Tour six South Walton homes

The Cultural Arts Alliance (CAA) of Walton County announces the 2013 Valentine Tour of Homes featuring six  South Walton homes. The annual event is expanding this year, opening homes on the tour both Saturday and Sunday. On Saturday, Feb. 16 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday, Feb. 17 from Noon to 4 p.m., those who love of art, design and architecture will be rewarded with the artistically indulgent, self-guided tour.

Six distinct and diverse homes will be featured on the tour, including the stunning Seaside home of Barbara Bradley Baekgaard, co-founder of Vera Bradley, which was featured in 30A Style, the definitive coffee-table book of South Walton homes by Lynn Nesmith. Additional homes on the tour include a Certified Platinum Florida Green Home in Alys Beach, a gulf-front home part of the Residences at Hotel Viridian in Seagrove Beach, a historic home on Western Lake in Grayton Beach, a low-country style home in Cypress Dunes and a contemporary home in Point Washington, featuring the artwork of Margo Russell.

The proceeds from the self-guided annual Valentine Tour of Homes benefit the CAA’s Educational Giving Program, which provides over $20,000 in grants to Walton County teachers and scholarships for students to participate in supplemental and continuing art education.

Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 the day of the even and can be purchased online at CulturalArtsAlliance.com and locally at Smith’s Antiques in Destin, the Bayou Arts Center, Sundog Books in Seaside and Hidden Lantern Gallery in Rosemary Beach. For more information about the Tour and the Cultural Arts Alliance of Walton County, call (850) 622-5970.