6302 - St. Augustine Ocean & Racquet Resort

07/28/2026

✨First Order Fresnel Lens ✨
On October 15, 1874, lighthouse keeper William R. Russell lit the oil lamp inside the new, first-order Fresnel lens for the first time. He most likely walked to the tower from his residence at the old St. Augustine Light Station, upon which the sea was rapidly encroaching.

The lens is 9-feet tall, and Russell would have had to climb inside it to light the lamps.

The jewel-like lens was hand-made just for St. Augustine in Paris, France by the company of Sauter & Lemonier. It represented the height of Victorian engineering and technology and cast its beam much farther out to sea than its predecessor.

The new light now demonstrated three, fixed-flashes, from three, bulls-eye panels that could be seen from up to 19-24 nautical miles depending on atmospheric conditions.

Fueled by lard, oil and kerosene before electricity came to the Light Station, the original lens would have given off a brightly hued, yellow light. Citizens living in town would have immediately noticed, and many have remained interested in it ever since.

📸 Photo from 2016 by Christine Denise

07/28/2026

🍁 SAVE THE DATES for fall events in St. Augustine & St. Johns County, Florida:

🐕🌭Weenapalooza We**ie Races & Dog Festival at Francis Field — August 8

🎸🎙️Sing Out Loud Festival
September 4-27

🇪🇸🎉 Aviles Street Festival — September 5 from 5-9 PM

🗝️🇪🇸 St. Augustine Founder’s Day — September 12 at the Mission Nombre de Dios and Fountain of Youth

📖📚 St. Augustine Book Festival — September 19 at Ximenez-Fatio House Museum

🎸🎤 St Augustine Songwriters Festival— September 24-27 in downtown venues

🎃🌾Pumpkin Festival & Handmade Market at Wesley Wells Farms — September 26

💿 🎶St. Augustine Record Fair at the St. Augustine Amphitheatre — September 27

🎃 Pumpkin Patch at First United Methodist Church — daily through October

🪦🕯️Mortality & Mourning: Women in Black — Candlelight Tours at the Ximenez-Fatio House Museum — October 2-31

🎀🏃‍♂️Pink up the Pace 5K Run/Walk — October 3

🌽🚜 Crop Maze at Sykes Family Farms — October 3-November 1

🇬🇷🥙 St. Augustine Greek Festival at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church of St. Augustine — October 10-11

🛍️🖼️ Artisans in the Garden at The Woman's Exchange of St. Augustine - Peña-Peck House — October 11 from 12-4:30

🎶🎸 Vilano Music Fest at Hyatt Place — October 17

🥇🏃🏾‍♀️Jail Break 5K at The Old Jail — October 24

👧🏼🧒🏽Ancient City Kids Day 2026 at Francis Field — October 24 from 11-3

🍬🎃 Trick-or-Treating & Harvest Festival at the Ximenez-Fatio House — October 24

💐🪴Holiday Craft & Garden Market by The Garden Club of St. Augustine — Nov 6-7 at 3440 Old Moultrie Road

🍋‍🟩🥧 Florida Key Lime Pie Festival at Francis Field — November 14

💡🎄 Nights of Lights — November 21-January 18

📸 Photo from First United Methodist Church annual pumpkin patch

07/13/2026

Have you ever discovered a mysterious spiraling string of discs while beachcombing?

If the answer is yes, you likely stumbled upon an exciting find... a whelk (sea snail) egg case, nicknamed “mermaid’s necklace!” Adult whelks lay eggs during the late spring in a connected series of 50 to 175 disc-shaped capsules, each with up to 200 eggs.

If you find an egg case that is intact and still contains live eggs or developing whelks, please leave it on the beach, so they have the best chance of survival.

Image: A long, spiraled strand of flat, round egg capsules from a whelk (sea snail) on the sand during low tide.

07/13/2026

Millions of white lights, centuries of history, and a holiday tour like no other. Celebrate Christmas in July with Old Town Trolley in St. Augustine! 🎄✨

🎟️ https://bit.ly/4uYjRlG

06/01/2026

Fiesta Falls Miniature Golf is fun for the whole family ⛳️ Our 18-hole miniature golf course features 8 waterfalls, caves, a 65 ft. Spanish ship, and a view of the ocean from the mountaintop gazebo!

