Things to Do

Downtown Jacksonville has something for everyone. As the most walkable neighborhood in Jacksonville, Downtown allows workers, residents, and visitors alike to explore all that the city has to offer, on foot.

Arts and Culture

Downtown Jacksonville’s rich arts and culture amenities shape the scene for Northeast Florida. Theaters and performance venues offer more than 28,000 seats and experiences, from national acts to Broadway shows to community theater. Museums and galleries provide insight into contemporary art, local history, science, and innovation, while buildings and infrastructure serve as a canvas for a wealth of public art. These diverse offerings create an inclusive and vibrant scene that contributes to the urban lifestyle and draws visitors from around the region.

Sports and Entertainment

Downtown is home to five sports teams, major concerts, the annual Jacksonville Fair and much more! The TIAA Bank Field – home to the Jacksonville Jaguars – is located in the Sports Complex. The stadium boasts two swimming pools, the largest state-of-the-art LED-HD Scoreboards, cabanas, live DJs, VIP suites, and various food options for any and all sporting events. Connected to the south end of the TIAA Bank Field — and sharing space with a “flex field” indoor practice facility for the Jacksonville Jaguars — is Daily’s Place. Daily’s Place is the newest entertainment destination in Downtown Jacksonville. Constructed in 2017, Daily’s Place brings quality, year-round events such as concerts, festivals, corporate and social events and much more.

Additional premier sporting venues include the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville and the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena. In addition to sporting events, the multi-purpose VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena hosts concerts, comedy shows, conventions, family shows, and much more!

The Elbow

Cultivated around the historic Florida Theatre, The Elbow is Downtown Jacksonville’s Entertainment District in the Central Core. Committed to creating an authentic entertainment experience, The Elbow offers a host of diverse and walkable culinary, nightlife, live music and performance venues.

Events

Downtown is home to a wide array of entertaining events for locals and visitors alike. Whatever your interests, the urban core will have something for you. Below is a list of some of the most popular, recurring events happening Downtown.

Downtown Jacksonville Art Walk: Produced by Downtown Vision, Inc. and held each month on the First Wednesday of every month, from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.—rain or shine. Art Walk spans more than 15 blocks that include more than 40 galleries, museums, cultural venues, restaurants, bars and businesses, plus dozens of artists in Hemming Park, street performers and live music.

Jacksonville Jazz Festival: Each Memorial Day weekend, local enthusiasts and jazz aficionados from around the world unite at the Jacksonville Jazz Festival to celebrate the music, art, and culture of America’s music! Check out the festival history for more on the legacy of the event.

Florida vs Georgia Football Game: The annual Florida-Georgia rivalry is an iconic national event that brings the Jacksonville community together to celebrate college football like no other city in the country. A time-honored tradition since 1933, it has become a showcase for one of the rivalries that make college football great. Check out the event’s history for more information on this yearly-anticipated weekend.

Veterans Day Parade: The Jacksonville Veterans Day Parade is one of the largest parades in the Southeast. This patriotic parade features more than 4000 participants including grand marshals, senior military officials, active- duty and retired military units, veterans groups, local high school marching bands, military organizations, decorative floats, giant balloons, JROTC units and more!

4th of July Fireworks: Each year, the St. Johns River in Downtown Jacksonville transforms into a glistening stage for fireworks, live music, and more. The annual Fourth of July Celebration Downtown includes live performances, family-friendly activities, food and drinks, and fireworks over the river.

World of Nations Celebration: The World of Nations Celebration is an International and multicultural festival of arts, cuisine, and music. The celebration provides festival-goers with wonderful sights, sounds, and tastes from a diverse array of nations, all within their reach. Each year, the celebration hosts dozens of booths featuring arts and crafts as well as authentic food from various world nations.

Jacksonville Light Boat Parade: Each year, determined participants deck their hulls and kick off the holiday season on the St. Johns River as thousands of spectators view the parade along the North and South banks. Captains and crews of motor-assisted vessels of all shapes and sizes are invited to participate in the Jacksonville Light Boat Parade.

Greater Jacksonville Agricultural Fair: The Greater Jacksonville Agricultural Fair is the largest fair/festival in northeast Florida and is currently ranked 47th in the United States by Amusement Business. This family-friendly event offers various attractions, rides, and food for visitors of all ages to enjoy. Check out the fair’s history for more on the importance of the event.

TEDxJacksonville Annual Conference: TEDxJacksonville — created in the spirit of TED's mission of ideas worth spreading — programs events year-round with an annual live, local, and thought-provoking conference. Their goal is to open minds with inspiring ideas.

Gate River Run: The Gate River Run, now in its 42nd year, is brought to you each year by JTC Running, a non-profit organization dedicated to running and physical fitness in Northeast Florida since 1975. Each year, locals and country-wide visitors gather for this official USA 15K Championship Race. The course runs through Downtown Jacksonville, crosses over our most iconic bridges and ends with a finish line at the TIAA Bank Field. Last year, 15,800 runners participated in this iconic event. Check out additional event information for details on this year’s race.

Jacksonville International Auto Show: Located at the Prime F. Osborn III Convention Center, the Jacksonville International Auto Show is the premier showcase of the newest model year import and domestic vehicles — cars, vans, crossovers, hybrids, light trucks and sport utilities.

Taxslayer Gator Bowl: The Gator Bowl – operated by Gator Bowl Sports – is an annual college football bowl game held in the TIAA Bank Field in Downtown. It has been held continuously since 1946, making it the sixth oldest college bowl, as well as the first one ever televised nationally.

Monster Jam: Monster Jam is an adrenaline-charged family event featuring some of the most famous trucks in the world. Each year, residents and visitors gather at the TIAA Bank Field to witness these massive mechanical beasts compete against one another. Don’t forget your earplugs!

Riverside Arts Market: Under the Fuller Warren Bridge and along the St. Johns River, you'll find a place where our community comes together! Every Saturday from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. enjoy farm-fresh produce, artists, artisans and more! Free Admission & Free Parking.

Jacksonville PorchFest: PorchFest is a music festival held on the welcoming front porches of Historic Springfield, just outside of the Downtown boundary. The family-friendly, free event features musicians from a wide variety of genres, as well as a variety of food, drink and art vendors to round out the experience. PorchFest brings important attention to Springfield’s historic architecture and ongoing revitalization and highlights the breadth of musical talent here in Jacksonville. Proceeds from the event are dedicated to SPAR’s arts programming and education fund.