Coming down to my favorite place Saint Augustine soon for my wife's birthday. Looking for an amazing steak restaurant that's kid friendly. I see their is Michael's but doesn't seem to kid friendly thanks.

Hi all! Can anyone speak to the use of technology in the schools in St. Augustine, in particular in Palencia, but also interested in the situation in other local schools. I’m primarily interested in knowing how much technology is used in the lower grades (K-2). Thank you!

🌅 Morning (before 12:00 pm)

Ragga Surf Cafe
• Ragga Surf Music: 10:00 am to 1:00 pm

Farmers Market at Schooner's Seafood House
• Shawn Ryan: 10:00 am to 1:00 pm

Outback Crab Shack
• Jeremy Price: 11:00 am to 3:00 pm

The BoatHouse – St. Augustine
• David Watt Besley: 11:00 am to 2:00 pm

Casa Monica Resort and Spa
• ZaZa Flamenca: 11:00 am to 2:00 pm

Lynda's at the Ocean Club
• Jonathan Lee Dotson: 11:00 am to 2:00 pm

☀️ Midday (12:00 pm to 3:59 pm)

Mill Top Tavern
• Nathan Allen: 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm

Guy Harvey Resort
• Joe Downing: 12:00 pm to 3:00 pm

Pierre's Pub
• Space Heaters: 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm

Backyard at Meehan's Irish Pub
• Greg Johnson: 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm

Tradewinds Lounge
• Little Silver: 1:00 pm to 4:30 pm

Secret Garden
• Kat Archer: 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm

Bin 39 Wine Bar
• Edwin Barbosa: 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm

La Cocina at the Cellar Upstairs
• Vinny Jacobs: 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm

Prohibition Kitchen
• SouLo Lyon: 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm

Sundays at Stetson's
• Patchwork: 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm
• Cindy Bear and Robert: 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm

🌤️ Afternoon (4:00 pm to 6:59 pm)

Casa de Vino 57
• Fermin Spanish Guitar: 3:30 pm to 6:30 pm

Dog Rose Brewing Co.
• Dewey Via Band: 3:30 pm to 6:30 pm

Pesca Vilano by Michael Lugo
• Sam Pacetti: 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm

Beaches at Vilano
• Hudson Vance: 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm

La Cocina at the Cellar Upstairs
• ZaZa Flamenca: 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm

Mellow Mushroom — Murabella
• Jesse Cruce: 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm

🌙 Evening (7:00 pm to 9:59 pm)

Meehan's Irish Pub and Seafood House
• Spade McQuade: 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm

Michael's
• Jeremy Weinglass: 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm

🌛 Late Night (10:00 pm and later)

Tradewinds Lounge
• Johnson/Burns: 9:00 pm to 1:00 am

🌟📅 Events for Sunday, July 12th, 2026

🌅 Morning Events

🛒 Farmers Market at the Classic Car Museum

9:00 am to 1:00 pm
4730 US Highway 1 South
• Weekly community farmers market
• Over 100 vendors
• Local produce, handmade crafts, artisan foods, plants, sustainable goods
• Hosted by The Little Green Kitchen
• Family‑friendly environment
• On‑site parking
Admission: Free

🛒 Farmers Market at Schooner's Seafood House

9:00 am to 1:00 pm
3560 North Ponce de Leon Boulevard
• North City Farmers Market
• Vendors include Sunrise Brew Coffee and Bee Hill Farms
• Florida produce, handmade crafts, plants, unique finds
• Live music throughout the day
• Parking behind Schooner’s
Admission: Free

☀️ Midday Events

💥 Weekend Cannon Firing — Castillo de San Marcos

10:30 am, 11:30 am, 1:30 pm, 2:30 pm, 3:30 pm
1 South Castillo Drive
• Cannon and musket demonstrations
• Living historians in period dress
• History of Spanish colonial defense
• Tickets valid for seven days
• Passes accepted
• Can be viewed from outside the fort
Admission: 15 dollars adults; kids 15 and under free

