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🌟 Good Morning, Jacksonville!
Happy December, Jacksonville! 🎄✨ Our city is absolutely glowing right now - from brand-new riverfront playgrounds and holiday markets everywhere, this week is serving pure Jacksonville Christmas magic.
Here’s your can’t-miss roundup:
🌴 Riverfront Plaza Phase 1 is OPEN! New playground, splash pad, huge lawns, and a smoother Riverwalk – perfect for pics and picnics! 🎉
🐶 Meet Lou, the most well behaved (and handsome) dog of the month (and available to take home!)
✈️ Shocking Florida crash-landing on I-95 that made national headlines
🎄The best local markets, lights & Christmas outings this weekend
💡Stick around to dive into St. Augustine’s Nights of Lights — its history, hidden traditions, and the surprising price tag behind the sparkle!
Grab your crew and get out there – Jax is showing OFF right now!
Jacksonville’s Riverfront Just Got Its Glow-Up! ✨
Hey y’all! If you live in Jax or you’re just passing through, you have to get downtown right now—it’s pure holiday magic! 🎉 The new Riverfront Plaza is finally open (after 18 months and $33+ million), and trust me, this is the spot you can’t miss—whether it’s a family outing, date night, or just you and a coffee taking it all in.
Here are some details you cannot miss!
🛝Brand-new playground plus splash pad (kids are losing their minds), big open lawns for picnics, concerts, festivals and the Riverwalk is smoother and prettier than ever.
🎭 Connects directly to the Performing Arts Center now – perfect for date nights and family days!
🌳 Coming soon…plans for even more green space, riverfront restaurant, beer garden, rain garden (how cool!?) public art, and shady spots – it’s about to be our new favorite hangout spot!
For more updated info, parking, and future plans, check out their site here!
Honestly, walking along the river this weekend felt like Jacksonville finally got the glow-up it deserves. If you haven’t been yet, grab your people, your dog, your iced coffee, whatever – and go see it this week. It’s giving proud-to-call-Jax-home vibes big time! 🐆💙
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🐶🎄 Meet the Humane Society’s Dog of the Month: Lou!
Check Lou out here!
Isn’t he just precious?! Lou is a 65lb male, almost 3 years old (yep—past the wild puppy stage! 🙌). Mr. Lou is best known for his sweet snuggles, polite manners, and being an all-around well-behaved gentleman. 🐾
He loves to play, explore, and join you on any big adventure. The Adoption Center is open on weekdays from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m. and on weekends from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
This Christmas season, consider giving Lou—or any of his furry friends at the Humane Society—a loving forever home. ❤️🏡🎁
✈️ Shocking Florida Crash-Landing on I-95
On Monday night, a small plane made an emergency landing on Interstate 95 in Brevard County—about 2.5 hours south of Jacksonville—crashing into a Toyota Camry in dramatic dashcam footage. 🚗📹
The pilot reported engine trouble before touching down near Cocoa, and both people aboard walked away unharmed.
The 57-year-old driver of the car was hospitalized with minor injuries, a miracle given the impact. 🏥💥The FAA and NTSB are now investigating the rare highway crash that left drivers stunned but incredibly grateful it wasn’t worse. 🔍✈️
🌟 Nights of Lights — Magic, History & Holiday Cheer in St. Augustine, Florida
St. Augustine glows with over 3 million white lights ✨ across rooftops, palm trees, and the waterfront — a true winter wonderland. 🌟🌴
[ Fun secret 🤫: Hidden low in the Plaza de la Constitución among millions of white lights is one lone red bulb — a sweet tradition started by groundskeeper Bobby Mangles, who placed it at wheelchair height so his daughter who was wheelchair bound, could always “find” it and feel the magic of Nights of Lights. 🔴👀 ]
Keeping the magic going isn’t cheap! In 2025, the county approved $850,000 for lighting, security, and crowd support, with the city adding over $500,000. 💡💸
💚🚋 (INSIDER INFO, MUST-SEE): The Grinch Grumpy Tour!
Hop aboard the Grinch Grumpy Tour in St. Augustine, where the city’s sparkling Nights of Lights get roasted by the Grinch harder than Whoville on Christmas morning. 💚🎄
Expect sass, side-eye, and holiday cheer delivered “with a side of stink, stank, stunk,” straight from the movie itself. 😏
It’s the perfect tour if you want festive fun with a little mischief—because nothing says Christmas like being insulted by the Grinch while rolling past 3 million lights. 🚋✨😄🎄 Book here!
🎄Jacksonville Christmas Events This Week🎄
Jingle Brews at Wicked Barley: The Holiday Market This Weekend! 🎁
Get ready to sleigh the holiday shopping season at The Holiday Market hosted by Wicked Barley Brewing Company! This festive pop-up event brings together local artisans, crafty vendors, and jolly vibes for a perfect pre-Christmas outing. Sip on seasonal brews while browsing unique gifts, handmade ornaments, and cozy winter wares—it's the ultimate blend of holiday cheer and crafty finds! ❄️🍻
When: Saturday, December 14, 2024, from 11:00 AM to 10:00 PM (arrive early for the best picks under the mistletoe!).
Where: Wicked Barley Brewing Company - right in the heart of Jacksonville's vibrant scene. Free entry, family-friendly fun! Link for information here!
Don't miss this merry market—tag your squad and let's make some holiday magic! 🎅
Christmas in the Village – Pure Holiday Magic in Clay County! 🎄❄️
Get ready to step into a Hallmark movie at Christmas in the Village! Stroll twinkling streets, sip hot cocoa or apple cider, and soak up every ounce of small-town holiday charm. This cozy, family-favorite tradition is back and bigger than ever—perfect for making memories that’ll last all year! ☕🎁
Featured fun:
🔥🎶🍪Decorate Christmas cookies and fire pit s’mores + live music
📸🎅Photos & visits with Santa
👕Ugly sweater contest (bring your wildest one!)
🐐✂️Cake walk, crafts & interactive farm animals 🐐
🎥✨Festive outdoor Christmas movie — bring your own chair or blanket!
• 12/12: The Grinch
• 12/19: A Christmas Story
📅 When: Friday 12/12 and 12/19 from 4:00pm–8:00pm
📍 Where: Clay County Fairgrounds - Clay County’s most magical holiday spot! (full details at exploreclay.com)!
Free entry, all ages welcome—grab the family, your coziest blanket, and come make it a holly-jolly night! ❤️✨
Well, that’s a wrap for now! Whether you hop on the grumpy Grinch Tour (and wow your friends with some crazy electricity stats) or stroll through a festive Christmas market this week, let the holiday spirit soak straight into your soul — you deserve it! Our city is truly showing off right now. 🎅
❤️ Hannah