Community

When COVID-19 forced Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens to close its gates for two months, the nonprofit lost critical revenue during its busiest months. The Zoo is now asking for the community’s help to recover through the ZOO-A-THON, which aims to raise $250,000 in donations by Sunday. “Many people are surprised to learn how expensive it is to maintain our day-to-day operations, even after we closed to the public on March 14. We still had to feed and care for our animals daily, as well as employ the dedicated staff who worked through our closure. We were closed during our busiest …

The iconic marquee at the Florida Theatre is among the most recognized landmarks in the downtown Jacksonville landscape. Since its second act from a movie house to a performing arts venue, the neon lights have illuminated some of the biggest names in entertainment, until March when it all went dark. No one could have predicted what was to come in early 2020. After closing out 2019 on a high note, the year was off to an auspicious start. But when Numa Saisselin, president of the Florida Theatre, took the stage March 12 to welcome the audience to that evening’s show …

Suggestions for divorced dads to spend time with their kids in the summer of COVID including help for kids with disabilities. Father’s Day often marks the official beginning of summer, but the sunny season looks very different for many this year — especially since kids will be less occupied than usual. Summer camps are closed. Daycares have restrictions. Vacations have been postponed or canceled. Many summertime activities like waterparks, movie theaters, bowling alleys, skating rinks and more are still reopening and navigating new social distancing guidelines. For divorced dads, this summer might be even more difficult than usual. So how …

View Fireworks from Multiple Locations throughout the City of Jacksonville Join the City of Jacksonville as we celebrate the nation’s independence with the annual Fourth of July Fireworks Celebration offering an enhanced viewing experience this year with various ways to watch. The spectacular fireworks display will begin at 9:45 p.m. all around Jacksonville with in-person and at-home viewing options. “Jacksonville’s annual fireworks celebration downtown has become a tradition on Independence Day,” said Mayor Lenny Curry. “As a City, we have taken the necessary precautions in providing additional locations across Jacksonville for our residents to view the fireworks safely. We’re looking …

The Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens will open in phases, beginning June 20, 2020. The first phase of the Museum’s reopening will restore community access to the historic riverfront gardens; phase two will include the Museum’s galleries and exhibitions. Details are as follows: The gardens will reopen for a special free admission weekend starting on June 20, 2020. Free admission on Saturday, June 20, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., has been sponsored by Florida Blue. Free admission on Sunday, June 21, will be available to all guests from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. The gardens will be closed for …

This article was originally published April 5, 2018 THE HOPE & HISTORY MURAL PROJECT DEBUTS AT PUBLIC ART WEEK Public Art Week, an annual event hosted by the , is an opportunity for the city to celebrate local art and to reassert the ‘public’ aspect of public art. Not only a moment to celebrate Jacksonville’s arts scene, it also invites locals to be a part of it–and not just by passive appreciation. ‘The Hope and History Mural Project,’ an initiative by the University of North Florida’s Center for Urban Education and Policy (CUEP), embodies this spirit, as a fusion of …

Documenting #Pandemic2020Jax How can we, as a community, document this unprecedented time in history? Two local organizations are giving us a gift that we will be able to give to generations to come. “A little more than a century ago, Jacksonville citizens faced loss in many ways from a series of events that were documented, for the most part, by news reporters and photographers, along with diaries and journals by citizens. The Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1888 (in which St. Luke’s Hospital played a healing role)… the Great Fire of 1901 (which stopped short of St. Luke’s Hospital) … the …

In this uncertain time, one of the few constants has been the heroism of our frontline workers. Your donation here will go entirely to Partners In Health, a global health organization restoring social justice by bringing quality health care to the most vulnerable around the world. What you’ll receive in return for your donation is a warm feeling in your soul. You’ll also get a link to download a bundle of items including an “All Together Now” mp3, coloring pages, and more. Yeah, you read that right: coloring pages – scenes from our videos that you can print out and …