UWF announces new Gulf Coast Culture Series

Update – Feb. 18, 2025

The inaugural Gulf Coast Culture Series event with John T. Edge has been rescheduled for Tuesday, April 15, 2025, at the Pensacola Little Theatre in downtown Pensacola. A reception will begin at 5:30 p.m., and John T. Edge will begin speaking at 6 p.m. This event is free and open to the public.

If you plan on attending this event, please register here: bit.ly/436ChFL.

Update – Jan. 22, 2025

The inaugural Gulf Coast Culture Series event, originally scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025, at the Museum of Commerce in downtown Pensacola, with John T. Edge, has been canceled due to the extreme winter weather and icy road conditions across Escambia County.

All attempts will be made to reschedule this event. If you have registered for this event, please watch your email for updates.

The University of West Florida College of Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities is proud to announce the launch of the Gulf Coast Culture Series, an exciting evolution of its longstanding Experience UWF Downtown Lecture Series. This new series broadens its scope beyond traditional public lectures to become an immersive celebration of the Gulf Coast’s rich cultural tapestry, exploring the stories, traditions and creative expressions that define this extraordinary region. The Gulf Coast Culture Series will explore a single theme each academic year across multiple events, engaging the community in conversations that illuminate the region’s unique identity.

The inaugural event, True South: A Conversation with John T. Edge, will take place on Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025, at the Museum of Commerce in downtown Pensacola. Edge, a nationally acclaimed writer, television host and cultural historian, is best known as the host of TrueSouth on SEC Network, ESPN and Hulu. He is also the founding director of the Southern Foodways Alliance and the author of The Potlikker Papers: A Food History of the Modern South, named one of NPR’s Best Books of 2017. Edge will offer a captivating discussion on how food and media reflect the cultural identity of the Gulf Coast, providing unique insights into the intersection of southern culture, history and cuisine.

“This new series reflects our commitment to fostering curiosity, creativity and compassion while deepening our community’s connection to the Gulf Coast’s diverse heritage,” said Dr. David M. Earle, dean of the College of Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities. “John T. Edge’s work embodies this spirit, making him the perfect speaker to kick off this vibrant initiative.”

Sponsored by the College of Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities and the John C. Pace Symposium Series, this inaugural event will kick off with a reception at 6:30 p.m., and Edge will begin speaking at 7 p.m. This event is free and open to the public. 

For more information on the Gulf Coast Culture Series, visit uwf.edu/gulfcoastculture.