Coastal Companion

Your ultimate guide to the coast

Breast Cancer Marathon – Jacksonville, Florida

by

The big marathon with takes place in Jacksonville, Florida every year in February. This is the third time for 26.2 with Donna The National Marathon to Fight Breast Cancer.

Race Weekend Schedule

Friday, February 19, 2010

Health & Fitness Expo

  • Hours 11 a.m. – 8 p.m.
  • Prime Osborn Convention Center
    1000 Water Street, Jacksonville, Florida
  • On-site registration and packet pick-up are available during expo hours.

Saturday, February 20, 2010

Health & Fitness Expo

  • Hours 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.
  • Prime Osborn Convention Center
    1000 Water Street, Jacksonville, Florida
  • On-site registration and packet pick-up are available during expo hours.

26.2 with Donna Family Fun Run

  • Prime Osborn Convention Center
    1000 Water Street, Jacksonville, Florida
  • Registration and check in begins at 7 a.m.
  • Fun Run begins at 8:30 a.m.

26.2 with Donna National Galloway Pep Rally

  • Prime Osborn Convention Center
    1000 Water Street, Jacksonville, Florida
  • Time: 10:00 a.m.
  • Join U.S. Olympian, Author, Inspirational Speaker and 26.2 with Donna Training Director Jeff Galloway as he offers tips for successful run and motivates the crowd to FINISH BREAST CANCER!

Pasta Party presented by Nektar Therapeutics

  • Prime Osborn Convention Center
    1000 Water Street, Jacksonville, Florida
  • Time: 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
  • Tickets are $20 for adults, and kids under 12 eat free!
  • Tickets may be purchased at the door or at the Health & Fitness Expo on Friday and Saturday. Proceeds will benefit the Donna Foundation and help FINISH BREAST CANCER!

Sunday, February 21, 2010

26.2 with Donna National Marathon to Finish Breast Cancer Marathon, Half Marathon and Marathon Relay

Start/Finish, Mayo Clinic Campus
Medical Support at the start/finish line will be provided by Mayo Clinic from 7 a.m. until the end of the race and race day events.

  • 4:00 a.m. Runners Village Opens
    • Staff will be on-site to assist runners
  • 6:30 a.m. VIP/Sponsor Viewing Area Opens
    • Located at the race start/finish line.
    • Invitation Only
  • 7:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. Marathon, Half-Marathon and Marathon Relay
    • Post Race Celebration
    • Food and Beverages
    • Entertainment
    • Family Reunite Area/Post Race Celebration Area

For more information and details, visit the website at www.breastcancermarathon.com

Holiday Events for the Family in Jacksonville, Florida

by

Many of us have friends and family visiting for the holidays, or we have kids who are home from school. Sometimes you just need something to do that fits the whole family. We have found a few events the family can enjoy together, and these events will� get you into the holiday spirit without breaking your budget.

We suggest you take a break from the holiday hustle and bustle and enjoy a late afternoon or early evening in downtown Jacksonville.

First, take a walk around the downtown area and look at the beautiful holiday window displays.  This is definitely going to look best when it’s starts to get dark. When the 2009 windows were unveiled and many walkers joined Mayor John Peyton for a tour of holiday windows. But if you haven’t seen them yet, don’t worry, the 15 holiday windows are still on display and you can download a printable map  in pdf format right here.

Christmas Tree Light Show at Jacksonville Landing

christmas-tree-200At night you can watch the synchronized Christmas tree light show at the landing. Over 78,000 LED lights in the Christmas tree are synchronized to blink to holiday music to spread holiday cheer in the courtyard. I’m sure this is a big hit with the younger crowd – and it’s free� – which is always an extra plus in my book

Christmas Tree Light Shows:
Sun – Thurs 6 pm – 9 pm and Fri – Sat 6 pm – midnight

On Saturday Dec 18 at 7 pm the Navy Band Southeast perform with a special Christmas Concert at the Jacksonville Landing. This is also free.

If you come early in the day, maybe you can even combine your walk with some free holiday music at city hall. Check out the schedule below.

Holiday Entertainment at City Hall St. James

December 2009
City Hall at St. James Atrium
Free Admission

Friday,� Dec. 18

11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. – U.S. Navy – Holiday Brass
1 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. – Ritz Voices

holly-150Monday, Dec. 21

1 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. – Orange Blossom Country Music Association, Inc.

Tuesday, Dec. 22

1 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. – 100 Youth Voices

Wednesday, Dec. 23

11:30 a.m. – 12 p.m. – Rebecca Hewitt

The Gingerbread Extravaganza and Victorian House Tours

It’s only $5.00 to go and see the magnificent and unique gingerbread houses at Old St Andrew’s Episcopal Church, but the exhibit is well worth a visit. The proceeds go to charity, so it’s money well spent and this is definitely an event for the whole family.

OLD ST. ANDREW’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH
317 A. Philip Randolph Blvd. Jacksonville, FL 32202
This annual� event at the Old St. Andrews brings thousands to the site to enjoy the artistic Gingerbread exhibit installed in a National Register Site.

