Your ultimate guide to the coast
Football season is starting in Jacksonville, Florida, with lots of excitement. The 2011 Gator Bowl will kick off at 1:30 p.m. on January 1st and will feature the SEC and Big Ten for the first time in over fifteen years. Get your tickets now and beat the rush for good seats.
Click here for Gator Bowl Tickets!
We will update our special page for Gator Bowl in Jacksonville throughout the season, so check back often.
Five dollar Fridays at MOSH has become a great success in Jacksonville, Florida. Now the Museum of Science & History is introducing $5 Weekends (Saturdays and Sundays) starting on Saturday, August 6 through Sunday, October 17, 2010. So if you haven’t been to MOSH yet, here’s your chance.
The five dollar Fridays promotion, which launched in July, has resulted in a 288% increase in attendance as compared to Fridays in June. To accommodate crowds and busy family schedules, the museum will stay open until 8 p.m. on Fridays. MOSH is also extending $5 Fridays through the end of the year.
In addition to the eight core exhibits MOSH offers daily, patrons will be able to visit the featured summer exhibit The Chronicles of Narnia: The Exhibition, on display through September 12. And, on September 25, dinosaurs will invade MOSH with the opening of Prehistoric Predators.
People who visit before August 23 have one last opportunity to see a show in the museum’s vintage planetarium (for an additional $2 per person per show). The Alexander Brest Planetarium will be decommissioned August 23 at 11 a.m. The space science theater will then close, reopening October 23 after a complete renovation and the installation of the state-of-the-art Bryan Gooding Planetarium.
The Museum of Science & History (MOSH) is located at 1025 Museum Circle near Friendship Fountain Park. MOSH, first chartered in 1941 as the Jacksonville Children’s Museum, stimulates the joy of learning for visitors of all ages in science, astronomy and the history of the region. Museum hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday – Thursday; 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday; and 1 to 6 p.m. Sunday. Museum admission is $11 for adults, $9.50 for military and senior citizens, $9 for children 3-12, and free for children 2 and under and members. Admission is $5 on Fridays through Friday, December 30 and Saturdays and Sundays through Sunday, October 17.
Even though most kids are heading back to school in August, and the stores are advertising for their Back To School Specials already, summer in Florida is far from over.  We’re just not ready to give up on the beach, outdoor concerts and fun in the sun. Make Labor Day weekend count and let’s have some fun with family and friends. We have come up with a few suggestions for you.
(Here is the link to our video podcast about Labor Day Weekend on the coast!)
Sun Splash – Amelia Island
Who said we had to say goodbye to summer, instead let’s have fun in the sun.  The Sun Splash event takes place at Seaside Beach on Saturday, September 4, 2010, 8am – 7pm.  Come enjoy island fun on the beach with live music and lots of activities.
At 7 am, there will be a beach clean up with Keep Nassau Beautiful, followed by a surf contest at 8am.  Then it is time for the popular reggae music concert. Live reggae is performed from 1-7pm. There’s also a swimwear fashion show, volleyball, ping-pong, sand castle contest, giveaways and prizes.
American Music Festival in Daytona Beach
Daytona is known for auto racing and NASCAR, but this weekend it’s all about music in Daytona. It’s the American Music Festival in Daytona Beach, September 1-5, 2010.
The festival holds concerts with big name artists such as Usher, Jonas Brothers, Tony Bennett and more at the Bandshell, Ocean Center and Peabody Auditorium. Artists will also take the stage at the community stages on the festival campus.
Click here to visit our special page for American Music Festival
Birthday Bash in St Augustine
The city turns 445 years old this year and the big day is celebrated with a reenactment of the landing and a special cutting of the birthday cake.
Click here to read more about the Birthday in St Augustine Celebration
Concerts in the Plaza
Also in St. Augustine there’s a free concert at Plaza de la Constitution on Sunday September 6th with The St. Augustine Jazz Society. The music starts at 1 pm – 5 pm. For more information, visit our special page about Concerts in the Plaza in St. Augustine
First Friday Art Walk – St Augustine
On Friday September 2nd, it’s time for another First Friday Art Walk in St. Augustine. This is alwyas a fun event with lots of people mingling, checking out local arts. You can read more about on our special events page.
Toby Keith in St. Augustine, Florida
More music – Toby Keith with Jaron and The Long Road To Love are performing at the St. Augustine Amphitheatre on Labor Day Weekend. Â The concert is scheduled for Sunday, Sept 5, 2010 at 7:17 pm. Â This is one of the big concerts of the year, don’t miss out.