📅 Open every day except Christmas
📍 Located at 818 A1A Beach Blvd in St. Augustine

06/01/2026

06/01/2026

🏝️☀️JUNE EVENTS in St. Augustine and St. Johns County, Florida:

☀️June 1-July 25: Baseball games with home team St. Augustine Sardines at St. Joseph Academy
🔗 staugustinesardines.com

☀️June-July: America 250 discount on General Admission and Ghost Tours at the St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum
🔗Use code USA15 at staugustinelighthouse.org and click on tickets

☀️June 3, June 10, June 17, June 24: Music by the Sea concerts every Wednesday at 7 PM at St. Augustine Beach Pier Park. FREE admission
🔗freebeachconcerts.com

☀️June 4: Mini Vintage Flea market from 5-9 PM at Muggsy’s, 213 W King Street. This is a benefit event for House of Prism.

☀️June 4-Sept 3: Concerts in the Plaza every Thursday 6-8 PM in the Plaza de la Constitucion. FREE admission

☀️June 7-28 (July 5-Aug 16): Reggae Sunset Cruise with Florida Water Tours
🔗floridawatertour.com

☀️June 4-July 31: St. Augustine Book Crawl at locally owned bookstores!
📚Book in Hand
📚No Shelf Control
📚Midnight Moon
📚Needful Books & Things

☀️June 4: Music & Words by EMMA Concerts with the Classical Guitar Ensemble from 1-2 PM in The Waterworks. Free admission.

☀️June 5: Opening of Alex Devereux: The American Traveler Exhibition at Lightner Museum

☀️June 5: First Friday Art Walk from 5-9 PM in local galleries.

☀️June 5-21: The Battle of Shallowford at Limelight Theatre
🔗 www.limelight-theatre.org

☀️June 6, June 13, June 20, June 27: Paella Dinner at Olive Land Farms in Hastings
🔗 https://www.olivelandfarms.com/products/paella-dinner-45-per-person

☀️June 10: Jazz at the Excelsior— Amy Alysia and The Band at the Lincolnville Museum and Cultural Center from 7-9 PM
🔗 https://www.lincolnvillemuseum.org/events-schedule

☀️June 11: Rosé Blind Wine Tasting at Michael’s St. Augustine
Reservations on OpenTable
🔗https://www.opentable.com/r/michaels-st-augustine-st-augustine

☀️June 12: Mrs. Roper Romp at Marina Munch 5-8 PM with yacht rock by DJ Dan from Tone Vendor

☀️June 13: National Rosé Day celebration at The Bart on Aviles with live music by ZaZa Flamenca from 3-6 PM and Rosé wine specials all day long

☀️June 13: Pride Parade, Festival and Tea Party hosted by House of Prism

☀️June 13: Summer Splash Indoor Market at Coconut Barrel 10 AM-3 PM

☀️June 13-19: Juneteenth events at the Lincolnville Museum and Cultural Center

☀️June 14: National Puerto Rican Heritage Day Celebration from 4-9 PM at AC Hotel by Marriott St. Augustine — live music, dance, food cultural events, artisans and more. Free admission.

☀️June 16: St. Augustine Amp Night Market from 5-9 PM

☀️June 19-21, June 26-28, and July 3: 20th Annual St. Augustine Music Festival
🔗staugustinemusicfestival.org

☀️June 20: Guy Davis at The Waterworks hosted by Gamble Roger’s Folk Festival
🔗 www.gamblerogersfest.org

☀️June 21: Zora’s Table Juneteenth Sunday Supper at The Waterworks. 🔗Tickets available at https://tinyurl.com/ZorasTable

☀️June 23: The 88th anniversary of Marineland!
🔗 www.marineland.net

☀️June 27: Strawberry Social at Graet Goods, 228 W King Street 6:30-9 PM

☀️June 27: Artisan Market at The Wobbly Whale 11 AM-2 PM

📸 Photo of Treasury Street by Lorae GamseHigh Tide Gallery St. Augustine FL High Tide Gallery St. Augustine FL