ALL YOU'LL EVER NEED TO KNOW ABOUT LIVING IN JACKSONVILLE A handy guide for the city-savvy resident SO YOU WANT TO MOVE TO JACKSONVILLE? So you want to move to Jacksonville. But, as with any relocation process, you feel like a human in a bug's world—you don't recognize any faces, some great threat hides around MEET every wrong turn, you're unsure of the neighborhood etiquette, and you're tasked with gathering necessities that you normally take for granted. Jacksonville is a big city, the largest by area in the country (excluding Alaska) and the largest by population in the state, with several main highways and neighborhoods. JAX Though you can never perfectly predict the weather from day to day, there are few cold days in the year, and summers are long and hot—very hot. But don't let that scare you—learning the lay of the city is really your only obstacle. Let the following pages be your one-stop resource, and feel at home in your new city. THINGS EVENTS TO DO Jacksonville hosts hundreds of exciting events year-round—and trust me, you don't want to miss them. Jacksonville events are chances to engage in the community, do some serious networking, and ANNUAL EVENTS simply have fun. The “beaches” area is known for its annual extravaganzas filled with music, food, Springing The Blues drink, and fun. Springing The Blues welcomes renowned artists to Seawalk Plaza for three days every April. The Beaches Town Center closes off its streets for two different notorious days: Dancin' Dancin' in the Streets in the Streets is a May affair that's exactly what it sounds like. Pete's Thanksgiving The bars, restaurants, and outdoor booths in the square offer Summer Jazz Series live music, food, and fun. "Pete's Thanksgiving" is a local tradition 28 years running—Pete's Bar closes down First Street Moonlight Movie Series and serves thousands of patrons until 2:00pm on the holiday. The Players Championship Jacksonville Beach hosts a Summer Jazz Series and a Jacksonville Fashion Week Moonlight Movie Series during the summer months. Atlantic Jacksonville Jazz Festival Beach's Arts in the Park gives artists the chance to display and sell their works. The Players Championship at Sawgrass in Jax Beer Week Ponte Vedra is the PGA Tour's flagship annual tournament – Jacksonville Craft & Import the four-day event each May is a must-attend for residents, Beer Festival Jacksonville Beach golf fans, or otherwise. What's great about the beach is that all events are family-friendly, usually pet-friendly, and best accessed by bike, foot, or cab. The other place you're certain to find some of the city's big annual events is right downtown. And with the city's recent cultural upgrade and renewed sense of community pride, many events are new, founded in the last few years. This forecasts a great future for the city's cultural scene. Jacksonville Fashion Week highlights the city's fashion pulse each March, showcasing local designers, shops, and clothier nonprofits. The Jacksonville Jazz Festival is a signature event, and the second largest in the country, that takes place downtown Memorial Day weekend. Rival college teams play football to create "The World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party" at the annual Florida/Georgia game each October. The world's first live crowdfunding event, One Spark, began in the urban core in April 2013, matching innovation with public support. The Jacksonville Film Festival recognizes and shares our independent film community. Jax Beer Week is a multi- event gathering to celebrate the city's growing love for craft brewing. Other “spirits-centered” Friendship Fountain, downtown Jacksonville events include the Jacksonville Craft & Import Beer Festival, Folio Weekly's Margarita Fest, Folio Weekly's Martinifest, and Riverside WineFest. Foodies take note of charity events FOODFIGHT and Caring Chefs, and newly founded group The Legend Series. A few holiday must-sees include the Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony downtown, the Christmas festivities at the St. Johns Town Center, and the beloved 4th of July fireworks shows both downtown and over Jacksonville Beach. Also, be sure to check out weekly and monthly events North Beaches Art Walk the third Thursday of every month, Beaches Green Market every Saturday 2-5 pm, Downtown Art Walk the first Wednesday of every month, and the Riverside Arts Market every Saturday 10am-4pm. Discover local designers, companies, and shops, and while you're downtown, stop by Chamblin Bookmine - a gold mine for serious bookworms. 