St. Augustine’s 4th annual Sing Out Loud Festival is kicking off this weekend at venues throughout the historic district and organizers are expecting the biggest crowds ever! Concerts are planned for each weekend from Friday, September 6 through Sunday, September 29.

The event will feature an impressively orchestrated 334 bands including headliner Kacey Musgraves as well as local poets and comedians. In total, fans will be treated to more than 500 artists.

No matter your musical tastes, the festival has shows for you including indie rock, Americana, blues, hip-hop and R&B, bluegrass, punk rock, jazz and comedy.

Almost all of the festival’s shows are free to attend—a rarity when it comes to great concerts—and require no tickets. The only show to charge admission is the (sold out) finale with Grammy Award-winning country music star Kacey Musgraves on September 21.

Here are just some of the featured performances each weekend. Except for the first show below, all featured shows will be at The Backyard at The St. Augustine Amphitheatre. See a full schedule at https://www.singoutloudfestival.com/schedule/.

  • Friday, Sept. 6 (starting at 6 p.m.)Headliner: Dave Hause & The Mermaid, Guests: Christina Wagner, Raye Zaragoza, The Attack (Venue: Colonial Oak Music Park)
  • Saturday, Sept. 7 (starting at 7:45 p.m.) – Headliner: Kurt Vile and the Violators, Guest: Reels
  • Sunday, Sept. 8 (starting at 6 p.m.) – Headliner: Jenny Lewis, Guests: The Watson Twins, Lucie Silvas
  • Friday, Sept. 13 (starting at 5:30 p.m.) – Headliner: Propagandhi, Guests:The Coathangers, Debt Neglector, GILT
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Now that school is back in session, IMAX is offering the chance to extend learning beyond the classroom! Documentary Days at the World Golf Hall of Fame IMAX Theater will kick off tomorrow, Friday, August 16 and run through Thursday, September 5.

To kick off the annual series, IMAX will introduce two new documentaries: Backyard Wilderness 3D and Superpower Dogs 3D.

On Saturday, August 17, S.A.F.E. Pet Rescue of St. Augustine will be on site at the IMAX for a special dog adoption event to help kick off Superpower Dogs 3D!

Other not-to-miss documentaries include Great Bear Rainforest, Great Barrier Reef, Pandas, Amazing Mighty Micro Monsters, Dream Big: Engineering Our World, Extreme Weather, Hubble, We the People, Lewis & Clark, Under the Sea, Born to be Wild, and Flight of the Butterflies!

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Fireworks Over the Matanzas is widely considered to be the best 4th of July light show in Northeast Florida. This year’s festivities, beginning at 6 p.m. on Thursday, are sure to dazzle.

However, parking for the event can be a real challenge. Plenty of spectators choose to arrive early in the day to enjoy the music, food and fun—and avoid the gridlock. That’s a great option! Local favorite The All-Star Orchestra kicks things off at 6 p.m. with a two-hour show of big band and swing music at the gazebo at Plaza de la Constitucion.

Fireworks light up over Matanzas Bay beginning at 9:30 p.m. and last about 20 minutes. Set to patriotic music on a sound system installed on the bayfront, the show features 5,000 individual shells exploding between 100 and 2,000 feet high.

It’s no wonder thousands of spectators ascend to the historic St. Augustine waterfront to see it! If you are planning to attend, here is vital parking information to read BEFORE YOU GO.

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The St. Augustine Music Festival is getting ready to kick off in the Oldest City! The annual celebration spans two weekends and features a series of classical music concerts to celebrate the cultural artistry of the First Coast.

Concerts are free and no tickets are required, however, seating is on a first-come-first-serve basis. All performances will be at the historic Cathedral Basilica of St. Augustine, making for the perfect backdrop and offering impeccable acoustics.

The St. Augustine Music Festival was founded in 2007 by violist Jorge Peña and cellist Jin Kim-Peña, both Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra members.

Here is a list of festival performances:

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It’s officially wedding season and nuptial planning is in full swing. To help make planning easier, the World Golf Village Renaissance St. Augustine Resort will host the annual Bride to Be & Wedding Expo on Sunday, June 9.

The event will last from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and feature more than 40 exhibitors displaying products and services including bridal attire and fashion, custom gifts, jewelry, photography, catering, gift registries, DJs & entertainment, fitness and wedding planning.

