St. Augustine Guest Houses

Iris DeMent with guest Pieta Brown
2018-12-08 20:00 (America/New_York) | Ponte Vedra Concert Hall, 1050 A1A North, Ponte Vedra, 32082
“Iris DeMent makes music that celebrates humanity’s efforts toward salvation, while acknowledging that most of our time on Earth is spent reconciling with the fact that we don’t feel so redeemed. Grounded in hymns, early country songs, gospel and folk, DeMent’s work is treasured by those who know it for its insight and unabashed beauty.” – NPR
Iris DeMent began writing songs at the age of 25. Beginning with her 1992 debut, Infamous Angel, which was hailed as “an essential album of the 1990’s” by Rolling Stone, DeMent released a series of stellar records that established her as “one of the finest singer-songwriters in America” according to The Guardian. The music earned her multiple Grammy nominations, as well as the respect of peers like John Prine, Steve Earle, and Emmylou Harris, who all invited her to collaborate. Merle Haggard dubbed her “the best singer I’ve ever heard” and asked her to join his touring band, and David Byrne and Natalie Merchant famously covered her “Let The Mystery Be” as a duet on MTV Unplugged. Her song “Our Town” is often immediately recognized as the song from the closing credits of Northern Exposure and “Let The Mystery Be” was featured in the opening scenes of the film Little Buddhaand then became the theme for the opening credits of the HBO series, The Leftovers. In 2012, DeMent released the album, Sing The Delta, which prompted NPR to call her “one of the great voices in contemporary popular music” and The Boston Globe to hail the collection as “a work of rare, unvarnished grace and power.”
DeMent recently released her sixth album, The Trackless Woods, an album that sets the words of Russian poet Anna Akhmatova to music. She was also honored with the Americana Music Association’s 2017 “Americana Trailblazer Award” for her tenacity in forging her own path in the music industry.
Hailed as a “self-styled poetess, folk goddess and country waif” by the BBC, Pieta Brown first came to international attention with her 2002 self-titled debut. Pieta has since been recognized by NPR for her “moody, ethereal” songwriting, applauded by The Boston Globe for her “mercurial voice” and has continued to gain wide-spread critical attention for both her singing and songwriting with each release. Wall Street Journal, American Songwriter, and Amazon have all included her albums in year-end, ‘best-of’ picks. And along the way she has shared stages with everyone from Emmylou Harris and JJ Cale to Neko Case and Richard Thompson, in addition to performing at major festivals like Bonnaroo and Mountain Jam. But maybe even more importantly, to a fiercely independent artist like Pieta, she has received praise and support from many of her fellow artists and mentors – Justin Vernon, Iris Dement, Mark Knopfler, Amos Lee, producer Don Was, and film-maker Wim Wenders to name a few.

Nights of Lights
2018-12-09, 2018-12-10, 2018-12-11, 2018-12-12, 2018-12-13, 2018-12-14, 2018-12-15, 2018-12-16 | Downtown St. Augustine, 29 West Castillo Drive, St. Augustine
It draws thousands of people to the city every year, but even as a local, Nights of Lights is not something you want to miss out on. Light up night happens on November 17 with music in the Plaza de la Constitucion and the proverbial “flipping of the switch” by city officials. Any spot downtown will give you a beautiful view of the sudden illumination of 2 million white lights

Holiday in the Gardens
2018-12-09 11:00 - 16:00 | Washington Oaks Garden State Park, 6400 N Oceanshore Blvd.,, FL
Take advantage of the crisp December air with a stroll through one of the area’s most charming state parks. Not only will the gardens be festively decorated, but the park will be playing host to Mr. and Mrs. Claus as well as arts and crafts for the little ones and live entertainment all day. Bring the whole family along for some festive holiday fun and some beautiful Florida scenery. Admission is free with the donation of toys or canned goods.

