There’s no doubt the Nation’s Oldest City is a treasure trove of some of the deepest connections to antiquity.
The University of Florida (UF) and local partners will be celebrating St. Augustine’s past in a festival in May.
UF Historic St. Augustine and local history enthusiasts are gearing up for the Fifth Annual St. Augustine History Festival that will run May 6 though May 10. The fest is designed to highlight the historic city and more than 40 area historic venues will be featured as part of the event. Organizers will provide tours, lectures, workshops and other family-friendly events. Religious sites as well as gardens and cemeteries will also be highlighted.
“Piecing together the History Festival each year is a tremendous rush as I see our historic sites and venues come together as one community,” said Roger Smith, Coordinator of the Festival and Adjunct Professor of History at the University of Florida. “The best part, however, is attending as many programs and venues as possible during the five-day festival and hearing positive comments from attendees.”
The Festival falls in the middle of National Historic Preservation Month. That’s a national effort started in 2005 by the National Trust which is designed to highlight America’s historic heritage and raise awareness of national treasures among communities across the country.
St. Augustine’s moniker is the Nation’s Oldest City because it was founded in 1565. This year’s History Festival will also incorporate the signing of the Declaration of Independence 250 years ago and there will be features outlining St. Augustine’s role in the American Revolution.
On that end, UF in Historic St. Augustine will unveil “Florida at War: St. Augustine in the American Revolution” as the Festival takes place. The feature is being curated by historians in St. Augustine and the UF Smathers Libraries along with the University of South Florida. The free exhibit is being displayed at the Governor’s House Cultural Center and Museum in the heart of the historic district on King Street and the display will continue through this year.
