Easter Promenade & Easter Parade 2015 in St. Augustine, FL

St. Augustine’s 57th Annual Easter Promenade – Beginning at 12:30 p.m. the St. Augustine Easter Festival will host the 57th Annual Easter Promenade. Wear your best Easter bonnets and boutonnieres to participate.

Prizes will be awarded for the Most Creative Hat, Prettiest Hat, Best Dressed woman, man, boy, girl and pet as well as the largest family and the family from the farthest away. Registration begins at noon.

Easter Parade of the Horse Carriages & Hats – This is a decades old parade of horse carriages and hats on Easter Sunday.  Included this year is the Adjutant General of the Florida National Guard riding in a Humvee.  Features marching bands, floats, drill teams, clowns, the Easter Bunny, and the Royal Family. The parade begins at 3 p.m. at the Old Jail to the Castillo de San Marcos and continues through downtown streets of St. Augustine.   The parade lasts approximately 1.5 hours. 

Trophies will be presented in four categories.

Grand Muster and Torch Light Parade

Grand Muster and Torch Light Parade Saturday, March 23

The annual St. Augustine Garrison’s Spanish Colonial Grand Muster will include an encampment from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. across from the City Gates, with the ceremony and torch light parade at 8 p.m. down Saint George Street. Spanish Soldados will demonstrate military arts and civilians will portray everyday life of the period at the encampment. The parade and celebration will include with Changing of the Guard at the City Gates and posting of new sentries. 

The parade will proceed down St. George Street to the Plaza de la Constitucion for the blessing of the flag at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Augustine. 

The parade will conclude at the Governor’s Palace with a salute of musket fire honoring the Governor. 

The public is invited to the free event.

St. Augustine Chalk Walk

Saturday and Sunday
March 23-24 The St. Augustine Chalk Walk

Paseo Pastel will be from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. March 23 on the sidewalks near the Visitors Information Center, 10 W. Castillo Drive. 

Paseo Pastel is the Spanish custom of a casual promenade or walk. More than 70 chalk artists will create a sidewalkgallery of art. On March 24, a public stroll will be until 4 p.m., with sidewalk washing to begin a 4 p.m. Spectators are invited to view the sidewalk chalk art. 

Go to staugustinechalkwalk.com

St. Augustine Chocolate Tour

Every Saturday during the months of January and February

The tour is 2 hours long (includes time at the restaurants and the guided trolley tour).

Guided journey of chocolate revelation!

Learn the history of chocolate and chocolate formation while sampling truffles, pastries and gooey delights from the finest chocolatiers in all of St. Augustine. You’ll think you’ve won Willie Wonka’s Golden Ticket as you step aboard our confectioner’s trolley to visit a chocolate paradise.

Before the tour gets underway, chocolate will be thrust upon you as we tell you the story of Peterbrooke’s famous “chocolate popcorn” and how it started their adventure in chocolate. Your tour de force will take you to several houses of culinary creation beginning with the Aviles Restaurant at the Hilton Bayfront, where you will enjoy the chef’s pièce de résistance. Then, on to the Casa Monica Hotel, where you will enter the lobby of a historic Flagler hotel to sample their own unique chocolate invention, while on your way to Claude’s Chocolates just down the hall. Claude’s is a French chocolatier which specializes in Belgian truffles and creamy ganache. Here, sample the Chef’s masterpiece, while learning the “fine art” of artisan chocolates. Now you are on to the renowned Raintree Restaurant, where you will get a lesson in chocolate tasting from St. Augustine’s original Chocolate Family, Whetstone Chocolates. And, just when you think you have seen it all, the heavenly Warm Chocolate Dome Cake is a tantalizing treat to top the tour. Hordes of people marvel at the lovely old-world ambience at the Raintree; but nothing you have ever experienced will prepare you for this unique embodiment of chocolate. Even when your journey has ended, your chocolate indulgence does not…you will leave this trance with a sample of the finest Whetstone Chocolates to carry you home to your dreams.

