Friday, Saturday & Sunday: November 5-7
30TH ANNUAL LINCOLNVILLE HERITAGE FESTIVAL
Come celebrate St. Augustine's amazing African-American heritage while enjoying great music, entertainment and family-fun activities. Headline performers include Boyz II Men, Kool and the Gang, Percy Sledge, The Blind Boys of Alabama, Guitar Shorty, the Jazz Ambassadors of the US Army Field Band, Willie Green and Joy Dennis. The Festival takes place Friday from 5 to 10 p.m., Saturday from noon to 10 p.m., and Sunday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Francis Field, located on Castillo Drive behind the Historic Downtown Parking Facility. General admission is $5 per person. VIP tickets are $35 - $50 for one day and $85 to $100 for three days. For more information call 904.471.1965 or visit http://www.lincolnvillefestival.com/.
Friday: November 5
FIRST FRIDAY ART WALK
Join one of St. Augustine's most popular cultural events on the first Friday of every month. Enjoy the latest exhibits, music, entertainment and refreshments at over 20 participating galleries - plus, great food courtesy of the St. Augustine Independent Restaurant Association. Tours begin at Rembrandtz American Craft Gallery, 131 King Street. Galleries are open from 5 to 9 p.m. St. Augustine Sightseeing Trains and Old Town Trolleys offer attendees a complimentary shuttle service from San Sebastian Winery to most of the galleries. Shuttles run on a continuous loop every 30 minutes. For more information, call 904.829.0065 or visit http://www.artgalleriesofstaugustine.com/.
PAINTING AND TRAVEL
Meet Roger Bansemer, the co-host of the soon-to-be-released PBS series "Painting and Travel". From 6-8 p.m., Roger will be at the St. Augustine Art Association to show some his work, talk about the show -even his pictorial account of his dive expedition to the Titanic. Admission is free. The St. Augustine Art Association is located at 22 Marine Street. For more information, call 904.824.2310.
ALL SIDES OF THE PARTHENON
Don't miss the opening reception for this fascinating exhibit devoted the Parthenon. The reception begins at 5 p.m. and at 6 p.m. Peter C. Yalanis will present a photographer's lecture titled Behind the Lens. At 6:30 p.m., Michael J. Reppas II, Esq. president of the ACRPS will present Effecting the Return of the Parthenon Marbles from London to Athens. His talk will address the aesthetic and historical importance of the Parthenon; the need for continuing education and promotion of the protection of cultural property and efforts to return looted Parthenon sculptures from London to Athens. It all takes place at St. Photios Greek Orthodox National Shrine, 41 St. George Street in St. Augustine. For more information, call 904.829.8205.
PARENTS' NIGHT OUT
On Friday night, November 5, from 6:00-10:00 p.m., The Alligator Farm will host Parents' Night Out, a fun-filled evening for kids to tour the park, play games and participate in hands-on wildlife presentations. The event, which includes pizza and drinks for kids, offers parents an opportunity to enjoy a night on the town or a quiet evening at home while knowing their children are in a safe, fun environment. Parents' Night Out is open to children aged 5 to 12; costs are $25 for Alligator Farm members and $30 for non-members. For more information, call 904.824.3337.
Friday and Saturday: November 5 & 6
FLAGLER COLLEGE "OTHER WORDS" NIGHT READING
On Friday night, Lola Haskins and Wil Haygood will present a reading of their short stories and poetic works. Saturday night features readings by Terese Svoboda and Diane Wakoski. The readings take place at 7:30 p.m. in Flagler Room of Flagler College's Ponce Hall, located at 74 King Street in St. Augustine. For more information, call 904.819.6400.
Saturday: November 6
GREAT FLORIDA BEACH WALK
Walk a mile along our great beaches and upload a photo to show the world just how beautiful (and oil-free) the beaches are in the Sunshine State. Organized by VISIT FLORIDA, the goal is to provide near real-time photos of all 825 miles of Florida's beaches. To signup, go to The Great VISIT FLORIDA Beach Walk. The deadline is 5 p.m. tomorrow (Thursday). The event runs from sunrise to 11 a.m. Professional photographer and Tourist Development Council executive director Glenn Hastings will be at the pier at St. Augustine Beach beginning at 6:30 a.m. to provide instruction in taking great beach photos. Re-enactors will be walking the beach in period clothing and sand sculptor Dave Walker will create a sand castle at Crescent Beach.