Click here to buy tickets now!
Spend a Day at the Beach Downtown Jacksonville
Going to the beach is a tradition for Labor Day Weekend. Â But for those who would rather hang out downtown, the beach comes to the Jacksonville Landing for the third year in a row. Â The beach will be open to the public for the extended Labor Day Weekend festivities starting already on Wednesday, September 1 and will remain open until Monday, September 6.
Hula Hoop contests for kids and adults will take place on Saturday with live entertainment beginning at noon. A pair of tickets to a home Jaguars Game will be given away on Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m. during the Big Cat Sand Dig Competition. The celebration will wrap up with a live performance by the world-famous Sauce Boss on Sunday at 4 p.m. and live music on Monday.
Here is the complete schedule:
Wednesday, September 1
Art Walk “Art Takes Shape†5-9 p.m. Featuring a sandcastle building contest and live entertainment in the Courtyard by George Aspinall Band 7 – 11 p.m.
Arts Market 5 – 9 p.m. in front of The Landing, including over a dozen local artists and crafters.
Thursday, September 2
Adamec Bike Night 6 – 10 p.m. with live entertainment by The Ride 7 – 11 p.m. Free bike parking, $10 bike washes, on-site tattooing, live entertainment, prizes and many other vendors. Adamec Bike Night takes place on the first Thursday of each month.
Friday, September 3
Big Cat Sand Dig for a pair of tickets to a Jaguars home game 7 p.m.
Live music in the Courtyard by George Aspinall Band 8 p.m. – 1 a.m.
Saturday, September 4
Live music in the Courtyard by Palmetto Catz 2 – 6 p.m. and Radio 80 8 p.m. – 1 a.m.
Kids Hula Hoop Competition 3 p.m.
Shag Lessons and Demonstrations by the First Coast Shag Club 2 – 3 p.m.
Big Cat Sand Dig for a pair of tickets to a Jaguars home game 7 p.m.
Open Hula Hoop Competition 8 p.m.
Sunday, September 5
Shag Lessons and Demonstrations by the First Coast Shag Club 2 – 3 p.m.
Sauce Boss LIVE! 4 – 8 p.m. Enjoy a performance by celebrity gumbo chef and entertainer the Sauce Boss … and even try his famous gumbo!
Live music in the Courtyard by The Rhythm Cure 9 p.m. – 1 a.m.
Monday, September 6
Live music in the Courtyard by Hipp Street 4 – 8 p.m.
For more information visit www.jacksonvillelanding.com
At the Art & Wine Festival in Jacksonville you get to sample wines from around the globe, and taste food from the area’s finest restaurants as well as explore amazing desserts while you mingle. You also get to look at the works from of over twenty five of the area’s most exciting artists.
In addition, there are silent auctions for wonderful surprises in art, travel, entertainment and lots more.
Proceeds from the Art & Winefest will benefit Wolfson Children’s Hospital. The Art & Winefest, is presented by The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local Union 177.
Tickets:$35 (plus a Service Charge of $1.50)
Thursday, August 12 from 6pm-9pm at Hyatt Regency Riverfront
Click here to buy your tickets now
Labor Day is always a big deal on the coast of Georgia with a variety of annual festivals and events. It’ll be hard to choose, but here’s a quick rundown to help you with you plan your weekend getaway trip.
Let’s start in Savannah, Georgia. Savannah is always a beautiful city to visit, especially in the warmer season. You can take a nice walk down to Riverstreet. One of our favorite places to visit for a drink, something to eat or just to people watch is the City Market.
But if you visit Savannah during Labor Day weekend, the place to be is Savannah Craft Brew Fest. This event start already on September 4 with the grande tasting event on Saturday September 5.
For more information visit our special page about Savannah Craft Brew Fest.
About a 20 minute drive from Savannah, you’ll find Tybee Island, often referred to as Savannah’s own beach.  If you’re looking to spend your Labor Day weekend on the beach – why not head out to Tybee Island. The island has plenty of nice restaurants and bars, quaint shops and on Saturday September 5, 2010, Tybee celebrates the weekend with a big bash. It’s the Tybee Island Labor Day Beach Bash – complete with fireworks.
Read more here – Tybee Island Labor Day Beach Bash
In Camden County further south, Labor Day weekend is celebrated every year with a festival. It’s the annual Kingsland Catfish Festival. This festival of course serves southern fried catfish – but besides food, the festival comes with vendors, arts & crafts, live music and a parade.
Read more here about the Kingsland Catfish Festival
Click here to watch our video podcast about Labor Day Weekend!