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Gamble Rogers Folk Fest is back in the St. Augustine Amphitheatre
May 5th
This year’s festival is the 17th and the theme is “Return to Oklawaha County,” appropriately titled, according to Festival President Paul Linser’s recent edition of Gamble Gazette. Oklawaha County is a fictional Florida place that Rogers would take his audiences to wherever he performed.
Rogers lived in the Lighthouse Park on Anastasia Island and had staged a Storytelling Festival at the amphitheatre which highlighted, among other performers, winners from a public schools contest he organized to encourage appreciation of the art of storytelling.
He won national acclaim for his own stories and songs and singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett acknowledged Rogers as a mentor.
But Rogers untimely but heroic death in 1991 left his adopted community in shock. He died at a Flagler County Park while trying to rescue a man drowning in the rough October surf. Both men died in the rescue attempt. The St. Johns County School Board named a middle school for Rogers and Flagler County named its oceanside park in his memory.
His friends and fans created the Gamble Rogers Folk Festival in tribute and it showcases performers from all over the county. We’re glad the festival has become a tradition here and we’re glad its back “home.” The camaraderie in Rogers’ backyard can’t be beat.
Four stages and venues will be going non-stop today from noon until 6 p.m. And then, the Main Stage continues on with the headliners starting at 7 p.m., Aaron O’Rourke Trio, followed by the well-known regional group, the Gatorbone Band, and then The Waymores, whom Linser refers to as one of Nashville’s top threesomes of singer-songwriters.
The festival’s proceeds benefit youth music programs. Tickets for today’s festival are $35 per person and children under 12 get in free when accompanied by an adult on a paid ticket.
The Amphitheatre is always a busy place with or without another event on Saturdays with the Farmer’s Market open for business until around 12:30 p.m. We suggest you come early and take in the market before following the sounds of music.
Best 5 Fishing Piers in the St. Augustine, Florida, Area
May 1st
Ocean Pier in St. Johns County
The St. Johns County Ocean Pier is located off A1A in St. Augustine Beach. It is such a great fishing spot, that I don’t mind forking over the $1.50 daily pass fee. You can grab extra bait and tackle onsite as well as sundries. Parking is free and public restrooms are available onsite. It usually opens daily from 6 a.m. until 10 p.m. Sometimes the stairs leading to the pier gets closed due to beach erosion, so you may want to verify that it is open before you head out.
Vilano Fishing Pier
The Vilano Fishing Pier is located on Vilano Road in St. Augustine. One of the best things about the pier is that there is no admission fee. It also tends to open daily. The fishing pier is over 600 feet long and public restrooms are onsite.
Vaill Point Park Fishing Pier
Vaill Point Park is located on Vaill Point Road in St. Augustine. It provides access to both the Intracoastal Waterway and Moultrie Creek. In addition to the fishing pier, the park affords anglers the shade of a covered pavilion as well as public restrooms and barbecue grills.
St. Augustine Lighthouse Park Fishing Pier
The St. Augustine Lighthouse Park is located on Ocean Vista Avenue in St. Augustine. It is over 100 feet long, affords access to Salt Run and features a boat ramp that is a popular launch site for kayakers. Anglers interested in checking out the tidal information for the area around the fishing pier should look for Station 8720576 on the NOAA website. The pier typically opens daily.
Shands Fishing Pier
The Shands Fishing Pier is located off State Road 13 in St. Augustine. It is over 1,000 feet long, free to access and is well maintained. The pier is just north of the Shands Bridge and the fishing action near the pilings at tide change is hard to beat. There are ample benches to park your keester. Anglers looking to check the water quality around the pier will find a host of data available through the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s website. The pier generally opens each day.
Killeen Gonzalez enjoys summer sports and recreation with her family. She has also traveled extensively.
The Beach Boys perform at St. Augustine Amphitheatre
Apr 28th
the St. Augustine Amphitheatre marks the popular rock band’s 50th anniversary tour to film.
2012 has been a busy year for the St. Johns County Cultural Events Division. In addition to a first class lineup at the St. Augustine Amphitheatre and Ponte Vedra Concert Hall including visits from legendary artists, national touring acts, community events and a speech by a former President, filming location can now be added to the list.
The Beach Boys and their management have selected the St. Augustine Amphitheatre and the St. Johns County community as the location for their upcoming concert special. The “Live from the St. Augustine Amphitheatre” footage will be part of the Beach Boys special, planned to be nationally syndicated and aired on PBS as part of the new series entitled “Front Row Center” presented by WNET in New York.
Film scouts toured various locations ranging from the Hollywood Bowl, the Greek Theatre, the Chicago Theatre, Red Rocks Amphitheatre and many more, to find the perfect filming locations for their special. After narrowing it down to the top 4, the St. Augustine Amphitheatre was chosen as one of the two venues used for filming.
A full 12-piece camera crew will be present next week to document The Beach Boys (Brian Wilson, Mike Love, Al Jardine, Bruce Johnston and David Marks) around town and at the Amphitheatre.
For five decades, America’s first pop band to reach the 50-year milestone has recorded and performed the music that has become the world’s favorite soundtrack to summer. The Beach Boys continue to hold Billboard / Nielsen SoundScan’s record as the top-selling American band for albums and singles, and they are also the American group with the most Billboard Top 40 chart hits with 36. Sounds Of Summer: The Very Best Of The Beach Boys is fast approaching triple-Platinum sales status, and The SMiLE Sessions, released to worldwide critical acclaim in November, has been heralded as 2011’s #1 Reissue of the Year by Rolling Stone magazine.
Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988 and recipients of The Recording Academy’s Lifetime Achievement GRAMMY Award, The Beach Boys are an American institution that is iconic around the world.
A limited number of tickets are still available for purchase to this monumental event.
**Please note that due to the filming, no personal cameras will be permitted inside the venue.
Show: The Beach Boys 50th Anniversary Tour
Venue: St. Augustine Amphitheatre
Date: Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Time: Doors 6:00pm / Show 7:00pm