GULUWALK 5K
Get some exercise at the Guluwalk 5K run/walk departing at 9 a.m. along the beach just south of the St. Johns County Pier in St. Augustine Beach. The purpose is to raise money for war-affected youth in northern Uganda. For more information, call 904.540.5626.
FIRST FOOD, ST. AUGUSTINE AND THE BIRTHPLACE OF AMERICAN CUISINE
Come learn about the fabulous food that the earliest Floridians enjoyed. Interpretations and demonstrations of the food and foodways of early Florida and the southeastern U.S. will be demonstrated to the public by the living history group, Los Compañeros de la Cocina / The Companions of the Kitchen at the Colonial Spanish Quarter, 29 St. George Street in St. Augustine. The presentations will be open to the public from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free and samples of food are available for purchase. For more information, call 1.877.352.4478 or email info@companyofponcedeleon.org.
PELLICER CREEK KAYAK TOURS
Escape the hustle-bustle and explore an aquatic landscape that took shape after the last Ice Age. This guided kayak tour on the remote and serene Pellicer Creek takes place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. An interpretive naturalist will teach proper kayaking technique - so beginners are welcome. The tour starts from Faver Dykes State Park, 1000 Faver-Dykes Rd.located off US 1 at I-95 intersection in St. Augustine. The cost is $55 per person and includes park admission, guide, and kayaking equipment. For more information or to make reservations, call 904.347.1565.
LIVING HISTORY DAY AT FORT MATANZAS
Take the National Park Service's ferry to Rattlesnake Island and experience daily military life at Fort Matanzas - the 18th century Spanish fort that guarded the southern approach to St. Augustine. From 10:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m., authentically clad re-enactors will demonstrate Spanish muskets and cannons at the fort. Admission is free. Fort Matanzas National Monument is located on A1A at the south end of Anastasia Island approximately 15 miles south of St. Augustine. For more information, call 904.471.0116 or visit www.nps.gov/foma
FARM TO TABLE FUNDRAISER
Satisfy your appetite and contribute to a good cause at the Farm to Table Dinner Benefit and Silent Auction at the Augustine Grille at the Sawgrass Marriott Golf Resort and Spa in Ponte Vedra Beach. The five-course meal prepared by Northeast Florida's finest chefs will spotlight seasonal and signature dishes using fresh ingredients for local and regional farmers and artisans. The 6:30 p.m. event will benefit the Beaches Local Food Network's Children Gardening Program and Slow Food First Coast's school garden installations. The cost is $150 per person. For more information, call 904.270.0273.
Sunday: November 7
25th ANNUAL GREAT CHOWDER DEBATE
Satisfy your passion for great seafood at the Conch House Marina's celebrated annual Great Chowder Debate. More than 30 area restaurants come together to compete to see who has the best chowder. Everyone can be a judge and savor an almost limitless variety - from local favorites like Menorcan chowders to an assortment of New England chowders - made with clams, conch, lobster, scallops and crab and laced with secret concoctions of herbs and spices. The event starts at noon and runs throughout the day. All proceeds benefit the Shriners' Hospitals for Crippled Children. The Conch House Marina is located at 57 Comares Avenue in St. Augustine. For more Information, call 904.829.8646.
THOMAS PANDOLFI IN CONCERT
Pianist Thomas Pandolfi performs "the Revolutionary Piano" featuring music composed by Chopin and Liszt. Part of the EMMA Concert Series, the concert begins at 8 p.m. in the Flagler College Auditorium, located at 14 Granada Street in St. Augustine. Tickets are $25 per person. For more information call 904.797.2800 or visit http://www.emmaconcerts.com/.
30TH ANNUAL LINCOLNVILLE HERITAGE FESTIVAL
Come celebrate St. Augustine's amazing African-American heritage while enjoying great music, entertainment and family-fun activities. Headline performers include Boyz II Men, Kool and the Gang, Percy Sledge, The Blind Boys of Alabama, Guitar Shorty, the Jazz Ambassadors of the US Army Field Band, Willie Green and Joy Dennis. The Festival takes place Friday from 5 to 10 p.m., Saturday from noon to 10 p.m., and Sunday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Francis Field, located on Castillo Drive behind the Historic Downtown Parking Facility. General admission is $5 per person. VIP tickets are $35 - $50 for one day and $85 to $100 for three days. For more information call 904.471.1965 or visit http://www.lincolnvillefestival.com/.
