Florida’s Historic Coast Welcomes Spring with Fresh Flavors & Cultural Celebrations

From local crops to cultural roots, festivals and events recognize the region’s rich heritage and history.

Contact: Barbara Golden
Phone: 904-669-8142
Email: BGolden@FloridasHistoricCoast.com

St. Augustine, Fla. (February 18, 2026) – With over 460 years of history, Florida’s Historic Coast proudly recognizes the people who contributed to its rich cultural fabric with an array of spring festivals.

The Menorcan Heritage Celebration, held on four dates in March, honors the proud Minorcans who traveled to the New World and settled in St. Augustine in 1777. On March 7, David Nolan, bestselling author of “The Houses of St. Augustine,” presents The Minorcan Experience, an exploration of the architectural legacy of St. Augustine’s Minorcan community. The Celebration, hosted by the Menorcan Cultural Society on March 14, features traditional Menorcan fare, including clam chowder, pilau, and datil products. A special tour of the Father Miguel O’Reilly House Museum takes place on March 21, while guests can enjoy a special tour of the Oldest Wooden Schoolhouse on March 28.

Named one of the United States’ top cultural festivals two years running, the St. Augustine Celtic Music & Heritage Festival is celebrating 15 years of honoring Celtic culture. Held at Francis Field in Historic Downtown St. Augustine on March 14-15, the festival kicks off with the world’s oldest St. Patrick Parade, featuring special guests the New York City Fire Department Emerald Society Pipes and Drums and the Parkview Lassies. Attendees can enjoy popular international Celtic bands, cultural seminars, traditional Scottish Highland Games, a Whiskey Tasting, vendors, food, a kids zone, and more.

The St. Ambrose Spring Fair is an Elkton tradition now in its 143rd year. Held on Sunday, March 15, at the Historic St. Ambrose Catholic Church, the fair features kids’ games, live music, vendors, a community garage sale, a bake sale, and a country store.

The Slow Food First Coast Tour de Farm on April 12 celebrates the farmers and producers of Florida’s Historic Coast. Guests can purchase a Tour Car Pass and explore Wilson Family Farms, The Feed Mill, Parker Produce, and Parker Flower Farms, all located in Elkton off C.R. 214. Activities include meeting the farmers, produce tastings, and exclusive shopping opportunities. Potatoes, peppers, snapbeans, flowers, and more should be in season during the experience.

Hastings, the agricultural epicenter of Florida’s Historic Coast, celebrates its farming history at the Third Annual Cabbage, Potato, and Bacon Festival on April 25-26. The festival’s Brunch Tasting, Great Hastings Mow Down, Miss Potato Queen Beauty Pageant, Cottage Artisan Market, and live music stage join the Hastings Potato Ball, a historic event brought back for 2026. The Potato Ball features an elegant, seated dinner crafted by Chefs Matt Brown of Asado Life and Barry Honan of Lotus Noodle Bar, who will present a menu that celebrates local flavors and the region’s deep-rooted connection to the land.

The St. Augustine Food + Wine Festival, named “One of the Top 10 Food and Wine Festivals in Florida” by USA Today, returns May 6-9 and features four days of tastings, masterclasses, demonstrations, soirées, and dining experiences, including celebrity guest chefs, renowned winemakers, local chefs, artisan spirits, wine, and beer. New this year, the festival will kick off with The Saltworks Supper on May 6, presented by Garden & Gun Magazine and the St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra & The Beaches Visitors and Convention Bureau.

The St. Augustine History Festival explores every chapter of St. Augustine’s history over four days, May 6-10, through hands-on experiences, immersive tours, living history presentations, and captivating presentations. The festival comprises nearly 30 events, including Drake’s Raid Reenactment, historic discussions with scholars, and active archaeological sites, and is hosted at locations throughout St. Augustine, including Fort Matanzas National Monument, Fort Mose Historic State Park, and Villa Zorayda.

Keep the festival feeling going by exploring the wealth of activities on Florida’s Historic Coast, from pristine beaches to heritage-inspired dining to an array of Must-Do Experiences.

Located midway between Daytona Beach and Jacksonville, Florida's Historic Coast includes historic St. Augustine, the outstanding golf and seaside elegance of Ponte Vedra, the rural beauty of Hastings, Elkton, St. Johns, and 42 miles of pristine Atlantic beaches. Visitor Information Centers are located at 10 Castillo Drive, St. Augustine; 200 Solana Rd. Suite B, Ponte Vedra Beach; and at the St. Johns County Beach Pier Park, 350 A1A Beach Blvd., St. Augustine Beach. For advance travel information, call 1-800-653-2489 or go to the Visitors and Convention Bureau website at www.FloridasHistoricCoast.com. Check us out on social media Instagram @FloridasHistoricCoast; Facebook.com/OfficialStAugustine; and Threads @floridashistoriccoast