The original Bowlegs festival was held Labor Day weekend but quickly moved to the first weekend in June to promote summer tourism. June is now one of the busiest months of the year for tourism, which led to the decision to move to a weekend that would benefit both tourists, by offering more budget-friendly pricing, and hotel partners, by filling the region during an off-peak time, the release said. In addition to the date change and COVID-19 safety protocols being put in place, changes to this year’s event include a focus on the vibrancy of downtown Fort Walton Beach.