The Ultimate Guide to Spring Festivals in Jacksonville

SpringFestivalsJacksonville

Spring is in the air and that means it’s time for some outdoor fairs and festivals. Jacksonville, and the surrounding areas, will be hosting many family friendly events over the next few months. Most of the 30 festivals listed are geared for the entire family and many of them are FREE! So what are you waiting for? Make some plans to get outside and visit one of these amazing annual festivals today.

Jacksonville Science Festival
When: February 23-25
Enjoy live music, food trucks, and hands-on science, technology, arts, and math activities at each booth. This is a great way to get your child enthusiastic about science! The hands-on activities are fun for kids!
Cost: Free

Annual Cathedral Festival
When: 
February 24-26
Fireworks, live music, midway rides and more will be offered on the grounds of the Mission Nombre de Dios. The fundraiser is one of the area’s largest festivals featuring rides, games, bingo, a silent auction and a fireworks spectacular show.
Cost: $5 for adults; $3 for children 11-17. Free admission for active duty military and children 10 and younger.

SeawalkMusicFestivalJacksonville

Community First Seawalk Music Fest
When: February 25-26
Join Community First at the Seawalk Pavilion for music, food, and for the first time, a ferris wheel. This beachfront festival celebrates local musicians, artists, food vendors and businesses and will be fun for the whole family.
Cost: Free

Florida Strawberry Festival
When: March 2-12
Head to Plant City, Florida for exhibits of agriculture, commerce, industry, livestock, fine arts, horticulture, and crafts await you. Ethnic traditions, social events, competitive contests, youth developmental programs, top-name entertainment, parades.
Cost: $10 for adults, $5 for children 6-12, kids under 5 are free.

St. Augustine Lions Club Seafood Festival 
When: March 3-5
With food, arts and crafts vendors, and pirate and magic shows in the Kids Zone, the family will have a blast at this yummy St. Augustine annual tradition. Enjoy inflatable boats in a pool, bounce houses, pirates walking around, and plenty of food.
Cost: $5 for adults, kids 15 and under are free.

World of Nations
When: March 3-5
Global cultural immersion comes to Jacksonville’s downtown Metropolitan Park. The Jacksonville World of Nations festival represents the food, fashion, dance, music, and traditions of more than 30 nations. As you travel through the World of Nations Celebration, experience the cuisine, artistry and customs from lands near and far.
Cost: Tickets are $5 for a one-day pass and $8 for two days, kids 3 and under are free.

VegfestJacksonville

Veg Fest
When: Postponed for 2017, but they’ll be back for 2018.
Come out to Riverside Park and celebrate the community and meet sustainable, eco-friendly, compassionate, healthy, humane, and organic local organizations. Enjoy live music, cooking demos, a kids zone, pie eating contest, and more.
Cost: Free

Douglas Anderson School of the Arts Writers’ Festival
When:
 TBA
The Jacksonville Public Library Main Branch in downtown Jacksonville and other venues will host a 3-day festival of writing workshops, seminars, staged readings and book signings.
Cost: Ticket prices vary based on which workshops you want to attend.

St. Augustine Celtic Music & Heritage Festival
When: March 10-12
The three-day festival features Celtic bands, a pre-festival Whiskey Tasting, Highland Games athletic competitions, Celtic shopping and food, live music, two stages, and a variety of entertainment.
Cost: Ticket prices vary based on which workshops you want to attend.

St. Ambrose Catholic Church Fair
When: TBA
Located in Elkton, the fair will feature The Red River Band, a popular local band, games for kids, a garage sale, hay rides, a bake sale, silent auction and country store also will be part of the event. Guests also can take self-guided tours of the historic church building.
Cost: Free

Gastrofest
When:
 March 18
A community foodie festival with events downtown in and around Hemming Park. Parents can learn how to make beer and taste vegan wine, Museum of Contemporary Art will host speakers on vegetarianism, eating locally and growing your own food. There will be a farmers market panel as well.
Cost: Free

GastrofestJacksonville

The Great Atlantic Seafood & Music Festival
When: TBA
Held in Jacksonville Beach, you can taste delicious local seafood and celebrate with live zydeco, jazz, and blues at the Great Atlantic Seafood & Music Festival.
Cost: Free

Clay County Agricultural Fair
When: 
March 30- April 8
Since 1987, the Clay County Agricultural Fair has provided Clay County and Northeast Florida with an event that’s both fun and educational in a family atmosphere. Enjoy midway rides, special performances and animals!
Cost: Adults are $10 and children are $7 at the gate. Rides require extra tickets or armbands.

Rhythm & Ribs Festival
When: March 31 – April 2
Voted St. Augustine’s best festival 3 years in a row, you can enjoy barbecue vendors and competition, live music, kids zone and Kiss the Pig.
Cost: Ticket prices range from $5-$10.

EPIC Flower & Garden Expo
When:
 April 1-2
A popular event in St. Augustine, the Flower and Garden Expo will delight gardeners of all ages with growers, nurseries and artisans from around the state offering shoppers every item to make your garden all it can be! This year’s show features a variety of vendors bringing a wide array of horticulture including olive trees, aquatic plants, herbs, ferns, succulents, citrus, anthuriums, bamboo, colorful flowering plants, butterfly plants, native plants and more plus gardening accessories and art. Everything needed to restart and enhance gardens will be available at the Expo.
Cost: Tickets are $5 and can be used for both days, kids under 11 are free.

