United States' Oldest City to Celebrate 450th Birthday This Year

On a warm September 8 in the year 1565, eight hundred Spaniards gathered on the shores of a Florida saltmarsh at the site of a large Native American village known as Seloy. Most were soldiers and sailors. But there were also more than one hundred civilians among them. Married men and women, artisans, tradesmen and children waited in anticipation until at last, Captain General don Pedro Menéndez de Aviles stepped ashore from his longboat to a flourish of trumpets and drums. Kneeling and kissing the cross carried by Father Lopez, Menéndez and his officers swore allegiance to God and King and then proclaimed this place where they stood would henceforth be known as St. Augustine.

The Spaniards who created the City of St. Augustine 450 years ago surely had no idea their fledgling town would someday become one of the nation's premier vacation destinations. Today, St. Augustine works to preserve its past while striving to create a present and future that are vibrant, new and exciting.

Through September, the City of St. Augustine will be celebrating its 450th Birthday with street festivals with live entertainment, historic reenactments, commemorations, fireworks, birthday cake and more - celebrating the people and moments in time that have defined this beautiful American city.

2015 Reenactments and Epic Events:

Through September 20, 2015: Tapestry: The Cultural Threads of First America - This signature 450th Exhibition shares the story of how three intertwining cultures - Hispanics, Africans and Native Americans - came together to form the foundation of American culture and create the blended society of today's St. Augustine. The exhibition anchors a citywide passport program for visitors to experience. www.staugustine-450.com/tapestry

Every Friday, Saturday & Sunday - Historic Weapon Demonstrations at Castillo de San Marcos - l Parks Service volunteers and personnel demonstrate the weapons and relate the experiences of the Colonial Spanish soldier stationed in St. Augustine in the 1740s. www.nps.gov/casa.

First and Third Saturday of Each Month: Cherokee Native American Interpretive History Demonstrations -Programs about how the Southeastern Cherokee nation interacted with the Timucua tribes before the arrival of the Europeans take place at the Fountain of Youth Archeological Park,.www.FountainofYouthFlorida.com

First Saturdays: Living History Day at Fort Matanzas: Reenactors demonstrate Spanish cannons at this fortress that guarded the southern approach to St. Augustine. www.nps.gov/foma

Last Saturday of the Month - Changing of the Guard: Florida Historic Militia presents a traditional Changing of the Guard where visitors can witness twilight time in colonial St. Augustine. Soldiers guarding the town are dismissed for the night from the Government House St. Augustine's Plaza de la Constitucion. http://hfm.club/garrison/cog/

May 1 -3, 2015: St. Augustine Chalk Walk Paseo Pastel - 70+ artists create drawings on sidewalks around the Visitor Information Center sidewalks with the theme of Happy Birthday St. Augustine. www.paseopastel.com

May 8 - 17, 2015: St. Augustine's Romanza Festivale of the Arts - "St. Augustine's Romanza Festivale of the Arts"-- it's not one thing - It's Everything! Music, Dance, Theatre, Art, Cuisine, Heritage, Romance and more. This collaborative production of over forty cultural organizations and businesses includes over 100 concerts, events, exhibits, and tours. www.RomanzaFestivale.com

May 17: Jubilee - 450 Years of Song - The St. Augustine Community Chorus presents a musical journey through the centuries starting with 16th century Spain with Tomas Luis de Victoria's beautiful O Vos Omnes and continues through the 21st century with Rutter's Mass of the Children. www.staugustinecommunitychorus.org

June 6: Drake's Raid - The English corsair, Sir Francis Drake and his raiders return to St. Augustine for a re-creation of the 1586 sack of the Spanish city. www.Searlesbucs.com

June 18 - 20 & 25 - 27: The 9th Annual St. Augustine Music Festival - Free Classical Music Concerts - The St. Augustine Music festival features musicians from the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra joined by internationally renowned artists presenting a variety of classical compositions elebrating the 450th birthday of the City of St. Augustine. www.staugustinemusicfestival.org

