Good morning, Southside! 🌴
Week two, and we're just getting started. Same idea as always: Jacksonville is more fun than it gets credit for, and you shouldn't need three tabs and a group text to find something worth doing on a Saturday. Every Thursday, I round up the best of the weekend, starting on our side of the river and reaching across the city when something's worth the drive.
This weekend has range. A sunset piano concert you listen to through headphones on the beach, a bass show inside a rock-climbing gym, and rum brunch to close it out.
Here's what's worth leaving the house for 👇
🎹 A sunset piano concert on the beach, through headphones
🧗 A bass show inside a rock-climbing gym
📚 Free story time in San Marco Square
🍹 Sunday rum brunch
Let's get to it. -S
🌟 This Week's Pick
MindTravel Live-to-Headphones Piano Concert
Saturday at sunset, MindTravel sets up on Jacksonville Beach and hands everyone a pair of wireless headphones for a live piano concert on the sand. Everyone hears the same music while the waves roll in silently in front of them. It's a little strange and genuinely beautiful, and it's the most unique thing happening in the whole city this weekend. Worth the drive to the beach for this one.
Jacksonville Beach (601 Ocean Front N) · Sat Aug 1 · Tickets via Eventbrite
🎉 This Weekend
Fri · 🧗 Bass Mountain at Stone Climbing 📍Baymeadows
Dirt Monkey brings a full bass show inside a rock-climbing gym on Baymeadows. Climb, dance, or just go witness the most unexpected venue in town. Only in Jax.
Details: Stone Climbing JAX (Baymeadows) · Friday night
Cost: See ticket link
See More: Link
Fri · 💃 Yo Quiero Bailar at Decca Live
A Latin dance night downtown. Bring your moves or learn some on the floor. All rhythm, all night.
Details: Decca Live · Friday night
Cost: See ticket link
See More: Link
Sat · 📚 Story Time in the Square 📍San Marco
Free morning story time for the kids in Balis Park, right in the heart of San Marco Square. Bring the little ones, then let them run it off after. No cost, no fuss.
Details: Balis Park, San Marco Square · Saturday morning
Cost: Free
See More: Link
Sat · 🌺 Lae Day: Get Lei'd Hawaiian Luau
A full-on luau party at De Real Ting Café, leis and all. The First of the Month crew knows how to throw one, so wear something loud.
Details: De Real Ting Café · Saturday
Cost: See ticket link
See More: Link
Sun · 🍹 Rum N Brunch
Close the weekend the easy way: brunch, rum, and a patio at The Royale. The kind of Sunday that doesn't ask much of you.
Details: The Royale Patio Experience · Sunday
Cost: See ticket link
See More: Link
📰 In Case You Missed It
A few Jacksonville things worth knowing, minus the doom-scroll:
🐢 Duval's beaches just set a sea turtle nesting record. Florida's in the middle of a nesting boom, and our stretch of sand is leading it. Give the roped-off nests a wide berth if you're out there. (First Coast News)
⛵ The new Met Park marina opens reservations Friday. The marina behind the new Four Seasons starts taking slip reservations this week, another piece of the riverfront finally coming together. (Jax Today)
🥤 Why you can suddenly buy THC drinks at the grocery store. Jax Today breaks down the law that put hemp-derived seltzers on the shelf right next to the LaCroix. (Jax Today)
🥵 It's a brutal heat stretch, and the city opened cooling centers. If you're outside this weekend, hydrate and pace yourself. Here's where the city's cooling centers are. (First Coast News)
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That's the weekend, Southside. Go do one thing off this list, then reply and tell me how it went.
See you next Thursday,
-S
The Southside Brief · San Marco to Mandarin, plus the best of Jax worth the drive · thesouthsidebrief.com