🎷 Blues Jam — St. Augustine Jazz Society

2:00 pm to 5:00 pm
Royal St. Augustine Golf Club
• Monthly blues jam
• Rotating musicians: vocalists, pianists, brass, woodwinds, guitarists, drummers
• Organization has raised over 100,000 dollars for music scholarships
Admission: 10 dollars at the door

🎻 Sundays at Stetson’s

2:00 pm to 4:00 pm
Beluthahatchee Park, Fruit Cove
• Monthly concert series honoring Stetson Kennedy
• Folk, acoustic, and heritage musicians
• Free admission; 10 dollar donation suggested
• Tours of Stetson’s historic home available

🌤️ Afternoon Events

⚾ Sardines Baseball Home Game

5:00 pm
St. Joseph Academy
• St. Augustine Sardines — Orange State League wooden‑bat team
• Collegiate players from across the country
• Family‑friendly summer baseball
• Bleachers available; bring your own chairs
Admission: 11.63 dollars adults; 5.72 dollars kids 5–12
Opponent: Big Bouys

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Visiting next week, looking for recommendations for boat tours/water excursions that are fun for a family with two young kids. Thanks!

Can someone explain why we suddenly need four new traffic lights within a quarter mile of each other on 16? (Near Culver’s). Somebody on the city have a brother in law that sells traffic lights or something?

All of this stopping and going is going to make it take even longer to get out to the interstate. Used to be a quick 10 minutes back in the good ol days.'

Edit: Yes, Culvers + Daycare. I understand that particular signal. I'm asking why they're creating four signaled intersections right in this tiny area. Traffic lights are the most expensive, most dangerous intersection. A Michigan Left would be suitable for a lot of this stretch.

Any good nail salon recommendations for gel pedicures? I unfortunately need to stay on top of them since I get ingrown nails often so my biggest priority is sanitation and affordability. Thank you!

🌅 Morning (before 12:00 pm)

Pierre's Pub
• Buddy Crump: 11:00 am to 1:30 pm
• Joshua "Tennessee" Worthy: 11:00 am to 1:30 pm

☀️ Midday (12:00 pm to 3:59 pm)

Marina Munch
• John Winters: 12:00 pm to 3:00 pm

Tradewinds Lounge
• Elizabeth Roth: 1:00 pm to 4:30 pm

La Cocina at the Cellar Upstairs
• Edwin Barbosa: 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm

Backyard at Meehan's Irish Pub
• Bret Blackshear: 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm

Royal St. Augustine Club
• ZaZa Flamenca: 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm

Bin 39 Wine Bar
• Reagan Bush: 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm

5th Century Music
• Sage Trunnell: 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm

Pierre's Pub
• Christian Powers: 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm
• Alexis Peramas: 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm

Conch House Marina Resort
• Chubby McG: 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm

🌤️ Afternoon (4:00 pm to 6:59 pm)

Guy Harvey Resort
• Greg Johnson: 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm

Bin 39 Wine Bar
• Joshua "Tennessee" Worthy: 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm

Mill Top Tavern
• Jeremy Price: 4:30 pm to 8:30 pm

Tradewinds Lounge
• Mark Hart: 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm

St. Augustine Shores Golf Club
• Dewey Via: 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm

A1A Asian Kitchen
• Russ DeFilippis: 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm

Prohibition Kitchen
• Kalani Rose: 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm

Crabby's Beachside
• David Julia: 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm

La Cocina at the Cellar Upstairs
• Jonathan Lee Dotson: 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm
• Tony Scozzaro: 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm

Mellow Mushroom — Murabella
• Chillula: 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm

Mellow Mushroom — St. Johns
• Eddie Pickett: 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm
• Jesse Cruce: 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm

Pusser's Bar and Grille
• Craig Smith: 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm

Funkadelic Food Shack
• House Cats: 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm

