Fireworks over the Matanzas
Fireworks Over the Matanzas, the City of St. Augustine’s annual Independence Day celebration, returns Saturday, July 4, with The All-Star Orchestra performing a two-hour concert in the Plaza de la Constitución, starting at 6:00pm, with the sounds of popular patriotic tunes.
The 20-minute fireworks display starts at 9:00pm, 30 minutes earlier than years past, reaching high over Matanzas Bay with a choreographed soundtrack of popular and patriotic music delivered over an extensive sound system on the bayfront, transforming Avenida Menendez between the Castillo de San Marcos National Monument and the Bridge of Lions into a theatre of sight and sound, marking the America250 celebration in the Nation’s Oldest City.
Free Park & Ride Shuttle
The City of St. Augustine will offer satellite parking and free shuttle service on Anastasia Island, donated by Old Town Trolley Tours. Parking and shuttle service will be available from 6:00pm until midnight from the following parking locations along Anastasia Blvd.:
- Anastasia Baptist Church (1650 A1A South),
- St. Augustine Amphitheatre (1340-C A1A South),
- R.B. Hunt Elementary School (125 Magnolia Dr.) and
- *St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park (999 Anastasia Blvd.).
*This is a parking-only location. Those who park here will access the shuttle at R.B. Hunt Elementary School by crossing Anastasia Blvd. at the lighted crosswalk just east of the attraction.
Ripley’s Believe it or Not
WEIRDEST BLOCK PARTY at Ripley’s on Saturday, July 4 in St. Augustine, Florida!
This Fourth of July, Ripley’s Believe It or Not! St. Augustine is throwing America’s Weirdest Block Party — a free outdoor celebration packed with live entertainment, family fun, strange history, and unbelievable moments.
In addition to America 250, Ripley’s St. Augustine is also celebrating 75 years of wonder in the nation’s oldest city.
Guests can enjoy live music, face painting, giveaways, audience trivia, family contests, and a featured performance from Captain & Maybelle. The celebration will also spotlight the grand opening of Ripley’s Mirror Maze and the return of the new and improved Red Trains, now refreshed with an updated experience and all-new storytelling.
One of the day’s most unique highlights will be a live art demonstration from Sunscribes, who will complete the final John Hancock on a massive 4-by-5-foot Declaration of Independence using the power of the sun.
EVENT SCHEDULE
3:00 PM — Event begins
4:00 PM — Emcee welcome and weird history kickoff
4:15 PM — Sunscribes live art demonstration begins
5:00 PM — Family contests, audience trivia, and giveaways
5:30 PM — Featured set from Captain & Maybelle
6:30 PM — Final music and patriotic crowd moment
St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum
June-July: Get a 15% discount on general admission and Dark of the Moon Ghost Experiences with code USA15 at staugustinelighthouse.org and click on TICKETs
Governor’s House and Cultural Center
Florida at War — St. Augustine in the American Revolution
🕰️ Open daily from 10 AM-5 PM — Free admission
📍48 King Street
St. Augustine, Florida
St. Augustine played an important role in the American Revolution — but not on the side of American independence! The city and its residents remained loyal to Great Britain, with many consequences. Find out about their story at the Governor’s House Cultural Center and Museum. This exhibit was curated by members of the UF Historic St. Augustine (UFHSA) Education Committee.
👉🏽Find more events at staugustinehistoryfestival.com
Villa Zorayda
NEW EXHIBIT! 🗝️Building America — The Life and Vision of Franklin W. Smith at the Villa Zorayda Museum
📍Villa Zorayda Museum
83 King Street
St. Augustine, Florida
Franklin Webster Smith (1826–1911) was an American reformer, visionary and entrepreneur whose influence extended far beyond his success as a Boston hardware merchant. An early abolitionist, author, architectural enthusiast and founding member of the first YMCA in the United States, Smith believed deeply in social progress, civic responsibility, and cultural exchange. He was also a pioneer of early American tourism, drawn to places where history and innovation converged.
