A December to Remember Holiday Party is coming this Saturday, December 7, to the World Golf Hall of Fame at the World Golf Village. Bring the family between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. and join in the festivities.

The free event includes a Santa Meet & Greet, Kids Bounce Zone, dance performance by The Gift of Dance at 11 a.m. and holiday singing by Showtime USA – St. Johns.

Reverb.Church is also sponsoring the event’s Jingle Jam DJ/Dance party, Hot Cocoa Bar, Popcorn Bar,

Donut Walk, Spin to Win Game, Kids Tattoos, Goodie Bags, Photo Booth and perhaps most exciting of all, a Meet & Greet with Anna, Elsa and Olaf from Frozen (11 a.m. to 12 p.m.)

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Since 1966, Northeast Floridians have gathered every year the weekend after Thanksgiving for the Art & Craft Festival, presented by the St. Augustine Art Association. Over the years, it has grown to be regarded by art enthusiasts, artists and collectors to be one of the year’s premier art festivals.

This year’s festival will be on Saturday and Sunday, November 30 and December 1 at Francis Field. More than 130 artists are expected to feature their work, including paintings, pottery, jewelry and apparel, glassware, sculptures, woodwork and fiber art, photography, mixed media, fine hand-crafted creations and just about anything local artists can dream up.

Forget Black Friday! This is the place to buy truly unique gifts for everyone on your Christmas list andsupport local artists.

This year’s event will also feature more festival fun:

  • Demonstrations: Artisan demos will include weaving, basket-making and spinning using colonial era techniques. Other artist demos will teach the art of metalworking, stained glass, clay pottery, photography, jewelry-making, calligraphy and more.
 
 
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Each year, historic St. Augustine is awash with a sea of twinkling lights, millions of them from the streets to the rooftops. National Geographic has even listed it among the top ten holiday light displays in the world.

The 26thAnnual Nights of Lights begins this Saturday, November 23, and continues nightly through February 2, 2020. The first night, aptly named Light-Up Night, is sure to attract a huge crowd with live holiday music in the Plaza de la Constitución and an elaborate lighting ceremony at 6:30 p.m.

Since its such a big deal, it’s a huge draw for tourists and locals alike. So, we’ve pinpointed some of the best ways to see the Nights of Lights without all the stress of weaving through crowds.

1.) Head across the water –The Bridge of Lions (by itself one of the historic district’s most beautiful sights) is a great place to get a panoramic view of the lights. Park on the other side of the bridge (near Edgewater Inn or Marker 8 Hotel) and enjoy the great photo opportunities as you take a relaxing stroll over the bridge into the historic district.

2.) Hop aboard a trolley –If you have young kids or older family members who may find the excessive walking a challenge, opt for a trolley ride. Skip the line by reserving online, which is easy at most trolley companies like Old Town Trolleyor Ripley’s Big Red Christmas Train Nights of Lights Tour.

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With the bustle of the approaching holidays, it is easy to look to convenient retailers for finding gifts and holiday home décor. Spend a couple hours on Amazon.com or an afternoon at Town Center and you’ve knocked out half your Christmas list—video game for your nephew, AirPods for your sister and gift cards for your friends. While generous, these gifts aren’t really thoughtful.

But there is a solution! The 7th Annual Holiday Craft & Vendor Event is coming to World Golf Village this Sunday, November 17, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. This is the perfect place to find gifts that are refreshingly creative, fun, beautiful, handmade, and from the heart by local businesses and artisans!

The free event will feature more than 130 vendors in the gigantic conference facility at Renaissance Resort in World Golf Village. Peruse vendors offering home décor, soaps and fragrances, clothing and accessories, apothecary oils and lotions, jewelry, plants, stationary, beauty products and cosmetics, hair products, candies, baked goods, books, art, pet products, kitchen ware and more. You will be surprised at how many times you’ll stop and say, “Hey, that would be a perfect gift for (insert name)!”

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It’s finally autumn in Northeast Florida and that means two things: Everything is pumpkin spice flavored and it’s time for fall festivals!

Everyone is invited to the Markland community this Saturday, November 9, for the Annual Fall Festival at Markland! Markland residents, families, friends and anyone seeking autumn time fun is welcome to attend the free event, which lasts from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Enjoy crafts, face painting, carnival games, a balloon artist, bounce houses and slides, food trucks, live music, local vendors and much more. Also participate in the charity silent auction!