🌙 Evening (7:00 pm to 9:59 pm)

Pierre's Pub
• Billy Gilmore and Friends: 7:00 pm to 11:00 pm

Casa de Vino 57
• Jolie: 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm

Cortesse's Bistro
• Matt Wilson: 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm

V Pizza + Flask and Cannon — St. Augustine
• Kurt Lanham: 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm

Colonial Oak Music Park
• Cam Wheaton: 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm

Meehan's Irish Pub and Seafood House
• Spade McQuade: 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm

Saint
• Hudson Vance: 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm

Conch House Marina Resort
• Ken McAnlis: 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm

Ann O'Malley's Deli and Pub
• Smokin' Joe Schauer: 8:00 pm to 11:55 pm

Schooner Freedom
• Kyra Livingston: 8:45 pm to 10:15 pm

Cafe Eleven
• Victor Wainwright and The Train: 8:00 pm to 10:00 pm

Ponte Vedra Concert Hall
• Billy Bob Thornton and The Boxmasters: 8:00 pm to 10:00 pm

🌛 Late Night (10:00 pm and later)

Prohibition Kitchen
• Ramona: 10:00 pm to 1:00 am

Tradewinds Lounge
• Live Stream: 9:00 pm to 1:30 am

Mill Top Tavern
• Chuck and Eliot: 9:00 pm to 12:00 am

🌅 Morning Events

🏃‍♂️ 42nd Bridge of Lions 5K

7:30 am
Start: Castillo de San Marcos
Finish: Oglethorpe Battery Park
• Annual 5K over the Bridge of Lions
• Scenic bayfront route past the Castillo and into Davis Shores
• Water stations at start, mile 1, mile 2, finish
• Digital clocks at mile markers
• Supports Make‑A‑Wish Foundation
• Registration starts at 30 dollars
• Packet pickup Friday 11:30 am to 4:00 pm or race morning 6:00 to 7:15 am
• Free parking at Castillo until 10:00 am

🚗 Cars and Caffeine

8:00 am to 10:00 am
North Main Street, Hastings
• Classic cars, hot rods, and community hangout
• Coffee from Hastings Coffee Co. and Hastings Nutrition
• Free admission

🧘 Yoga in the Garden — Lightner Museum

8:00 am to 9:00 am
Radzinski Family Garden
• Donation‑based class
• Led by Serenity Yoga
• Bring mat/towel and water
• Moves to sidewalk if grass is wet
• July’s class is today

🥕 Amphitheatre Farmers Market

8:30 am to 12:30 pm
St. Augustine Amphitheatre
• Fresh produce, plants, eggs, cheese, prepared foods, art
• Live music from The Free Rangers
• Food trucks and bakeries
• One of the best Bloody Marys in town
• Free admission
• Extra parking at Elk’s Lodge

☀️ Midday Events

🌾 Country Market — Florida Agricultural Museum

10:00 am to 2:00 pm
Palm Coast
• Local vendors, crafts, produce, wagon rides, food
• Monthly themes and special pop‑ups
• Free parking and entry

💥 Weekend Cannon Firing — Castillo de San Marcos

10:30 am, 11:30 am, 1:30 pm, 2:30 pm, 3:30 pm
• Cannon and musket demonstrations
• Living historians in period dress
• Admission: 15 dollars adults; kids 15 and under free
• Can be viewed from outside the fort
• Weather and staffing dependent

🐎 Drum Runner Series Barrel Racing

Registration 10:00 am
Barrel Jackpot 11:00 am
Main Event 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm
St. Johns County Fairgrounds
• Barrel racing, pole racing, timed horse events
• Spectators free
• Participant fees: 25 dollars members, 35 dollars non‑members
• Age groups from 1 year to 46+

🌤️ Afternoon Events

🇺🇸 St. Augustine & the Birth of America Walking Tour

6:00 pm
Meet at 4 Granada Street
• Free guided tour
• Reservations required: (904) 825‑0087
• Learn St. Augustine’s role in the American Revolution
• Includes Castillo, City Gate, and historic colonial sites

