Flora-Bama

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The Flora-Bama Lounge and Package (aka The Flora-Bama), located on Perdido Key in Pensacola, Florida, is a beachside oyster bar, nightclub, and Gulf Coast cultural landmark, touted as being America's "Last Great Roadhouse". The Flora-Bama takes its name from its location only feet away from the Florida-Alabama border (it is officially located entirely in Florida).

[edit] The Bar

The establishment is referred to by locals as simply "the bama" and before its partial destruction by Hurricane Ivan, it boasted in the range of 20 plus bars within the building. In addition, at any given time before the storm, up to 4 live bands could be playing simultaneously providing a wide array of music for visitors to enjoy. The bar is primarily outdoors and offers a huge deck where one can eat and drink while having a beautiful view of the Gulf of Mexico.

Widely known as a place where "you can have a millionaire sitting next to a biker," this unique make-up of bar patrons is one of the contributing factors to its large appeal and attraction. Locals mingle with tourists rather easily and on large holiday weekends such as Memorial Day, Fourth of July, and Labor Day, cars line the highway for miles in both directions as the bar draws such a large crowd.

[edit] Hosted Events

The Flora-Bama Lounge is host to a number of annual and one-time local events. Perhaps most famous of these festivities is the Annual Interstate Mullet Toss This year (2008) University of Alabama head football coach Nick Saban will be featured as a celebrity thrower. An event where individuals compete on the beach throwing a mulet from a 10 foot circle in Florida across the state line into Alabama. Not only is the Mullet toss great excuse to throw a weekend long party, but contributions are made to local charities, mostly to youth organizations. Winning throws approach distances in excess of 150 feet and the event is always held in the last full weekend of April. Additional events include the "Polar Bear Dip," the "Mullet Man Triathlon," and the "Super Bowl Chili Cook-off."

A recent and addition to the event is the Annual Mullet Man Triathlon, a conventional sprint-distance race consisting of a 1/4-mile swim, followed immediately by a 15-mile bike and a 4-mile run. Not considered a serious competitive event by most of the contestants, the true motivation is (half-jokingly) said to be the post-race party.

The Jimmy Buffett song Bama Breeze was written about this roadhouse as well as others.