When 

Every Saturday during the months of January and February

Times 

1:30pm

Where 

Departs from the Old Town Trolley Welcome Center at 27 San Marco Ave.

Length

The tour is 2 hours long (includes time at the restaurants and the guided trolley tour)

Cost

The tour is $60 per person.

For reservations and more information call (904) 829-3800

Big River at the Limelight Theatre

St. Augustine's Limelight Theatre brings the world of Huckleberry Finn to the stage in the multi-Tony Award-winning musical Big River.

Located at 11 Old Mission Avenue in St. Augustine, performances will take place through October 7 on Thursdays through Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. All tickets are $25 each. This Friday only, kick off the opening with a Hoedown beginning at 6 p.m. featuring tasty vittles, a DJ, dancing, wine and desserts. Huck Finn-inspired attire is encouraged. Tickets to the hoedown and show are $50 each.

More info about the Limelight Theater you can find here >>

The St. Augustine Pub Crawl

St. Augustine’s Favourite Walking Pub Tour!

 

The St. Augustine Pub Crawl isn’t your average ‘pub crawl’, but it is a historical walking pub tour visiting 5 of St. Augustine’s most unique, authentic pubs and taverns. One may experience a slice of the local St. Augustine culture whilst enjoying  tales of St. Augustine’s history along with traditional ‘Pub Lore’ of times gone by, around the world. The tour ticket includes a beverage at each pub stop (premium beer/ales/cider, soda or coffee).

This tour is a unique mix of local colour and the traditions of ‘Public Houses’ throughout time, historical St. Augustine, and the world. The average tour participant is between the ages of 29-65 (quite the range!), and the tour itself is more high-brow than perhaps a college pub crawl. Please note that the only ‘spirits’ on THIS tour are IN the pint glasses!

Old Drug Store in St. Augustine, Florida

The Authentic Old Drugstore takes you back to the early days when St. Augustine was but a Spanish hamlet.

It was built by Antonio Gomaas in 1739. He built it as a place of revelry, within the the jurisdiction of the city, for protection, but away from the actual settlement. They sold liquor, tobacco, medicine and Indian remedies.

 

They also sold their own medical concoctions. T.W. Speissegger, a pharmacist, bought the building from Gomaas decendant. In 1880 he moved the building to 46 1/2 Bay Street and then the moved it to 31 Orange Street during the fire of April 1887. The firm was registered August 1, 1875 in the Centennial Autographic Register and the National Directory. This Book was deposited in the archives of The Smithsonian in Washinton, D.C. The building went through many owner changes and many renovations. It was purchased in the late 1980′s by and is still owned by the Harris Foundation. They made many repairs and opened this facinating Museum free of charge to the public. The Authentic Old Drugstore is maintained and supported by the sales in the gift shop. The gift shop is contained in the area that was once a courtyard and has made no impact on the original historic building. 

 

The Authentic Old Drugstore takes you back to the early days when St. Augustine was but a Spanish hamlet. It was built by Antonio Gomaas in 1739.He built it as a place of revelry, within the the jurisdiction of the city, for protection,but away from the actual settlement. They sold liquor, tobacco, medicine and Indian remedies.They also sold their own medical concoctions.

T.W. Speissegger, a pharmacist, bought the building from Gomaas decendant.In 1880 he moved the building to 46 1/2 Bay Street andthen the moved it to 31 Orange Street during the fire of April 1887.

Be sure to visit the gift shop where you can pick up collectibles, jewelry and seasonal items.

Read more here >>>

Sheriff’s Ghost Walk Tours St. Augustine, Florida

The Original Sheriff’s Ghost Walk Tours St. Augustine, Florida is a Ghostly Adventure you will never forget.

This is the best among St. Augustine ghost tours!

A 90 Minute Walk Along The Dark Streets And Cemeteries Of Old St. Augustine. The Sheriffs Ghost Walk Tours is a unique experience. The Sheriff and all of his dead deputies are experienced guides.

