Entertainment, Festivals and Public Events

North Beaches Art Walk – First Street Gallery, Neptune Beach, Thursday, May 17, 2012, 5:00 P.M. to 9:00 P.M.

Edgar Winter Band, rock concert – Ponte Vedra Concert Hall, Thursday, May 24, 2012, 7:00 P.M.

Colbie Caillat & Gavin DeGraw, concert – St. Augustine Ampitheatre, Sunday, May 27, 2012, 7:00 P.M.

ZZ Top with 3 Doors Down and Gretchen Wilson, concert – St. Augustine Ampitheatre, Friday, June 8, 2012, 5:30 P.M.

The Family Stone, rock concert – Ponte Vedra Concert Hall, Friday, June 15, 2012; 7:00 P.M.

An Evening with Tommy Roe, concert – Ponte Vedra Concert Hall, Sunday, June 17, 2012, 7:00 P.M.

North Beaches Art Walk – First Street Gallery, Neptune Beach, Thursday, June 21, 2012, 5:00 P.M. to 9:00 P.M.

Ringo Starr and His All Starr Band rock concert – St. Augustine Ampitheatre, Friday, June 29, 2012, 7:00 P.M.

Boston, concert – St. Augustine Ampitheatre, Sunday, July 1, 2012, 7:00 P.M.

North Beaches Art Walk – First Street Gallery, Neptune Beach, Thursday, July 19, 2012, 5:00 P.M. to 9:00 P.M.

Aaron Neville, concert – Ponte Vedra Concert Hall, Tuesday, August 7, 2012, 7:00 P.M.

North Beaches Art Walk – First Street Gallery, Neptune Beach, Thursday, August 16, 2012, 5:00 P.M. to 9:00 P.M.

Welcome to TPC Week in Jacksonville

It’s Tournament Players Championship Week in Jacksonville – that magical time when all of Jacksonville focuses on the fascination of professional golf and visitors from around the world come to our fair city.

We’re glad you’re here, rain or shine. The locals will tell you we don’t call it “rain,” but, “liquid sunshine” that keeps everything fresh and green. The temperatures are going to be glorious this week, and warm smiles will be in abundance as everyone is welcomed to this special week in Jacksonville and Northeast Florida.

Many visitors to Jacksonville for TPC Week become enchanted with our comfortable lifestyle, inviting climate, and thriving business community. It’s often the beginning of a love affair with Jacksonville and its beaches which ends up making many visitors residents.

The more the merrier!

Queen’s Harbour Real Estate and WaterMarke Realty have some of the finest upscale and luxury homes throughout Northeast Florida to share with you. Our professional staff is ready to answer all of your questions, provide unparalleled assistance, and guide you to your ideal new home, be it on a golf course, waterway, oceanfront, or secluded spot in harmony with nature. Want an urban lifestyle? We have that, too.

Take a look at our offerings, call us for more information, allow us to help you to make the same decision we did, gladly making Jacksonville and Florida’s First Coast our home.

We look forward to hearing from you.

It’s here – and not a moment too soon for many

That satisfying rite of Spring has sprung – Jacksonville has Suns Double A baseball is here, again. The Suns are celebrating their 50th year in Jacksonville, beginning in 1962 in the old Wolfson Park originally built in 1954.

In the 50th year and as part of the Southern League – which the Suns have been league champions four times so far in the 2000s, the team now plays its home games in the thoroughly modern and thoroughly enjoyable Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville, built in 2003. The Baseball Grounds – and the Suns – are everything you can hope for in a hometown ball field and team. In its 50 year history, the Suns have had 27 winning seasons and 22 losing seasons.

Currently affiliated with the Miami Marlins, the Suns have also been affiliated with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Detroit Tigers, Seattle Mariners, Montreal Expos, Kansas City Royals, New York Mets, St. Louis Cardinals, and the Cleveland Indians.

You may have heard of some of the Suns former players who played in Jacksonville early in their careers before moving on to the Major Leagues: Nolan Ryan, Tom Seaver, Randy Johnson, Alex Rodriguez, Larry Walker, Adres Galarraga, and Amos Otis. A little more currently, a total of 65 former Suns players played in the Major Leagues in 2010 and 2011. And, there was the one other guy you may have heard of, too – Michael Jordan played for the Birmingham Barons in 1994 and played games in Jacksonville against the Suns before he decided he liked another sport better.

The Suns season began April 5th and regular season play continues through September 3rd.

This is the place to look for things to do

Jacksonville and Northeast Florida is an exciting place to live and play. Check back here frequently for our new list of Northeast Florida events and calendar. There’s never a dull moment and always something for everyone.

Tournament Players Championship Golf at Ponte Vedra, May 10-13, 2012

TPC time is getting closer. All over Jacksonville and the beaches, everyone is spiffing up for the big event and all of the visitors it brings every year.

