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One of the most anticipated and oldest heritage festivals in Florida will return to Pensacola this year. The 71st Fiesta Pensacola celebration will take place from Wednesday through June 12, with a full season of floats, beads, krewes and royalty.
The Fiesta Pensacola organization is honoring the first European settlement in the United States and de Luna s 1559 establishment of Pensacola with a new theme this year: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow.
“We re focusing on Fiesta, the origins of Fiesta, what we are today and what we re going to be in the future,” Executive Director Bridget Middleton said.
The 10-day Fiesta Celebration was postponed last year due to safety precautions surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. Middleton said the organization has established a COVID-19 policy that all volunteers and participants must abide by and officials are excited to commence the events.
Pensacola has become the first city in Northwest Florida to commit to having almost a third of its operations powered by renewable energy by the end of the decade, but it s not clear yet how the city will accomplish the goal.
Pensacola s goal of 30% of its energy coming from renewable sources may look modest compared to 11 other cities in the state that have committed to 100% by the 2040s or 2050s.
But Pensacola Mayor Grover Robinson said the city s 30% goal is based on the advice of the city s sustainability coordinator as Pensacola would likely never reach 100% renewable energy. It s tough to do, Robinson said during his press conference Monday. You can do everything you want to do, you can be doing a good job, and you may not get there. So we ve been very focused on what is achievable.