3 THINGS SPORTS & RECREATION TO DO If you love sports and the outdoors, Jax has a lot to offer! One thing can be said about the NFL Jacksonville Jaguars: this city stands behind its football team. Get season tickets for some of the best dedicated tailgating at Everbank Field. Other city teams include minor league baseball team Jacksonville Suns, arena football team Jacksonville Sharks (2011 champions), minor league basketball team Jacksonville Giants (2012, 2013 champions), and rugby team Jacksonville Axemen. College and high school sports are popular too, and the city hosts the annual Gator Bowl on New Year's Day. Several little leagues and team sports are organized in the area as well. The City of Jacksonville maintains the largest urban park system in the U.S. One of the city’s defining characteristics is its abundance of public parks, preserves and Bragan Field playgrounds. Even more parks are locally EverBank Field, Home of the Jaguars mandated: Atlantic Beach City Parks, Jacksonville Beach Parks, and Neptune Beach's Jarboe Park. Dog lovers be sure to check out Dog Wood Park. Volunteer opportunities are vast and can be found through HandsOn Jacksonville. The city is also becoming well known for runs and marathons. General recreation can be found at popular spots First Coast YMCA, Bailey's Powerhouse Gym, and new franchise LA Fitness. It seems no one can live in sunny Jacksonville without spending lots of time outdoors. Explore 20 miles of beaches, learn the many access points, and plan activities with Beach Life Rentals. If you live at the beach, invest in a beach cruiser, and if you live in the Riverside/ Avondale area, a bike is handy too—try Champion Cycling. Fishing is a popular sport here, with many prime spots to choose from. Surfing on Veterans Memorial Arena the Atlantic Ocean is another favorite pastime. The Jax Beach pier and its adjacent strips of waves are dotted with surfers year-round. The "poles" in Hannah Park mark a little-known gem of a spot. For surf reports, events, and info check out Florida Surfing Association, 911 Surf, and Void. Skateboarding is popular in the youth culture here; check out main Kona Skate Park, Monument, and Oceanside Rotary Skate Park. Main surf and skate retailers are Aqua East Surf Shop and Sunrise Surf Shop. All in all, Jacksonville is a golfer's paradise. Besides hosting TPC, aforementioned Sawgrass Country Club is the First Coast's premier course. Other highlighted courses include Ponte Vedra Inn & Club, Marsh Landing Country Club, Jacksonville Beach Golf Club, Windsor Parke Golf Club, and Jacksonville Golf & Country Club. Sawgrass Clubhouse 5 THINGS ATTRACTIONS TO DO Dozens of indoor and outdoor music venues host a wide variety of talent, from locally praised musicians to international acts. Dozens of indoor and outdoor music venues host a wide variety of talent. For big-name artists check EXPLORE JAX out Freebird Live and Ponte Vedra Concert Hall at the beaches, as well as Metropolitan Park, Jacksonville Symphony Jackrabbit's, and nearby St. Augustine Amphitheater. General performing arts venues include The Orchestra Florida Theatre, Veterans Memorial Arena, Times-Union Center, and Prime Osborn Convention Center. A must-see is the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra. The Florida Theatre Live music can be found nightly at almost every bar in town; Jacksonville Landing check out local powerhouses Mark O' Quinn, Canary in the Jacksonville Main LIbrary Coalmine, The Band Be Easy, Spade McQuade, Split Tone, Cummer Museum of Art and and Something Distant. Community theaters are always Gardens booming with productions; check out Players by the Sea, Museum of Science and History Alhambra Dinner Theatre, Theatre Jacksonville, Ritz Theatre, and The 5 & Dime. Independent venues San Marco Theatre Museum of Contemporary Art and Sun Ray Cinema screen movies with updated food and Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens spirits service. in addition to other cinemas. Laughs can be found at Comedy Zone and The Comedy Club of Jacksonville. Jacksonville Landing is a downtown landmark on the St. Johns Freebird Live River where many events are held year-round, most notably free concerts. The surrounding Jacksonville Riverwalks are a beautiful public space to spend the day walking; check out the city skylines, the Main Street Bridge, Friendship Fountain, and the marina accesses. I highly recommend taking time to experience the Jacksonville Main Library, Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens, Hemming Plaza and its many events, Museum of Science and History, Museum of Contemporary Art, and Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens. The premier destination is the St. Johns Town Center, a 200-plus-acre, open-air, lifestyle mall with department stores, high-end retailers, restaurants, banks, and beauty services. And it's getting bigger—phase three of construction is expected in 2014. Other destinations include The Avenues and Regency Square Mall. Other popular attractions to check out are play park Adventure Landing, entertainment complex Latitude 30 entertainment complex, Skydive Amelia Island, the Budweiser Brewery, and the year-round cruises to the Bahamas via the Carnival Fascination. St. John’s Town Center Cummer Art Museum Jacksonville Beach Fishing Pier 7 THINGS DINING & NIGHTLIFE TO DO Jacksonville really has every cuisine one could want and is home to a burgeoning community of microbreweries.