Friday: November 5
FIRST FRIDAY ART WALK
Join one of St. Augustine's most popular cultural events on the first Friday of every month. Enjoy the latest exhibits, music, entertainment and refreshments at over 20 participating galleries - plus, great food courtesy of the St. Augustine Independent Restaurant Association. Tours begin at Rembrandtz American Craft Gallery, 131 King Street. Galleries are open from 5 to 9 p.m. St. Augustine Sightseeing Trains and Old Town Trolleys offer attendees a complimentary shuttle service from San Sebastian Winery to most of the galleries. Shuttles run on a continuous loop every 30 minutes. For more information, call 904.829.0065 or visit http://www.artgalleriesofstaugustine.com/.
PAINTING AND TRAVEL
Meet Roger Bansemer, the co-host of the soon-to-be-released PBS series "Painting and Travel". From 6-8 p.m., Roger will be at the St. Augustine Art Association to show some his work, talk about the show -even his pictorial account of his dive expedition to the Titanic. Admission is free. The St. Augustine Art Association is located at 22 Marine Street. For more information, call 904.824.2310.
ALL SIDES OF THE PARTHENON
Don't miss the opening reception for this fascinating exhibit devoted the Parthenon. The reception begins at 5 p.m. and at 6 p.m. Peter C. Yalanis will present a photographer's lecture titled Behind the Lens. At 6:30 p.m., Michael J. Reppas II, Esq. president of the ACRPS will present Effecting the Return of the Parthenon Marbles from London to Athens. His talk will address the aesthetic and historical importance of the Parthenon; the need for continuing education and promotion of the protection of cultural property and efforts to return looted Parthenon sculptures from London to Athens. It all takes place at St. Photios Greek Orthodox National Shrine, 41 St. George Street in St. Augustine. For more information, call 904.829.8205.
PARENTS' NIGHT OUT
On Friday night, November 5, from 6:00-10:00 p.m., The Alligator Farm will host Parents' Night Out, a fun-filled evening for kids to tour the park, play games and participate in hands-on wildlife presentations. The event, which includes pizza and drinks for kids, offers parents an opportunity to enjoy a night on the town or a quiet evening at home while knowing their children are in a safe, fun environment. Parents' Night Out is open to children aged 5 to 12; costs are $25 for Alligator Farm members and $30 for non-members. For more information, call 904.824.3337.
Friday and Saturday: November 5 & 6
FLAGLER COLLEGE "OTHER WORDS" NIGHT READING
On Friday night, Lola Haskins and Wil Haygood will present a reading of their short stories and poetic works. Saturday night features readings by Terese Svoboda and Diane Wakoski. The readings take place at 7:30 p.m. in Flagler Room of Flagler College's Ponce Hall, located at 74 King Street in St. Augustine. For more information, call 904.819.6400.
Saturday: November 6
GREAT FLORIDA BEACH WALK
Walk a mile along our great beaches and upload a photo to show the world just how beautiful (and oil-free) the beaches are in the Sunshine State. Organized by VISIT FLORIDA, the goal is to provide near real-time photos of all 825 miles of Florida's beaches. To signup, go to The Great VISIT FLORIDA Beach Walk. The deadline is 5 p.m. tomorrow (Thursday). The event runs from sunrise to 11 a.m. Professional photographer and Tourist Development Council executive director Glenn Hastings will be at the pier at St. Augustine Beach beginning at 6:30 a.m. to provide instruction in taking great beach photos. Re-enactors will be walking the beach in period clothing and sand sculptor Dave Walker will create a sand castle at Crescent Beach.
GULUWALK 5K
Get some exercise at the Guluwalk 5K run/walk departing at 9 a.m. along the beach just south of the St. Johns County Pier in St. Augustine Beach. The purpose is to raise money for war-affected youth in northern Uganda. For more information, call 904.540.5626.
FIRST FOOD, ST. AUGUSTINE AND THE BIRTHPLACE OF AMERICAN CUISINE
Come learn about the fabulous food that the earliest Floridians enjoyed. Interpretations and demonstrations of the food and foodways of early Florida and the southeastern U.S. will be demonstrated to the public by the living history group, Los Compañeros de la Cocina / The Companions of the Kitchen at the Colonial Spanish Quarter, 29 St. George Street in St. Augustine. The presentations will be open to the public from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free and samples of food are available for purchase. For more information, call 1.877.352.4478 or email info@companyofponcedeleon.org.
