Jacksonville Car Culture events calendar
Go manual at Caffeine and Octane – 8 to 11 a.m. on Saturday, March 12, highlighting manual transmissions in a special display within the Central Lot. Submit your ride for consideration at caffeineandoctane.com.
An estimated 1,000-plus cars, trucks and more are expected at the free cruise-in. And remember – Caffeine and Octane Jacksonville is an all makes, all models show, with all parking spots first come/first serve at The Avenues mall’s south side at 10300 Southside Blvd. Cars should start arriving by 7 a.m. to the Southside Boulevard side of the shopping mall, the best way in through Malabar Boulevard.
As always, there will be a Porsche section, and an exotics area, as well as hundreds of vintage and classic cars, muscle cars and so much more.
Official Caffeine and Octane merchandise is on sale at all Caffeine and Octane Jacksonville events.
Event news
This is it -The Amelia, the 27th annual Concours d’Elegance, is here this weekend.
Racer and racing legend Chip Ganassi is the honoree at one of the nation’s most prestigious concours, all of its events running from Thursday through Sunday in and around the Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island and the adjacent Golf Club of Amelia Island, both on Amelia Island Parkway.
There’s lots of things to do at one of the nation’s biggest classic car events:
- The concours’ official RM Sotheby’s auction returns with lot previews from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, and an 11 a.m. Friday auction. The RM Sotheby’s auction is set for the concours hotel: The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island, at 4750 Amelia Island Parkway. For auction information, go to rmsothebys.com.
- The annual Spina Bifida of Jacksonville Silent Auction returns to the concours, with a collection of rare and eclectic film, television, automotive and sports-related items and more, some autographed, on display inside the Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island. All proceeds benefit its non-profit actions helping those with the birth defect and their families. For information on how to donate, email theameliasilentauction@gmail.com.
- Saturday, March 5th’s big event is the new Cars & Community Presented by Griot’s Garage. It is a more casual day of automotive events honoring cars of many kinds.
Photo by Deremer Studios, LLC
It starts at 8:30 a.m. on the same fairways where Sunday’s classics will be shown, including the annual Cars & Caffeine display of 300-plus classics, exotics and hot rods from local owners and car clubs.
There is a new Kids Zone featuring slot car racing, four racing simulators, and interactive drawing events with some major talent like Pixar Animation Studio Creative Director for Franchise Jay Ward, and Stellantis Chief Design Officer Ralph Gilles.
Then there’s also a RADwood display, celebrating the best vehicles from the ’80s and ’90s, with a curated display of 75 of the most iconic, unique, and RADical rides of the era.
Photo courtesy of Hagerty
- And for the fun of automobiles, how about the Concours d’Lemons during that Saturday fun?
Photo courtesy of Hagerty
Click the link for details on how to celebrate the oddball, mundane and unexceptional of the automotive world. Concours d’Lemons features car classes like “Rust Belt American Junk,” “Needlessly Complex Italian” and “Most Dangerous.”
Cars & Community tickets are available at https://bit.ly/3rAVGeP; $20 for adults, $10 for youth as well as military and first responders, and free for children 12 and under. A portion of every Cars & Community ticket sold will support local and national charitable partners.
- The Amelia’s seminars start with the 3 p.m. Friday “36 Hours of Florida,” hosted by NASCAR Hall of Fame Crew Chief Ray Evernham, featuring a panel of the greats of sports car racing who were very successful at the “36 Hours of Florida,” which included both the 24 Hours of Daytona and the 12 Hours of Sebring. The NASCAR Seminar is at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, also hosted by Ray Evernham and a panel of former NASCAR greats speaking about racing through the decades. Admission is $50 per person per seminar, information on all The Amelia events and tickets at ameliaconcours.com/event/tickets.
- You can drive a classic car at the Hagerty Ride & Drive Friday or Saturday starting at 9 a.m. Drives available include: 1960 Plymouth Fury, 1967 Pontiac GTO, 1969 Chevrolet Camaro, 1970 Dodge Challenger, 1971 Ford Bronco and1972 Citroen 2CV. Sign up early at the Hagerty booth. Spots fill up quickly.