In 1883, Smith constructed Villa Zorayda as his winter residence in St. Augustine, introducing a bold architectural vision to the city. Inspired by Moorish and Spanish Revival design, Smith employed a revived ancient building technique using poured concrete, a mixture of Portland cement, sand, and locally sourced coquina shell. This innovative method reintroduced centuries-old construction practices to modern America and left a lasting imprint on local architecture. (He inspired Henry Flagler to build his hotels with this construction method.)
Today, Villa Zorayda stands as one of St. Augustine’s most significant historic structures and a remarkable example of Gilded Age ingenuity. Now a museum, the grand home offers self-guided audio tours that explore both its architectural history and its exceptional art collection, assembled by Smith and expanded by the Villa’s second owner, Abraham Mussallem. Together, their stories illuminate a legacy of creativity, global influence, and enduring cultural significance.
The St. Augustine History Festival runs May 6-10. Find more events at staugustinehistoryfestival.com
St. Augustine Music Festival performances at the Castillo de San Marcos on July 3
As the St. Augustine Music Festival celebrates its 20th Anniversary Season, the organizations partners with the National Park Service and the St. Johns Cultural Council to present this special tribute.
Set within the historic Castillo de San Marcos, Independence on the Ramparts helps launch St. Augustine’s observance of America’s 250th Anniversary. This free public event brings history to life through the stirring sounds of fifes, drums, and brass, celebrating the spirit of freedom and the rich heritage of our nation’s oldest city.
The music festival dedicates this event to the patrons, donors, volunteers, and musicians whose support has sustained the St. Augustine Music Festival for twenty remarkable years.
11:30 AM – 2:30 PM
Period fife and drum musicians will perform throughout the fort, recreating the sounds of America’s early years.
1:00 PM, 2:00 PM, 3:00 PM & 4:00 PM
A brass quintet will present patriotic and historically inspired music, with each performance beginning with a ceremonial trumpet fanfare.
OakFest at Colonial Oak Music Park
Three days of free concerts at the Colonial Oak Music Park at the Colonial Quarter in downtown St. Augustine — celebrating 11 years of the music park!
- Friday, July 3: Versvtile at 7 p.m.
- Saturday, July 4: Tru Phonic at 3 p.m. and Tennessee Ensemble at 7 p.m.
- Sunday, July 5: Muhly at 3 p.m.
St. Augustine & The Birth of America Historic Walking Tour
Learn all about St. Augustine’s ties to the Declaration of Independence and many more Revolutionary War tales by joining St. Augustine City Walks for the FREE “St. Augustine & the Birth of America Historic Walking Tours” every Saturday in July at 6 PM
The tour leaves from 4 Granada Street. Space is limited. Advance reservations are required. Call 904-825-0087 to RSVP
This new tour will also be offered as a private tour. To learn more about rates and times, please contact 904-825-0087.
🔗StAugustineCityWalks.com
St. Augustine Art Association exhibit
“When in the Course of Human Events” is presented by the St Augustine Art Association as part of the America 250 celebration.
Artists were invited to consider the Declaration of Independence as a whole and how its philosophies or grievance resolutions have evolved over the years.
The exhibit is on view through August 2 in the gallery and online at staaa.org
📍22 Marine Street
St. Augustine, Florida
Ximenez-Fatio House Museum America250 events
Events will take place at 20 Aviles Street
Summer Night Market on Friday, July 3
This special First Friday event will feature live music, local vendors, and more. The theme for the evening is America250, serving as a kickoff to the nation’s upcoming 250th anniversary celebration. Admission is free, and all are welcome to attend! No registration is necessary.
