Ring in the New Year at Beach Blast 2011

Verna Brown, chairperson for St Augustine Beach Blast Off 2011, invites Historic City News readers looking for a “family friendly” early New Year’s Eve, to stop by the St. Johns County Pier and Pavilion at St. Augustine Beach.

Start off with a Chili Cook Off competition that features 14 local restaurants vying for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place trophies. Celebrity judges make their decisions, but the coveted prize is the People’s Choice where the people can vote.

Next, huge blocks of ice are brought center stage and aspiring chefs from the St. Johns County Culinary Institute wield their chainsaws to create breathtaking ice sculptures.

Music, music, music on the Main Stage at Beach Blast Off with incredible local and regional acts! Acts will appear on the website as they are signed up!

An assortment of food vendors from barbeque ribs to funnel cakes to cotton candy augment the dining fare and the beer and soda tents are always busy.

Family friendly at the beach with clowns, face painting, puppets, magicians and a huge Kids’ Zone keep the children actively involved until the spectacular fireworks display begins at 8:30 p.m.

For 20 minutes, the fireworks are shot off at the end of the St Augustine Beach Pier. They are synchronized with music and can be seen for miles around.

Tens of thousands of people gather along the beach, at the Pier Pavilion, on their balconies to watch this awesome show as the fireworks literally burst above their heads. But remember this year it is at high tide so come early!

As families take their children home, a crowd remains for the “Family and Friends After Dance Party” for another hour to dance and groove to the live entertainment on the stage.

Shuttle buses safely take everyone back to their cars and trolley trains take people back to their motels along A1A Beach Boulevard.

Photo credits: © 2010 Historic City News contributed photograph by Randy Hoff