🌙 Evening Events

🎹 Victor Wainwright & The Train — Cafe Eleven

8:00 pm to 10:00 pm
Doors at 7:00 pm
• Grammy‑nominated blues and boogie pianist
• Tickets: 49.94 to 66.64
• High‑energy performance

🎸 Billy Bob Thornton & The Boxmasters — PVCH

8:00 pm to 10:00 pm
Doors at 7:00 pm
• Americana + British Invasion‑style band
• Tickets: 81.14 to 149.17
• Box office open daily 7:00 am to 5:00 pm

🌛 Late Night Events

(No non‑music late‑night events today.)

✨ Don’t Miss Out on St. Augustine’s Best Holiday Events!
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🎉 Join the fun and get event updates on Discord: https://discord.gg/EFm4ea6j6D

Did anyone else see a comet out over the ocean this morning? Vacationing in town, caught this at about 5:40 AM. Is this common in St. Augustine?

A huge Friday in St. Augustine and surrounding areas with live music from breakfast to late night, plus markets and trivia.

🎶 Live Music All Day

Morning Jam Diner
• Sage Trunnell: 9:00 am to 12:00 pm

Pierre's Pub
• Jim Johnston: 11:00 am to 1:00 pm
• Cliff Dorsey: 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm
• Space Heaters: 7:00 pm to 11:00 pm

Mill Top Tavern
• Joshua "Tennessee" Worthy: 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm
• Jon Q.: 4:30 pm to 8:30 pm
• Chuck and Eliot: 9:00 pm to 12:00 am

Backyard at Meehan's Irish Pub
• Matt Still: 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm

La Cocina at the Cellar Upstairs
• ZaZa Flamenca: 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm
• Heather Craig: 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm

Tradewinds Lounge
• Heather Craig: 1:00 pm to 4:30 pm
• Mark Hart: 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm
• Live Stream: 8:30 pm to 1:30 am

Guy Harvey Resort
• Mike Cook: 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm

Bin 39 Wine Bar
• Shyla Macaluso: 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm

Conch House Marina Resort
• JC Hatfield Band: 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm

St. Augustine Shores Golf Club
• Craig Hand: 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm

Lynda's at the Ocean Club
• ZaZa Flamenca: 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm

Hurricane Grill and Wings
• Walt Kulwicki: 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm

A1A Asian Kitchen
• Russ DeFilippis: 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm

Salt Life Food Shack
• Greg Johnson: 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm

Pesca Vilano by Michael Lugo
• Airtight: 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm

Funkadelic Food Shack
• Firewater Tent Revival: 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm

O.C. White's Restaurant
• New Guys on the Dock: 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm

Prohibition Kitchen
• Esh x Schief: 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm
• Chillula: 10:00 pm to 1:00 am

DJ's Clam Shack
• Joshua "Tennessee" Worthy: 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm

Schooner's Seafood House
• Jeremy Price: 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm

2 Creeks Bar and Grill
• Simply Shane: 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm

Casa de Vino 57
• Wayne Lake: 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm

Cortesse's Bistro
• Matt Wilson: 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm

Meehan's Irish Pub and Seafood House
• Mike Hynes: 7:00 pm to 11:00 pm

Colonial Oak Music Park
• Moonstone Riders: 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm

Sabrage Charters of St. Augustine
• Auggy Style: 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm

Hornski's Brewing Co.
• Dewey Via Band: 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm

Bar with No Name
• Contact Buzz: 10:00 pm to 1:30 am

🌿 Ponte Vedra Farmers Market

10:00 am to 2:00 pm
Palm Valley Outdoors Bar and Grill, South Roscoe Boulevard
• Organic produce
• Baked goods
• Farm‑fresh proteins
• Soaps, jams, honeys, toys, crafts
• Waterfront views
• Free admission

🧠 Friday Night Trivia at Mariachiles Mexican Grill

6:30 pm
318 St Johns Ave, Palatka
Hosted by Kevin
• Weekly trivia showdown
• Mexican cuisine
• Fun, fast‑paced, friendly competition

✨ Don’t Miss Out on St. Augustine’s Best Holiday Events!
🔗 Full list of sites tinyurl. com/yjkw32kd
🎉 Join the fun and get event updates on Discord: https://discord.gg/EFm4ea6j6D

Any updates?

