On Friday, September 9, 2016, Innisfree Hotels’ Corporate Social Responsibility program, The Hive, together with its sponsors, presented Dixon Dub – an epic lip sync battle benefiting Pensacola’s Dixon School of the Arts.


Teams battled it out for the title of lip-synching champion as excited crowds dined on fun, themed concessions like ‘Cheesy Love Song’ cheeseburgers and ‘Tonight We Call Soda … Pop” while cheering on their favorites.


Walker AV ensured the quality of all music and video. Brent Lane of Cat Country 98.7 emceed the first-time event to a delighted audience, and esteemed judges Sue Straughan of WEAR-TV3, Michael Carro of SVN Southland Commercial Real Estate Group, Attorney Aaron Watson of the Watson Firm, and President of the Greater Pensacola Chamber and Florida Representative the Honorable Clay Ingram scored teams on their performances to select the Grand Prize Winner of a three-night stay at the beautiful Hilton Pensacola Beach.


The audience had a say, too. Crowds purchased tickets to vote for their favorite performers of the night. And there were many great acts to keep everyone laughing and cheering.


Teams included:



  • Navy Federal Credit Union’s ‘Jermaine & the Uptown Girls” performing “Uptown Funk”

  • The Hilton’s ‘Beliebers’ with Justin Bieber’s “Sorry”

  • Red Fish Blue Fish’s ‘Yum Fish Chew’ with “Foil” by Weird Al

  • Bullock Tice Associates’  ‘Salt-N-Ginja’ performing “Push It” by Salt-N-Pepa

  • Hilton Garden Inn of Pascagoula’s ‘Ghoula Ghouls’ with a mash-up of “Hit the Quan,” “Cha-Cha Slide” and “Poker Face”

  • Dixon School of the Arts’ ‘So Fresh’ with “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air”

  • Presenting sponsor Gulf Power’s ‘Amped Up’ with a mash-up of “Can’t Stop the Feeling” and “Uptown Funk”

  • Holiday Inn Resort’s ‘Deuce Tre’ with “Live Your Life” by T.I. and Rihanna, and

  • Travelodge Pensacola Beach’s ‘Travelodge Survivors’ with “Survivor” by Destiny’s Child.


The audience was also treated to special live performances from the scholars of Dixon School of the Arts singing “Ghostbusters” and new executive director of the Lamont Community School of Music Miguel Aldohondo, Jr. singing “Bessame Mucho” accompanied by Attorney Jim Green of Clark Partington Hart, an event sponsor.


In the end, it was clear both the audience and the judges loved those feel good, get-you-dancin’ songs of the summer. It was ALL about the funk.


The Grand Prize Winner was Gulf Power’s ‘Amped Up’ with “Can’t Stop the Feeling” and “Uptown Funk,” while Navy Federal’s ‘Jermaine & the Uptown Girls’ won the People’s Choice Award for their rendition of “Uptown Funk.”


On behalf of the scholars at Dixon School of the Arts, we are grateful to our generous sponsors:



  • Presenting Sponsors: Gulf Power and Robins & Morton

  • Adrian Caradine Contract Design, Inc.

  • Richard and Laverne Baker

  • BBVA Compass

  • Beggs and Lane

  • Brix Design

  • Bullock Tice Associates

  • John Brewer

  • Byrd Campbell LLC

  • Caldwell Associates

  • Cary & Co.

  • Cat Country 98.7

  • Centennial Bank

  • Clark Partington

  • Cox Pools

  • Dansbyland

  • Edgecomb Furniture

  • Edward Jones

  • Emmanuel, Sheppard & Condon

  • Floral Tree Gardens

  • Hospitality Solutions

  • Illuminations

  • Imbry & Associates

  • Joseph Interiors

  • Kellex Seating

  • Larry Batchelor Mechanical

  • Lazy Days Beach Rentals

  • Levin Rinke Realty

  • MC2 Printing

  • Mirabel Photography

  • Navy Federal Credit Union

  • Pali Hospitality

  • Perdido Beach Service

  • Price Services

  • Qualified Marketing Service

  • RHH

  • Saltmarsh Cleaveland & Gund

  • Shell, Fleming, Davis & Menge

  • Telos Furniture

  • Trustmark Bank

  • WAS Design


We also would like to thank all the volunteers and Innisfree staff who came out to support Dixon Dub, without whom the event would not have been possible.


Innisfree Hotels first became involved with Dixon School of the Arts when it was a struggling charter school, in jeopardy of closing. Founder and CEO Julian MacQueen and wife Kim took a special interest in the school, which inspired employees of the hotel company to ‘adopt’ the school – each property taking on clean-up, tutoring and mentorship of a different classroom.


Over time, Innisfree has worked to find new and exciting ways to raise funds and awareness for Dixon School of the Arts, a private K-8 school with a STEAM curriculum that enhances science, technology, engineering and math with a broad fine arts education. Students enjoy hands-on classes in photography, music, dance, yoga, visual arts and more, often embarking on field trips outside of the school building to engage and enlighten.


One of our guiding principles is to ‘have fun’,” say our founders, Julian and Kim MacQueen. “Raising funds for Dixon School of the Arts in such a fun way will send a happy and powerful message to the kids that they are cared about in the larger community – and that their beloved programs will continue to grow.”


– Ashley Kahn Salley

Lead Storyteller, Innisfree Hotels