Urban Jacksonville

Thanks for the tip Jaxscene!

I know I’ll catch some flack for that headline, but seriously! Heritage Days conjures visions of old people sitting around in straw hats reminiscing about the days before the Internet.

I’m glad that’s out of my system, because there are some cool events going on in Springfield on 4th of July weekend.

Throwback Baseball Game and Fireworks!
Friday, July 4th in Klutho Park
Starting at 4pm, the Eastside will battle the Westside playing in authentic, antique baseball uniforms and equipment. After the game there will be a DJ and the 1st Friday block party which will be held along Boulevard from 2nd to 3th, and in the park. Then everyone will make their way back to Klutho Park for Downtown Fireworks!

Metro Jacksonville’s coverage of last years game

East-West Kickball and Springfield Acoustic Music Festival
Saturday, July 5th at 11:30am
The kickball game starts at 11:30 followed with food and drink vendors in abundance. Springfield’s own Shantytown Pub will be there providing beer and wine. After the game Springfield’s first ever acoustic music festival will kick off with 7 local artists.

Here are the artists that are confirmed

9pm: http://www.myspace.com/christinawagner
8pm: http://www.myspace.com/piscespilar
7pm: http://www.myspace.com/laurelleeandtheescapees
6pm: http://www.myspace.com/jessicapounds
5pm: http://www.myspace.com/ronrodriguez
4pm: http://www.myspace.com/katiegracemusic
3pm: http://www.myspace.com/johari
2pm: tbd
1pm: http://www.myspace.com/goliathflores

Here are some more events

1. Animal adoptions
2. A Jacksonville producer’s screening of an award-winning short film
3. A wine tasting
4. A drawing to win a new car
5. Heritage Days home tour
6. Local painters, photographers, sculptures, jewelry makers

Tags: heritage days, throwback baseball

A while ago I posted I was helping organize a festival in Springfield. Well, I’m not anymore. The festival we were planning was too big for Springfield to handle, and definitely too big for me.

Too many false starts and a dwindling calendar forced us to reconsider time and again. Eventually we had to call it. It’s sad, but in a way I’m relieved. I learned so much from this experience, I’ll never run an event like that again.

I MUST EMPHASIZE The original Summetime in the City event, a hip-hop festival, will still take place in Springfield at 9th and Main. The date is TDB and I know this is confusing as hell, but bear with me.

For the past two years Summertime in the City has been a successful event that grew from the back patio of Burrito Gallery, to the parking lot of Burrito Gallery, to (we thought) 9 blocks of ever-loving Springfield. Therein lies the flaw, those 9 block require so much planning, documentation and resources that the festival was doomed before it started. It’s funny to look back and see how naive I was. I’m not saying it’s impossible, but give our timeline and resources, we really were kidding ourselves.

So keep an ear out, Summertime in the City is coming to a neighborhood near you and I’ll announce it as soon as I hear the date. You haven’t heard the last from me, I have a huge event coming up in late September, early October. It will blow your partisan mind.

If you have any questions please ask and I’ll be as frank as I can. If you were involved with the festival and this is the first you’ve heard of this I’d like to apologize for not reaching out to you personally. It wasn’t my intention to have you read about this now, but there were so many people involved, I kind of last track of who-knew-what.

Joey

Tags: summertime in the city

I got an email from Shantytown owner Ian Ranne Friday, letting me know the bar is now an official carrier of Vice Magazine. If you’re familiar with the wallpaper in the Shantytown bathrooms, this will not come as a surprise.

Vice is a free glossy magazine founded in Montreal, Quebec, and currently based in New York City that covers contemporary independent arts and youth culture. Known for its controversial content, it often strikes a sardonic and ironic pose on debauchery, sex, drugs, violence, and social issues involving race and economic class.

That makes Springfield the only place in the city you can get Vice Magazine. It’s free, but don’t go grab a copy without buying a beer or three. First come, first served, when they’re gone, they’re gone. Ask at the bar.

For more on Vice Magazine and the brand, here’s a 4 page New York Times article The Edge of Hip: Vice, the Brand.

Tags: vice magazine

Huge thanks to Derek Hudson, who helped make this recording.

Podcast Episode #16: Update on 3rd and Main (8:23)

Bill Cesery gives an update on the progress of the 3rd and Main project in Springfield. This development will be an extended stay apartment building for patients at Shands Proton Therapy Unit. Get all the details on the grocery store, new retail space and parking. Bam! Street View of 3rd and Main.

I think the City should start running the trolley up Main Street, down 8th past Shands and back down Broad into Downtown. It could serve the Springfield community and Shands, moving people between 3rd and Main, the new Walgreens, Shands and the City Market Uptown (I made that name up). Think about it.

That would be a nice loop! I even made a map so the city could see what I’m talking about. Proposed Springfield Trolley Route.

View Larger Map

Here’s my original interview with Bill Cesery on the 3rd and Main project: Podcast Episode #9: Talk with Bill Cesery about Third and Main.

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UPDATE

1. He expects the project will be finished by March 2009.
2. This is a 6 million dollar project and is the first new build on Main St. in over 40 years. Both Mr. Cesery and SPAR hope it will spur on a flurry of commercial activity for Main St.
3. His first commercial tenant will be a market and deli. After that he will still have another 4000 sq ft. available for goods and services.

I just got this email from SPAR:

You are invited to attend the SPAR Council General Meeting tonight at 7:00 PM at the Karpeles Manuscript Library Museum (1st and Boulevard). Bill Cesery will be speaking about the 3rd & Main Street project. There will also be an update on the Springfield Heritage Days to be held July 4-6.

Go if you can and tell me what he says. I hear there is grocery and a restaurant in Springfield’s future.

Tags: 3rd and Main

In regards to the shooting at Shantytown last night, SACARC needs your help finding a foster home for male pit-bull. Read the info below and respond if you can help.

There is something you can do to help Janet so she can spend time at the hospital with Tom. She had just rescued a male red-nose pit mix who is passive/shy but sweet with lots of tail wagging. He didn’t like the crate at the vet but Janet was about to work with him on that and we don’t know how he is with cats but he gets along fine with her neighbor’s dog thru the fence. He wants human company and seems to be afraid of the dark.

We need to find a foster home for him TONIGHT. SACARC has had him to the vet for vaccinations and deworming, etc. Our usual foster homes are full to the gills and then some. Is there anyone available or can you put out feelers to everyone you know? We don’t want to put him back out on the street and neither Janet or Tom would want that either.”
could you have any interested parties email sacarc at sacarc@gmail.com if they can help.
thanks!