Coastal Companion

Your ultimate guide to the coast

What To Do for Mother’s Day in Jacksonville, Florida

by

It’s an action-packed week with the Players Championship at  TPC Sawgrass, followed closely by everyone’s favorite celebration – Cinco de Mayo on Wednesday.  Then on Sunday it’s time for Mother’s Day.

Most people I’ve spoken to usually take Mom out for breakfast, brunch or dinner. Some moms with more than one child gets to go out and eat all day, the biggest problem seems to be to agree on who is handling what meal.  Keep in mind that some restaurants get really busy on Mother’s Day and opt for reservations.  But if you want to do something a little bit different this year without spending all your hard earned money,  stick with me.  I have found activities in Jacksonville both  you and your mother can enjoy.

Museum of Contemporary Art MOCA Jacksonville FloridaContemporary Art
Sunday is always “Family Free Sunday” at MOCA Jacksonville, so if your Mom likes art and you have a big group, a trip to the Museum of Contemporary Art in downtown Jacksonville could just be the ticket. Also Cafe Nola has a special Mother’s Day Brunch which includes free mimosas. My mom would really enjoy that.   (Reservations are strongly suggested for Cafe Nola.
Visit www.MOCAjacksonville.org for more information.

Home & Garden Tour
The 32nd Annual Tour of Homes and Gardens in Springfield is going on all weekend. The tour takes you to some of the most beautiful historic homes in Springfield and the tour also includes tea in Henrietta’s Tearoom in the SPAR building, 1321 N Main Street.  If you like you can upgrade your ticket to include a dinner, which seems like it’s a really good deal.  Choose from 10 restaurants and bars in the Springfield area that will provide discounts. You will also receive a free beer from the Bier Garden during the Home Tour.
I would really enjoy that!

On Sunday May 9th the tour takes place from 1:00 pm until 4:00 pm.

Driving Miss Daisy
Another way to see historic Springfield is to participate in the  historic bike tour.   My Mom is probably not that interested in riding her bike around Springfield – even though it’s a free tour –  so she’ll be relieved to know that the tour takes place already  on Saturday May 8th at 10:00 am.  A more suitable activity for my mother is to  sit down in the air conditioned theater with a nice cold Pepsi watching the play  “Driving Miss Daisy” by Stage Aurora.

This is a heart-warming story and I would enjoy the performance, but mom  would probably take it the wrong way and think I’m trying to point out how old she is.  Now when I think about it,  a better idea is to take mom to the Florida Theater where the king of blues himself, B.B.King, is performing.   He is 84 years old but still going strong, and he takes the stage at 8:00 pm on Sunday May 9th.    (For more information about B.B. King, click here)

Free Mother’s Day Concert at the Beach
I’d suggest heading to Jacksonville Beach on Mother’s Day.  Here you can enjoy a live performance with the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra at Sea Walk Pavilion.  You can get everyone in the car and “drive your Miss Daisy” to Jax Beach for a great evening under the stars.  The event area opens at 5:00 pm.  At 5:45 pm Jacksonville Mass Choir performs To Michael with Love – The Songs of Michael Jackson. The Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra takes the stage at 7:30 PM performing music from the movies, the opera, Broadway and the concert hall.  Don’t forget to bring a lawn chair or a picnic blanket for mom to sit on.   You could even turn the whole Mother’s Day dinner into a outdoor picnic.  Gather the family, make a big outing and a great impression while saving money, after all this is a free concert.

For more information:

MOCA Jacksonville
333 North Laura Street, Jacksonville, FL, 32202
Ph: (904) 366-6911
www.MOCAjacksonville.org

Cafe Nola for reservations  (904) 366-6911, ext. 231

Tour of Homes and Gardens in Springfield
Friday May 7th & Saturday May 8th from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Sunday May 9th from 1:00 pm until 4:00 pm.
Call 904-353-7727 or visit www.sparcouncil.org for more information.

Springfield Historic Bike Tour
Saturday May 8th from 10:00 am – 12:00 noon
Bring your own bike and ride for free, or rent one for $25
www.e2ride.com

Stage Aurora
5164-A Norwood Ave, Jacksonville, Fl 32208 (click here for map)
Call 904.765.7372 or visit www.stageaurora.org

Florida Theater
128 East Forsyth Street, Jacksonville, Fl

www.floridatheatre.com

Pops at the Beach
Sea Walk Pavilion, Jacksonville Beach, Fl
Event Hotline (904) 247-6100 press 3
www.jacksonvillebeach.org

Amelia Island Chamber Music Festival 2010

by

Amelia Island Chamber Music Festival, One of the Largest Classical Music Events in the Southeast takes place i Fernandina Beach, Amelia Island, Florida on  May 7-30, 2010

Amelia Island will host the ninth season of the Amelia Island Chamber Music Festival, one of the largest chamber festivals in the southeastern U.S.  The Festival will feature over fifty internationally acclaimed artists and eighteen performances in different locations around around the island, including churches, an historic courthouse and one of the best preserved Civil War forts in the nation.

Christopher Rex, the Festival’s artistic director and principal cellist of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, said, “Entering its ninth season, The Amelia Island Chamber Music Festival has become a nationally recognized event, drawing music lovers from around the country. The 2010 Festival will feature a galaxy of internationally acclaimed stars, including pianists Andre Watts, and Valentina Lisitsa; The Eroica Trio; violinists Robert McDuffie and Arnold Steinhardt, formerly principal violin with the Guarneri String Quartet; cellist Andres Diaz; soprano Jessica Rivera; and The St. Lawrence String Quartet. These and other artists, combined with the unparalleled beauty of Amelia Island, are certain to make our upcoming Festival the best yet.”

