Jazz Fest, a culinary school & your full Memorial Day weekend 🎷

Good morning, Jacksonville. Memorial Day weekend is basically here, and this city has absolutely stacked the calendar. The Jazz Festival kicks off Thursday. The Jumbo Shrimp are home all week. Dinosaurs are taking over the Zoo after dark. And somewhere in the middle of all of this — Jacksonville may be getting a world-class culinary school. I genuinely did not have that on my 2026 bingo card.

Let's get into it. 🧡

— Austin

This one is a big deal — and it's moving fast.

Jacksonville City Council is set to vote as soon as May 26 on backing up to $35 million in economic incentives to bring a Culinary Institute of America campus downtown. The proposed 50,000-square-foot school would anchor a $160 million mixed-use development at 330 E. Bay St. on the Northbank — the long-vacant site of the demolished Duval County Courthouse — alongside a 14-story hotel, conference center, and street-level restaurants.

The CIA, often called the "Harvard of culinary institutions," counts the late Anthony Bourdain among its graduates. Local CIA alum and Blue Bamboo Canton Bistro owner Dennis Chan has been championing the project: "It would bring culinary tourism to Jacksonville, and we simply don't have that."

The timing matters: the CIA's board of directors meets in June to select a southeastern city for a new campus. The Council vote is designed to show Jacksonville's commitment before that decision is made.

Jacksonville getting an elite culinary school on the downtown riverfront was definitely not on my 2026 bingo card — but I'm very here for it.

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If you've chased down one of Jacksonville's most popular smash burger trucks at a brewery or pop-up, good news: Hard Pressed Burgers — known for their simple smash burgers, patties pressed thin and cooked until crispy — is opening their first brick-and-mortar location in San Marco on Hendricks Avenue, in the previous home of Good Dough donuts.

Founded during the COVID period by Justin Pa'ala and Eddie Evans, Hard Pressed was voted Best Food Truck 2024 by Folio Weekly and has been running two mobile locations — one of which has been a fixture in Murray Hill. The restaurant plans to keep the food trucks running alongside the new location, while also expanding the menu to include buffalo chicken sandwiches, hot dogs, fried fish sandwiches, and beer and wine.

For anyone who loves a good smash burger — and honestly, who doesn't — this is worth putting on your radar.

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One of the best free events Jacksonville puts on all year is back — and this year's lineup is stacked.

The 2026 Jacksonville Jazz Festival runs May 21–24 at Ford on Bay (288 E. Bay St.) in downtown Jacksonville, with artists including Parliament Funkadelic featuring George Clinton, Andra Day, Nile Rodgers & CHIC, Sheila E. & the E-Train, Kamasi Washington, esperanza spalding, and more.

Here's the breakdown:

This is one of those weekends where downtown Jacksonville actually feels alive. Whether you catch one evening or all four days, it's worth making the trip.

More details + premium tickets

The defending Triple-A National Champions are home all week facing the Norfolk Tides, and the promotional schedule is as only-in-Jacksonville as it gets.

Highlights this homestand include Purr in the Park on Tuesday, May 19 — where cats are welcome at the ballpark — and Honey Drippers Weekend on Saturday and Sunday (May 23–24), when the team plays in their popular colorful Honey Drippers alternate uniforms. Sunday is also Military Appreciation Night, with free tickets for active military, veterans, and their dependents.

Tickets start at $5, with a $2 hot dog deal available every game. Cheap family entertainment in Jacksonville is getting harder to find — but Jumbo Shrimp games still deliver.

Tickets & full schedule

Summer and fall in Jacksonville are actually packed with festivals — here's a quick look ahead so you can plan accordingly:

Save this list. There's a lot worth circling on the calendar.

The NFL dropped the full schedule this week. The season opens September 13 at home, features three primetime games, two home games in London, and a bye that lines up with EverBank Stadium construction. Here's the full look:

Full details & tickets: Jaguars.com

Sip & Stroll — Last One Until Fall! Thursday, May 21 | 5–8 p.m. (Free) / Location: Southbank Riverwalk (Friendship Fountain to Chart House), Downtown / Description: Downtown Vision's monthly Sip & Stroll on the Southbank — live music, food trucks, riverside bars, and a relaxed picnic atmosphere with beverages in official cups. This is the LAST event before the series goes on summer hiatus. It resumes September 17, so this Thursday is your last chance until fall. / More details

North Beaches Art Walk Thursday, May 21 | 5–9 p.m. (Free) / Location: Beaches Town Center, Atlantic Beach / Description: The monthly art walk along the stretch where Atlantic Blvd meets the ocean, featuring 55+ local visual artists and live performers. Great for an evening out at the beach without the Jazz Fest crowds. / More details

At the Ballet Thursday, May 21 | 6:30 p.m. (Tickets required) / Location: Jacoby Symphony Hall, Jacksonville Center for the Performing Arts / Description: The Jacksonville Symphony presents a night of ballet-inspired orchestral music. An elegant evening out before the long weekend kicks into gear. / Tickets

Bargain Thursday at Breezy Jazz House Thursday, May 21 | Seating 6:30 p.m., Music 7 p.m. ($10 admission) / Location: Breezy Jazz House, 1402 San Marco Blvd. / Description: Live jazz in San Marco for just $10 — one of the best value nights out in the city, every Thursday. This week it's competing with Jazz Fest downtown, but if you'd rather skip the crowds and sit down with a drink and great music, Breezy delivers. / More details

Redferrin Friday, May 22 | 7 p.m. (18+, Tickets required) / Location: Decca Live, 323 E. Bay St., Downtown / Description: Warner Music Nashville country artist Redferrin brings his tour through Jacksonville — an adrenaline-heavy, high-energy set that's been getting a lot of buzz. Small venue, big sound. / Tickets

George Wallace at The Comedy Zone Friday, May 22 | 7:15 p.m. & 9:45 p.m. (21+, Tickets from $61) / Location: The Comedy Zone, 3130 Hartley Rd. / Description: Veteran stand-up comedian George Wallace brings his set to the Comedy Zone this weekend — Friday and Saturday shows available. / Tickets

Dinosauria: Twilight Trek at the Jacksonville Zoo May 22–25 | 6–10 p.m. (Tickets required) / Location: Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens, 370 Zoo Parkway / Description: The Zoo gets a glow-up after dark this Memorial Day weekend — a dino-themed evening experience with a DJ, crafts, activities, and giveaways, all among life-size prehistoric giants. Includes access to the Zoo, Carousel, 4D Theatre, and Stingray Bay touch tank (until 7:30 p.m.). Perfect for families or just grown adults who love dinosaurs (no judgment). / Tickets

Jacksonville Home & Garden Show May 22–25 (Free admission & parking) / Location: Duval Hall, Jacksonville Fairgrounds Westside, 510 Fairgrounds Place / Description: The annual home improvement event at the brand-new Duval Hall brings together local remodelers, builders, and design pros under one roof. If you've been putting off a kitchen refresh or bathroom reno, this is the place to get inspired and get estimates. Hours: Fri 12–6 p.m., Sat 10–6 p.m., Sun 11–6 p.m., Mon 10–5 p.m. / More details

Have a great week out there, Jacksonville. Memorial Day weekend is going to be a lot of fun — and I'll see you on the other side of it. 🧡

— Austin