Chicago in concert this weekend

Friday: April 3
Events around St. Augustine this weekend were reported to Historic City News by Jay Humphreys, Communications Director for the St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra & The Beaches Visitors & Convention Bureau, including a live concert by the group Chicago.

FIRST FRIDAY ART WALK
Join one of St. Augustine’s most popular cultural events on the first Friday of every month. Enjoy the latest exhibits, music, entertainment and refreshments at over 20 participating galleries – plus, great food courtesy of the St. Augustine Independent Restaurant Association. Tours begin at Rembrandtz American Craft Gallery, 131 King Street. Galleries are open from 5 to 9 p.m. St. Augustine Sightseeing Trains and Old Town Trolleys offer attendees a complimentary shuttle service to most of the galleries. Shuttles run on a continuous loop every 30 minutes. For more information, call 904.829.0065 or visit www.artgalleriesofstaugustine.com.

NIGHT OWL CINEMA SERIES: WIZARD OF OZ
Enjoy a night with the family in the open air while watching the movie Wizard of Oz on the big screen at the St. Augustine Amphitheatre, Florida’s newest outdoor arts and cultural venue. Admission to Night Owl Cinema Series is free and the show begins at 8 p.m. The St. Augustine Amphitheatre is located at 1340 A1A South in St. Augustine. For more information, call 904.471.1965 or visit www.staugamphitheatre.com.

PARENTS NIGHT OUT!
Give the kids a fun and educational evening at the St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park. From 6-10 p.m., the staff will provide a safe and fun evening for kids ages 5-12 while parents have a night on the town. Parents Night Out includes pizza and drinks for the kids, plus a hands-on animal presentation, twilight zoo tour, a craft, nocturnal games and lots of fun. Plus, WAPE 95.1 –the Big Ape (of course) — will be there with great sounds, prizes and an animal-themed on-air program. Tickets are $25 for members, $30 for non-members. For more details, call Molly at 904.824.3337 ext. 10.

Friday, Saturday and Sunday: April 3 – 5

RHYTHM AND RIBS FESTIVAL
Experience the nation’s best BBQ, non-stop music and fun at the 14th Annual Rhythm and Ribs Festival. Featured entertainer, Leon Russell, will take the stage at 8 p.m. on Saturday. Selected as St. Augustine’s “Best Festival” for eight consecutive years, Rhythm and Ribs will be held at Francis Field at U.S. 1 & Castillo Drive in St. Augustine from 5 to 10 p.m. on Friday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday. General admission is $2 except for Saturday after 4 p.m. when it is $5. Sponsored by the St. Augustine Sunrise Rotary Club, all proceeds go to local charities, scholarships and international humanitarian efforts. For more information, call 904.540.1834, visit www.rhythmandribs.net or email alli@allisonf.com.

FLAGLER COLLEGE THEATRE: ENCHANTED SLEEPING BEAUTY
Awaken your heart as the students of Flagler College’s Theatre Department present the beloved classic tale of the sleeping Princess Briar Rose. The show takes place at Flagler College Auditorium, 14 Granada Street in St. Augustine on Friday at 7 p.m., on Saturday at 2 p.m. and on Sunday at 1:30 p.m. Sunday’s performance is followed by a tea party. Tickets for the show are $8 for adults and $5 for children. Tickets for the Tea Party are $5 per person. Reservations are required. For more information and reservations, call 904.826.8600 or visit www.flagler.edu/theatre.

Saturday: April 4

EASTER FESTIVAL AT THE WORLD GOLF HALL OF FAME
Go ahead and pet the Easter Bunny during a special Easter Festival for children and families at the World Golf Hall of Fame. The Easter Festival will include egg hunts, bounce houses, clowns, train rides and more. Admission to the event, which includes all activities and a ticket to the World Golf Hall of Fame IMAX® Theater is $6 per person. The fun takes place from 9 to 11:30 a.m. To purchase tickets, call 904-940-4010. For more information, call 904-940-4123 or visit www.wgv.com.

Walk at Alpine Groves and Beluthhatchee
Enjoy a peaceful guided walk through two parks. Naturalist Beverly Fleming will share information about the ecology and history of Alpine Groves, a 54.4 acre former orange grove and homestead overlooking the St. Johns River and Bethulthahatchee, home of author and human rights activist Stetson Kennedy. The tour begins at 10 a.m. To RSVP, email miransamanning@aol.com, or visit http://www.meetup.com/Sierra-Club-Northeast-Florida-Group/calendar/9880497/.

GARDEN CERAMIC SHOW
Enjoy the works of members of the Clay Arts Guild of the First Coast during a day-long show in a beautiful and relaxing garden environment. Available for purchase will be a variety of ceramic works from garden and indoor sculptures, functional and decorative pottery to unique clay jewelry. The show takes place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in potter, Jerry Peters’ garden located at 320 Ravenswood Drive in St. Augustine. For more information call or email Jerry Peters at 904.501.0757, Jpeters9@bellsouth.net or Barbara Cornett at 904.529.7550, cornett_barbara@hotmail.com.

HISTORIC WEAPONS FIRING DEMONSTRATION
Take the National Park Service’s ferry to Rattlesnake Island and experience daily military life at Fort Matanzas – the 18th century Spanish fort that guarded the southern approach to St. Augustine. From 10:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m., authentically clad re-enactors will demonstrate Spanish muskets and cannons at the fort. Admission is free. Fort Matanzas National Monument is located on A1A at the south end of Anastasia Island approximately 15 miles south of St. Augustine. For more information, call 904.471.0116 or visit www.nps.gov/foma.

SEA TURTLE FESTIVAL
Come learn about the sea turtles that nest along the beaches of St. Johns County. Every spring and summer sea turtles return to nest along our coastline. Join in this annual festival to learn about ways to improve the habitat of these amazing creatures. The Sea Turtle Festival starts at 9 a.m. at the St. Johns County Pier, located at 350 A1A Beach Boulevard at St. Augustine Beach.

Sunday: April 5

CHICAGO IN CONCERT
Get retro with one of the best-loved and most successful bands in rock history. Chicago was the leading U.S. singles charting group during the 1970s, with worldwide sales of more than 120 million records and an astonishing 50 hits in the U.S. alone (including 20 Top 10 smashes and 9 weeks at the Top of the charts). The gates open at 6:30 and the show begins at 8 p.m. St. Augustine Amphitheatre is located at 1340 A1A South in St. Augustine. Tickets can be purchased at www.ticketmaster.com. For more information, call 904.471.1965 or visit www.StAugAmphitheatre.com.

BLESSING OF THE FLEET
Witness a ceremony that dates back to 1947 as those that take to the sea from St. Augustine aboard commercial and pleasure craft receive a blessing from the Bishop of the Diocese of St. Augustine. The event draws thousands on Palm Sunday to watch as watercraft from trawlers and yachts to sailboats and motor craft– all decorated with flags and bunting –receive this special blessing. The ceremony begins at noon with a procession from the Cathedral Basilica to the St. Augustine Municipal Marina. For more information, call 904.824.9725 or visit www.sayc2000.com.

OUT OF BOUNDS GALLERY SHOW
Experience the opening of the St. Augustine Art Association’s showing of open media works that pushes the boundaries of ideas, concepts and materials and are unusual or out of the ordinary. The opening reception takes place from 2 to 5 p.m. The St. Augustine Art Association Gallery, located at 22 Marine Street in St. Augustine is open noon to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 2 to 5 p.m. on Sundays. The show continues through April 26. Admission is free. For more information, call 904.824.2310 or visit www.staaa.org.