New Year's fun in Jacksonville: Fireworks, shrimp drop, Jags-Panthers, Polar Plunge
Adventurous sorts could put together one heck of a New Year's Eve/New Year's Day itinerary without traveling any farther than Fernandina Beach and St. Augustine.
Start Sunday at EverBank Stadium for an NFL game between the Jaguars and Panthers, drive to Amelia Island for the 7 p.m. Shrimp Drop, hustle back to Jacksonville to catch salsa band LPT at Underbelly, then walk across the street to watch Jacksonville's annual fireworks show. Get up early the next morning for a polar plunge and a hike through a state park before wrapping it all up at the circus.
Or you could sit on the couch and watch college football games. Your call.
New Year's Eve
Jaguars-Panthers
1 p.m. at EverBank Stadium
The Jaguars have high hopes for the NFL postseason; the Carolina Panthers, not so much. But it's the last chance (in the regular season, anyway) to see the Jags play at home. Info: jaguars.com
New Year's Shrimp Drop
Dec. 31 in Fernandina Beach
Love to greet the new year but just can't stay up until midnight? Fernandina Beach has got you covered — they'll drop a huge lighted shrimp to mark midnight Greenwich Mean Time (that's 7 p.m. in these parts). Info: ameliaisland.com
Light Up the Night New Year’s Eve Beach Fireworks Show
8:30 p.m. at St. Johns County Pier, St. Augustine
Free fireworks show, with plenty of time to get home before midnight. Best viewing spots are at the pier, A Street and 10th Street. Shuttles run 5-10 p.m. from Anastasia Baptist Church. Info: visitstaugustine.com
LPT
9 p.m. at Underbelly, $40-$50
Close out the year with Jacksonville’s favorite salsa orchestra, then step out the door to watch the city’s midnight fireworks show. Info: underbellyjax.com
Joe Marcinek and guests
9 p.m. at Blue Jay Listening Room. $50.
It will be standing-room only at the Beaches venue when Marcinek welcomes guests including Melody Trucks, Reilly Comisar, Shaun Taunton and Andrew Fitzkee. Info: bluejayjax.com
New Year's Eve fireworks
Midnight over the St. Johns River, downtown Jacksonville
Say so long to 2023 with one of Jacksonville's largest fireworks displays. Fireworks will be launched from a barge anchored between the Hyatt and DoubleTree hotels and from the Acosta Bridge. Info: specialevents.coj.net
New Year's Day
Polar Plunge
You won’t find the Polar Plunge on any official calendars, but you shouldn't be surprised if a couple of hundred people completely ignore the weather and plunge into the chilly waters of the Atlantic Ocean near the Jacksonville Beach Pier around 9 a.m. on New Year’s Day.
First Day hikes
State parks across the country offer guided hikes every Jan. 1 to kick off the new year. Ravine Gardens State Park in Palatka has one starting at 10 a.m. on Jan. 1. It's free with $5-per-vehicle park admission. If you’re up for a road trip, you’ll also find hikes at Paynes Prairie, MacArthur Beach, St. Joseph, Blue Spring, Tarkiln Bayou, Mizell-Johnson, Alafia River, De Leon Springs, Rocky Bayou, Gilchrist Blue Springs, Dade Battlefield, Lake Kissimmee, Oscar Scherer, Pennecamp, Fort Taylor and Warren Boyce state parks in Florida.
Venardos Circus
11 a.m., 2 and 5 p.m. Sunday and Monday at the St. Augustine Amphitheatre
A huge red-and-white striped big-top tent will be the venue for 26 performances of the old-fashioned animal-free circus. Info: theamp.com
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: New Year's Eve 2023-24 events in Jacksonville: Fireworks, football