St. Augustine Makers Fest™
2018-12-09 11:00 - 17:00 | St. Augustine Amphitheatre, 1340 A1A South, St. Augustine
The festive celebration of Makers of all kinds will offer a wide variety of fun, hands-on activities at designated Makers Stations, where participants of all ages may tap into their own creative spirit and create something unique and beautiful of their own. The event will also showcase one-of-a-kind gifts, art, unique apparel, jewelry, home décor and more from over 40 local and regional artisans, artists, chefs and brewers. For those wishing to explore their creativity in greater depth, select artisans will be offering educational workshops. New this year, children will thrill to discover a Gingerbread Forest play area that will challenge them to create a 3-dimensional world with life-size “gingerbread” boxes.
“This is a celebration of creativity in action,” explains Rachel Sobenes-Desme, St. Augustine artist and Creative Director for the event. “The Makers Station activities and workshops engage children as well as adults to just jump in and enjoy the thrill of making and doing in a world that is more and more caught up with consuming and watching.”
Foodies will relish an exciting array of culinary offerings, including authentic artisan foods, beverages, local food trucks, and craft beers in the Makers Fest beer garden. Two stages, sponsored by Friends of the St Augustine Amphitheatre, will feature performances including live music, dance and a special appearance by The Venardos Circus, rounding out a full day of family fun sure to engage all of the senses. This year will see brand new Makers Stations, as well as the return of a few favorites, grouped into Paper World, Textile World and Nature World. Art installations will be located at the entrance to each immersive world, along with a lounge area for relaxation and conversation – all under the big top of the Amphitheatre.

Foxfire
2018-12-09 14:00, 2018-12-13 19:30, 2018-12-14 19:30, 2018-12-15 19:30, 2018-12-16 14:00 | Limelight Theatre, 11 Old Mission Avenue, St. Augustine, 32084
A beautiful glimpse into the lives of a Southern Appalachian family, Foxfire follows Annie Nations, an indomitable Appalachian widow of 79, living on her mountain farm with the acerbic ghost of her husband Hector. Her tranquility is threatened by a brash real estate developer who wants to turn her land into a vacation resort and by concern over her son Dillard, a country singer who has come home with two stranded children because his wife has run away.
Shows will take place Thursday-Saturday at 7:30pm and Sundays at 2pm.

A Peter White Christmas with Rick Braun and Euge Groove
2018-12-11 20:00 | Ponte Vedra Concert Hall, 1050 A1A North, Ponte Vedra, 32082
Make your list and check it twice! This holiday concert is more than just nice!! A Peter White Christmas featuring Rick Braun & Euge Groove is coming to town! Contemporary jazz lovers eagerly await this annual fun-filled concert which has packed fans into halls and arenas coast-to-coast year after year.
Peter White is an extraordinary and fluent acoustic guitarist whose skills are world-renowned. Over the years, he has maintained a reputation as one of the most versatile and prolific acoustic guitarists on the contemporary jazz landscape. Armed with an unparalleled combination of lyricism and energy, White combines elements of jazz, pop and classical guitar to create a sound that is singular and at the same time accessible to a broad audience. Rick Braun is a masterful trumpet/flugelhorn player whose warm tones transform the simplest melody into a work of art. Steven Eugene Grove, better known as Euge Groove, is a smooth jazz saxophonist with a strong Top-40 background. They have each separately sold millions of records and their combined fans will surely appreciate this special performance of Christmas Chestnuts!
Peter recalls: “My earliest memories of Christmas were probably not much different from many other people: snowflakes, tinsel, Santa Claus, reindeer and the opening of presents surrounded by family. As a child my father taught me to play Christmas music on my first instrument, the recorder, and my love for Christmas music has endured throughout the years. I hope this tour will be an opportunity for many Smooth Jazz fans to enjoy their favorite Christmas songs in a family setting. You know, I might even bring my recorder!” Peter White’s classic acoustic guitar style can be enjoyed through an ever-growing and best-selling catalog including his album, Playin’ Favorites (2006).
Says Rick Braun: “Christmas reminds me of the cold weather in PA where I grew up and long car trips with my family with the windows all steamy and rolled up, seeing lights in the windows of houses and then being with my dad and the whole family for turkey and football.”

