Friday, September 4 is 904 Day, and Jacksonville is leaning into the area-code holiday with a full slate of free and ticketed events. A free downtown walking tour departs at 9:30 a.m. from the Visit Jacksonville Downtown Visitor Center at 100 N. Laura St. Later in the afternoon, the Garden Club of Jacksonville opens its riverfront venue for live music and food trucks starting at 4 p.m., while the Melanin Market at 822 A. Philip Randolph Blvd. hosts a 5 p.m. celebration spotlighting Black-owned businesses. The evening wraps up with music by Mr. Al Pete and more food trucks at James Weldon Johnson Park starting at 6 p.m.
Also on Friday night, the St. Augustine Amphitheatre is serving up a serious dose of '90s nostalgia when Blues Traveler, the Gin Blossoms, and the Spin Doctors share the same stage. Tickets range from $65 to $133, and more information is available at theamp.com.
Monster Jam rolls into VyStar Memorial Arena on Saturday and Sunday, with shows at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday and a 1 p.m. matinee on Sunday. Construction at EverBank Stadium pushed the big trucks indoors this year, but the lineup — including Grave Digger, El Toro Loco, and Classroom Crusher among eight total competitors — is as loud and crushing as ever. Tickets run $24–$121 at monsterjam.com.
Sunday afternoon, Willowbranch Park hosts the Big Gay Picnic, a free community event organized by the Jacksonville LGBT Chamber of Commerce. Expect free burgers and hot dogs, music, and lawn games, with allies, families, and pets all encouraged to come. Details at jaxlgbtchamber.org.
Stretching across the entire weekend and well beyond, St. Augustine's Sing Out Loud Festival kicks off its month-long run September 4–20 at venues throughout the city, including Colonial Oak Music Park, Dog Rose Brewing Co., and the Waterworks, among others. Most performances are free; full schedule at singoutloudfestival.com. This weekend roundup was originally reported by the Jacksonville Times-Union.