PELLICER CREEK KAYAK TOURS
Escape the hustle-bustle and explore an aquatic landscape that took shape after the last Ice Age. This guided kayak tour on the remote and serene Pellicer Creek takes place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. An interpretive naturalist will teach proper kayaking technique - so beginners are welcome. The tour starts from Faver Dykes State Park, 1000 Faver-Dykes Rd.located off US 1 at I-95 intersection in St. Augustine. The cost is $55 per person and includes park admission, guide, and kayaking equipment. For more information or to make reservations, call 904.347.1565.
LIVING HISTORY DAY AT FORT MATANZAS
Take the National Park Service's ferry to Rattlesnake Island and experience daily military life at Fort Matanzas - the 18th century Spanish fort that guarded the southern approach to St. Augustine. From 10:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m., authentically clad re-enactors will demonstrate Spanish muskets and cannons at the fort. Admission is free. Fort Matanzas National Monument is located on A1A at the south end of Anastasia Island approximately 15 miles south of St. Augustine. For more information, call 904.471.0116 or visit www.nps.gov/foma
FARM TO TABLE FUNDRAISER
Satisfy your appetite and contribute to a good cause at the Farm to Table Dinner Benefit and Silent Auction at the Augustine Grille at the Sawgrass Marriott Golf Resort and Spa in Ponte Vedra Beach. The five-course meal prepared by Northeast Florida's finest chefs will spotlight seasonal and signature dishes using fresh ingredients for local and regional farmers and artisans. The 6:30 p.m. event will benefit the Beaches Local Food Network's Children Gardening Program and Slow Food First Coast's school garden installations. The cost is $150 per person. For more information, call 904.270.0273.
Sunday: November 7
25th ANNUAL GREAT CHOWDER DEBATE
Satisfy your passion for great seafood at the Conch House Marina's celebrated annual Great Chowder Debate. More than 30 area restaurants come together to compete to see who has the best chowder. Everyone can be a judge and savor an almost limitless variety - from local favorites like Menorcan chowders to an assortment of New England chowders - made with clams, conch, lobster, scallops and crab and laced with secret concoctions of herbs and spices. The event starts at noon and runs throughout the day. All proceeds benefit the Shriners' Hospitals for Crippled Children. The Conch House Marina is located at 57 Comares Avenue in St. Augustine. For more Information, call 904.829.8646.
THOMAS PANDOLFI IN CONCERT
Pianist Thomas Pandolfi performs "the Revolutionary Piano" featuring music composed by Chopin and Liszt. Part of the EMMA Concert Series, the concert begins at 8 p.m. in the Flagler College Auditorium, located at 14 Granada Street in St. Augustine. Tickets are $25 per person. For more information call 904.797.2800 or visit http://www.emmaconcerts.com/.
Kayak Canoe South Florida Everglades
5 Places to Kayak or Canoe in South Florida
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Here are five of the region's most interesting waters -- all located within a 1 ½-hour drive of Miami-Dade and Broward counties.
OLETA RIVER
Hard to believe there's a free-flowing, un-channeled river that courses through urban north Miami-Dade County. Welcome to the Oleta, which winds for about six miles from the Sunny Isles Bridge through Maule Lake north to Ives Dairy Road. While much of the river is lined with homes, there is a 1 ½-mile stretch between the Sunny Isles and Diefenbach bridges that can fool you into believing you're in the Everglades.
You'll pass mangroves uncut since the 1920s; cheeping ospreys guarding nests; narrow spur creeks with jumping mullet, and perhaps even a cruising manatee.
For the sharp-eyed, there's a nondescript shoreline just a brief paddle from East Greynolds Park that holds Tequesta Indian artifacts dating back thousands of years. On a guided trip with Miami-Dade County Parks naturalists several years ago, a group found ancient pieces of tools fashioned from conch shells and some remnants of clay pottery.
You can launch your own kayak or canoe at Oleta River State Park, 3400 NE 163rd St., North Miami; rent a canoe or kayak from Blue Moon Outdoor Center in the park (305-957- 3040), or join one of Blue Moon's guided tours.
