Happy Thursday, St. Augustine!

I’m ecstatic to hit ‘send’ on this week’s edition of the newsletter. We have a big announcement to make.

Old City Lowdown [soft] launched an events website last night.

Is it perfect? Nope. Is it complete? Absolutely not. Is it awesome? You tell me.

Managing events in the newsletter has been the biggest source of pain and frustration since I started this thing. It has been a whole lot of copy + paste and losing track of all the great things going on in St. Augustine.

Now, we have a platform to promote and get out ahead of the amazing happenings going on in town.

And the best part (in my opinion)?

The live music schedule will be built right into it.

Head over to OldCityLowdown.com/events and check it out. You’ll notice the filters at the top of the calendar to help you easily separate general events from live music.

It’s a work in progress, but it’s a major step in the right direction. As I always say, don’t let “great” be the enemy of “good.” That philosophy is in play here.

If you host, operate, run, administrate, or know of events going on in town, be sure to utilize our event submission form to get them loaded on the site.

As always, thanks for being a subscriber and for supporting the Old City Lowdown. Hope to see you out and about this weekend!

— JF

King Street Bridge Project begins MONDAY | Don’t forget, friends. Starting Monday, the King Street Bridge will be closed to all traffic for [gulps] seven months. Drivers and pedestrians will need to follow the detour signs and utilize US-1 and Malaga Street to access King Street. A temporary traffic signal has been installed to help the flow.

County Rejects Cell Tower in St. Augustine Shores | St. Johns County commissioners voted unanimously this week to deny a proposed 170-foot cell tower in St. Augustine Shores.

St. Augustine Beach Voters to Weigh Term Limits
St. Augustine Beach is heading to the November ballot with a term limits measure that would cap commissioners at three consecutive four-year terms. If approved, the beach city would be the only municipality in St. Johns County with term limits. (Jacksonville Today)

Big Changes Proposed for CR 210 and St. Johns Parkway
St. Johns County and FDOT are proposing a major redesign of the CR 210 and St. Johns Parkway intersection, including eliminating left turns from CR 2209 onto CR 210 in favor of a U-turn further down the road. Traffic modeling projects travel delays could drop by more than 80% by 2050 if the changes are made. Residents can submit comments through April 20 HERE

City Tackles Flooding With Three Infrastructure Projects
St. Augustine has three projects underway addressing flooding and coastal erosion near Fullerwood Park, North Davis Shores, and the Municipal Marina. Work wraps up between June and October, funded through state and federal grants. (City of St. Augustine)

Historic Aviles Street Building Gets Partial Demolition OK
St. Augustine's Historic Architectural Review Board has approved removing the crumbling second story of 7 Aviles Street, an 1888 structure originally built as a jail on the city's oldest street. (St. Augustine Record)

Public Meeting on Lincolnville's Black School History
The City's Archaeology Program wants community input on an upcoming exhibit about Lincolnville's segregated school history before it launches this fall. Join the conversation April 20 at 5 p.m. at the Willie Galimore Center, 399 Riberia Street. (City of St. Augustine)

Downtown Restaurant Rebrands as 17 King
Harvest St. Augustine is becoming 17 King, a wine-forward American bistro at 17 King Street offering dinner, live music, and a dedicated wine room. The city's Planning and Zoning Board recently approved the liquor license needed to move forward. (Jacksonville Business Journal)

• St. Augustine Adventure Landing closing April 12 (Jax Daily Record)

• Veritas Classical School planning permanent St. Augustine campus (Jax Daily Record)

• 36-hole miniature golf course proposed for SilverLeaf (Jax Daily Record)

• Chick-fil-A plans another St. Johns County location (Jax Daily Record)

It’s another sneaky good weekend here in St. Augustine. Festivals, concerts, markets… the whole 9-yards. Check out some of the highlights below, and bounce over to Old City Events to check out a mostly complete list of what’s happening this weekend in St. Augustine.

But before we dive right in to the events, I wanted to make a special callout:

The Humane Society’s biggest fundraiser is underway and we’d be thrilled if you could help out.

This year's Broadway-inspired theme transforms pets into stars, with winning pets receiving a professional photo shoot by photographer Addison Fitzgerald and theatrical designs by artist Maribel Angel.

Each $1 vote supports the Humane Society's lifesaving programs. The calendar will be unveiled at the Pin Up Paws Gala on September 24, 2026, at Casa Monica Hotel in downtown St. Augustine. Visit staughumane.org for contest rules, prizes, and party details.

📍 Various Locations

I’d like to thank the St. Augustine PoetFest for being the first group to submit an event to our new website. The PoetFest is a three-day celebration of creative writing and reciting in the Nation’s Oldest City, taking place at The Waterworks and Flagler’s Ringhaver Student Center.

All events are open to all and are held free of charge, thanks to the support of Flagler College, St. Johns Cultural Council, and Ancient City Poets.

📍 St. Johns County Fairgrounds

The Gamble Rogers Folk Festival returns for three days of live music, storytelling, and songwriting on April 10th, 11th, and 12th at the St. Johns County Fairgrounds.

More than 25 musicians will perform across multiple stages, headlined by nationally acclaimed artists Dom Flemons & The Traveling Wildfires, Verlon Thompson, Alexa Rose, and Ed Snodderly. The lineup also features a few of my favorite local acts: Airtight, Angel Chantel & Underbrush, and Kirk Whalen.

📍 Spinster Abbott’s - 61 San Marco Ave

You're in for a memorable night of Southern gothic folk, raw storytelling, and soulful songwriting with Nathan Evans Fox. Rooted in the deep South and shaped by an uncommon blend of theology, language, and psychotherapy, Fox creates music that sits in the space where grief meets grace.

If you love artists like Jason Isbell, Gillian Welch, or Gregory Alan Isakov, you won't want to miss this rare chance to experience one of the most singular voices in American songwriting.

This Listening Room show, a nonprofit program presented by MusicGNV to foster intimate live music experiences and support the local music community, is proudly hosted by Spinster Abbott's in Uptown St. Augustine on Friday night.

📍 The Bog Brewing Co. - 218 W King St

What’s better than celebratory beers paired with conservation? The Bog, one of St. Aug’s most beloved breweries, is celebrating 10 years with a block party on Saturday, April 11th.

What started as a laid-back spot to enjoy great beer has grown into a beloved local gathering place, and they're marking the milestone by pouring an impressive lineup of guest brews alongside some extra special Bog originals. Neighbors Ink & Barley and Muggsy's are joining the fun by serving Bog beer on their taps, with proceeds benefiting nonprofit partner Matanzas Riverkeeper.

📍 Jenna Alexander Studio x Sunday - 73 San Marco Ave

The Secret Garden Market is back, bringing together indie art and design in a space built on collaboration and creativity. Hosted by Sunday Gathering Table and Jenna Alexander Studio, the market gives the region's talented community of independent makers and designers a well-deserved spotlight.

Pull up, grab one of the infamous grass-fed cheeseburgers from Sunday, sip on beer and natural wine, and browse while Zach Engh spins vinyl.

📍 Ponte Vedra Concert Hall - 1050 A1A North

Howyadern?! Daniel Donato is back in North Florida this weekend doing something really special with American music. He calls it Cosmic Country, and the name fits perfectly. Think Merle Haggard meets the Grateful Dead. It's the kind of music that feels equally at home in Nashville and the wide-open West, blending tie-dye and plaid into a sound that honors deep musical roots.

Let me know if you’re headed up to PVCH. Hope to see you there!

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