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There is no doubt about it—Americans love to travel. From dining and entertainment to hotels and transportation, U.S. consumers spent a whopping $761 billion on leisure travel in 2018 alone.

And if there is anything we love more than travelling, it’s getting excited about travel. If this sounds familiar, don’t miss out on the Florida Travel Expo! The free event will be hosted at the World Golf Village Renaissance St. Augustine Resort this Sunday, November 3, from 12 to 5 p.m.

Even the most seasoned traveler will get a wealth of information at the Expo, which will feature helpful insights and advice on ocean and river cruises, airfare, resorts and hotels, tours, travel fashion, tips and tricks, deals and trends.

Seminars are also planned, helping travelers to learn about international travel, eco-tourism, online booking, traveling alone, being safe during travel and much more. Raffle prizes will also be drawn throughout the day.

This is North Florida’s largest consumer travel expo!

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Do you remember the last time you had an evening out without the kids? Taking time for yourself is important for a parent’s sanity and gives your kids a sense of self and independence. This is true no matter the ages of your children, as everyone can benefit from a little “me” time now and then!

Lucky for us, there is no need to go through the stress of finding, vetting and hiring a babysitter.

 

Instead, your kids can go to a “Parents Night Out” event at one of the several businesses that offer them around World Golf Village. These are great because the kids stay occupied with activities (instead of sitting in front of a screen at home) and get social time with their peers.

Parents Night Out at Little Lambs Playhouse 

When: 3rd Friday of each month (next session: October 18), 5-10 p.m.

Where: Little Lambs Playhouse, 112 Nonami Court in Samara Lakes

Ages: 12 months and older

How much: $40 per child for 4 hours and $15 for each additional sibling

Reservations: (904) 687-0006 or katie@littlelambsplayhouse.com(message Katie to reserve)

More info: This is a great option for parents with toddlers. Pizza and ice cream sundaes will be served in addition to arts and crafts, playtime and a movie. **At this week’s session, kids are welcome to dress up in their (non-scary) Halloween costumes and will be able to decorate mini pumpkins to take home.

 

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St. Augustine is well known for its cultural celebrations, and none are as highly anticipated as the annual St. Augustine Greek Festival!

Running this weekend (October 11-13) at Francis Field, the event will feature all things Greek from authentic food and product vendors to live music and performances by dance troupes. A kid’s zone will also be set up with games and bounce houses.

Interested in learning popular Greek dances like Sirtaki, Hasapiko, Kalamatiano and Tsamiko—or just learning what they mean? Dance lessons will be hosted by dancers from Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in St. Augustine. Lessons are open to everyone and will be held between performances at the following times:

Friday – 6:15 p.m., 8:30 p.m.

Saturday – 12:15 p.m., 3:45 p.m., 5:15 p.m., 8:00 p.m.

Sunday – 1:45 p.m., 3:30 p.m.

Best of all, local traditional Greek food will be available. Come and enjoy Spanakopita, Gyros, Tiropites (Greek cheese pies), Baklava and much more! The Taverna will be serving imported Greek beers and wines.

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How is the Datil pepper like St. Augustine? We are both fairly small and delectably sweet with lots of spicy flavor, and we share a rich First Coast history! 

To celebrate this very special little pepper, the UF/IFAS Extension St. Johns County Agricultural Center will host the 12th Annual Datil Pepper Festival this weekend, October 5-6. The event is free for all and parking is free as well.

The festival’s main attraction is the Datil Pepper Cook-Off between local restaurants. Pay just $1 and you can sample each restaurant’s Datil pepper dishes, and then vote for your favorite dish from each category. Awards will be given to restaurants for “People’s Choice” as well as overall winner based on professional judges.

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If you are looking for ideas to make your home more beautiful, comfortable and efficient (and who isn’t?), plan to be wowed at the annual fall time Jacksonville Home + Patio Show this weekend!

 

Just some of the features include:

– Several speakers including Eric & Lindsay Bennett from HGTV’s Desert Flippers

– An Inspiration Stage (schedule) and Cooking Stage (schedule), each with ideas galore

– 332 Northeast Florida exhibitors offering products and services, all aimed at making your house and yard into your dream home (list of exhibitors)

– A “Make It, Take It” workshop with lots of crafty project opportunities

– Home On The Road feature with the latest homes on wheels from Creative RV and Gander RV/Camping World

– A Skilled Trades Resource Center with info about local apprenticeship programs, including Northeast Florida Builders Association (NEFBA)

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