AMELIA ISLAND, Fla. (Jan. 19, 2023) – Located on the northeast coast of Florida, Amelia Island is a southern jewel offering something eventful for everyone, nearly all year-round. A unique array of family-friendly events showcasing the island's many colorful treasures makes every visit to Amelia Island extraordinary. Each of the destination's signature events offers a reason to celebrate and make sweet memories with those who matter most, whether traveling near or far. The complete 2023 schedule of events can be found at AmeliaIsland.com/events.

Culinary Events

• Experience delicious island-wide dining during Amelia Island's 15th Annual Restaurant Week (Jan. 20-29). Enjoy cuisine from many of the island's most popular and award-winning dining hot spots through a 10-day culinary showcase of sumptuous pre-fixe menus for lunch and dinner, along with special foodie events. com/yummy
• Join Chef Okan Kizilbayir of Salt at The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island for Master Chefs Weekend (Feb. 24-27), a weekend of culinary and wine experiences, including a Chefs Theater cooking demonstration, an exclusive wine tasting, and an exquisite five-course dinner. With Salt providing the perfect setting, the highlight of the culinary weekend is the Master Chefs Dinner (Feb. 26). com/amelia-island/dining/events/culinary-events
• To celebrate its status as the birthplace of the modern shrimping industry, Amelia Island hosts the annual Isle of Eight Flags Shrimp Festival (May 5-7). A tradition for more than 50 years, the Shrimp Festival combines a love of shrimp and the best of arts and entertainment, all set in the beautiful historic district. The family-friendly event includes a Festival Parade; Miss Shrimp Festival Pageant; Kids Fun Zone; Shrimp Run; fine arts, crafts and antique vendors; fireworks; and live entertainment. Local shrimp and seafood dishes are always the star of the show. com
• Omni Amelia Island Resort will host its 7th Annual Fish to Fork in 2023 (May 11-14). With sweeping views of the Atlantic Ocean and beautiful canopied oaks as a backdrop, the weekend will offer an unmatched foodie experience, with true dock-to-dish specialties in a fun and interactive atmosphere. The resort will welcome renowned chefs from around the country to showcase their fishing and culinary skills, leading up to a final chef showdown on Saturday night with a live vote from event guests. com
• The 3rd annual Island Hop Craft Beer Fest (Oct. 7) will be held at Central Park in Fernandina Beach on Amelia Island, with live music, food trucks, merchandise, and a collection of outstanding breweries from the North Florida region. The event was inspired by Amelia Island's three local craft brewers – First Love Brewing, Mocama Beer Company, and Amelia Island Brewing Company. com

Cultural Events

• The 22nd season of the Amelia Island Chamber Music Festival (Jan-May) is a music aficionado's dream. This annual series features a wide variety of chamber music entertainment, including Dover Plays (Amy) Beach at the Beach; L'viv National Philharmonic Orchestra of Ukraine; Emerson String Quartet – Farewell Tour; Mark O'Connor “Beethoven & Bluegrass;” and many more. org
• Celebrate the joy of reading and writing at the Amelia Island Book Festival (Feb. 17-18). Visitors and locals can attend the Celebrity Author Gala, featuring New York Times best-selling and award-winning authors; or the Authors' Expo & Readers' Extravaganza. The festival also includes Celebrity Author breakout presentations, exhibits and an opportunity to engage with readers and showcase your books. org
• For car enthusiasts, The Amelia is a multi-day celebration of automotive excellence. Jeff Gordon, NASCAR Hall of Famer and Vice Chairman of Hendrick Motorsports, will serve as the 2023 Honoree. Its signature springtime event, The Amelia Concours d'Elegance (March 5), showcases hundreds of historically significant vehicles from seldom seen private collections around the world at The Golf Club of Amelia Island. Now in its third decade, it has become the centerpiece of an island-wide celebration known as Amelia Island Concours Week (March 2-5) featuring auctions by Broad Arrow, RM Sotheby's, Bonhams, Gooding & Co, and Russo & Steele; and over 600 Porsches on display at Werks Reunion. com/ConcoursWeek
• Created and produced by the Historic Fernandina Business Association (HFBA), Sounds on Centre (April-June and Aug-Oct) is a free, fun outdoor concert series for the whole family. Concerts are on the First Friday of each month, offering a variety of musical stylings throughout the year. To catch the show, head to the intersection of 2nd Street and Centre Street in historic downtown Fernandina Beach at 6 p.m. com
• The inaugural Fernandina Beach Songwriter Festival (April 14-16) will feature three days of free performances and special ticketed events. In addition to enjoying new music from a variety of special guests, attendees will have the opportunity to meet the artists, including Radney Foster, get autographs, and take photos. Sunday's closing ticketed performance will take place aboard a two-hour cruise to Cumberland Island. com/Fernandina-beach-songwriter-festival
• The Amelia Island Dance Festival (Sept. 8-10) endeavors to bring the joy and artistry of dance to historic Amelia Island through the professional presentation of the best in classical and contemporary dance. Festival performances showcase talent from across the country, and the finest from local dance institutions of Northeast Florida. org
• Now in its 20th year, the Amelia Island Jazz Fest (Oct. 1-8) continues to captivate audiences with world-class performances celebrating the spirit and many styles of jazz, including swing, bebop, Dixieland, big band, Latin and contemporary. The festival showcases Grammy award-winning musicians performing this truly American art form on stages at unique venues around the island. com
  • Be a kid again at the Northeast Florida Fair (Oct. 12-22), held just a hop, skip and a jump away from Amelia Island in Callahan, Florida. Enjoy thrill rides, games, candied apples, cotton candy, live music, hundreds of livestock entrants, and all the things that go along with a small-town fair. org

