Looking for fun events? Top 5 Things to Do this weekend in Jacksonville

Tom Szaroleta, Florida Times-Union
·3 min read

You wouldn't know it by looking at a thermometer, but summer is almost over. Kids are heading back to school, the Jaguars are playing home games and stores are already putting out their Halloween stuff, so you can at least start dreaming about lighting a fire and wearing a sweater, even if you won't actually be able to do those things for a few months.

There's plenty going on around Jacksonville to keep you busy while you wait for the temperatures to drop, though. Choose between a big Indian festival at the Beaches, a national championship rugby league game and a concert for heroes.

Jaguars home game

The Jacksonville Jaguars 2022 logo.
The Jacksonville Jaguars 2022 logo.

Jaguars fans didn't learn a lot about the team's prospects for '22 from last week's Hall of Fame Game, when hardly any of the team's big-name players took the field. You'll get a better look Friday, when the Jaguars welcome the Cleveland Browns for an NFL preseason contest at TIAA Bank Field. Kickoff is at 7 p.m. $48-$315.

Festival of the Chariots

The Festival of Chariots returns Saturday to Jacksonville Beach.
The Festival of Chariots returns Saturday to Jacksonville Beach.

The annual Festival of the Chariots & Ratha Yatra Parade, which celebrates Indian culture, returns to Jacksonville Beach with live music and dance, a bazaar and vegetarian food. The centerpiece of the festival is the parade, in which an enormous and elaborately decorated chariot is pulled down the beach by festival-goers. The festival is scheduled for noon-5 p.m. at Seawalk Pavilion, and the parade starts at 2 p.m.

Axemen go for the title

The Jacksonville Axemen play for a national title Saturday at UNF.
The Jacksonville Axemen play for a national title Saturday at UNF.

The Jacksonville Axemen have been around for 17 seasons and they've played for the USA Rugby League championship in eight of them. They're back, and they are the host team for this year's championship, which starts at 6:30 p.m. Saturday at the University of North Florida rugby field. $10-$15.

All aboard the Trek train

Nichelle "Uhura" Nichols, who passed away last month, gave her approval to the Neutral Zone Studios in Kingsland, Ga. The studios are open Saturday evening for passengers on the Georgia Coastal Railway.
Nichelle "Uhura" Nichols, who passed away last month, gave her approval to the Neutral Zone Studios in Kingsland, Ga. The studios are open Saturday evening for passengers on the Georgia Coastal Railway.

It's a little bit of a road trip to Kingsland, Ga., but how many chances are you likely to get to board a train and end up on a starship? The Georgia Coastal Railway train leaves the Kingsland Station at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, takes passengers on a 90-minute tour, then returns to the station, where they'll transport a few blocks to Neutral Zone Studios, which has full-sized sets of starships that are used to make "Star Trek" fan films. If you can't make it this week, they'll do it again on Aug. 27. $39.50-$47.50.

Rock the Box concert with Locash

Johnny Van Zant is a "surprise guest" at Saturday's Rock the Box concert in Orange Park.
Johnny Van Zant is a "surprise guest" at Saturday's Rock the Box concert in Orange Park.

When the ads say that Lynyrd Skynyrd singer Johnny Van Zant will be a "surprise guest" at Saturday's Rock the Box concert at the Thrasher-Horne Center in Orange Park, is it really going to be much of a surprise? Locash is the headliner at the event, billed as a "free night of music for our heroes," and active and retired military, hospital and front-line workers, first responders, teachers and line workers can get in for free by registering at thcenter.org. Cumberland and former Major League pitcher Brett Myers open the show. Showtime is 7 p.m. $29-$49.

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Looking for fun? Top 5 Things to Do this weekend in Jacksonville