Just some of the vendors include Arbonne Beauty, Mary Kay, 2 Sweet 4 Words, LuLaRoe, Olivia Ellen’s Boutique, Pampered Chef, Saries Fabulous Scents, Club Pilates St. Augustine, Cruise Planners, Sabika Jewelry, Crystal Clear Sounds, Crystal Ballroom St. Augustine, Postscript Weddings and Events, and many more.

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Each Thursday between Memorial Day and Labor Day, St. Augustine turns from the Oldest City into Music City USA! That’s thanks to Concerts in the Plaza, which is kicking off its 29thseason tonight.

Each Thursday evening, a different local and regional musical act performs in the gazebo of the Plaza de la Constitución in historic St. Augustine. The free concerts last from 7 to 9 p.m. Spectators are welcome to bring chairs, blankets and coolers (no alcohol please) to set up on the lawn and enjoy the show.

Here is this season’s lineup and the style of music for each:

May 30 – The Driftwoods (bluegrass)
June 6 – The Raisin Cake Orchestra (New Orleans jazz)
June 13 – The Grapes of Roth (classic rock)
June 20 – The Mike Hart Band (blues/rock/jazz)
June 27 – Timberwood (acoustic folk/rock)

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The First Coast is warming up for the Jacksonville Jazz Festival, which kicks off this Thursday, May 23, and wraps up on Sunday, May 26.

The all-star lineup of musicians includes Gladys Knight, Brian Culbertson, Delfeayo Marsalis Quintet, Monty Alexander, Ledisi and many, many others! A complete schedule of performances can be found at https://jacksonvillejazzfest.com/schedule/.

In addition to traditional stage performances, the event will feature several special events:

Jacksonville Jazz Piano Competition –Five finalists representing the world’s best jazz pianists are chosen by a blind panel of judges to compete for a cash prize and a chance to perform on the festival’s Main Stage. The competition is held on Thursday, May 23, at 7 p.m. at the Florida Theatre. Tickets are included with the festival VIP package. For tickets, click here.

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This Mother’s Day weekend treat the entire family to a celebration of music, food and sunny fun at Vilano Beach’s Music Fest 2019!

On Saturday, May 11 from 3 to 7 p.m., Vilano Beach’s Oceanfront Park will be set up with a stage featuring nostalgic music by Peach Life (a tribute to The Allman Brothers Band) and Not Quite Dead (a Grateful Dead tribute band). Both are local favorites!

The oceanfront venue will also have arts and crafts vendors, an array of food trucks and plenty of beer and soda for purchase. Stay to watch a culinary student competition! Raffles will also continue throughout the afternoon.

Just some of the food trucks include Fried Chicken Kitchen, St. Augies Doggies, Kona Ice and more!

Tickets are only $5 and parking is free (but arrive early because Vilano parking can be tricky).

You can also plan to make a full Mother’s Day weekend of it—special weekend packages are available! Learn more by contacting Sallie O’Hara at sallie_ohara@vilanobeachfl.comor 904-540-0402.

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This coming Sunday, May 5, World Golf Village will be teaming with vendors from throughout Northeast Florida to offer their wide-ranging wares and fares for Taste of Jacksonville.

Each year, Taste of Jacksonville invites local small businesses of all kinds to sell their products, services and food at the large outdoor event. This year includes at least 15 food vendors and nearly 50 business vendors. Just some food vendors include:

  • TBoyz Tacoz & Wrapz
  • Nothing Bundt Cakes
  • Frozen Sweets Truck
  • SautéKingz by Chef Count
  • Aahar Authentic Indian Restaurant
  • Catie Rosie’s Comfort Cuisine
  • Ibex Ethiopian Kitchen

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The 19th Annual Murray Bros. Caddyshack Charity Golf Tournament is coming to World Golf Village this Thursday and Friday, April 25 and 26. Although the player spots are sold out, you can still stop by to enjoy parties, dinner, auctions and music concerts, all to help raise funds for local charities.

Over the past 19 years, the tournament has become renowned, raising more than $4 million–a true Cinderella story!

While golfers take to the course throughout the days, plenty of action will be happening at Murray Bros. Caddyshack Restaurant. Dinner and cocktails will be provided by the restaurant in addition to special events:

  • On Thursday, enjoy a Pairings Party from 6:30 to 10:30 p.m., which includes Dinner & Cocktails, live and silent auctions and live music throughout the evening.
  • On Friday night, come for a Celebrity Concert Jam & Dancing from 7 p.m. to midnight.

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