New Years weekend events in St. Augustine

St. Augustine Visitors and Convention Bureau Communications Director Jay Humphreys announced to Historic City News the following New Years weekend events.

Thursday, New Year’s Eve: December 31

Beach Blast Off at St Augustine Beach! Kick off 2010 in seaside style at this special family friendly, St. Augustine Beach event! Enjoy a blast of flavor, icy sculptures, Kids Zone and fireworks when several of St. Augustine’s favorite restaurants serve up chili for tasting and judging at the Fire and Ice Chili Cook-off from 4 to 8 p.m. on New Year’s Eve. After things cool off from the chili – the Fireworks begin at 8:30 p.m. This display will delight visitors and help usher in the New Year! On the Main Stage, enjoy live entertainment/bands, karaoke and the Family Friendly Dance Party. Admission is free. It all takes place at the St. Augustine Beach Pier Pavilion. For more information, visit the event’s website at www.BeachBlastOff.com .

New Year’s Eve Blue Moon and Sunrise at the Lighthouse: Get the best view possible of a rare blue moon on New Year’s Eve by climbing to the top of the St. Augustine Lighthouse. The blue moon, the second full moon of the month, will be enjoyed from this unique perspective – along with a champagne toast and hors d’oeuvres – at two times. On New Year’s Eve, experience sunset and blue moonrise from 5-6:30 p.m. On New Year’s Day, from 7-8:30 a.m., watch the blue moon setting and the sun rising from the Atlantic on the first day of 2010. Tickets are $80 per person for the New Year’s Eve event and $50 per person for New Year’s morning. For more information, tickets and required reservations, call Sara at 904.829.0745 ext. 207.

Piratical Plundering on New Year’s Eve: Sail aboard the pirate ship Black Raven for a New Year’s Eve filled with fun, music, food, drink and unexpected happenings! Join the boisterous crew, including pirate DJ Jonas Crew and magician William Mayhem, as they depart from the St. Augustine City Marina at 10:45 p.m. At midnight, 2010 will be greeted with a blast from the Black Raven’s cannon and a champagne toast. The ship will return to the dock at 1 a.m. on New Year’s Day. Tickets are $45 each – adults only. For reservations, call 1.877.578.5050.

Limelight Theatre Special Presentation: The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas
Enjoy this special presentation of the hilarious musical The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas! The event includes a pre-show champagne/hors d’oeuvres party and light desserts at intermission. Tickets for this New Year’s Eve production are $50 and the show starts at 7:30 p.m. For more information, call 904.825.1164 or visit Limelight Theatre.

New Year’s Eve Gala at The White Room:
Celebrate New Year’s Eve in style at The White Room, 1 King Street in St. Augustine. A memorable evening begins at 8 p.m. with cocktails on the rooftop with a view overlooking Matanzas Bay and the Nights of Lights. A hors d’oeuvres and a Fresh Market Station open at 8:15 p.m. followed by a fabulous dinner featuring prime rib and chicken Florentine at 8:45 p.m. Dance the night away and enjoy a champagne toast at midnight. Tickets are priced at $75 (+tax and gratuity) per person in advance; $95 (+tax and gratuity) per person after 4 p.m. on New Year’s Eve and at the door. Prices include dinner, open bar and DJ from 8 p.m. until 1 a.m. For reservations, call Meghan at 904.824.9056.

New Year’s Eve Laughter:
Laugh your way into 2010 – and help fund local scholarship programs! Haven Horse Ranch is proud to bring nationally-acclaimed comedian Jeff Allen to Ponte Vedra for a special New Year’s Eve appearance. Jeff is a family-friendly comedian whose goal “is to make people laugh as hard as humanly possible.” The laughs will occur at two shows – one at 6 p.m. and the second at 9 p.m. at the Crosswater Community Church’s new campus at Nocatee (Ponte Vedra) at the entrance to Davis Park. Tickets for this annual Haven Horse fundraiser are $22 in advance and $28 at the door. For more information, call 904.535.8400 or go to www.havenhorseranch.org. To find out more about comedian Jeff Allen, go to www.jeffallencomedy.com .