You will hear stories of Haunted Houses, Bed & Breakfasts and The Old Cemeteries! You will walk the dark streets of the nation's oldest city of Saint Augustine, Florida. All stories told are so rich in detail they will tingle your spine!

All tours are researched for historical facts. Go and see why Sheriff’s Ghost Walk Tours are the most original and historically correct GHOST tours in Saint Augustine, FL.

People tend to experience MANY supernatural encounters on the tours. Take a look at the photos of ghosts caught on the tours! Click Here >>>

Ponce de Leon's Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park

Ponce de Leon's Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park has been entertaining and enlightening visitors to St. Augustine for generations. Spanish Admiral Pedro Menendez landed here in 1565 to found the city of St. Augustine, the Timucua Indians lived here for hundreds of years and it is thought Ponce de Leon himself landed nearby. But for visitors this spring and summer, the Fountain of Youth is definitely not the same old story. The Planetarium that has thrilled visitors for more than 50 years now has a cutting-edge projector that projects the night sky as it appeared on any night in history, including the night any visitor was born, Plus, the seats in the Planetarium are brand new. Just a short walk takes visitors to the waterfront where an authentic conquistador stands guard, fires a replica of a 16th century Spanish cannon several times a day and entertains with his stories of war and conquest in the New World.

Celtic music & arts festival coming to St. Augustine

Celtic music & arts festival coming to St. Augustine


On March 11-17, many of the greatest Celtic musicians, artists and poets from Ireland, Spain, and the U.S. will converge on the wonderfully romantic city of St. Augustine, Florida, for the Celtic Music and Arts Festival. The week-long festival will arguably be the finest international collaboration of Celtic music and art ever seen in the United States.

Presented by Romanza in association with Meehans on Matanzas, the festival will be directed by internationally-acclaimed Benny O'Carroll of County Kerry, Ireland. Following exciting weekend concerts, day-long festivities will continue throughout the week. Celtic masters will present traditional pub music sessions, contemporary and classical musical performances, workshops, dancing, storytelling, good humor, and lots of good food - all of which will culminate with the ultimate Celtic Party - St. Patrick's Day! The celebration will include a St. Patrick's Day Parade beginning at 10 a.m. on Saturday, March 12.

St. Augustine, the nation's oldest city, was founded by don Pedro Menendez de Aviles in 1565. Appropriately, the festival headliner is HEVIA from Aviles, the hometown of the city's founder and the heart of Celtic Spain. The band HEVIA is a Spanish Celtic phenomenon. Jose Angel Hevia has become an international sensation, revolutionizing popular music with his midi bagpipe and selling 2.5 million albums worldwide.

The festival will also feature Ireland's own Four Men & A Dog, Benny O'Carroll's Traditional All Ireland Band, Dublin City Ramblers, Timmy "The Brit" McCarthy, Sean Murphy and Patrick Coldrick. Outstanding American Celtic entertainers from New York and Florida will also perform. These include Black 47, Derek Coghlan, Michael Funge, 7 Nations, Rathkeltair and The Wobbly Toms.

To purchase tickets or to preview festival peformers and their schedules, go to www.CelticStAug.com.

Located midway between Daytona Beach and Jacksonville on Florida's Historic Coast, St. Augustine offers authentic Old World charm, soaring Spanish Renaissance architecture, 42 miles of beaches, world-renowned hotels, charming bed and breakfast inns, fine dining, and history on every street corner. The city features 60 attractions, 34 buildings on the National Register of Historic Places and America's first National Monument - the Castillo de San Marcos, a Spanish fortress that has guarded St. Augustine and Matanzas Bay since 1672. Just up the beach, Ponte Vedra offers some of the nation's finest seaside resorts and world-renowned golf courses. For details on lodging, dining, attractions and more go to Florida's Historic Coast or call 1.800.653.2489.