12th Annual Greek Festival this weekend

Communications Director Jay Humphreys with the St. Augustine Visitors and Convention Bureau updated Historic City News on this weekend’s entertainment events including the Annual Greek Festival, Colonial Folk Arts & Crafts Festival and the return of Crocodile Rock.

Friday: October 9

CROCODILE ROCK
Dust off your polyester outfits and get ready for a fun night at the St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park! Enjoy live music by Cloud 9, dinner, dancing, animal encounters, Vinyl-Idol singing contest and more – all set to a 70’s theme. The fun takes place from 6:30 to 10 p.m. Tickets are $50 per person. The St. Augustine Alligator Farm is located at 999 Anastasia Boulevard in St. Augustine. For more information call 904.829.3295, or visit Crocodile Rock.

Friday, Saturday and Sunday: October 9-11

12th ANNUAL GREEK FESTIVAL
Join in a fun-filled weekend showcasing St. Augustine’s Greek heritage where everyone can be Greek for the weekend. Enjoy a delicious assortment of Greek foods, pastries and beverages or stock up on imported Greek foods from the Bakaliko. Sip on Greek beers and wines at the Taverna and shop at the Agora (Greek market) for items ranging from gifts to books, and music to icons, all imported from Greece. Then enjoy entertainment with live Greek music by The Greek Islanders and traditional Greek dances by the Nisiotes dance troupe. The Twelfth Annual Greek Festival hosted by Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church takes place from 4 to 9 p.m. on Friday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday at Francis Field, located behind the Historic Downtown Parking Facility on Castillo Drive in St. Augustine. Admission is $2, Children under 16 are free. For more information, call 904.829.0504 or visit St. Augustine Greek Festival.

BUFFALO SOLDIERS’ CALL TO COLORS
Ride into history when the Buffalo Soldiers Motorcycle Club Jacksonville comes to St. Augustine for three days of ceremony, fund raising and fun. The Buffalo Soldiers’ purpose is to promote the rich history of the Buffalo Soldiers, who proudly served our country from 1866 – 1944. The weekend begins at 6 p.m. on Friday with a Flag Ceremony at the Days Inn Historic Downtown in St. Augustine. On Saturday there will be a charity ride through St. Augustine from 10 a.m. to noon, followed by a cook-out at the Days Inn and a dance at the Mark W. Lance Armory on San Marco Avenue at 8 p.m. Registration for the full event is $35 in advance and $40 on site. Participation in the motorcycle charity ride is $5 and two canned goods. Tickets to the cook-out are $15 and tickets to the Saturday Night dance are $15. For more information or to pre-register for this historic celebration, call 904.781.9004, or visit Call to Colors.

Saturday and Sunday: October 10-11

COLONIAL FOLK ARTS & CRAFTS FESTIVAL
See colonial craftspeople from throughout Florida demonstrate “Lost Arts” such as spinning, weaving, basket making, blacksmithing, pottery making and many other arts and crafts. Historical musical performances, children’s hands-on craft experiences, storytelling and much more show how entertaining the old days could be. The event takes place on Saturday from 10 a.m..- 4 p.m. and Sunday noon – 4 p.m. at the Colonial Spanish Quarter Museum, 53 St. George St., St. Augustine. Admission is $1 (free for children under 12). For more information, call 904.825.5033.

Saturday: October 10

ENDLESS SUMMER RUN AT ANASTASIA STATE PARK
Enjoy a Fun Run at Anastasia State Park. This annual 10k (6.2mile) takes place within the park along its beautiful roads, trails and beach. The run begins at 7:30 a.m. There will also be a 1-mile beach fun run for short term runners. To pre-register or for more information, go to www.endlesssummerrun.org or call 904.461.2035. Registration forms are also available at the Parks Ranger Station at Anastasia State Park in St. Augustine.

CHANGING OF THE GUARD
Witness twilight time in colonial St. Augustine as the Spanish soldiers who have been guarding the city throughout the afternoon are replaced with the detachment assigned for the night. The replacements march from the City Gate and down St. George Street to Government House where they assume their duties for the night. The authentic 18th century drill is ended with the firing of a volley of musketry to assure citizens their town is secure for the night.. This traditional Spanish military changing of the guard takes place at 7 p.m. at Government House in the Plaza de la Constitucion. The event is free. For more information, call 904.825.1004.

WILD DREAMS AT MARINELAND
A one-man show about the life of Henry Flagler will be performed by Paul Jellinek at Whitney Lab at Marineland. Admission is $10 and proceeds will benefit Whitney’s outreach education programs for children. The matinee show takes place at 1:30 p.m. Whitney Lab is located at Marineland, 9505 Ocean Shore Blvd., St. Augustine. www.whitney.ufl.edu. 904.461.4000.

EMMA CONCERT SERIES- THE AMSTERDAM CELLO OCTET
Enjoy a very unique musical interpretation by this internationally-acclaimed group of cellists. This Dutch chamber music ensemble is unique in the world of music as it is formed by 8 celli. The octet surprises audiences with the many Spanish and South American songs they perform with singer Pilar Jurado, one of Europe’s most outstanding figures in classical music. The concert takes place at 8 p.m. in the Flagler College Auditorium, located at 14 Granada Street in St. Augustine. Tickets are $22 per person. For more information, call 904.797.2800 or visit Emma Concerts.

Sunday: October 11

THIRD DAY IN CONCERT
Experience an evening of inspiring rock and roll music when the multi-platinum-selling rock band, Third Day appears live at St. Augustine Amphitheatre. Having played to millions of fans in numerous sold-out arenas around the world Third Day is billed as “not only one of the best Christian bands of the ’90s but one of the best rock bands, period”, according to Billboard Magazine. The show starts at 7 p.m. and tickets are $20.50 to $40 and can be purchased through Ticketmaster or at the St. Augustine Amphitheatre Box office. The St. Augustine Amphitheatre is located at 1340 A1A in St. Augustine. For more information, call 904.471.1965, or visit St. Augustine Amphitheatre.

AUDUBON NATURE WALK
Take a two-hour stroll through Vaill Point County Park with a representative of the local chapter of The Audubon Society. The walk is educational, great for the less skilled birder, and lots of fun! Vaill Point Park is located at 630 Vaill Point Rd. in St. Augustine. For more information, call 904.819.5860 or visit St. Johns Audubon.

NOTE: St. Johns County residents with a valid ID are always admitted free of charge to Government House Museum, the Lightner Museum, the Colonial Spanish Quarter Museum, the Fountain of Youth, the Ximenez-Fatio House, the Oldest Wooden Schoolhouse, and the Spanish Military Hospital Museum and the Father Miguel O’Reilly Museum. The daily tours and wine tasting at the San Sebastian Winery are free to everyone. Also, admission is free to everyone at the Authentic Old Drug Store, Fort Matanzas National Monument, St. Photios Chapel, the Peña-Peck House and the Father Miguel O’Reilly Museum.