Menorcan Heritage Celebration

The Menorcan Heritage Celebration 2024 marks the anniversary of the arrival of the Menorcan colonists in St. Augustine. This heritage event takes place on Saturday, March 2, 2024, from  11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and features engaging activities, traditional foods, music, and dancing.

During this one-day festival, descendants from the original Menorcans in St. Augustine will share their poems, stories, crafts, family photos, and Menorcan family crests. Highlights of the day include:

• At noon, Dr. Ann Browning Masters, St. Augustine's Menorcan Poet Laureate, will read her poem, "The St. Augustine Menorcan Litmus Test." Dr. Browning is the author of Floridanos, Menorcans, Cattle-Whip Crackers: Poetry of St. Augustine. 
• Dr. Darien Andreu of Flagler College will share materials from the Flagler College Minorcan Studies Project.
• Two books will be for sale: Tour of St. Augustine - A Minorcan Perspective and Maria's Secret Ingredient.
• Displays and Historical Information presented by The Minorcan Experience.
• Sam Pacetti, singer, guitarist, and songwriter, will perform throughout the day.

You can purchase several prepared Menorcan culinary specialties at the event, including Menorcan Clam Chowder, Sausage & Shrimp Pilau (pronounced per-low), and fromajadas, a small pastry made with spiced pie dough and filled with a cheese and egg mixture. Datil pepper sauce, jellies, and other baked goods will also be available.

This is the first event of a month-long celebration. Go here to learn about all the 2024 events.

Admission: Free.

When: Saturday, March 2, 2024, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Where: The Llambias House, 31 St. Francis St., St. Augustine, Florida 32084.

Menorcan History

The term "Menorcan" describes the group of Mediterranean people (about 1,400 in all) who came to British East Florida in the late 18th century to work as indentured servants on a plantation settlement in New Smyrna. Many of these were actually from the island of Minorca. Still, they were joined by many others who were from other Mediterranean towns and regions, including Greeks, Italians, Corsicans, French, and Spanish. Their first several years in Florida were harsh and their numbers decreased, but in 1777, they were granted a space to settle in the northwest section of the fledgling port town of St. Augustine. They have been an integral part of the nation's oldest city ever since.

Note: Elsewhere on our website, we use the English spelling, "Minorcan," when discussing people from the island of Minorca and their descendants. The Menorcan Cultural Society prefers the Spanish spelling, and we defer to them when we discuss their society's events.