Jacksonville Springing the Blues Festival
When: April 7-9
Springing the Blues Festival is one of the most highly anticipated music events in Florida. Held at the beautiful Seawalk Pavilion, enjoy three days of performances by national, regional and local blues artists.
Cost: Free

3Spark Fest
When: TBA
Hemming Park is transformed as Jacksonville’s Hemming Park showcases some of our city’s greatest innovators. Families can visit the booths and meet the different creators, eat at one of the many food trucks and enjoy interactive exhibits.
Cost: Free

Railroad Days Festival
When: April 22
Your little train lover will want to visit the Callahan Train Depot as the West Nassau Historical Society hosts a weekend festival featuring live entertainment, classic cars, Shriners, fire trucks, restored rail cars and floats, and a kid zone.
Cost: Free

WorldOfNationalJacksonville

Earth Day and Ecology Fair
When: April 22
Join Earth Day Jacksonville and some of your favorite earth-friendly companies for a fun-filled day for the whole family! This year marks the 46th anniversary of Earth Day and the 26th anniversary of the Earth Day and Ecology Fair at The Jacksonville Landing.
Cost: Free

A Taste of St. Augustine
When: 
TBA
Everyone likes to eat!  The Taste of St. Augustine highlights the culinary heritage and culture of St. Johns County by showcasing new restaurants and established favorites.  Sample our local cuisine and learn about our area’s food culture.
Cost: Tickets are $5, children are free.

Florida’s Birding and Photo Fest
When: April 26-30
Held at the GTM Research Reserve Environmental Education Center the Birding and Photo Fest features world-class photographers along with new professionals and instructors who will offer technical training opportunities and more birding in-field programs than ever before.
Cost: Ticket prices vary based on which workshops you want to attend.

Rockville Music Festival
When: April 29-30
See the biggest names in rock at Metropolitan Park in downtown Jacksonville.
Cost: Ticket prices vary.

Gamble Rogers Music Festival
When:
 May 5-7
The Gamble Rogers Music Festival in St. Augustine, Florida celebrates recording artist Gamble Rogers who died trying to save a drowning swimmer in 1991. A three-day event is hosted each May at the St. Augustine Amphitheatre, featuring national, regional and St. Augustine musicians and storytellers on six stages.
Cost: Ticket prices vary for different performances.

Fernandina Beach Shrimp Festival
When:
 May 5-7
Fernandina Beach hosts their annual Shrimp Festival in the streets of downtown. There’s plenty of antiques, art and food booths as well as a large kid zone.
Cost: Free

TreeHillButterflyFestival

Tree Hill Butterfly Festival
When: April 29
Nestled in a tiny urban park in Arlington that remains an island of forested natural habitat. Tree Hill turns into a festival mecca each spring. With vendors, music, tons of kids activities and a butterfly release, there is always something for the whole family.
Cost: $5 for adults, $4 for students, military and senior, $3 for children 3-17.

Romanza Festivale of the Arts 
When: May 5-14
10 days of the arts in St. Augustine. Enjoy concerts, art exhibits, live theatre shows, dance, street festivals and a parade, historical celebrations and so much more!
Cost: Ticket prices vary for different performances.

Great American Burger Fest
When: TBA
Nothing says all-American like a spring food and music festival in the oldest city in America. Come out and enjoy mouth-watering burgers, great live music and ice cold beer. This family-friendly festival will also have delicious sweet treats with 75 exhibitors of arts & crafts, and kids will have a blast in the Kids Zone area.
Cost: Adults are $5, children under 12 and active duty military are free.

McKee Botanical Garden Fairy & Pirate Festival
When: May 13
Although it’s a little far from Jacksonville, this unique festival is sure to be a hit for kids of all ages. Fairy costumes are encouraged, but not required.
Cost: $10 Adults, $9 Seniors, $5 Children ages 3-12.

Jacksonville Jazz Festival
When: May 25-28
The Jacksonville Jazz Festival is held annually over Memorial Day weekend and features world-renowned Jazz musicians performing on several stages downtown.
Cost: Free

What is your favorite festival in Jacksonville?

Shannon Beckham
Shannon is a former Special Education Teacher turned SAHM to two great kids, Cole and Kiley. Originally from Miami, Shannon met her husband while they were both attending the University of Florida (Go Gators). They decided to put down roots in Jacksonville Beach, and are very much enjoying the laid back salt life.

3 COMMENTS

  1. ITALIAN SPRING FESTA

    Italian American Club of Jacksonville (IAC) proudly presents our second annual springtime festival. IAC, established in 1951, hosted FESTA ITALIANA every October for twenty-five years. By popular demand, we introduce a 2 – day spring celebration of all things Italian.

    ITALIAN SPRING FESTA will be held at the IAC clubhouse at
    2838 Westberry Road in the Mandarin area of Jacksonville, Florida.
    Saturday, April 16, 2016 11:00 am – 8:00 pm
    Sunday, April 17, 2016 noon – 6:00 pm

    This fun-filled family event is IAC’s gift to the community — no admission fee. Come for the fun: music; kids activities; souvenirs; and the very best Italiano food. Be Italian for a day at IAC’s 2nd annual ITALIAN SPRING FESTA, Jacksonville’s only authentic Italian-American festival.

    (904) 586-2616 http://www.iacofjacksonville.com

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