5 fun things to do in Jacksonville this weekend: Gator Bowl, New Year's Eve, comedy shows

Tom Szaroleta, Jacksonville Florida Times-Union
·2 min read

Another long weekend awaits as we slide into the new year, and it's packed with fun things to do. There are two big football games in Jacksonville, but that's hardly the only thing to keep us entertained. Check out these hilarious comedy shows, a lush opera production, a big-top circus and, of course, New Year's Eve celebrations.

Football

The Jaguars and Panthers came into the NFL together. They face off Sunday in Jacksonville.
The Jaguars and Panthers came into the NFL together. They face off Sunday in Jacksonville.

EverBank Stadium is going to be a busy place this weekend, with the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl on Friday and the Jaguars playing their final regular-season home game of the season on Sunday. The Clemson Tigers and Kentucky Wildcats face off in the Gator Bowl at noon Friday; ESPN will carry it live, tickets are $60-$175. The Jaguars welcome the two-win Carolina Panthers to the stadium at 1 p.m. Sunday; it will be shown on CBS47, tickets are $70-$342.

New Year's Eve

Fernandina Beach closes out the year with a shrimp drop.
Fernandina Beach closes out the year with a shrimp drop.

There are plenty of opportunities to say goodbye to the old year and welcome the new one. Fernandina Beach has a Shrimp Drop planned for 7 p.m. Sunday (that's midnight in Greenwich Mean Time); the Light Up the Night New Year's Eve Beach Fireworks Show goes off at 8:30 p.m. Sunday at the St. Johns County Pier in St. Augustine; and downtown Jacksonville's New Year's Eve fireworks show launches at midnight from the Acosta Bridge and a barge in the river.

Venardos Circus

The Venardos Circus is at the St. Augustine Amphitheatre through Jan. 1.
The Venardos Circus is at the St. Augustine Amphitheatre through Jan. 1.

The old-fashioned, animal-free Venardos Circus wraps up its run under a bigtop tent at the St. Augustine Amphitheatre with ten shows over the weekend. Shows are scheduled for 4 and 7 p.m. Friday; 2 and 5 p.m. Saturday; and 11 a.m., 2 and 5 p.m. Sunday and Monday. Tickets are $27.95-$54.95.

Comedy

Fortune Feimster is at the Florida Theatre Saturday evening.
Fortune Feimster is at the Florida Theatre Saturday evening.

Close out the year with a good laugh. The Florida Theatre has Matt Matthews at 8 p.m. Friday ($39.50-$99.50) and Fortune Feimster at 7 p.m. Saturday ($29.50-$165). James Yon is at the Comedy Zone in Mandarin at 7:30 and 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday ($25-$30). The Comedy Zone is also planning a New Year's Eve Party with comedy, dancing and a champagne toast ($44.95).

‘La Boheme’

'La Bohème' is a story is set in Paris around 1830 and shows the Bohemian lifestyle of a poor seamstress and her artist friends.
'La Bohème' is a story is set in Paris around 1830 and shows the Bohemian lifestyle of a poor seamstress and her artist friends.

The First Coast Opera is closing out the year with a fully staged production of Puccini's classic tale of love and loss. Performances are scheduled for 2 p.m. Saturday and 7:30 p.m. Sunday at Lewis Auditorium on the campus of Flagler College in St. Augustine. There's a pre-show discussion of the production that starts an hour before each performance. $55-$75.

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Five fun things to do this weekend in Jacksonville, Fla.