- Expect a celebration of the automobile featuring more than 300 vehicles at the Sunday Concours d’Elegance. Official classes include: 60th anniversary of the 24 Hours of Daytona and the 70th anniversary of the 12 Hours of Sebring; 75th anniversary of Ferrari, that class containing a LaFerrari.
Photo by Deremer Studios, LLC
- The Sports and GT Cars 1958-1972 class will feature (among many others) this stunning 1966 Cannara 1.
- Photo courtesy Don Palatnik
One of the original ’60s wedge cars, this Cannara 1 will be displayed for the first time in more than 50 years.
- The Horseless Carriage class will feature (among many others) this stunning 1907 Ford N.
Photo courtesy of The Amelia
Ford introduced the Model N in 1906 at a base price of just $500; it accounted for nearly all of the 8,828 vehicles Ford sold that year.
- Other classes: the 12 Hours of Sebring Japanese Sports Cars of the ‘60s and ‘70s, 100th anniversary of Lincoln, the 90th anniversary of the 1932 Ford, Indy Roadsters, Gurney Eagles; the 3-wheeled vehicles of the Davis Motorcar Company and more.
- Sunday Concours tickets are: Adults (ages 23+): $175; Military and First Responders: $85, with verification at check-in; Younger Enthusiasts (ages 13-22): $75; and children 12 and under are free. And a big FYI: every concours ticket purchase also includes free admission to Cars & Community.
Tickets for all concours events are also available at the website.
Sign up to be a Concours volunteer at ameliaconcours.com/event/volunteer.
Other events on Amelia Island that weekend not associated with The Amelia:
Grand Motoring Hangar Night is from 5 to 10 p.m. on Thursday, at the Amelia Aerodrome at the Fernandina Beach Municipal Airport. Returning for its sixth year, attendees have hors d’oeuvres, dinner and cocktails surrounded by an assortment of classic and collector automobiles, sponsor exhibits, auto-centric short films and more. Individual tickets are $50, address and parking instructions provided to registered attendees. Tickets can be reserved here.
Porsche Club of America Werks Reunion Amelia Island: An array of Porsches from rare classics to current models and everything in between shown in specific Porsche Corrals and the Porsche Judged Field at the Amelia River Golf Club at 4477 Buccaneer Trail. Onsite spectator parking is $40 cash at the gate. The show runs from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday, with Hagerty Youth Judging at 10:30 a.m. Live music and meals available for purchase.
Now the Car Shows:
SATURDAY AT 10 AM – 2 PM
Strawberry Fest Classic Car Show
Clay County Fairgrounds
Join the Clay County Cruzers at the Strawberry Festival for lots of family fun and plenty of strawberries.
Registration ($10) begins at 9am.
J-Tech Drive-in/Cruise-in: rescheduled for Saturday, March 5 at J-Tech at 8813 Western Way. Gates open at 3 p.m. for set-up, $15 entry per car. It will be a double feature. For the kids, “Cars,” followed by “Thunder Road” for the adults. There will be food trucks and J-Tech will be open for tours.
Troop and Pack 27 Car Show and Pinewood Derby: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 12, at Old Plank Road Baptist Church at 8964 Old Plank Road.
19th Annual Mustang & Ford Regional Show: 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, March 19, hosted by the Jacksonville Mustang Club Show at Duval Ford at 1616 Cassat Ave. Registration can be done at jmcmustang.org/jmc-show.
Middleburg Spring Festival and Car Show: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 19, at the Middleburg Civic Association at 2102 Palmetto St. Spectators are free; show vehicle registration is $20. Proceeds donated to Civic Association’s choice charity.
Adamec Harley-Davidson Car & Bike Show: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday, March 20 at the dealership at 8909 Baymeadows Road. Hosted by Callahan Cruisers of North Florida, spectators are free, whole show vehicle registration is $20. Live Music by the Pink Paisleys.
First Florida Chapter Winter Rally & Swap Meet: Military vehicle display and living history fromFriday to Sunday,March 25-27, at Reynolds Industrial Park at 1 Bunker Ave. off Florida 16 in Green Cove Springs. World War II battle re-enactments are at 1 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
Seventh Annual San Jose Car & Truck Show at Dupont Station: 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, April 2, at the shopping center at 6271 St Augustine Road, Jacksonville. Sponsored by Jacksonville Car Culture and presented by Key Buick/GMC Hyundai, Genesis, and North Florida Lincoln, show vehicle registration at the gate is $25 per, all proceeds donated to the Bishop John J. Snyder Community Center , a HUD subsidized property for low-income seniors of all faiths that receives no funding from HUD.
