Net fishing lessons, arts celebration, moonlit river cruise: What to do around the Beaches
Family seining Saturday
Learn how to pull a seine net, one of the world’s oldest fishing methods, with docents from the GTM Research Reserve from 9 to 11 a.m. on Saturday. Participants will collect fish and crabs while learning more about their habitats and role in the environment.
Waders and boots provided. The program is included with regular admission to the reserve and takes place in the Environmental Education Center, located at 505 Guana River Road in Ponte Vedra Beach. For more information, call (904) 823-4500 or visit www.gtmnerr.org/.
TrailMark music festival Saturday
Join the nature-first community of TrailMark for a day of music, fun and friends at Groove in the Grove on Saturday, May 14, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. The family-friendly music festival event is free and open to all.
The event features live music by Northeast Florida’s top acts, including the Cumberland Band, The Band Be Easy and the Honey Hounds.
Plenty of noshes will be available from local food trucks, including Hapa Li, Mama’s Food, Saffron, Mister Softee and Tikiz Shaved Ice & Ice Cream. There will also be a beer and wine tent as well as a variety of beverages for purchase. In addition, a family fun zone will offer face painting, rock climbing and a giant slide, while the community’s Adventure Trail and playground are open to all. In addition, the market area will feature local vendors offering jewelry, artwork, plants and more.
Visit EventBrite at https://bit.ly/3FfhotU for complete details and free tickets, and follow TrailMark on Facebook and Instagram for the latest updates.
Celebrating the arts tomorrow
The First Coast Cultural Center presents Beaches: A Celebration of the Arts, honoring the individuals and organizations who have shaped and enhanced the art-filled beaches community.
This fun and formal event takes place on Sunday from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at The Surf Club at the Ponte Vedra Inn & Club. Winners in five categories will be announced at this black-tie event. Tickets are $250.
The Surf Club is located at 200 Ponte Vedra Blvd., Ponte Vedra Beach. For details, go to FirstCoastCulturalCenter.org/.
Moonlight river trip Sunday
Enjoy a moonlit evening on the water with a trip aboard the Schooner Freedom as it sails through St. Augustine’s Matanzas Bay on Sunday evening. This 1-hour-15-minute sailing excursion departs at 8:45 p.m. from the St. Augustine Municipal Marina.
Complimentary beer, soda and wine are included in the $55 ticket. Check-in is 20 minutes prior to departure. The marina is located at 111 Avenida Menendez in St. Augustine. Call (904) 810-1010 for reservations or go to SchoonerFreedom.com/.
Art exhibit & reception
Residents of Fleet Landing are the featured artists for May at the City of Atlantic Beach’s Adele Grage Cultural Center in Bull Park. An artist’s reception takes place on Thursday, May 19 from 5 to 8 p.m. More than 20 Fleet Landing artists will be on hand to greet the public and discuss their work. Refreshments will be served.
The cultural center is located at 716 Ocean Blvd. in Atlantic Beach. For a complete schedule of events, visit coab.us/recreation.
A nonprofit community serving adults age 62 and over, Fleet Landing was originally founded by and for retired military officers. Now open to people from all walks of life, the community provides an active independent lifestyle, robust wellness programming, educational, cultural and social events, fine and casual dining, as well as the full continuum of healthcare services and maintenance-free living on a 95-acre campus, located just five blocks from the ocean.
For more information, call (904) 246-9900 ext. 1403 or visit FleetLanding.com/.
Canine Carnivale
Grab your dear doggies and head to Beaches Veterans Memorial Park on Saturday, May 21, for the inaugural Canine Carnivale, beginning at 10 a.m. Free and open to the public, the event is family and dog-friendly.
Plenty of fun activities include a dog obstacle course, dog contests, vendor booths, crafts, food trucks and more.
Dog owners may preregister themselves and their canine for Simon Says, Not-So-Stupid Pet Tricks, Most Patriotic Costume and a Look-Alike Contest. The park is located at 1 First St. W. in Atlantic Beach. Learn more at coab.us/caninecarnivale, email recreation@coab.us or call (904) 247-5828.
Archaeology talk: Egyptian tombs
The Archaeological Institute of America — Jacksonville Society will meet at noon on Saturday, May 21, in Building 51 at the University of North Florida to hear a lecture by Dr. Melinda Hartwig of Emory University.
Her lecture, “All the King’s Men: Officials’ Tombs in New Kingdom Thebes,” will discuss her 30-year project documenting the rock-cut tombs of New Kingdom officials in the Noble’s Necropolis of western Thebes in modern day Luxor. Hartwig will discuss the superbly painted scenes that offer a window into nobles’ careers, families and Egypt’s cultural history.
Free and open to the public, the lecture will be followed by complimentary refreshments in the Physical Anthropology Lab. On Saturday, parking is free, with staff, faculty and vendor spaces available to everyone.
For more information, contact Melva Price at (904) 241-9411 or aiajaxsoc@gmail.com.
Newcomers luncheon
Join the Newcomers Alumnae club to celebrate the installation of a new slate of officers on Wednesday June 1, at Marsh Landing Country Club. The club also plans to unveil its new name, which was unanimously voted on at the May luncheon.
The luncheon takes place from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and the country club is located at 25655 Marsh Landing Parkway in Ponte Vedra Beach. The menu consists of Chicken Marsala with the chef’s choice of sides, warm rolls and butter and a scrumptious dessert. The cost to attend is $23 and reservations must be made by contacting bartshar@comcast.net no later than Thursday, May 26.
Formed in 1998, Newcomers Alumnae covers Ponte Vedra Beach, Nocatee, Jacksonville, Jacksonville Beach, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, St. Augustine and the surrounding area. For more information go to NewcomersAlumnaeFL.wildapricot.org or email brookemeister@msn.com.
Submit events to shorelines@jacksonville.com.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: LEADING OFF: Things to do in and around the Beaches