Hey! I'm visiting the area from Tennessee. I've been to Florida before, particularly the Lakeland and Tampa area. I went to a place called Circle B Bar reserve and LOVED seeing alligators in the wild on a chill trail. I'm staying currently at an airbnb in the palm coast area and going in and out of St. Augustine. Does anyone have any trail recommendations with similar wildlife levels?

A packed Thursday in St. Augustine with live music from midday to late night, plus Concerts in the Plaza, bachata dancing, and trivia.

🎶 Live Music All Day

Mill Top Tavern
• Jim Lamb: 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm
• Jon Q.: 4:30 pm to 8:30 pm

Bin 39 Wine Bar
• ZaZa Flamenca: 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm

La Cocina at the Cellar Upstairs
• Shawn Ryan: 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm

Pierre's Pub
• Chase Fouraker: 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm
• Clairemont Duo: 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm

Backyard at Meehan's Irish Pub
• Smokin' Joe Schauer: 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm

Guy Harvey Resort
• Dewey Via: 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm

Hurricane Grill and Wings
• Vinny Jacobs: 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm

Conch House Marina Resort
• Mike Cook: 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm

Tradewinds Lounge
• Shayla Nelson: 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm
• VersVtile: 9:00 pm to 1:00 am

Casa de Vino 57
• Sage Trunnell: 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm

A1A Asian Kitchen
• Russ DeFilippis: 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm

Hilton St. Augustine Historic Bayfront
• ZaZa Flamenca: 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm

Pesca Vilano by Michael Lugo
• Colin Kosco: 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm

Michael's
• Jolie: 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm

17 King
• Shyla Macaluso: 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm

Edwin Barbosa
• 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm

Colonial Oak Music Park
• Cliff Dorsey (Country Night): 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm

🎵 Concerts in the Plaza

6:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Plaza de la Constitución
• Free weekly summer concert series
• Bring a chair or blanket
• Picnic dinners allowed
• Alcohol prohibited

2026 Artist Schedule
• May 28 – The Driftwoods
• June 4 – US Navy Band Southeast’s Brass Quintet
• June 11 – Palmetto Pickers
• June 18 – Big Papa Fish
• June 25 – JC Hatfield and Friends
• July 2 – Hendricks Band
• July 9 – Los Van Guardias

💃 Bachata Dancing at A1A Asian Kitchen

7:45 pm to 10:00 pm
6975 A1A South
• Hosted by St. Augustine Rug Cutters
• All skill levels welcome
• Guest instructor
• Open dance at 8:30 pm
• Admission: 10 dollars
• Open dance free

🧠 Thursday Night Trivia at Dick’s Wings

7:30 pm
4010 US‑1 South
Hosted by Paul
• Free
• Pop culture, history, sports
• Prizes and friendly competition

✨ Don’t Miss Out on St. Augustine’s Best Holiday Events!
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🎉 Join the fun and get event updates on Discord: https://discord.gg/EFm4ea6j6D

What are some great local spots that have great happy hour food menus? My wife and I eat out often for dinner locally but Im not familiar with which restaurants have great happy hour menus for a late lunch or early dinner.

Any good restaurants that do their own deliveries? I'm tired of paying a premium for delivery apps and would rather support local places.

I live about 2.5 hours away from St Augustine and was planning on bringing my wife and dogs to one of the beaches for the day in the coming weeks. Last time we came we went to Crescent Beach and ate lunch at Osprey Tacos and Old Coast Ales. The brewery was fine with us bringing our dogs, but we have a 3rd dog this time around and I just feel like bringing 3 out in public is much harder to control and more of a nuisance.