GABLES WATERWAY
The manmade Coral Gables canal, blasted out of the city's limestone foundation in the early 20th century by pioneer developer George Merrick, provides an intriguing peek into the backyards of one of the region's toniest neighborhoods. Paddlers are able to peruse dream homes of every type and style, check out opulent yachts and sportfishing boats, and be barked at by a wide variety of designer dogs.
This water-level tour of the City Beautiful is surprisingly scenic. Many of the homes don't have concrete seawalls; instead they are lined with natural limestone that resembles mini-Mount Rushmore faces with mosses and ferns sprouting here and there.
The bird life is rich: you could spot egret, ibis, heron, cormorant, anhinga and kite. Of course, there's always the possibility of a chance encounter with a manatee.
A highlight for some paddlers is to head west toward the Biltmore Hotel to pause and admire the resort's soaring tower -- and dodge flying golf balls driven by errant duffers. You can launch your own kayak or canoe beneath the Metrorail tracks at Riviera Drive and Ponce de Leon, or join a Miami-Dade Parks Department eco-adventure tour (305-365-3018).
BEAR LAKE
CANOE TRAIL
One of the best reasons to take this 1.6-mile jaunt through the heart of Flamingo in Everglades National Park -- besides the spectacular scenery and wildlife -- is to appreciate the volunteer labor that makes the trip possible.
A small group of hardy South Florida paddlers used a lot of the same, crude hand tools employed by the 1920s dredging crew that carved out the Homestead Canal to re-open this deadfall-blocked waterway in 2009.
Rendered impassable by downed trees and sunken logs deposited by Hurricanes Katrina and Wilma in 2005, the Bear Lake trail now is open from the put-in off Bear Lake Road near the Flamingo entrance all the way to Bear Lake and to the loop to Mud Lake, Coot Bay and Buttonwood Canal.
Paddlers are liable to see just about any Everglades-dwelling creature on this trip. The volunteer clean-up crew encountered alligators, crocodiles, flamingoes, pygmy rattlesnakes -- and had a tarpon jump into their johnboat.
The trail can be very buggy; come with long sleeves, long pants and insect repellent. You can launch your own paddlecraft or rent a canoe or kayak at the Flamingo marina (239-695-3101), but you will have to transport it to the put-in yourself.
EAST RIVER
Not to be confused with the Big Apple river of the same name, this hauntingly beautiful paddling trail is worth the 1 ½-hour trip to the hidden put-in on Tamiami Trail just a few miles west of State Road 29.
The East River winds through narrow mangrove tunnels and small open bays for about five miles through the Fakahatchee Strand State Preserve to empty into Fakahatchee Bay at Daniels Point. Some of the tunnels are so narrow that kayak paddles have to be broken in two to navigate; in others, paddlers must pull themselves hand-over-hand using red mangrove boughs.
The visual rewards are stunning: shaded cathedrals of greenery draped with orchids, bromeliads and ferns open into scenic rookeries with a rich variety of bird life.
Daniels Point is a small turn-of-the-century island settlement that makes an ideal lunch spot. The old arsenic vat used to dip cattle 100 years ago is still there.
This trip is best timed with a tide chart to avoid paddling against strong currents. Because of the many twists, turns and blind passes on the trail, it is best to join a guided tour before attempting this trip on your own. Call 239-695-4593 for tour information.
LOXAHATCHEE RIVER
Flowing 10 miles from the C-18 canal in central Palm Beach County northeast to Jupiter Inlet, the Loxahatchee is more like two rivers than one. The upstream, freshwater section coils through the shady cypress forest of Jonathan Dickinson State Park, providing a highway for alligators and otters and shelter for birds. It splashes over two small dams and leads to a dilapidated boat dock, a few huts and abandoned animal cages in the middle of the woods.
Now part of the state park, this is the former home of South Florida's own real-life Tarzan figure, Trapper Nelson, who lived off the land from the 1940s until his mysterious shooting death in 1968. It's a great place to take a tour, stretch cramped legs and eat lunch.
Past Trapper Nelson's settlement, the river becomes wide and salty as ocean water washes inland through Jupiter Inlet. Red mangroves replace cypress trees on the banks, and paddlers are almost certain to spot an osprey scanning the waters for a fish dinner.
It is absolutely no surprise the Loxahatchee was the first Florida river to receive a federal ``wild and scenic'' designation.
You can launch your own canoe or kayak at Riverbend Park, 9060 Indiantown Rd., Jupiter or rent a paddlecraft from Canoe Outfitters (561-746-7053).