Nature Events

• Wild Amelia once again invites residents and visitors to experience the wild side of Amelia Island at their mini-Wild Amelia Nature Festival (May 20). The festival includes numerous nature tours led by area naturalists and park rangers; nature photography workshops taught by local professionals; a nature-based/green business expo; a Kids' Niche, with nature-based activities for children; live critters; a silent auction; and more. org
• The annual Right Whale Festival (Nov. 4-5) is a free, family-friendly festival celebrating the annual return of the endangered North Atlantic Right Whale to the destination's warm coastal waters. The event also raises awareness of the threats to right whales and how we can help in their recovery. The festival highlights local efforts to protect these whales from extinction, as well as ocean-themed activities and exhibits that emphasize education and environmentally responsible adventures and products. com

Wellness & Sporting Events

• The annual ZOOMA Women's Race Series (Oct. 14-15) features a half marathon, 12K, lighthouse loop, and a Seaside Challenge through historic downtown and Fort Clinch. The event includes a full itinerary of fun events, including two days of running, an expo, and sunrise yoga on the oceanfront lawn of The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island. The epic post-race party includes mimosas, food, massages, shopping, music, and more. com/Zooma-Amelia-Island
• The Amelia Island Open Pétanque Tournament (Nov. 10-12) is the largest pétanque event in the Americas, drawing players and spectators from around the world. The event takes place along the Amelia Island harborfront and Fernandina Beach historic district. com/Amelia-Island
• Each year, Amelia Island prepares for the annual TaxSlayer Gator Bowl (last week in Dec.) at TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville, Florida. Located just 30 minutes from the stadium, Amelia Island welcomes friends and fans to enjoy the island's award-winning resorts and hotels as their bowl game headquarters. It is a great way to ring in the New Year, blending college football fun with Amelia's breathtaking natural beauty, world-class resorts, outstanding dining and more. com

Holiday Events

• During the annual Downtown Fernandina Beach Pajama Party (Black Friday) on Amelia Island, merchants in the historic district have special offers and treats for Black Friday shoppers. The event also includes a PJ Contest (with prizes for the best individual, best group, and most creative PJs), and welcomes Santa and his special guest for a stop on Centre Street. The downtown district is also the setting for the Annual Street Block Party, with a full day of family-friendly activities and live entertainment on 2nd AmeliaIsland.com
• The Amelia Island Museum of History's 17th Annual Holiday Home Tour (Dec. 1-2) attracts history, architecture and holiday enthusiasts alike. Homes in the downtown historic district of Fernandina Beach are decorated by local florists and interior designers to spread the holiday spirit. Docents guide visitors through the lavishly decorated homes to highlight their history and period architectural elements. org/HolidayHomeTour
• Travel back in time for the annual Dickens on Centre (Dec. 7-10) in historic downtown Fernandina Beach. Free to the public, this holiday festival is sure to enliven your Christmas spirit as you stroll the transformed Charles Dickens' Victorian-inspired streets. The event features entertainment on multiple stages, festive food and drink, costumed characters, holiday movies, family-friendly fun at Tiny Tim's Kids Zone complete with visits to St. Nick, holiday shopping, and plenty of Christmas merriment. Kicking off Dickens week is the 4th Annual Dickens Illuminated Procession walking parade. Participation is free and open to all visitors and community members. Bring your lanterns and enjoy a leisurely stroll in Fernandina's historic district down to the waterfront for music, food trucks, and a drone light show finale. The Dickens Enchanted Village brings to life the magical feeling of a snow globe, with grazing charcuterie trays served in a themed, uniquely decorated Christmas dome (advanced reservations required). Dickens After Dark provides the ultimate ticketed, 21+ VIP party featuring specialty entertainment, a historic ghost tour, festive food, open bar, and more. com/Dickens
• The annual New Year's Eve Shrimp Drop (Dec. 31) features live music, food vendors, family-friendly festivities, fireworks, and more, as crowds gather to enjoy Amelia Island's own unique “shrimp-sized” take on Times Square Ball Drop Ball. com

For a complete list of events, as well as special offers and packages from Amelia Island's collection of award-winning hotels, beds and breakfasts, and resorts, visit AmeliaIsland.com/events.

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About Amelia Island

Northeast Florida's coastal treasure, Amelia Island is a barrier island rich in colorful history and breath-taking natural beauty. Amelia Island offers long, beautiful beaches, abundant wildlife, and pristine waters. Upscale resorts with world-class spas, championship golf and exclusive dining blend effortlessly with a captivating collection of bed and breakfast inns and historic districts. The island is home to Fernandina Beach, once a vibrant Victorian seaport village, and now a charming downtown district of eclectic shops, attractions and eateries. Forget the everyday getaway; come make memories on Amelia Island. For visitor information and online planning, visit AmeliaIsland.com.