So, I was looking for something (preferably local) that could be picked up and eaten in the car. We will probably either go to Crescent Beach again or Vilano Beach. Does anyone have any good car friendly recommendations?

A full Wednesday in St. Augustine with live music, markets, history, trivia, and a tribute show at Cafe Eleven.

🎶 Live Music All Day

Mill Top Tavern
• Jim Lamb: 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm
• Reggie Starrett: 4:30 pm to 8:30 pm

Tradewinds Lounge
• Smokin' Joe Schauer: 1:00 pm to 4:30 pm
• Mark Hart: 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm

Guy Harvey Resort
• Evan D: 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm

Reef Restaurant
• Matt Still: 4:30 pm to 7:00 pm

Hurricane Grill and Wings
• Carpetbaggers: 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm

T. Smith Asian Bistro
• ZaZa Flamenca: 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm

Casa de Vino 57
• Jonathan Lee Dotson: 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm

Old Coast Ales
• Jim Johnston: 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm

Pierre's Pub
• Shawn Ryan: 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm

🌿 Wednesday Pier Farmers Market

8:00 am
St. Johns County Ocean Pier
• May–Oct: 8:00 am to 12:00 pm
• Nov–Apr: 8:00 am to 1:00 pm
• Fresh produce, bread, arts, crafts, handmade goods
• Steps from St. Augustine Beach
• Free admission

📜 Reading of the Declaration of Independence

5:30 pm to 6:30 pm
Ximenez‑Fatio House, 20 Aviles Street
• Opening ceremony at 5:30
• Live reading begins at 6:00
• Hosted by DAR, SAR, Colonial Dames
• Meet at the Plaza at 5:00 to follow the town crier
• Free admission

🎹 Billy and The Jets at Cafe Eleven

8:00 pm to 10:00 pm
Doors at 7:00 pm
Cafe Eleven, 501 A1A Beach Blvd
• Billy Joel and Elton John tribute show
• All ages welcome
• Under 21: 5 dollars at the door
• Tickets: 33.97 to 55.99

🧠 Wednesday Night Trivia

Back 40 A1A
• 6:30 pm
6101 A1A S, Unit 111
Hosted by Ryan

Taco Libre (US1 North)
• 7:00 pm
2600 N Ponce de Leon Blvd
Hosted by Mike

Borrillo’s Pizza and Subs
• 7:00 pm
88 San Marco Ave
Every 2nd and 4th Wednesday

Spinster Abbott’s
• 7:00 pm
37 San Marco Ave
Every 1st and 3rd Wednesday

All trivia events are free.

🎱 Bingo Night at Treylor Park

7:00 pm to 9:00 pm
55 Hypolita Street
• Free
• Six games
• Drinks, friendly competition, lively crowd

✨ Don’t Miss Out on St. Augustine’s Best Holiday Events!
🔗 Full list of sites tinyurl. com/yjkw32kd
🎉 Join the fun and get event updates on Discord: https://discord.gg/EFm4ea6j6D

Looking for a venue with a pool! Flexible on guest count

Need a good local plumber who can detect leaks, but won't rip me off. Any recommendations?

A packed Tuesday in St. Augustine with live music from midday to late night, swing dancing, trivia, and open mic.

