its description says November 14, so check the ticket listing before you plan a Friday afternoon around it.

The Free Side Is Where the Week Meets Town Center

Only the Holiday Makers Market is free and open to everyone. It's also the only Crafted event that runs on three different days. Crafted describes it as a curated market of handmade goods, fine crafts and seasonal gifts from artisans. Santa photos run noon to 2 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

The market is at the Amphitheatre, a short walk from the shops and restaurants. On Saturday and Sunday it opens at 10 a.m., so a morning there runs right into lunch. These are the posted hours from the Alys Beach merchant directory:

• Fonville Press: daily, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
• Charlie's Delights: daily, 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
• George's at Alys Beach: lunch daily 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., dinner daily 5 to 9 p.m.
• The Citizen: lunch and brunch Wednesday through Sunday, 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.; oyster happy hour daily, 2 to 5 p.m.; dinner daily, 5 to 10 p.m.
• O-Ku: Monday through Thursday 4 to 10 p.m., Friday through Sunday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
• Raw & Juicy: daily, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., with dinner Wednesday through Sunday evenings
• NEAT Bottle Shop and Alys Shoppe: daily, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

The directory doesn't label these as seasonal hours, and Raw & Juicy's own site lists a later dinner close than the directory does. A quick call before a late visit is a good idea. On Friday of Crafted week, the free market ends at 4:30. The Citizen's oyster happy hour is already underway by then, and the Firkin Fête in Central Park starts at 6:30.

NEAT has one more October date before Crafted. Its Wine + Song evening on Tuesday, October 27, runs 5 to 7 p.m. with Corey Hall, and four wines cost $30.

Thanksgiving Weekend Ends the Season With Merchants as Hosts

The fall calendar ends the way it starts, with a free event the Merchants of Alys Beach put on. Alys in Winter Wonderland is Friday, November 27, from 4 to 6:30 p.m. at the Alys Beach Amphitheatre, according to SoWal's event listing. Here's how the evening runs:

1. 4 p.m.: The holiday concert starts, and the activities open. Cookie decorating is $3 per set, and there are letters to Santa, holiday photos by EPIC on the splash pad, and face painting.
2. During the event: Photos with Santa are $3.
3. 5:45 p.m.: Lines for the activities close so vendors can serve everyone already waiting.
4. 6:30 p.m.: Santa arrives for the tree lighting.

The 5:45 cutoff matters if you're bringing kids. Anyone who shows up at 6 for the tree lighting will miss cookie decorating and Santa photos. The tree lighting is also about five weeks after Rowan's expected October opening. If KREWE's storefront opens on time this fall, Thanksgiving weekend may be the first holiday crowd to walk past both new shops.

If you're watching how Town Center is changing this fall, from Indaco's first holiday season to new shop doors on Castle Harbour Drive, I keep a close eye on these blocks and I'm happy to talk through what's happening. JD Buy The Sea is here when you'd like a local point of view on Alys Beach. Let's Connect.