The annual Tournament Players Championship golf tournament at Ponte Vedra Beach’s TPC Sawgrass course is a major event in Northeast Florida. Some of the most prestigious names in golf participate in this annual tournament held on the always challenging, always talked about TPC Sawgrass course. The Thursday through Sunday tournament brings famous visitors from around the world; many who find Northeast Florida so inviting, they ultimately make their permanent home in the Jacksonville area, and often in Queen’s Harbour Yacht & Country Club.

Formed decades ago as the Greater Jacksonville Open golf tournament, the friendly Northeast Florida climate along with the superb golf and accompanying resort facilities make the TPC a must-see PGA event.

World of Nations is a world of good times

The City of Jacksonville is sponsoring the 20th Annual World of Nations Celebrations May 3-6, 2012 at Metropolitan Park in downtown Jacksonville.

This isn’t just another event for an excuse for a festival. This is an event which brings together culture, cuisine, and fireworks all in one place, spread over three days.

The highlight of the event for many will be the swearing in of new United States citizens in a naturalization ceremony on Saturday morning. You will have the excitement of the solemn moment when people from all over the world choose to become one of us, and pledge their allegiance to the United States of America. This is a moving ceremony everyone should witness at least once in their lifetime.

Entrance fees are modest, $5.00 for a one day or one evening ticket, $8.00 for two days, and $10.0o for all three days.

This is the real thing when it comes to culture, cuisine and fireworks.

Annual Blessing of the Fleet

The City of Jacksonville’s annual Blessing of the Fleet is again upon us. The blessing will occur Sunday, April 1st at 2 P.M. on the downtown riverfront at the Hogan Street Gazebo on the Northbank Riverwalk.

This is the 28th annual event co-sponsored by the City of Jacksonville and Captain’s Club.

Vessels of all shapes and sizes are welcome to participate.

Captains should arrive downtown at 1:30 P.M. and tune to channel 72 to participate.

The procession of boats will be blessed beginning at 2 P.M. on the downtown riverrfront.

Free registration can be found at MakeASceneDowntown. com or by calling 904-630-3690.

Tebowmania comes back to Jacksonville

Tebowmania has come and gone again in Jacksonville. With NFL quarterback Tim Tebow’s finalized trade to the New York Jets from the Denver Broncos, the speculation is over the Jacksonville Jaguars could have acquired the Jacksonville hometown favorite and former Florida Gators Heisman Trophy winner.

It was fun while it lasted, and it will be fun to follow Tebow in his career with the New York Jets.

 

College Football – It’s never too early to talk about college football

Northeast Florida cheers and closely follows three college football teams with undying devotion. The University of Florida Gators, the recent home of superstar Tim Tebow, now an NFL favorite of the Denver Broncos, continue their powerhouse tradition in nearby Gainesville at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, better known as The Swamp.

Jacksonville is the family home of Tim Tebow, and he played high school football for Nease High School in northern St. Johns County before officially becoming a Florida Gator. His parents and other family members still live and work in Jacksonville.

The Florida State University Seminoles, never to be outdone by their rival Gators, are denizens of Tallahassee, Florida’s capital, just 150 miles west of Jacksonville.

And, one of the newest and most exciting college football teams, the Jacksonville University Dolphins are coming into their own as they continue to make themselves known in the college football world.

Every November the annual Florida-Georgia (or, Georgia-Florida, depending on your geographic preference) football game is held at EverBank Field in downtown Jacksonville, normally known as the home of the NFL Jacksonville Jaguars. This decades-old clash of titan schools the University of Florida and University of Georgia creates nearly a full week of local festivities leading up to the big game on Saturday afternoons. Some people plan their entire fall sports calendar around this one game.

During the New Years college football bowl season, the annual Gator Bowl Game (EverBank Field for decades was first known as the Gator Bowl before corporate naming rights became fashionable) is held at EverBank Field, and produces a sell-out crowd.

Jacksonville is a football town, either professionally with the Jacksonville Jaguars, or on the college level with the Gators, Seminoles, Dolphins, and the Gator Bowl game. Jacksonville was the host of Super Bowl XXXIX played February 6, 2005 at Alltel Stadium (today’s EverBank Field). The New England Patriots defeated the Philadelphia Eagles, 24-21. Sir Paul McCartney performed during the halftime show. Sir Paul previously had visited Jacksonville in 1964 during a concert tour stop by The Beatles.

Southern Women’s Show returns for 25th year

This is the 25th year for Jacksonville’s Southern Women’s Show and the celebrity guest lineup is better than ever.

Former First Daughter and NBC Today show’s education correspondent Jenna Bush Hager will be there, along with Danielle Knox from Lifetime’s The Balancing Act.

Also appearing will be Chef Kenny Gilbert, Chef Erika Davis, Publix Apron’s Resident Chef Patrick Walley, and Kristina Janolo, Miss Florida 2011.

Chef Warren Caterson will be in attendance, along with Chef Matt Blinkhorn and Diane Henderiiks of Good Morning America Health.

2012 show dates are Thursday October 18th through Sunday, October 21st.