200 Years in the Making – Jacksonville to Celebrate Bicentennial
Jacksonville, Fla. – As summer approaches, Jacksonville is getting ready to welcome tourists and locals to celebrate its’ 200th birthday during the Bicentennial Weekend Celebration, June 10-12.
The festivities kick-off Friday, June 10, with the Bicentennial Bash showcasing the history, beauty and culture of Northeast Florida. The upscale cocktail soiree will feature locally sourced food, hometown craft cocktails and beer, live music, historical presentations featuring rarely-seen photos and more. Tickets must be purchased in advance.
The official birthday celebration is Saturday, June 11, with the Bicentennial Street Festival & Fireworks from noon to 10 p.m., stretching from James Weldon Johnson Park to Riverfront Plaza in Downtown. The festival will include artists painting street scenes, food trucks, historical character actor re-enactments, art displays, a parade, the reading of a mayoral proclamation and more. The evening will feature concerts from Let’s Ride Brass Band, The Honey Hounds, Love and Theft and Flipturn, followed by fireworks over the St. Johns River. This is a free event.
The First Coast Wind Symphony will wrap up the weekend celebration with a performance of music by former Jacksonville resident and British composer Frederick Delius, James Weldon Johnson and more. The concert is 5-6 p.m. Sunday, June 12, at St. John’s Cathedral, and is a free event.
For more information about Jacksonville’s Bicentennial, visit jax200.org.
Additional news
Breeze Airways will begin its nonstop service at Jacksonville International Airport on May 19 with the inaugural flight from Richmond, Va. The airline will also offer additional nonstop service to Columbus, Oh., Hartford, Conn., Las Vegas, Nev., New Orleans, La., Providence, R.I., Norfolk, Va., and New York City’s Westchester airport.
Meeting and conference incentives
- Book a meeting in our NEED months and earn up to $10 per actualized room toward your meeting expenses.
Hotel happenings
- The Marriott Downtown Jacksonville made its debut recently. The property was formerly known as the Omni Resort Jacksonville.
- Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront recently completed meeting and event space renovations, including new carpet, wall coverings and light fixtures.
Upcoming special events
May
- Jacksonville Jazz Fest, May 26-29 in Downtown Jacksonville. The Jazz Fest, which began in 1981, is one of the largest free jazz fests in the country.
June
- Super Wonderful Crazy Fun-Time Circus art show by artist Jason Tetlak, June 1 at First Wednesday Art Walk, Downtown Jacksonville.
- Jacksonville Taco and Margarita Festival, June 4 at TIAA Bank Field and Daily’s Place.
- Bicentennial Weekend Celebration, June 10-12 in Downtown Jacksonville.
- River City Wrestling Con, June 11 and 12 at the Greater Jacksonville Fairgrounds.
- Jacksonville’s Juneteenth Celebration, June 18 at Daily’s Place.
- Jax Melanin Market, June 18 at 822 A. Philip Randolph Blvd.
July
- Def Leppard/Mötley Crüe/Poison/Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, July 2 at TIAA Bank Field in Downtown Jacksonville.
- 4th of July Celebration, July 4 in Downtown Jacksonville.
- Street League Skateboarding Championship Tour July 16 and 17 at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena.
- Greater Jacksonville Kingfish Tournament, July 14-23 at various locations.
Save the date
- Beyond Van Gogh - The Immersive Experience, September 16-November 6 at the Immersive Art Space at 119 West Beaver Street.
- Florida Fin Fest, September 17 and 18 at Seawalk Pavilion in Jacksonville Beach.
- WasabiCon, October 15-16 at the Prime F. Osborn III Convention Center.
- Super Girl Surf Pro Contest & Festival, November 11-12 at Seawalk Pavilion in Jacksonville Beach.
Visit the events page to learn more about these events and others in the coming months.
New dining and entertainment options
While planning a trip for a special event, don’t forget to plan your culinary itinerary as well. Try some of the new restaurants, bars and dessert places that have opened in the past few months:
- Buteko Restaurant Bar & Grill – A sports bar and restaurant specializing in authentic Brazilian cuisine.
- Blue Orchid Thai Cuisine – Local favorite Blue Orchid opened a second location in Riverside.
- M Brothers at Mayo Clinic – The full-service restaurant and bar also features a grab and go section.
- Pie95 Pizza – The former food truck is now a brick-and-mortar restaurant, serving hand crafted, wood fired pizza.
- Purple Roots – The restaurant serves authentic Filipino cuisine from family recipes.
- Stumpy’s Hatchet House – The popular hatchet throwing center that includes private throwing pits, a woodshed party room, games and more, is open in Springfield.
For a larger list of recent openings, visit the new Jacksonville openings page on our website.
About Visit Jacksonville
Visit Jacksonville is a Destinations International accredited Destination Marketing Organization contracted by the Duval County Tourist Development Council (TDC) to champion the growth of business and leisure tourism in Jacksonville. For a closer look at all there is to see and do in Jacksonville, go to http://www.
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