Coastal Companion

Your ultimate guide to the coast

St Johns Town Center Farmers Market in Jacksonville

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Visit St Johns Town Center Farmers Market for fresh vegetables, plants, organic food and much more. This is one of Jacksonville’s newest farmers market. It takes place on Fridays from 3 pm to 8 pm.

Our friends Martin and Purity from Grower’s Alliance Coffee are usually there selling their coffee. Make sure to taste the Kenyan coffee – it’s absolutely wonderful. It’s fair trade and shade grown and part of the proceeds goes back to the farmers in Kenya, they can tell you all about it. Make sure to let them know that Joe sent you!

Click here for the calendar entry for St Johns Town Center Farmers Market

St Johns Town Center Farmers Market

4th of July Blast at Patriots Point in Charleston, South Carolina

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The stories of glory and triumph that shaped our country really come to life at Patriots Point in Charleston. This is even more so on the 4th of July.

Every year the 4th of July Blast draws a huge crowd to Patriots Point on the Mount Pleasant side of Charleston Harbor. Last year 27,500 people attended the event, and this year the organizers hope to break that record.

The 13th Annual Fourth of July Blast is hosted by Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum and the Town of Mount Pleasant and the event is the ultimate 4th of July celebration.

USS YORKTOWN
patriotspoint-thThe festivities include a fireworks display launched from the flight deck of the USS YORKTOWN, a World War II-era aircraft carrier. The USS YORKTOWN saw action in the battles of the Philippine Sea and Iwo Jima, now it is an attraction belonging to the Patriots Point Naval and Maritime Museum.

During the event, make sure to visit the USS YORKTOWN. Tickets are only $5 after 5 PM (for those over the age of 5). On board the ship you’ll meet veterans from the WWII, Korea, Vietnam and Iraq Wars who will share their stories.

The festival on the landside at Patriots Point takes place from 4 PM to Midnight with lots of activities for the whole family. There will be live music on two stages; a ‘Kidz Zone’ play area featuring eight attractions, including an 83-foot inflatable replica of an aircraft carrier.

Fireworks & Music
An Independence Day celebration would not be complete without fireworks, and the 4th of July Blast has an absolutely spectacular firework show. Fireworks begin at 10:05 PM. The fireworks show is set to patriotic music and has been named “Top 5 Independence Day Celebrations” by the New York Times. Fireworks are launched from the deck of the
U.S.S. Yorktown with the Charleston Harbor as a backdrop. It’s hard to top that.

Patriots Point -- Fourth of July
Patriots Point -- Fourth of July

This year’s event will also honor a very special Unit stationed in Taji, Iraq. Three of Charleston’s own belong to the Unit and they are scheduled to remain in Iraq until September. Festival attendees can record a personal message that will be sent over to the 856th Engineer Company in a special Independence Day care package.

There is free admission to the festival, and free parking. Festival goers can bring lawn chairs and blankets but personal coolers and pets are not allowed. Click here for more information about the 4th of July Blast at Patriots Point in South Carolina

Fiesta Latina, 2009 – Savannah, Georgia

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Savannah is turning up the heat when Fiesta Latina returns to Rousakis Plaza on Saturday June 20th.
Many of the 20 different countries that make up Latin America are represented at this event. First and foremost, there will be lots of music. Live DJ’s and bands will bring salsa, merengüe, cumbia, norteño, bachata, reggaetón and more to the river front. Featured artists include the popular “Serenata Band” from Atlanta, who visited last year, as well as many other local and regional artists. Besides music and dance, the festival also offers arts, crafts and food from different countries.

Click here for more information about Fiesta Latina, 2009Fiesta Latina Savannah, Georgia

Independence Day in Summerville, South Carolina

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Summerville’s own 4th of July celebration is called the Red, White and Blue on the Green. This event brings back an old fashioned Independence Day Celebration and focuses on event suitable for the whole family.
Like most other 4th of July celebrations, Summerville also puts on a parade – but this parade is different. This parade does not allow motorized vehicles!

I honestly don’t know if this is Summerville’s own way of contributing to the green movement, but in any case it does make watching the parade an absolute must. I can just imagine all the festive wagons, pulled by people on rollerblades, skateboards…and more.

Red, White and Blue on the Green includes games and activities for all ages. The information we received mentions “live contests”. So make sure to show up and look alive when you do. If contests are not your thing, maybe we can tempt you with face painting, jumping castles, music, hotdogs or apple pie.

The day will end with spectacular fireworks display. The Red, White & Blue on the Green, Summerville’s Fourth of July Celebration, will be held Friday, July 4 from 4 to 7 p.m. on Summerville’s Town Square. The event is hosted by Summerville D.R.E.A.M.

For more information visit www.summervilledream.org

Grandmother celebrating 4th of July

Independence Day Fireworks at the World Golf Village on July 2, 2009

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Start your 4th of July celebration early this year with fireworks on Thursday July 2nd. The fireworks show is schedule to start after dark.

You can actually turn Thursday into a full-fledged Independence Day extravaganza at the World Golf Village by combining the fireworks show with dinner and a BIG movie. Enjoy an All-American buffet at Fairways café starting at 5:30pm and follow that with a special showing of “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” at the IMAX theater. This has to be the absolutely best way to experience this action packed movie which we think is destined to be on of the big movies of the summer.

The package price for “Dinner and a Movie” are $35 for adults and $30 for children. The package also includes free putting on the Hall’s 18-hole putting course and two adult drink tickets.

There are a limited number of “dinner and a movie” packages available at the World Golf Village, St Augustine, Florida, so please call 904-940-4010 to book or visit www.wgv.com
World Golf Village, St Augustine, Florida