Vendor List:
Kourtney Tolbert @seasidesistasoapco
Laura O’Kelly @FineArtByLauraOkelly
Nataliia Moskalenko @nataliem.store.knit
Author John Jessop
Laura Ochoa @laurajoceramics
Ezra Ochoa @ochoaartisanco
Author Jana Brenner @JC_Brenner
Viktoria Koval @uniquemandalaart
Cathy Arther (no social media) It Is All About The Flowers
DAR-Maria Jefferson Chapter
Katherine Hartman @Freckled_fish ocean style jewelry
Saturday, July 4 $2.50 admission for historic house tours with a donation/sponsorship to the nonprofit museum
Declaration of Independence nationwide reading on Wednesday, July 8 starting at 5 p.m. in the Plaza de la Constitucion, and continuing with a patriotic walk down Aviles Street to the museum, followed by a ceremony and reading. This event is in partnership with the Daughters of the American Revolution Maria Jefferson Chapter, the Sons of the the American Revolution St. Augustine Chapter, along with the National Society of Colonial Dames of America in the State of Florida. Local community leaders will read selected portions as voices across the country join together.
Schooner Freedom celebrates 25 years — St. Augustine’s only tall ship
Celebrating 25 years of this family owned and operated sailing experience, The Freedom is the largest U.S. Coast Guard certified sailing schooner in St. Augustine and the only one in northeast Florida. St. Augustine’s premier tall ship is 76 feet of steel, built in Norfolk, Virginia and brought to St, Augustine by owners Captain John Zaruba and his wife, Admiral Sarah. Freedom is the only schooner charter vessel between Charleston and the Florida Keys. With nearly 2,400 square feet of sail, she is an honorable testament to naval history and to the privateers of the early 1800s. Sails are available on July 4th to experience America’s 250th. Learn more at schoonerfreedom.com
Lightner Museum Pool Party Summer Market
Friday, July 3: Shop from local artisans around the historic swimming pool area of Lightner Museum from 5:30-8 p.m. Enjoy family activities, games and giveaways, poolside jams from Tone Vendor Record Store DJs, a photobooth by The Social Book STA, the St. Johns County Library, and a book signing by Rise + Shine author Lisa Hanse in the Lightner Museum Store. Admission is free. Refreshments will be available for purchase at this event that coincides with First Friday Art Walk.
Lightner Museum Exhibition: America 250 Plein Air Paintings from America’s First Coast
On view through July 14: As the nation marks its 250th anniversary, this exhibit by First Coast Plein Air Painters highlights the legacy of Plein air painting that was popular in the late 19th century as America’s first coast emerged as a seasonal haven for painters from artist colonies across the United States. They were captivated by the regions expansive skies, historic architecture and diverse landscapes. Many found eager patrons among the Gilded Age visitors who wintered at Henry Flagler’s grand hotels, ensuring that art became a defining feature of the region’s cultural fabric.
Lightner Museum Exhibition — Alex Devereux: The American Traveler
On view through August 16, The American Traveler is a meditation on the restless spirit of exploration that defines the American experience. From the mythology of the open road to the enduring allure of Route 66, travel functions as both a literal journey and a powerful symbol of the American Dream. Devereaux explores the ethers through iconic imagery: cars idling beneath neon signs, train tracks fading into distant horizons, and roadside architecture poised between past prosperity and present decline.
St. Augustine Scenic Cruise
Since the 1900’s St. Augustine Scenic Cruise has been giving visitors to St. Augustine a unique view of the city and a way to enjoy St. Augustine’s historic land marks and natural beauty.
The Usina’s were among settlers from the island of Minorca, located off the coast of Spain, finally settling in St. Augustine in 1777. Many of their descendants remain in St. Augustine today. In 1900 Captain Frank Usina and his wife, Catherine, could not return to Miami were he had been working as a carpenter on the Miami train station because of an outbreak of yellow fever.
They settled in the area known today as North Beach, then accessible only by boat. Henry Flagler approached Frank and his wife, asking them to hold oyster roasts for friends and guests staying at his Ponce De Leon Hotel, now Flagler College, and the Alcazar Hotel, now the Lightner Museum. The outings to North Beach became a regular attraction, and thus, the family boat business was born. Initially starting with a chartered launch, Frank ferried guests to and from North Beach for Minorcan Style dinners, oysters, music, dancing and sightseeing along the Matanzas Bay.
Boat rides are available throughout July 4th weekend. More details at https://scenic-cruise.com/schedule-rates/
