This weekend in St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra, and the beaches, November 22 – 25
Nov 22nd
Thursday: November 22
Click here for a List of Florida’s Historic Coast Restaurants open Thanksgiving Day!
Thanksgiving Kayak Adventure!
Small groups, great guides, and safe equipment make this tour a hit with the whole family! 
St. Augustine Eco Tours special Thanksgiving Day paddling adventure departs from the St. Augustine Municipal Marina, 111 Avenida Menendez at 10 a.m. The cost is $35 per person. (904) 377 -7245 www.staugustineecotours.com
Thursday through Saturday: November 22-24
Homes for the Holidays
A lantern-lit guided tour through St. Augustine’s Dow Museum of Historic Homes, 149 Cordova Street, decorated as they would have been in their first Christmases. Participants enter the houses and hear the stories of the folks who lived in and visited these precious old buildings. Tour starts at 7 p.m. Tickets are $15 for adults and children under 12 are $12. 904-823-9722 904-501-1253.
Thursday through Sunday: November 21 -25
Nights of Lights Tours:
Electric Bus Nights of Lights Tour
See the City lights on a 7-seat silent comfortable all-electric vehicle for a fully narrated 45 minute tour of St. Augustine’s lights and sights. Travelling down both the narrow and main streets, this tour goes where others do not! Nightly departures are from parking lot at rear of Love Tree Café, 31 Orange Street, are on the hour from 6 to 9 p.m. Adults $12, Child under 12 $10. 904-325-0547 www.staugustinegoldtours.com
Ripley’s Big Red Christmas Train
Ripley’s Big Red Christmas Train transports riders through St. Augustine’s magical Nights of Lights highlighting the sights and sounds of the season while viewing a magical holiday illusion through free Magic viewing glasses. Nightly tours take place from 6 to 8 p.m. (till 9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday). Tickets are $8 for adults and $4 for children. Tours start at Ripley’s Believe It or Not, 19 San Marco Avenue. 904-824-1606 www.RedTrains.com
Holly Jolly Holiday Tour
Explore St. Augustine’s famous Night of Lights in the cozy comfort of the Holly Jolly Trolleys. Caroling, hot cider, and homemade cookies add to the magic of your evening. Guests will receive complimentary magical viewing glasses, exclusively handcrafted by Santa’s elves. Tours depart regularly between 6 and 8 p.m. from the Visitors Information Center, 10 West Castillo Drive. Tickets are $9 for adults, and $4 for children ages 6 – 12. http://www.trolleytours.com/st-augustine.
Friday: November 23
Fun Boat Trip!
St. Augustine Eco Tour’s 1.5 hour adventurous tour departs from St. Augustine Municipal Marina, 111 Avenida Menendez – providing passengers with a front row seat and the opportunity to learn about marine wildlife, see beautiful birds, and take in the fresh, salty breeze. 904-377-7245 www.staugustineecotours.com
Tree Lighting at TPC Sawgrass
A ceremonial lighting of the tree on the lawn of the impressive Mediterranean-style TPC Sawgrass Clubhouse! Enjoy holiday music and hot cocoa at this FREE fun family event that takes place from 5:30 to 8 p.m. TPC Sawgrass is located at 110 Champions Way, Ponte Vedra Beach. http://www.tpc.com
Friday and Saturday: November 24 & 25
Candle Light Tours of Villa Zorayda
Explore the beautiful Villa Zorayda, decorated for the Holiday season, featuring a Christmas tree in the “Court of Lions”, decorated in the Villa’s traditional red and gold and a beautiful crèche nativity scene that that has been a Villa tradition since the 1930’s. Starting at 6 p.m., enjoy refreshments of cookies and punch. The docent led candlelight tour begins at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $16 for adults and $8 for children 7 -12, children 4 -6 are free. Villa Zorayda is located at 83 King Street in St. Augustine. Reservations are suggested. www.VillaZoryada.com 904.829.9887
Friday, Saturday & Sunday: November 23 – 25
Tour of Trees at TPC
A complimentary Tour the TPC Sawgrass Clubhouse spectacular holiday decorations! The tours of the clubhouse are led by PGA storytellers and take place daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Food and beverage are available in the clubhouse. www.tpc.com
Winter Wonderland Opens
The St. Augustine Amphitheatre transforms into a family-fun winter wonderland with ice skating, an ice slide, sleigh rides, an elf village and more. Open 5 to 10 p.m., Monday through Friday and 2 to 10 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday until December 21, then 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. daily through January 6. Admission is free and activities costs vary. The St. Augustine Amphitheatre is located at 1340C A1A in St. Augustine winterwonderlandflorida.com
Marineland Twilight Kayaking Tours
You won’t believe what you are seeing as you paddle into the sunset on Ripple Effect Eco Tours. These 2-hour tours depart at 4 p.m. from 10 Tolstoy Lane, St. Augustine (Marineland) The cost is $55 for adults that include guide service, and the finest kayaking equipment.
904-347-1565 www.RippleEffectEcotours.com
Saturday: November 24
St. Augustine Eco Tour Sailing Tour
Traverse the picturesque waterways of St. Augustine aboard an ultra-stable 27′ catamaran sailboat. Built for small groups, this boat provides the ultimate experience in authentic sailing. Departing from St. Augustine Municipal Marina, tickets are $45 per person or $250 for the entire boat up to 6 passengers. 904-377-7245 www.staugustineecotours.com
Walk on the Wild Side at Anastasia State Park
A 2.5 mile Ranger-led walk that starts at 9 a.m. is a leisurely stroll through the Maritime Hammock, marsh, dunes and shore line at Anastasia State Park, 1340A A1A, St. Augustine. Participation is free with paid park admission. For more information, call 904-461-2033.
