Catch a Show at Colonial Oak Music Park

There’s a place in the heart of St. Augustine’s downtown historic district that you wouldn’t quite expect to find located off the hustle and bustle of St. George Street. It’s a place where music emanates from under a magnificent old live oak tree, spreading its branches over the seating area like a web of welcomed shade during those hot Florida days.

Though positioned on the busiest street in the Nation’s Oldest City, Colonial Oak Music Park is a hidden gem that’s just enough off the beaten path. A multi-faceted attraction and destination, the park is part music venue, part private event space and a unique reprieve for individuals, couples and families looking to experience a piece of Old Florida.

On weekends and many other nights of the week, live music takes the stage at the music park. With seating for more than 250 visitors, it’s easy to see why the venue has become a mainstay on the local festival circuit, including the Sing Out Loud Music Festival and Gamble Rogers Folk Festival. Everyone from local favorites like Ghost Tropic and The Groove Coalition to nationally touring acts such as The Mountain Goats and The Black Lillies have taken center stage.

What sets the Colonial Oak Music Park apart is its intimate outdoor setting nestled in the splendor of nature in the heart of downtown. It truly can’t be beat.

Explore the Colonial Quarter

Another unrivaled benefit of the music park is its location within the Colonial Quarter. Touted as an opportunity to “Explore the Centuries,” Colonial Quarter offers visitors the chance to journey back in time through the history of St. Augustine with colonial buildings, shops, on-site dining and a distinctive 35-foot watchtower.

Learn about blacksmithing during the attraction’s hourly Historic Adventure Tour as a Colonial re-enactor forges old metal into tools, cooking utensils, strap hinges and nails. Learn to lock, load and fire a 17th century replica musket and then climb some 35 feet to the top of a reproduction Spanish watchtower for a birds-eye view of Castillo de San Marcos and St. Augustine’s bayfront.

Colonial Quarter’s dining options are growing with tried-and-true favorites like Bull & Crown Publick House at 53 St. George Street, which was built on the original site of a skilled Minorcan carpenter’s shop and features British-style pub offerings of burgers, fish & chips, craft cocktails and cold beer. There’s also Taberna del Caballo at 37 St. George Street, which prides itself on offering some of the city’s best tapas and sangria.

A relative newcomer to the historic dining scene is Colonial Quarter’s St. Augustine Seafood Company at 33 St. George Street. A fast-casual restaurant with fresh seafood dishes like raw oysters served on the half shell and shrimp Po’ Boy with remoulade sauce. SASCO (as it’s known by the locals) is the perfect place to grab a bite to enjoy under the majestic oak tree of the music park while taking in your favorite band.

Wedding & Event Venue

Aside from great eats and the perfect seats for Americana, folk and good old-fashioned rock ’n’ roll, Colonial Oak Music Park is also an enchanting setting for weddings, corporate events and other private parties. The venue has enough family-style table seating for up to 175 guests as well as on-site bars and a plethora of catering options – making it sure to please any crowd.

So whether you’re looking to experience an intimate concert under St. Augustine’s second-oldest sweeping live oak tree dripping in antique-style lanterns or you just need a quiet reprieve from the hustle and bustle of St. George Street, Colonial Oak Music Park is one of the Historic Coast’s best "off the beaten path" locales with a bit of something for everyone in your group.

Colonial Oak Music Park is located at 33 St. George Street, St. Augustine. Follow them on Facebook @thecolonialoak and Instagram @thecolonialoak.

Other Live Music Venues

It’s no secret that Florida’s Historic Coast is chock-full of live music venues. There’s St. Augustine Amphitheatre, Ponte Vedra Concert Hall, The Original Café Eleven and many others, all of which cater to different genres of music, audience size and all-around experiences.