As the work week comes to an end, let WJCT interns Allie George, Kelsey Oates and Sarah De Nicolais be your guides for art, culture and fun on the First Coast this Memorial Day weekend.
Don’t miss a beat. Experience the soul of downtown Jacksonville with the annual 2016 Jacksonville Jazz Festival. See the core of Jacksonville come alive through music, local food and tasty drinks all throughout 15 blocks of downtown. The festival is free to attend. Public parking is available as well as theSkyway and Water Taxi. Jazz enthusiasts are encouraged to buy theVIP ticketwhich offers special perks throughout the festival, but with Saturday and Sunday already sold out, hurry and grab a pass for Friday. The saxophones will be blaring, spotlights will be shining, and the good times won’t stop coming. Be sure to be there all three days to experience what the biggest festival in Jacksonville has to offer.
City of Jacksonville Memorial Day Observance
Take some time out this Memorial Day weekend to honor the meaning of this holiday. Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry will host a ceremony at 9 a.m. Monday in memoriam for Jacksonville’s departed servicemen and women. The ceremony will be held at the Veterans Memorial Wall, between EverBank Field and the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville. Parking for the event is free.
X102.9 will host its seventh annual Rock on the River concert this Memorial Day. The event will get underway at 1 p.m. on Monday at the Jacksonville Landing. Alternative rock band Young the Giant will be featured, the Strumbellas and the Wombats are among other bands that will make appearances. Rock on the River is free to attend, and there will also be chances to win VIP tickets and an opportunity to meet the bands.
64th Annual Florida Folk Festival
We Floridians have been called everything from backwoods to backwards, but our heritage is unique, to say the least. Come celebrate Floridian folklife along the banks of the Suwanee River during the three-day Floridian Folk Festival. With more than 300 performances, there will be demonstrations, workshops and music for the whole family. Whether you want to learn how to call a square dance, identify native plant species, or try your hand at basket weaving, this is sure to be a learning experience. The festival will run May 27-29 at the Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park. Tickets range from $5-$50, and children ages 6 and younger are free.
St. Augustine Uptown Saturday Night
Stroll along the historic streets of St. Augustine during the town’s monthly Uptown Saturday Night. Several shops, businesses, and galleries will have extended hours, as well as live music and refreshments. The event runs from 5-9 p.m. on the last Saturday of each month, and free parking is available at the Mission Nombre de Dios.