St. Augustine History Festival: Special Events 2022

The University of Florida Historic St. Augustine, Inc. and the Lastinger Family Foundation present St. Augustine History Festival from May 11 - 15, 2022. Events will take place at multiple locations throughout St. Augustine's Historic District and on Anastasia Island.

As part of the festival, numerous historic venues offer a series of free lectures, demonstrations, documentaries, and art exhibits.

Wednesday, May 11, 2022

"Button Discovery: A Trophy of War" — Dr. Paul Johnston of the Smithsonian Institution will join Dr. Roger Smith of the St. Augustine Historical Society in a discussion of a pewter button that was found in the wreckage of a boat that sank in 1782.

• Admission: Free, reservations encouraged. To reserve, email here, or call (904) 829-0745
• Time: May 11, at 6:30 - 8:00 p.m.
• Where: St. Augustine Lighthouse, 100 Red Cox drive, St. Augustine, FL 32080

Thursday, May 12, 2022

"Colonial Medical Practices" — Dr. Christina Miller, UF School of Medicine, discusses common diseases and their treatments in Spanish Florida and how the European settlers added Indigenous herbal remedies to their practices.

• Admission: Free
• Time: May 12, at 4:00 p.m.
• Where: The Map Gallery at the Oldest House Museum Complex

Friday, May 13, 2022

"Painting St. Augustine: Selections from the Samuel H. and Roberta T. Vickers Collection This is the grand opening of the exhibit, to be shown at the Governor's House Cultural Center and Museum.

• Admission: Free 
• Time: 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
• Where: 48 King Street, St. Augustine, Florida 32084

"Unveiling of Interpretive Panels" Fort Mose Historical Society introduces new interpretive panels to better present the story of the first free-black community in the U.S.

• Admission: Free
• Time: May 13, 5:00 to 7:00 p.m.
• Where: Flagler College

"Life and Death in Colonial St. Augustine: Tales from the Parish Archives, 1594-1763" Dr. J. Michael Francis shares information found in the St. Augustine's Diocesan Archive, providing information about the diverse population that shaped St. Augustine.

• Admission: Free
• Time: May 13, 2022 6:30 - 8:00 p.m.
• Where: St. Augustine Lighthouse, 100 Red Cox drive, St. Augustine, FL 32080

Saturday, May 14, 2022

"No Longer Unknown" Dr. Amy Lamer Giroux, Associate Director of UCF's Center for Humanities & Digital Research offers a tour of the cemetery's Unknowns.;

• Admission: Free
• Time: May 14, from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.
• Where: St. Augustine National Cemetery, 104 Marine Street, St. Augustine.

"Preservation, Resilience, and Archaeology" — Two conversations about City of St. Augustine initiatives and programs that will help us understand and preserve our past.

1) "Resilient Heritage: Mitigating the Threat of Sea Level Rise to Historic Resources"

• Time: May 14, 11:00 a.m to 12:30 p.m.
• Admission: Free
• Where: Historic Waterworks Building, 184 San Marco Avenue

2) "History Beneath Your Feet"

• Time: May 14, 1:00 to 2:30 p.m
• Admission: Free
• Where: Historic Waterworks Building, 184 San Marco Avenue

"Crossing in St. Augustine" The world premiere of a documentary about the night Andrew Young visited St. Augustine. A discussion will follow the viewing of the movie.

• Admission: Free, but reservations are encouraged due to limited seating. To book a seat, click here.
• Time: May 14, 2:30 p.m.
• Where: Lincolnville Museum and Cultural Center, 102 M. L. King Avenue

"Drake's Raid" — A yearly event presented by the men and women of the Historic Florida Militia.

• Admission: Free
• Time: May 14,  7:00 to 9:00 p.m
• Where: Along St. George Street from the Governor's House Museum at 48 King Street to the City Gate at the north end of St. George Street

For more information about the entire St. Augustine History Festival, go here.

Admission: Events are free.

When: Wednesday, May 11 to Sunday, May 15, 2022. Times and locations vary.

Where: At locations throughout historic downtown St. Augustine, FL 32084

These special events are part of the larger St. Augustine History Festival. To learn more, go here.