Coastal Companion

Your ultimate guide to the coast

Drake’s Raid in St. Augustine

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English raiders attack St. Augustine, Florida.
On Saturday, June 6, English pirates lead by Sir Francis Drake will once again decende on St. Augustine in an authentic re-creation of Drake’s Raid of 1586.
On June 7, 1586, Drake’s 23 ships and 2,000 Englishmen attacked the city with cannons from Anastasia Island. The next day, they stormed through the streets and burned St. Augustine to the ground.

Drake's Raid in St Augustine FloridaCamp Life at the Fountain of Youth
The re-enactment is one of these great events when history comes alive. On Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., visit the 16th century encampment at the Fountain of Youth Park, 11 Magnolia Avenue.
Here you have the opportunity to watch military drills and the re-enactors will also have demonstrations of camp life.

Street Fights in the Old City
In the evening at 7 p.m., the running battle will begin at the Santa Domingo redoubt on Orange Street. The battle will continue to the City Gate and then head south on St. George Street to the Plaza de la Constitucion. Spanish soldiers and St. Augustine townspeople will attempt to stop the English assault. This is a free event, so there is no admission to visit the encampment or watch the authentic re-creation of the sack of St. Augustine.

The event is funded in part by a grant from the St. Johns County Tourist Development Council. For more information on the re-enactment of Drake’s Raid, call 904.829.3168.

Gullah Heritage Celebration – Mt Pleasant, SC

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The National Park Service and the Town of Mount Pleasant present a Gullah Heritage Celebration

Ann Caldwell
Ann Caldwell

Gullah Heritage – Ann Caldwell

The National Park Service, in partnership with the Town of Mount Pleasant, is sponsoring a series of free cultural programs at Charles Pinckney National Historic site to celebrate the Gullah Heritage.

The Gullah people of the Lowcountry preserve a culture rich in African influences. Gullah has its own unique culture and its own language. The Gullah culture was developed on plantations in the area where enslaved Africans and African-Americans were the vast majority.
Participants include Ann Caldwell and the Magnolia Singers, spirituals; William Rouse, sweetgrass baskets.

Gullah Heritage Celebration – Mount Pleasant, South Carolina

March 28 at 2:00 p.m.
Charles Pinckney National Historic Site, 1254 Long Point Rd.,
Mt. Pleasant

For more info call (843) 881-5516 and visit www.nps.gov/chpi .

Georgia Day Parade in Savannah

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On Thursday, February 12th, the Georgia Historical Society in Savannah organizes the Georgia Day parade. This colorful parade is a yearly tradition in Savannah. Customed characters, dignitaries, local citizens and thousands of elementary school students join the parade through the squares of Bull Street.
The parade starts at 10:30 am from Forsyth Park and then it continues all the way to city hall where the participants will be greated by the Mayor.

The parade is part of the celebration of Georgia Days. Georgia Historical Society commemorates the rich history of the state of Georgia with a celebration lasting for a whole month. For more information visit www.georgiahistory.com

Super Sunday at the Museum

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Right after Superbowl Sunday comes another Super Sunday. On February 8 it’s time for one of Savannah’s most popular events – Super Museum Sunday. On this special day you can take your whole gang to participating museums and historic sites in Savannah without paying admission. The event begins at noon to four pm absolutely free.

Super Museum Sunday is part of Georgia Historical Society’s “Georgia Days”, which is an event lasting for the whole month celebrationg Georgia history. For a list of participating museums and venues, click here.

For more information about the event visit www.georgiahistory.com

Cannon Demonstration – Charleston, SC

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Fears that Fortified Charles Towne – Cannon Demonstration

During the early years of the settlement, the Charles Towne colonists faced several threats, especially from their primary enemy and colonial rival, the Spanish. The Spanish fleet at St. Augustine, Florida was within three days travel of the fledgling English colony. Charles Towne, “here settled in the very chaps of the Spaniard,” was a direct challenge to the claim of this disputed land. Following a review of Charles Towne’s fortifications and defenses, the program will culminate with the Charles Towne Militia living history team’s demonstration of 17th century artillery. [display_podcast]

Event Hours: 1:00 pm, 2:00 pm and 3:00 pm
Charles Towne Landing State Historic Site
www.charlestowne.org