Living History Days at Fort Mose
Experience living history demonstrations as volunteers in period dress offer visitors a fascinating glimpse into the past. Program is weather permitting. The demonstrations take place from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at Fort Mose State Park located at 15 Fort Mose Trail in St. Augustine. Admission is $4 per vehicle or $2 for pedestrians or bicyclists. For more information, call 904.823.2232 or visit www.floridastateparks.org/fortmose
Emma Concert Series: The Merling Trio
A truly international ensemble, The Merling Trio brings together musicians from Polish, Japanese, and Dutch backgrounds. Their performance will take place at 8 p.m. at Lewis Auditorium at Flagler College, 14 Granada Street in St. Augustine. For more information, call 904-797-2800 or visit EmmaConcerts.com.
Uptown Saturday Night
From 5 to 9 p.m. on the last Saturday of each month, experience live music, refreshments, new exhibits, book signings and much more at the galleries, antique stores and unique shops on St. Augustine’s San Marco Avenue between Ripley’s Museum and the Mission Nombre de Dios. The Mission Nombre de Dios provides FREE PARKING. For more information, call 904.823.9263.
Saturday and Sunday: November 24 & 25
Annual Fall Arts & Crafts Festival
See art created from lace to limestone and crayons to crystal. More than 150 artists from around the USA are juried into this Thanksgiving Weekend art festival. It all takes place at Francis Field behind the St. Augustine Downtown Historic Parking Facility located on West Castillo Drive in St. Augustine. The festival is sponsored by the St. Augustine Art Association and is open Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Admission is a $1 donation. staugustineartfestival.com 904.824.2310
Vittles and Vino VIP Carriage Tour
This three-hour food and wine tour makes stops at 4 to 5 food tasting and 3 to 4 wine venues, including a bottle of wine for the tour. Tours depart at 2 p.m. from Isabella’s Cuba Bar at 19 Cuna Street in Historic St. Augustine Tickets are $99 per person. www.thetastingtours.com.
CLICK HERE FOR A COMPLETE LIST OF EVENTS.
NOTE: Do you have a 2013 event that will bring visitors to Florida’s Historic Coast?
email details to: fhceventlist@gmail.com
Local Resident Specials
NOTE: St. Johns County residents with a valid ID are always admitted free of charge to the Oldest House, the Lightner Museum, the Fountain of Youth (special events excluded), the Ximenez-Fatio House, the Oldest Wooden Schoolhouse, Spanish Military Hospital Museum, and the Historic Tours of Flagler College. The daily tours and wine tastings at the San Sebastian Winery are free to everyone. Also, admission is free to everyone at the Authentic Old Drug Store, Fort Matanzas National Monument, St. Photios Chapel, the Pena-Peck House, the Father Miguel O’Reilly Museum and the Mission Nombre de Dios Museum (donations are welcomed).
Source: Visitors and Convention Bureau
U.S.’s Mexican gray wolves threatened by inbreeding: Terra Infirma by Ron Baird
Nov 21st
Terra Infirma by Ron Baird
This former Colorafo State Forrest Service writer tells the truth about what is really happening to our environment in C1Ns Terra Infirma by Ron Baird.
This former Colorafo State Forrest Service writer tells the truth about what is really happening to our environment in C1Ns Terra Infirma by Ron Baird.
Release of More Mexican Gray Wolves to Wild Needed to Stop Genetic Inbreeding
This Week Marks Four Years Since Last Release of Captive-bred Wolf
SILVER CITY, N.M.— To mark this week’s four-year anniversary of the last release of a Mexican gray wolf into the 
southwestern wilderness, the Center for Biological Diversity has called on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to dramatically increase the number of wolves in the wild. This is needed to stave off genetic inbreeding, which scientists say may now be limiting the size and health of some wolf litters.
Under pressure from the livestock industry, the Service has ceased releasing captive-bred wolves into the wild in recent years. Unfortunately this means there’s little genetic diversity flowing into the fledgling wild wolf population, which compromises the ability of the 58 wolves in Arizona and New Mexico to grow healthily and sustainably.
“By starving the wild wolf population of new animals, the Fish and Wildlife Service is stacking the odds against their recovery,” said the Center’s wolf specialist, Michael Robinson. “Resuming the release of wolves into the wild is absolutely essential to overcoming inbreeding and ensuring the success of this wolf recovery program.”
All Mexican wolves in the world today stem from just seven animals captured alive from the wild in Mexico and the United States, the last one in 1980. After reintroduction of the wolves to Arizona and New Mexico began in 1998, the Fish and Wildlife Service had many of the most genetically valuable wolves shot or trapped on behalf of the livestock industry. Consequently the captive population will have to jump-start the wild population again.
“Too many wolves have been taken out of the wild, both by the government and by poachers. That’s a tragedy, and it puts the Mexican wolf’s future in jeopardy,” said Robinson.
The Center for Biological Diversity is a national, nonprofit conservation organization with more than 450,000 members and online activists dedicated to the protection of endangered species and wild places.
Lincoln – Movie Trailer
Nov 18th
Steven Spielberg directs Daniel Day-Lewis in Lincoln, a revealing drama that focuses on the 16th President’s tumultuous final months in office. In a nation divided by war and the strong winds of change, Lincoln pursues a course of action designed to end the war, unite the country and abolish slavery. With the moral courage and fierce determination to succeed, his choices during this critical moment will change the fate of generations to come.