GB logo 2007

The 2009 Gingerbread Extravaganza Details:

until December 23, 2009
Wednesday – Saturday – Exhibit Hours: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Tuesdays, December 1, 8 & 15: By Appointment

General Public Open Dates
Wednesday – Saturday, December 3rd -20th: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Week before Christmas – 11a.m. – 5 p.m.

Monday, December 21, Tuesday, December 22, and Wednesday, December 23

Call (904) 391-3425
For more information visit� www.jaxhistory.com

snowjax

Read our previous post about the Rotary Gingerbread House Extravaganza in Jacksonville, Florida

Right Whale Festival Video – Jacksonville, Fl

by

The North Atlantic right whales are endangered, there are only about 350 whales remaining. These mammals are threatened by human activities.

The Right Whale Festival in Jacksonville Beach took place to celebrate the start of the calving season. The goal of the festival is to engage, inform and inspiring the community about right whales, their habitat, and conservation needs.

Coastal Companion was a proud sponsor of this inaugural festival, and we’re hoping the festival will return in years to come.

You can support the ocean conservancy. Just visit www.rightwhalefestival.org and click on the red button in the right hand column that says “donate”!

Here is the video:

The Rugby movie “Invictus” and the Jacksonville Axemen

by

The Jacksonville Axemen are inviting all local Rugby players, supporters and fans to join them for a night at the movies on December 11 for the opening of the new Rugby movie “Invictus”. The Axemen have designed the night as a fundraiser for the Jacksonville area USO and also for the local Rugby Clubs to help them with the development of the sport in the Jacksonville area.

The USO is the official charity of the Jacksonville Axemen and as with most of their events, a $1 raffle will be held in association with the movie night and all proceeds from the raffle will be donated to the USO. There will be three great prizes to be won and the lovely Axe Maiden Cheerleaders will be on hand selling tickets prior the movie starting.

The Axemen are selling 200 tickets to the movie for $9 each that they pre-purchased at a discounted price. 100% of the profit from these sales will be evenly donated to the three local area Rugby Union clubs that have helped the Axemen promote and expose events over the past year. The Jacksonville Mens Rugby, UNF Rugby and the JAX Womens Rugby teams will all be on-site to help support the event and take the opportunity to expose their clubs and to attract interest from new fans and potential players. Axemen event planner, Spinner Howland, commented on the similarity of the movie plot and the use of it for this event. “Invictus is based around how the sport of Rugby was used to unite the nation of South Africa after Nelson Mandela took office. Using this movie as a joint effort that includes all the Jacksonville area rugby clubs is a perfect fit to bring us all together not only to help raise money for the USO but also to help us become a stronger force in the community by working to promote and expose our sport under the one banner. Just like Rugby united the nation of South Africa – We are using the movie Invictus to united Jacksonvilles Rugby community.”

The Jacksonville South African Club will also attend the event and one of their members who has been a long time rugby player for the Jacksonville Mens team and is the current coach for the JAX Womens team will open the movie with a short speech on the impact the sport has had on him and his home nation.

Following the movie all those fans who are 21+ will be invited to join the teams at Time Out Sports Grill where they can use their movie ticket to get a $1 Bottle of Bud or Bud Light or a $2 Bottle of Barons Black Wattle that is the official beer of the Jacksonville Axemen.

Rotary Gingerbread House Extravaganza – Jacksonville

by

The Gingerbread House Extravaganza opens on November 28 through to December 23 at the Jacksonville Historical Society (formerly the Old St. Andrews Episcopal Church) at 317 Phillip A. Randolph Blvd. Over half a million dollars has been raised for more than 30 charities in the past six years!

GB logo 2007

This annual event features a variety of large gingerbread creations made of 75% edible materials displayed in a village atmosphere in the Historic Society’s old church. Over 40 gingerbread structures are expected to be submitted for competition. Gingerbread houses displayed are built by local individuals and organizations, as well as area country club chefs, restaurants, bakeries, architects and various non-profits and area schools.

Winners of the competition will be awarded $1,000 for first place, $750 for second place and $500 for third place. A “People’s Choice Award” will be announced at the end of the show when ballots cast by the public are tallied.
This event is organized by the Rotary Club of South Jacksonville, in collaboration with the Rotary Club of North Jacksonville and Rotaract Club of Florida’s First Coast.

This year’s Gingerbread Judges include: Michael Bump, Pastry Chef, Restaurant Orsay; Cinda Sherman, Publisher, Arbus Magazine; and Hope McMath, Director, Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens.

Charities that will receive funds raised from the event include the Ronald McDonald House of Jacksonville, HabiJax and the Jacksonville Historical Society. For additional information www.rotarycharity.org.

The 2009 Gingerbread House Extravaganza
November 28 – December 22, 2009

Jacksonville Historical Society
317 A. Phillip Randolph Boulevard
Jacksonville, FL 32202

OPENING DAY – Saturday, November 28: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Wednesday – Saturday only: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Also Open December 21 and 22: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Open on Tuesdays by appointment only.

Admission:
Adults – $5.00 donation
Children (3 – 16) – $3.00 donation
Infants – Free
Special – $10.00 Polio Plus Tickets (to help Rotary and the World Health Organization eradicate polio globally) includes $5.00 donated to Polio Plus.

If you liked this post, please fill in the box below to receive more fun things from the coast from us!



gingerbreadhouseblue