June 20 - 21: The Battle of Bloody Mose - A Reenactment of the 1740 Battle of Bloody Mose provides an exciting look at this pivotal battle between the British under the command of Georgia's James Oglethorpe and the Spanish militia composed of former British slaves who had been granted their freedom by the Spanish. Fort Mose State Historic Site. www.floridastateparks.org/park/Fort-Mose

July 4 : San Agustin's Rowing Challenge - S t. Augustine Maritime Heritage Foundation presents a "chalupa" rowing competition against tides and the clock. Watching a "chulupa" row along the waterfront was an activity familiar to the towns' folks who lived in Spanish St. Augustine during the 16th century. http://staugmaritimeheritage.org

September 4 - 6: CELEBRATE 450: Music & Street Festival - Each Afternoon and evening there will be stages with life musical and cultural performances along St. Augustine's Bayfront, in the Plaza de la Constitucion, and throughout the Historic District. . Saturday features a spectacular fireworks show over the Matanzas River. www.staugustine-450.com

September 5 : 450th Landing Day Thanksgiving Feast and Celebration - The Feast of Thanksgiving and Landing celebration of 450th anniversary of the founding of St. Augustine will take place at the Fountain of Youth Park. Reenactors will land at the Fountain of Youth, proceed around the Park, and settle in to celebrate a recreated Thanksgiving meal just like the First documented Thanksgiving Feast. www.FountainofYouthFlorida.com

September 5 & 6: CELEBRATE 450: EMMA Concert Association presents a Spanish Music and Dance Performances - EMMA Concert Association presents an evening of entertainment showcasing St. Augustine's Spanish heritage with music and dance at the St. Augustine Amphitheatre. www.staugustine-450.com

September 5 & 6: 6th Annual Fiesta de Aviles - Celebrate St. Augustine's Old Town Spanish heritage and art on Aviles Street - the oldest street in the nation. The Fiesta features live music, costumes, art exhibits and a special running of the "bulls" along Aviles Street. 904-377-0198.

September 5 - 6: Villa September Zorayda Celebrates St. Augustine's 450th - Villa Zorayda hosts special day long activities including Spanish music performances. There will be Birthday cupcakes and soft drinks. www.villazorayda.com

September 7: St. Augustine Birthday Cake Cutting and Proclamation Reading - Get a piece of St. Augustine's 450th birthday cake, enjoy local music and hear the official birthday proclamation read at the Gazebo in the city's Plaza de la Constitucion. www.staugustine-450.com

September 8: CELEBRATE 450: Menéndez Landing, Procession & Commemorative Mass - On this date in 1565, Don Pedro Menéndez came ashore here to establish the City of St. Augustine. At 7:45 a.m. there will be a countdown ceremony at the Visitor Information Center. Then at 9 a.m., an authentic re-enactment of Menendez' arrival takes place at the Mission Nombre de Dios, followed by a procession of spectators, re-enactors and dozens of Bishops from around the world to the Cathedral Basilica for a 11 a.m. Commemorative Mass. www.staugustine-450.com

September 9 - 12: CELEBRATE 450: St. Augustine Spanish Wine Festival - Celebrate the oldest city's outstanding Spanish culinary heritage The Festival includes a kick-off luncheon with Spanish-inspired foods prepared by students at the First Coast Technical College; Vino Veritas evening for authentic Spanish recipes and wine pairings; an elegant Cava Reception and Dinner; a Grand Tasting with the largest collection of Spanish wines on display in the U.S. followed by thrilling and fun Batalla de Vino. http://staugustine-450.com

September 16: First Muster - Florida Living History recreates the first mustering of America's citizen soldiers marking the birthday of Florida's National Guard. The first muster occurred on this date 450 years ago in the newly established pueblo of San Agustin de la Florida. 877-352-4478

September 26: Colonial Children in La Florida - Florida Living History presents a free program that explains what life was like for children living at Fort Mose and in Spanish St. Augustine in 1738. Children can also participate in period crafts or drill along with the soldiers and militiamen of Spanish Florida. www.floridastateparks.org/park/Fort-Mose

In addition to the exciting historic celebrations for St. Augustine's 450th Birthday, there are dozens of attractions and tours that offer programs and experiences that explore the unique history of the Nation's oldest city.