Festivals & Events
The warm, sunny days of a Florida spring season create the perfect environment for some of the year’s most incredible festivals and events, from heart-pounding motorcycle races to mouth-watering seafood extravaganzas and a celebration of the quirkiest Republic you’ve never heard of.
Gate River Run
March 7
Jacksonville
For over 40 years, the GATE River Run has been an epic event that draws over 20,000 runners and spectators from around the country to downtown Jacksonville. The run is hosted by non-profit organization JTC Running, dedicated to providing summer running camp scholarships for high school students and other philanthropic offerings that promote fitness. After the race, enjoy the Publix Post-Race Celebration with food, drinks, live entertainment, an awards ceremony, and kids’ entertainment.
gateriverrun15k.com
DAYTONA 200
March 14
Daytona Beach
While Daytona may be best known for their car race, you can’t miss their biggest motorcycle race! What started as a beach race has reached the high banks of the Daytona International Speedway. The DAYTONA 200 is all about showcasing the best in motorcycle road racing, and this event is the premier of the motorcycle racing season. And there’s more to this event than just watching the race - fans can get involved by checking out the Midway Extravaganza for the newest in motorcycle parts, accessories, and apparel, and you could even take a FREE demo ride of new products! Don’t miss the UNOH Fanzone to visit garages and get in on an autograph session.
daytonainternationalspeedway.com
Naples Flower Show and Garden Market
March 19-21
Naples
One of the largest flower shows in Florida, the Naples Flower Show at the Naples Botanical Garden is a feast for the senses! There be thousands of blooms to see and smell, and this year’s theme is “Past-Present-Future,” so there is an exciting sense of looking into the future of gardening and the Earth. This two day event offers a variety of educational demonstrations as well as the Naples Garden Club’s spectacular juried Designs and Horticultural exhibits. Don’t miss the Garden Market to take home some blooms of your own.
naplesgarden.org
Marco Island Seafood and Music Festival
March 20-22
Marco Island
Prepare your tastebuds - and your earbuds - for three full days of seafood and live music at the Marco Island Seafood and Music Festival, which highlights the Gulf Coast’s freshest catches with fresh fish, grouper, crab cakes, stone crab, shrimp, crawdads, chowder, and more. In addition to surf meals, there will be “turf” options like burgers and chicken. Sip on beer and wine as you survey over 60 arts and crafts vendors, while listening to live music. There is also a fun-filled kids’ zone with bounce house, slide, rock-climbing wall, and more. And, don’t forget, there will be musical entertainment all day, every day!
marcoislandseafoodandmusicfestival.com
Naples Downtown Art Show
March 21-22
Naples
Warm up in the Spring sunshine while strolling around Downtown Naples as you peruse over 230 artists’ booths, mingling with these creative minds as you enjoy their works and having a good time with other art lovers. You’’ll find original oils and acrylics on canvas to watercolors, 2D and 3D mixed media, limited edition prints, photography, digital art, sculpture, wood carvings, ceramics, hand-crafted jewelry, leather works and more. In addition to the art show, you can visit all of famous Fifth Avenue’s shops, boutiques, and eateries.
naplesart.org
Springtime Tallahassee
March 27-28
Tallahassee
Welcome Spring with this annual two-day event, packed with all kinds of things to see and do in the Florida outdoors. Hosted by Tallahassee’s Chain of Parks, this celebration includes arts, crafts, and food vendors, a beer garden for adults, a play area for children, a parade with floats and marching bands, and live music from popular artists including popular American Idol winner Scotty McCreery.
springtimetallahassee.com
Rhythm & Ribs Festival
March 27-29
St. Augustine
For over 20 years, barbecue lovers have flocked to St. Augustine to enjoy the Rhythm & Ribs Festival - a true Southern event that features live music from nationally-celebrated artists, arts and crafts vendors to shop, a midway with rides and activities for kids (and kids at heart) and, of course, the most delicious barbecue you’ve ever tasted! For a good laugh, don’t miss the traditional “Kiss a Pig” contest.