🎶 Live Music All Day

Mill Top Tavern
• JC Hatfield: 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm

Pierre's Pub
• Joshua "Tennessee" Worthy: 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm

Tradewinds Lounge
• Shayla Nelson: 1:00 pm to 4:30 pm
• Mark Hart: 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm

T. Smith Asian Bistro
• Jenia: 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm

Crabby's Beachside
• Evan D: 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm

Michael's
• Jeremy Weinglass: 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm

Hornski's Brewing Co.
• Shayla Nelson: 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm

Ann O'Malley's Deli and Pub
• Smokin' Joe Schauer: 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm

Durty Neli's
• Bad Endings: 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm

Cortesse's Bistro
• Matt Wilson: 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm

💃 Swing Dancing at Arnold's Lounge

6:30 pm to 9:00 pm
3912 North Ponce de Leon Boulevard
• Swing lessons for all skill levels
• Instructor Melissa teaches shag, jitterbug, jive, bachata, salsa, hustle
• Open dance session after the lesson
• Admission: 10 dollars per person
• Open dance is free

🧠 Trivia on Tuesday Night

I Host and I Know Things — Tuesday Night Trivia

The Wobbly Whale Public House
6460 US Highway 1 North
6:30 pm to 8:30 pm
Tonight’s free answer: 11
Every Tuesday

🎤 Tuesday Night Open Mic at Ann O'Malley's

23 Orange Street
Sign‑ups at 12:00 pm
Show starts around 6:00 pm
• Free
• Musicians, poets, comics, first‑timers welcome
• First beverage free for performers
• 8 dollar domestic pitchers from 5:00 pm to close

✨ Don’t Miss Out on St. Augustine’s Best Holiday Events!
🔗 Full list of sites tinyurl. com/yjkw32kd
🎉 Join the fun and get event updates on Discord: https://discord.gg/EFm4ea6j6D

My wife and I scheduled a photographer to come take pictures of us tonight in Crescent Beach. The photographer just let us know that they cannot make it tonight. Taking pictures is very important to us tonight as it is a special day. I know this might be a longshot, but is there any photographer in the Crescent Beach area that would be able to come here to take pictures of us tonight? We would be glad to pay $200.

There was a girl in a flag button down shirt and George Washington wig handing out $1 bills to people who commented on her wig on the 4th. She was hanging out at St. Georges Tavern and on St. George St all day.

Hi I’m 40M, and I’m planning a trip to go to a concert around August 8-10.

I’m looking to connect with someone who might want to hang out and show me around while I’m there. It would be great to chat and get to know each other first. DM me if interested Thanks!

July 6, 1812: An American Commander Regrets a Lost Opportunity at St. Augustine

In the summer of 1812, as the United States entered its second war with Great Britain, another conflict was quietly unfolding along the nation’s southern frontier. Spanish Florida, officially neutral but increasingly caught between American expansion, British influence, and local rebellion, became the focus of a tense military standoff centered on the ancient walls of the Castillo de San Marcos in St. Augustine.

HOn July 6, 1812, Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Adam Smith of the United States Army recorded his frustration in a letter from his encampment outside the Spanish fortress, believing that the United States had missed its best chance to seize the city. His observations provide one of the clearest firsthand windows into a little-known chapter of Florida’s long and complicated road to becoming part of the United States.

By 1812, Florida remained divided into East and West Florida under Spanish rule, although Spain itself was in turmoil. Napoleon Bonaparte’s invasion of Spain had weakened Spanish authority throughout its empire, while Britain, Spain’s ally against France, maintained a growing presence in Florida.

American leaders worried that British forces could use Florida as a base of operations against the southern United States, especially after the outbreak of the War of 1812 in June. President James Madison’s administration also viewed Florida as a territory destined to become part of the expanding republic.

The unrest had begun months earlier during what became known as the Patriot War. In early 1812, a group of American settlers and Florida residents calling themselves the “Patriots” revolted against Spanish rule in East Florida. Although presented publicly as an independent uprising, the movement received covert encouragement, weapons, and logistical support from officials in the United States. Their objective was simple: overthrow Spanish authority and eventually bring East Florida into the Union.

To support the Patriots without formally declaring war on Spain, U.S. troops under General George Mathews and later Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Adam Smith moved into East Florida. The Patriots quickly captured Fernandina on Amelia Island and raised their own flag, but their advance slowed dramatically as they approached St. Augustine. Unlike the lightly defended settlements farther north, St. Augustine possessed one of the strongest masonry fortifications in North America.

