St. Augustine is keeping things lively all August long, with a mix of free outdoor gatherings, cultural programming, and community fundraisers spread across the city and nearby Hastings. Whether you're a longtime local or a summer visitor, there's something on the calendar worth planning around.
Music lovers have several standout options. The free Concerts in the Plaza series brings STR8UP on August 6 and the Dewey Via Band on August 13, while Jazz at the Excelsior at the Lincolnville Museum and Cultural Center features Grammy and Stellar Award nominee Marcus Click on August 5, followed by Grammy Award-winning musician Longineu Parsons on August 12. On August 2, composer and pianist Murray Hidary performs a MindTravel live-to-headphones immersive piano concert at the St. Johns County Ocean and Fishing Pier at 4:30 p.m.
History buffs and families can catch cannon firings at the Castillo de San Marcos National Monument on August 9 at five scheduled times throughout the day, and the First Friday ArtWalk on August 8 keeps downtown galleries open from 4 p.m. to dusk. The GTM Research Reserve is hosting multiple outdoor programs this month, including a Guided Exploration Hike on August 1, Nature Journaling on August 6, and Family Seining at the Guana Dam on August 8.
Community-focused events round out the month. Shoes of Hope on August 1 provides free new shoes to kindergarten through high school students at the Solomon Calhoun Community Center, while the SASS Bikini Race on August 1 at the St. Augustine Yacht Club raises funds for survivors' programs. Hastings Main Street is hosting both a Talk of the Town discussion on Gullah Geechee culinary history and a seasonal dinner experience with a chef on the evening of August 1.
This events roundup was compiled by Lucia Viti for the St. Augustine Record.