rhythmandribs.net
SUN ’n FUN Aerospace Expo
March 31-April 5
Lakeland
This fun and fast-paced festival offers a week of aerospace activities for flyboys and girls of all ages, with daily airshows of 60+ aerobatic performers, 2-night shows, 500+ exhibitors, STEMtastic Youth area with tons of hands on activities, and more. This year features the precision of the USAF Thunderbirds and F-35 Lightning II Demo Team. Camp onsite and never miss a minute!
flysnf.org
Delray Affair
April 3-5
Delray Beach
Attend the largest arts and crafts festival in the Southeastern United States: Delray Affair! Now in its 58th year, this award-winning and eclectic event takes place along the palm tree-lined streets of downtown Delray Beach, stretching 12 city blocks. The event features a mixture of fine art, great crafts and funky products from around the world - in fact, last year the festival featured artists and crafters from 30 states and 12 countries! If all this perusing makes you thirsty, visit the expanded Delray Honda Beer Garden.
delrayaffair.com
Tampa Bay Blues Festival
April 12-14
St. Petersburg
Visit Vinoy Park in downtown St. Petersburg to mingle with other blues fans during the 26th annual Tampa Bay Blues Festival, which celebrates the smooth style and sensational sounds of this musical genre with top blues artists performing all weekend. Enjoy the music along with refreshments including seafood, barbecue, Cuban dishes, beer, wine, mixed drinks, and more. Don’t miss the chance to upgrade your experience with a VIP pass!
tampabaybluesfest.com
2020 Florida Film Festival
April 12-21
Central Florida
Celebrating 29 years, the annual Florida Film Festival is an Oscar®-qualifying festival, attended by stars of Hollywood and lovers of film - where “One Ticket is All It Takes.” The festival premieres the best in current, independent, and international cinema. The festival locations include several venues throughout Central Florida, primarily in Maitland and Winter Park. Through ten days of 180 films and first-class events, film lovers mingle with filmmakers and celebrities over hand-crafted cocktails and a delicious menu at Eden Bar and inside the Enzian Theater.
floridafilmfestival.com
Sugar Sand Festival
April 10-26
Clearwater Beach
Enjoy the enduring beauty of Clearwater Beach’s most popular attraction: its sugar-white sand! The Sugar Sand Festival brings in artists from around the world to sculpt this fine, crystalline sand into magnificent sculptures beside the dazzling waves of the Gulf, as they work over nine days to shape their works of art. This year’s theme is “Sandimals: An Animal Adventure” which will allow you to visually meet exotic animals from around the world; children in particular will enjoy this theme. In addition to the Sugar Sand Walk Exhibit, you can enjoy festival wares, food, and drinks. Purchase tickets online for a free voucher towards festival merchandise.
sugarsandfestival.com
Conch Republic Independence Celebration
April 17-26
Key West
Explore one of the quirkiest communities in the Florida Keys at the Conch Republic Independence Celebration. This tongue-in-cheek event honors the Republic, which was formed in response to actions by the U.S. Border Patrol and aims to provide Humor, Warmth, and Respect to the world. So it is that they celebrate with 10 days of humorous events, including a drag race, a wacky bed race, a light-hearted sea battle featuring tall ships, car show, and a costumed pirates’ ball.
conchrepublic.com
SunFest
April 30-May 3
West Palm Beach
There is no where to better celebrate the sun than in Southeastern Florida! Known as the festival “where music meets the waterfront,” the SunFest takes place over five days, on three stages, with over 50 bands including popular artists like DNCE, PartyNextDoor, Nick Jonas, Pitbull, Third Eye Blind, and more! In addition to music, there will be artist performances in the Art District, with live art demonstrations, interactive installations, and consumer goods. When you need some refreshment, visit the waterfront along Flagler Drive to enjoy SunFest’s floating bars, with specially crafted drinks.
sunfest.com
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