JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Jacksonville has waited 200 years for this weekend and now it's here!
The city's bicentennial celebration kicks off with events through the weekend. Get ready for downtown to become a blast from the past.
The big day of festivities is Saturday. The Bicentennial Street Festival will feature over 50 exhibitors including music, artists, food trucks, historical character re-enactments, a parade stretching from James Weldon Johnson Park to the Riverfront Plaza and fireworks at 10:00 p.m.
You may run into Gary Sass, who will be giving special bicentennial historic tours. He won't be dressed as himself.
"As our city founder, Isaiah Hart," Sass said. "You only celebrate your bicentennial once so this is a big deal for Jacksonville."
Party like it's 1822 and learn a thing or two.
"If you don't understand how you got to where you are, you really don't have any good basis for figuring out how to get to where you want to be," said Alan Bliss, CEO of the Jacksonville Historical Society.
Bliss says the bicentennial is also about looking forward to 2222.
"The generations who come after us are going to stand on our shoulders," Bliss said. "They're going to live with the legacies of the decisions and the choices that we make now."
Your choice to be in Jacksonville right now means you're invited to celebrate.
"We did a study of best places to live in the world and we chose Jacksonville as our city," Sass said about his family.
Jacksonville Historical Society wants to hear your Jacksonville story. Add it to the history books by visiting here.
See the full list of events this weekend here. Learn how to get a bicentennial challenge coin here.
