The First Coast will be packed with visitors this weekend with several large events overlapping.
The Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance at the Ritz-Carlton is one of the top-ranked classic car shows in the country.
This year’s honoree is racing legend Roger Penske. Among the highlights will be the annual RM Sotheby’s auction, Saturday’s Cars & Coffee – which is free – all leading up to the Concours d'Elegance on Sunday.
The Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance has raised more than $3.45 million for Community Hospice & Palliative Care and other charities since its 1996 inception.
The full schedule of this weekend’s Concours d'Elegance events is available here.
Gate River Run
Motorists in the Sports Complex area and along the route of the 43rd annual Gate River Run will see detours and delays Saturday morning as the largest 15k in the nation gets underway.
More than 20,000 will be running, walking and participating in this year’s events.
This 15K, which starts at the Sports Complex, officially kicks off just before 8 a.m. as follows:
- The elite women start at 7:54 a.m.
- The first seeded wave of the 15K starts at 8 a.m. Waves two, three and four will start after a short delay between each wave
- The starting line is on Duval Street in front of the Jacksonville Fairgrounds
- A bag check tent will be located in lot N next to the Jaguars Practice Field
- All runners and walker should be in position by 7:30 a.m.
- Walkers should start at the back of wave 4 on Georgia Street
The full lineup of events, including the 15K, 5K and junior events is available on the Gate River Run website.
Sweet Life Music Fest
Festival season is beginning at the Beaches. Saturday the Sweet Life Contemporary Christian Music Festival will be held at the Seawalk Pavilion in Jacksonville Beach from noon until 8 p.m. Headliners will include Grammy-nominated Sanctus Real. The full lineup and additional information is available at SweetLifeMusicFest.com.
WJCT contributor Matt Pittman also highlighted some of the other events going on Around Town this weekend on Thursday’s First Coast Connect with Melissa Ross. Here’s a list of his weekend picks.
The Players Championship
Just as the weekend wraps up, events surrounding The Players Championship get going at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach. Monday is a practice day for the pros and a community celebration by invitation only that night.
Tuesday is Military Appreciation Day featuring a concert by the Grammy-winning duo The Chainsmokers.
Thursday, March 12, the first round of competition begins. First Coast Connect with Melissa Ross will also be broadcasting from The Players by the main entrance in front of the 17th Hole replica from 9 a.m to 10 a.m.
The full schedule of events is available on The Players website.
Bill Bortzfield can be reached at bbortzfield@wjct.org, 904-358-6349 or on Twitter at @BortzInJax.