Kids’ New Year’s Eve Celebration at the Cultural Center in Ponte Vedra Beach: Kids can celebrate New Year’s Eve with a bang at the balloon drop set for noon at the Cultural Center in Ponte Vedra Beach. Kids can snap, crackle and pop in the bubble-wrap room while jumping to the jingles of the house band and create hilarious hats and party masks that will make everyone giggle. Plus, they can get a bite of Brucci’s Pizza Pie or build a mile-high ice cream sundae. Get there before noon to save your spot – hundreds of balloons will drop at noon on the dot. Admission is $2 per person. The Cultural Center at Ponte Vedra Beach is located at 50 Executive Way. For more information, call 904.280.0614.

New Year’s Eve Family Celebration at Adventure Landing: Bring the kidsfora day filled with fun and a chance to win great prizes in the New Year’s Eve balloon drop at noon at Adventure Landing. There will be “all you can play” min-golf and Go Cart rides for kids for just $10. And at noon there will be a spectacular balloon drop. The fun takes place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Adventure Landing is located on SR 16 off I-95 Exit 318. For more information, call 827.9400 or visit www.adventurelanding.com.

WINTER WONDERLAND AT THE ST. AUGUSTINE AMPHITHEATRE:
Don’t miss the last day of 2009 at Winter Wonderland! Open on New Year’s Eve from noon to 5 p.m. For details, click here.

Friday, Saturday and Sunday: January 1-3

LIMELIGHT THEATRE: BEST LITTLE WHOREHOUSE IN TEXAS
Enjoy this exciting musical that mixes laughter and a little bit of spice at the Matuza Main Stage at Limelight Theatre. When conservative sensibilities meet the ladies of the Chicken Ranch, feathers are going to fly. Limelight Theatre is located at 11 Old Mission Road in St. Augustine. Show times are Tuesday through Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday 2 p.m. matinees only through January 17. Tickets are $25 adults, $22 Seniors and $20 for students and military. For more information, call 904.825.1164 or visit www.limelight-theatre.org.

WINTER WONDERLAND AT THE ST. AUGUSTINE AMPHITHEATRE:
Don’t miss the last weekend of this season’s Winter Wonderland! For details, click here.

Friday and Saturday: January 1-2

VEDDY THEATRE GROUP: A TIME FOR EVERYTHING
Experience the final performances of this heart-warming holiday presentation at the St. Augustine Amphitheatre’s Winter Wonderland. Produced by the Veddy Theatre Group and written by Kiki Tovey, A Time for Everything is tailor made for the holiday season featuring the lovely Princess Vera and a quest for answers that leads to a wise hermit deep in the forest. Show times are 6:30, 7:30 and 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $5 (cash only) and may be purchased at the ticket booths at the Veddy Theatre at the Amphitheatre. For more information and online ticket purchases, go to www.veddytheatre.org .

Friday: January 1

PARENTS’ DATE NIGHT AT THE ST. AUGUSTINE ALLIGATOR FARM
Bring your kids from 5 to 12-year olds to the St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park for them to enjoy pizza, hands-on animal presentations, a twilight zoo tour, crafts and games –and then, while the kids are playing, you and your date can escape to Limelight Theatre for the production of The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas! The cost for two adults to attend the show and one child to have fun at the Alligator Farm is $50. Each additional child is $25. Kids will be at the Alligator Farm from 6 – 10 p.m.; the curtain goes up at the Limelight at 7:30 p.m. To register for this great night out for parents and kids, call Katie at 904.824.3337 x29.

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 (special events excluded), the Ximenez-Fatio House, the Oldest Wooden Schoolhouse, the Spanish Military Hospital Museum and the Father Miguel O’Reilly Museum. The daily tours and wine tastings 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. (donations are welcomed).