A block party celebrating Jacksonville’s Urban Core, Sea Turtle Fest in Fernandina Beach, and a stroll through history in St. Augustine are What to Do this weekend in the Jacksonville area.

The CookOut: Unity on the Block

Saturday

James Weldon Johnson Park | Downtown Jacksonville

James Weldon Johnson Park and United Way of Northeast Florida are hosting The CookOut, a massive block party in the heart of Downtown. While the event is open to everyone, it shines a spotlight on the city’s urban core, bringing together the distinct energy and flavor of neighborhoods like Springfield, San Marco, Durkeeville, and Riverside. The park will be organized as a “living map” of these historic areas, blending local food, music and culture into an afternoon and evening festival. Beyond the food trucks, the event features a karaoke sing-off, mini-golf, line dancing and a performance by The Katz Downstairs. It’s a fun, family-friendly event celebrating the city’s central districts.

2 p.m.-7 p.m. | James Weldon Johnson Park | Free and open to the public | More info

Soraia

Sea Turtle Festival

Saturday

Main Beach Park | Fernandina Beach

The 3rd annual Sea Turtle Festival returns to Main Beach Park this Saturday, offering a community-focused look at marine conservation just as nesting season begins. The event’s central highlight is the debut of Scout, a five-foot fiberglass sea turtle created to serve as a traveling educational ambassador. Local artist Tina McDaniel painted the sculpture, which will eventually visit businesses across Nassau County to promote beach safety habits like keeping the shoreline clean, dark, and flat for nesting mothers. Beyond debuting Scout and the “Be Like Scout” program, the festival offers a sea turtle “hospital” where children can practice rescue simulations, as well as live music and local food trucks. It’s a family-friendly way to learn about the island’s ecosystem while supporting the work of local volunteers. 

10 a.m.-4 p.m. | 32 N. Fletcher Ave., Fernandina Beach | Admission is free | Heads up: Parking near the park tends to fill up quickly | More info

Historic Timeline Saunter

Saturday

Historic Downtown | St .Augustine

For a step back in time, the Historic Florida Militia is hosting a “timeline saunter” through the streets of St. Augustine on Saturday evening. If you’re Downtown around sunset, it’s an easy way to see the city’s history brought to life without the formality of a museum. Groups of reenactors in period-accurate clothing walk through town, eventually ending on Aviles Street–the oldest street in the country. You’ll meet 16th century Spanish settlers, British privateers and 18th century soldiers who will stop to pose for photos and answer your questions about what daily life was like in St. Augustine across three centuries.

5:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m. | The saunter begins at the City Gate on St. George and Orange Streets and continues on St. George Street across the Plaza de la Constitución to Aviles Street | Free and open to the public | More info