99 Bottles feat. GoodWood!
2018-12-12 18:00 - 20:00 | Brewz |n| Dawgz, 1974 US1 South, St. Augustine, 32086
Join us for another MONTHLY spotlight: ’99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall’ feat. Goodwood Brewing (KY) and Get $0.99 OFF all GoodWood Bottles/Cans for One Night Only! They will be bringing their classics and special batches along with FREE swag and raffles to help you on your journey through the ’99 List’…Cheers!

A Christmas Story
2018-12-14 - 2018-12-15 | Ponte Vedra Concert Hall, 1050 A1A North, Ponte Vedra, 32082
Celebrate the holidays with hilarity this December when Apex Theatre Studio will present “A Christmas Story,” a full-length comedy based on the beloved film. Humorist Jean Sheperd’s memoir of growing up in the 1940s follows Ralphie Parker in his quest to get a genuine Red Ryder BB gun for Christmas. All your favorite moments are here: the exploding furnace, the school bully, the boys experiment with a wet tongue on a lamppost and the infamous leg lamp. Evening shows begin at 7pm. A matinee on Saturday will begin at 2pm.

Apex Theatre Studio presents “A Christmas Story”
2018-12-14 14:00, 2018-12-14 19:00, 2018-12-15 14:00, 2018-12-15 19:00 | Ponte Vedra Concert Hall, 1050 A1A North, Ponte Vedra, 32082
Celebrate the holidays with hilarity and Apex Theatre Studio this December when Apex Theatre Studio will present “A Christmas Story,” a full-length comedy based on the beloved film at the Ponte Vedra Concert Hall.
Humorist Jean Sheperd’s memoir of growing up in the mid-west of the 1940s follows Ralphie Parker in his quest to get a genuine Red Ryder BB gun under the tree for Christmas. All the elements from the classic motion picture are here: the exploding furnace, the school bully, the boys experiment with a wet tongue on a lamppost and the infamous leg lamp. The Orlando Sentinel exclaims “Classics bloom quickly in modern times… you don’t have to have grown up with 9-year-old Ralphie Parker and his ache for an air rifle under the tree to think of ‘A Christmas Story’ as a Christmas must. And [this] version is just as kindly and just as cockeyed as ‘A Christmas Story’ is meant to be.”
The production is under the direction of Ian Mairs, managing director of Apex Theatre Studio and features a combination of faculty, students, and guest artists from the Northeast Florida area. Reserved seating tickets are $25.00 and will be available online and at the Ponte Vedra Concert Hall and St. Augustine Amphitheatre Box Offices.
Now in its fifth year, Apex Theatre Studio (a non-profit training center with 501c3 status) fosters young artists who possess a passion and curiosity for acting, singing, dancing and stagecraft through a series of master classes, intensives, readings, and theatrical presentations. For more information on Apex Theatre Studio visit apextheatrejax.com.

Celebrating 70: Gaudete!
2018-12-15 - 2018-12-16 | Cathedral Basilica of St. Augustine, 38 Cathedral Plaza, St. Augustine, FL, 32084, United States
Join the St Augustine Community Chorus for the kick-off concert of their 70th Anniversary season. The holiday program includes selections from Handel’s Messiah and traditional carols, with a special appearance by the St Augustine Youth Chorus. The concert will include music by Z Randall Stroope and Michael Engelhardt, and will be accompanied by brass, percussion, and strings. The highlight of the program is the premiere of our newly commissioned piece by Peter Mathews, a local composer, entitled What Sweeter Music.