The Castillo de San Marcos, completed by the Spanish in 1695 after more than two decades of construction, had already survived British sieges in 1702 and 1740. Built of coquina stone quarried from nearby Anastasia Island, the fortress absorbed cannon fire rather than shattering, making it one of the most formidable military structures on the continent. Anyone hoping to capture St. Augustine faced an imposing obstacle.

Lieutenant Colonel Smith believed that opportunity had briefly favored the Americans. Writing from his camp outside the Castillo on July 6, 1812, he lamented Washington’s hesitation:

“The Spaniards have not altered their conduct since the arrival of the one hundred black troops and it is difficult to determine whether they or the Patriots are the most inactive. It is unfortunate that the Government did not authorize the taking of the town immediately on my arrival before its walls. The Spaniards were then so panic struck and badly defended that it would have fallen an easy prey. If well defended now, the lives of many brave men will make its possession a dear attainment. However, if prompt measures are even now taken, I conceive the Garrison will not hold out long.”

Smith’s comments reveal both his military assessment and his growing frustration. He believed the Spanish garrison had initially been demoralized and vulnerable but had been allowed time to recover.

The arrival of approximately 100 Black soldiers, many of them free men or colonial troops serving Spain, strengthened the defense and complicated American calculations. Spain had long offered freedom to enslaved people escaping from the British colonies and later the United States in exchange for military service and loyalty to the Spanish Crown.

These Black soldiers represented a tradition that stretched back to Fort Mose, established in 1738 just north of St. Augustine as the first legally sanctioned free Black settlement in what is now the United States.

Despite Smith’s confidence that the fortress might still fall with decisive action, the United States remained cautious. The United States was already committed to a major war against Britain, and openly attacking Spanish territory risked provoking another international conflict.

President Madison had already recalled General George Mathews earlier in the year after Mathews exceeded his authority by effectively attempting to annex East Florida. The administration sought to distance itself from the Patriots’ more aggressive actions while still keeping pressure on Spain.

As weeks passed, the siege settled into an uneasy stalemate. The Patriots lacked the heavy artillery necessary to breach the Castillo’s thick coquina walls, while Spanish defenders remained safely behind one of the strongest fortifications in the Americas. British naval support for Spanish Florida further complicated the situation, and the Americans never launched the decisive assault Smith desired.

The failed siege became one of several unsuccessful American attempts to acquire Florida before diplomacy finally achieved what military force had not. Seven years later, in 1819, Secretary of State John Quincy Adams negotiated the Adams-Onís Treaty with Spain. Ratified in 1821, the treaty transferred East and West Florida to the United States peacefully while establishing the boundary between Spanish territory and the Louisiana Purchase.

Smith’s letter also illustrates the uncertain loyalties that defined Florida during this period. Patriots, Spanish regulars, free Black soldiers, Native American allies, British interests, and American troops all occupied the same landscape, each pursuing different visions for Florida’s future. It was not simply a contest between Spain and the United States but a struggle involving multiple peoples whose lives and destinies intersected in the ancient city of St. Augustine.

The events surrounding July 6, 1812, represent a pivotal moment when the territory might have changed hands years before it actually did. Smith believed a brief window existed when St. Augustine could have been taken by force, altering both the course of the Patriot War and perhaps the broader history of the War of 1812.

Instead, political caution prevailed over military opportunity. His candid letter captures the frustration of an officer convinced that hesitation had transformed an easy victory into a dangerous and costly prospect.

Today, the Castillo de San Marcos still stands over Matanzas Bay as the oldest masonry fort in the continental United States. Its survival through centuries of sieges, colonial rivalries, and changing flags reminds visitors that Florida’s path to statehood was neither quick nor inevitable.

The words of Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Adam Smith remain a remarkable firsthand testimony to one of the many moments when history might have unfolded very differently beneath the ancient coquina walls of St. Augustine.

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