The complete schedule of the 2010 Amelia Island Chamber Music Festival is available at the Festival’s web site, www.aicmf.

Highlights of the 2010 Amelia Island Chamber Music Festival include:

Pianist Valentina Lisitsa, May 7 at the Friday Musicale concert hall in Jacksonville (645 Oak Street) in a piano quintet and piano duet with her husband, Alexi Kuznetsoff; and May 16 on Amelia Island.
Described by critics as “positively dazzling” and “electrifying,” she has performed at most of the world’s most prestigious venues, including New York’s Carnegie Hall and Avery Fisher Hall, Vienna’s Musikverein and Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw. Valentina had more than 80 performances in the 2009 season.

Violinist Robert McDuffie, May 13
Robert McDuffie, a Grammyâ nominated violinist, has appeared as soloist with most of the major orchestras of the world. “A New York critic recently wrote: “McDuffie is one of the finest violinists of our age.” Anotherreview from the Chicago Sun-Times commented: “The evening’s hero was the remarkable American fiddler Robert McDuffie, who plays with magnetic energy and seeming effortlessness.”

Pianist André Watts, May 14
Considered one of the greatest pianists on the international stage, André Watts burst upon the music world in 1963 at the age of 16 when Leonard Bernstein chose him to make his debut with the New York Philharmonic in their Young People’s Concerts, broadcast nationwide on CBS-TV. More than 45 years later, André Watts remains one of today’s most celebrated stars..

Jay Ungar and Molly Mason, May 18 and 19
Violinist Jay Ungar and guitarist Molly Mason composed and performed the musical hallmark of Ken Burns’ The Civil War on PBS. The couple is recognized for its timeless renditions of hard-driving Appalachian, Cajun and Celtic fiddle tunes, stirring Civil War classics, sassy songs from the golden age of swing and country, stunning waltzes, and deeply moving original compositions.

The Eroica Trio, May 23
The Eroica is one of the most sought-after trios in the world. The three women who make up the Grammy®-nominated Eroica Trio—one of the first all-female ensembles to reach the top echelon of its field—electrify the concert stage with their performances of depth and precision. “This is a superlative ensemble, producing one of the biggest and most brilliant piano trio sounds in memory,” lauded a New York music critic.

Free Concerts
As part of the Festival’s community outreach initiatives, four concerts of the 2010 season will be free of charge, including a concert in Central Park on May 16 and a Family Concert on May 29.

Tickets for the 2010 Festival can be purchased by credit card at the Festival’s website (www.aicmf.com) or 904/261-1779. Ticket prices range from $10 to $60, with most priced at $25.

15th Annual Gamble Rogers Folk Festival – St Augustine, Fl

by

Experience the very best in folk music at this annual three-day festival starting on Friday, Apr. 30 and continuing through Sunday, May. 2, 2010 in St. Augustine, Florida. This event celebrates he music, stories and dance that made Gamble Rogers famous. This year, Gamble Rogers Folk Festival performance will take place at a variety of Downtown St. Augustine venues. Headlining artists include Ralph Stanley & the Clinch Mountain Boys, Loudon Wainwright III, John Cowan Band, Janis Ian, Greg Brown, Pierce Pettis, Patty Larkin, Catie Curtis, Ellis Paul, Michael Johnathon, Michael Smith, David Wilcox, Mark Erelli, Danny Schmidt, Peta Brown, Doug & Telisha Williams, Antje Duvekot, Cheryl Wheeler, The Farewell Drifters, & Sam Pacetti.

Various Downtown St. Augustine Locations
Admission: $59.50 for advance 3 day passes, $29.50 for Friday Night, $19.50 for Saturday DAY, $29.50 for Saturday NIGHT, & $19.50 for Sunday day.

For more information visit www.gamblerogersfest.org

Starry Nights 2010 in Jacksonville, Florida

by

Now you can enjoy great music under the stars in the city of Jacksonville during the 2010 Starry Nights series, produced by the City of Jacksonville. The next concert in the series takes place on Saturday, April 24, 2010.

Idina Menzel
The performance on April 24th features Broadway star Idina Menzel, the Tony award-winning “Elphaba” from the international blockbuster “Wicked.” With a diverse repertoire of classic pop, musical theater favorites (including hits from “Wicked” and “Rent”) as well as songs from her album “I Stand,” Idina Menzel demonstrates why she is one of the great vocal performers of our time. You’ll also be able to catch Idina this spring on the popular FOX television series “Glee!”

Starry Nights has become one of Jacksonville’s most popular music events for more than a decade. The outdoor event combines the music with a festive atmosphere at Metropolitan Park on the St. Johns River.

The next concert in the series takes place on Saturday, May 1.

The gates open at 5:30 pm and the music starts at 7:30pm.

For more information, call (904) 630-3690

Beaches Unplugged Music Series – Ponte Vedra, Fl

by

In the summer there’s usually a lot of music performances on the coast. Ponte Vedra has its own series of free concerts called “The Beaches Unplugged”. This is a series of free community concerts held at The Cultural Center at Ponte Vedra Beach.

Each concert features up to 20 local musicians performing a variety of music from blues, jazz, Latin, classical and more. Beaches Unplugged, now in its 3rd year, is a tremendously popular event for all ages – usually standing room only in the Cultural Center’s ballroom.

Wine is served (donation) and coffee is provided from Fazzini’s Coffee and Tea. Piano provided by Keyboard Connection.
Admission is free.

The concert dates for 2010 are April 18th, June 13th, September 26th and December 12th from 6pm – 8pm.

For more information about the event visit www.ccpvb.org
Ponte Vedra cultural Center