Amphitheatre Farmers Market
2018-12-15 08:30 - 12:30 | St. Augustine Amphitheatre, 1340 A1A South, St. Augustine
Join the Amphitheatre every Saturday morning under the oaks out front for a gathering of St. Augustine’s finest growers, artisans, and artists. For twenty years this community event has brought together the region’s finest fresh food, prepared goods, and fine art. Come get your groceries and gifts, grab a bite to eat or drink, and stay for a while to enjoy some old-time music from the Free Rangers.

Join the St. Augustine Community Chorus for Gaudete! Rejoice! 2018 Christmas Concert
2018-12-15 19:30 - 21:00, 2018-12-16 14:00 - 2018-12-17 15:30 | Cathedral Basilica of St. Augustine, 38 Cathedral Plaza, St. Augustine, FL, 32084, United States
We kick off the season with our Christmas program on Dec. 15th at 7:30 pm and Dec. 16th at 2:00 pm in St. Augustine’s beautiful Cathedral Basilica. The chorus will be accompanied by brass, percussion, and strings, including some traditional carols, excerpts from Handel’s Messiah, and a special appearance by the St. Augustine Youth Chorus. It is also the 200th anniversary of Silent Night. We will include the original version in this program, which was altered slightly early on into the tune we know today. As we aspire to perform music of living composers, this program includes the music of Z Randall Stroope, Michael Engelhardt, and Dr. Peter Mathews. We are excited to premiere our commissioned piece, written for the chorus by Dr. Mathews, entitled “What Sweeter Music.”

Gaudete! Rejoice!
2018-12-15 19:30 - 21:30, 2018-12-16 14:00 - 2018-12-17 16:00 | Cathedral Basilica of St. Augustine, 38 Cathedral Plaza, St. Augustine, FL, 32084, United States
As we celebrate our 70th anniversary this season, the St. Augustine Community Chorus, under the direction of Mike Sanflippo, is pleased to announce the opening of our 2018-2019 concert series with two December performances of Gaudete! Rejoice! to be presented Saturday, December 15th at 7:30 pm and Sunday, December 16th at 2:00 pm at the beautiful Cathedral Basilica of St. Augustine. The chorus will be accompanied by brass, percussion, and strings, including some traditional carols, excerpts from Handel’s Messiah, and a special appearance by the St. Augustine Youth Chorus. It is also the 200th anniversary of Silent Night. We will include the original version in this program, which was altered slightly early on into the tune we know today. As we aspire to perform music of living composers, this program includes the music of Z Randall Stroope, Michael Engelhardt, and Dr. Peter J. Mathews. We are excited to premiere our commissioned piece to celebrate SACCs 70th anniversary, written for the chorus by Dr. Mathews, entitled “What Sweeter Music.”

Comfort & Cheer
2018-12-16 14:00 - 16:00 | ACT at Portman Plaza, 2085 A1A South, Suite 105, St. Augustine, 32080
Favorite local performers have come together to present Comfort & Cheer – a program of seasonal stories, songs, poems, and more – for one performance only on December 16, 2018, at 2 p.m. at 2085 A1A South, Unit #105.
Performers include Shari Little, Margaret Kaler, Guy Tillis, Katie Timoney, Natalie Beltrami, Jennifer Latka, and others. Holiday refreshments will be served.
Comfort & Cheer is a theater-community based fundraiser in support of A Classic Theatre. ACT is a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing classic, historic and original works to the St. Augustine theater scene. Recent productions include Intimate Apparel, Lysistrata, Democracy and its Demise, and 1984.
Seating is VERY limited and reservations are strongly encouraged. For email reservations: comfortandcheer18@gmail.com. Telephone reservations: Kate at 904-299-0591. Tickets are only available at the door for a suggested donation of $20. Cash or Check only.
Donations to A Classic Theatre are tax deductible and may also be made online at https://www.aclassictheatre.org/donate.
Questions? Contact us at comfortandcheer18@gmail.com.
