November in St. Augustine and the Beaches: What's Happening Before the Lights Come On

Everyone talks about December in St. Augustine. November gets overlooked, and that's a mistake.

The first two weekends of November are full of local events, most of them free: a historic neighborhood festival, a 1700s harvest celebration at Fort Mose, a classic car show in Nocatee, a gallery walk, and a Veterans Day ceremony. Here's what's confirmed.

The quick version

• Fri., Nov. 6: First Friday Art Walk, 5 to 9 p.m.
• Fri.-Sat., Nov. 6-7: Holiday Craft & Garden Market, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Nov. 6-8: Lincolnville Festival.
• Sat., Nov. 7: Fort Mose First Harvest, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Sun., Nov. 8: Ponte Vedra Auto Show at Nocatee Station Field, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Wed., Nov. 11: Veterans Day Celebration at Anastasia Baptist Church.
• Sun., Nov. 15: ImportExpo Jacksonville, Prime F. Osborn III Convention Center.
• Sat., Nov. 21: Nights of Lights begins.

First weekend: Nov. 6-8

First Friday Art Walk (Friday, Nov. 6)

More than 25 galleries across Historic Downtown, the San Sebastian District, Uptown, and Anastasia Island open from 5 to 9 p.m. Some galleries close earlier, around 7 or 8 p.m., so if there's one you care about, check its hours first. The visitor bureau lists a free Cathedral Basilica concert as part of the evening, and no admission is listed for the walk itself.

The Old Town Trolley runs free shuttles from 6 to 9 p.m. Pick up a sticker at a participating gallery. Parking options include the City Parking Garage and metered downtown spaces, which run until 9 p.m.

Lincolnville Festival (Friday through Sunday, Nov. 6-8)

Here's the schedule for the historic Lincolnville neighborhood's annual festival:

• Friday, Nov. 6: Friday Night Jazz / Opening Night, 7 to 11 p.m. at the Elks Lodge, 100 Washington St. Tickets are $35, sold in advance at the Best Richardson African Diaspora Literature & Culture Museum, 83 Washington St. Your ticket includes a museum tour and a fish fry before the concert.
• Saturday, Nov. 7: Noon to about 10 p.m. Live music from 2 p.m., youth activities from noon to 5 p.m., food trucks, and vendor booths. Martin Luther King Jr. Ave. closes between St. Francis Street and King's Ferry Way. Free.
• Sunday, Nov. 8: Gospel in the Park, noon to 5 p.m. Free.

Parking is listed at the church lot at 87 Martin Luther King Ave. Check the festival listing for the latest performer lineup.

Holiday Craft & Garden Market (Friday and Saturday, Nov. 6-7)

This is a first-year event at the Garden Club of St. Augustine clubhouse, 3440 Old Moultrie Rd., from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days. Admission is free. Expect homemade crafts, seasonal plants, floral arrangements, baked goods, and garden gifts.

Fort Mose First Harvest (Saturday, Nov. 7)

Fort Mose State Park, 15 Fort Mose Trail, hosts this one from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., and it's free. It's a celebration of the first harvest at Fort Mose, with processions, ceremony, musket firing, and cannon salutes. The harvest is blessed by a local friar. Parking isn't listed on the event page. The park's number is 904-823-2232.

If you're planning a Saturday, Fort Mose runs in the morning and Lincolnville picks up at noon, so the two work well together.

Ponte Vedra Auto Show (Sunday, Nov. 8)

Nocatee Station Field, 245 Nocatee Center Way, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Spectator admission and parking are free, with classic cars and trucks across 25 award categories, local food trucks, and vendors. Only service animals are allowed on the field.

Wednesday, Nov. 11: Veterans Day Celebration

The annual Veterans Day Celebration is at Anastasia Baptist Church, and this year's theme is 250 Years of Liberty & Freedom. Doors open at 9 a.m. with an atrium display, and the ceremony starts promptly at 11 a.m. Commander Van Morris will present "Old Glory" and lead the salute to the flag. Admission is free, with free parking on site. The keynote speaker hasn't been announced yet.

Some local attractions have offered free or discounted admission to veterans and military in past years. Check each venue for 2026 terms.

Worth the drive: ImportExpo Jacksonville (Sunday, Nov. 15)

If you've got a car person in the house, ImportExpo comes to the Prime F. Osborn III Convention Center in downtown Jacksonville. General admission is $15 for a limited special, $25 presale, or $35 at the door. Kids under 12 get in free with an adult. Paired with the Auto Show the weekend before, it makes November a good month for car fans.

What about the lights?

Nights of Lights runs Nov. 21 through Jan. 18, and the city has now posted this season's free shuttle schedule. Light-Up! Night is Saturday, Nov. 21, with the ceremony at 6:30 p.m. in the Plaza de la Constitución. My Nights of Lights planning guide has the shuttle dates, parking, and tips for picking your night.

A few ways to plan it

• Saturday, Nov. 7 is the best single day. Fort Mose in the morning, Lincolnville after noon. Both are free.
• Pair Sunday with the Beaches side. The Auto Show is easy from Nocatee, Ponte Vedra, and North St. Johns.
• Buy Lincolnville's Friday tickets ahead. They're sold in advance at the museum on Washington Street.
• Bring cash or a card for vendors. Food trucks and craft vendors vary.

Bottom line

If you only pick one, make it Saturday, Nov. 7. It's free, it's local, and it's the kind of day that makes St. Augustine feel like a town, not just a destination.

Know an event that belongs on this list? Send it my way. I'm collecting the ones locals actually go to.

Event details come from the organizers' and the visitor bureau's pages as of Oct. 27, 2026, and can change. Confirm with the organizer before you go.