Want to include a little time travel into your St. Augustine visit?
Want to include a little time travel into your St. Augustine visit? As locals will tell you, there’s no better way to slip back through the decades than to attend the summertime concerts held each Thursday evening in the historic Plaza de la Constitucion. For more than 400 years, friends and family have gathered beneath the plaza’s leafy live oaks to celebrate special occasions, catch up on local news or be entertained by live musical performances. That tradition continues with the Concerts in the Plaza series featuring some of the region’s finest live bands performing from the Plaza’s iconic Gazebo – a beloved structure that conjures up visions of folks in their summer finery smiling and swaying to the tunes washing over them as the sun sets on the ancient city.
Even though today’s audiences enjoy the music from the comfort of their folding chairs (don’t forget to bring one), the music and the setting easily transport concert-goers to a different time in history in a place that remains largely the same. It’s not unusual to see both locals and visitors dancing on the lawn – something that brings smiles to faces today just as it has on so many summer evenings long gone-by.
Each concert features a different musical genre and a review of the summer’s musical lineup proves there is truly something for everyone. Blues, country and western, rock, folk, soul, hits from the 60s, 70s and 80s and more are all represented. And to add a culinary touch to the evening, attendees are encouraged to pack a picnic basket (alcoholic beverages not permitted) to enjoy along with the music. Plus, a wide array of amazing restaurants is within easy walking distance.
(Here’s an historical rumor you can debate with your fellow concert attendees. See the concrete, half-circle flower bed topped by a low iron barrier in front of the Gazebo? It is thought that instead of flowers it was once filled with baby alligators for the amusement of visitors.)
Concerts in the Plaza are presented free of charge by the City of St. Augustine and take place 7-9 p.m. each Thursday from Memorial Day through Labor Day. The Plaza de la Constitucion is located between King Street and Cathedral Place.