20th annual Jacksonville Grand Prix:
It is 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 2, at the 103rd Street Sports Complex at 10271 103rd St. The annual endurance go-kart race sees teams of drivers compete as they and the event raise funds for Spina Bifida of Jacksonville. Registration is open for the event, open to multiple levels of experience from rookie to pro and semi-pro in equally prepared and weight-ballasted karts. Registration is $308.33 per person on a 6-driver team, or $1,850 for a team. Information and registration – go here. And watch some of the recent action at youtube.com/watch?v=gQoc-SR4UdU&feature=emb_imp_woyt.
17th annual Railroad Day Festival and Classic Car Show: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, April 2, at the1881 Callahan Train Depot at 45383 Dixie Ave. in Callahan. Live entertainment, arts/crafts and food vendors, model trains and a classic car show hosted by Callahan Cruisers and Cochrane’s Collision Center from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. All proceeds will go to the West Nassau Historical Society.
First Coast Car Council’s Cruisin’ to the Creek Spring Car Show: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, April 16, at Trout Creek Memorial Park and Marina at 6550 Florida 13 in Orangedale south of Sant Johns/Fruit Cove. The show benefit the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Jacksonville.
22nd Annual Riding Into History Antique Motorcycle Concours
Motorcycle designer Paul Teutul Jr. will be the Grand Marshal for the annual Riding Into History concours on April 22 and 23 at World Golf Village, 1 World Golf Place in St. Augustine. On Friday, April 22, it is the Grand Marshal Tour Presented by Hagerty, allowing owners to ride their vintage bike through the back roads of historic Florida. Then comes the Grand Marshals Dinner at 6 p.m. Friday, April 22, at the World Golf Hall of Fame, Shell Hall, at $80 per person. Hundreds of classic and special interest motorcycles will be on display from 1 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, April 23, around the lake at World Golf Village.
There is no entry fee for qualified motorcycles at the concours, and registration closes at midnight, April 14. Admission is $15 per person for spectators. All donations go to K9s for Warriors. More information is at ridingintohistory.org.
Rumble at the Ranch – Hot Rod vs Rat Rod: May 5 through 7 at WW Motocross Park, 1439 Otis Road in Jacksonville. The event features burnout contests with a $1,500 purse, car show and other events.
12th Annual Rev It Up! Car Show: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 14, at Moosehaven, 1701 Park Ave. in Orange Park. Show vehicles are $20 pre-registered to May 1; $25 after.
Third annual Hot Rodz 4 Kids Car and Bike Show: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday May 28, at First United Methodist Church of Callahan, 449648 U.S. 301. Proceeds go to children’s medical, educational and nutritional needs.
The FIRM (Florida International Rally and Moto Park): Open Track Days held most weekends at the road course and rally course at 7266 Airport Road in Starke.
All the Cruise-ins
First Coast Car Council, Clay County Cruzers, Callahan Cruisers and Amelia Cruizers all hold regular weekend cruise-ins, so check their Facebook pages.
Caffeine and Octane Jacksonville: 8 to 11 a.m. every second Saturday at The Avenues Mall at 10300 Southside Blvd. Information: https://bit.ly/3gPRvVQ.
First Coast Car Council holds its new cruise-in from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. every first Saturday at The Beaver Street Farmers Market, 1810 W. Beaver St. But its second Saturday cruise-in has been suspendedat the Medical & Merchants Center of Mandarin, 11701 San Jose Blvd.
Jacksonville Caffeine and Gasoline: 7 to 10 a.m. on every first Saturday at the Orange Park Mall at 1910 Wells Road in Orange Park.
The Part’s House/The Brothers Banter Podcast Cruise-in: The renamed White Brothers Auto Parts Cruise-in at the same time – 5 to 8 p.m. every second Friday at 405 Lane Ave. N.
Auto Legends Amelia Cars and Coffee: 9 a.m. to noon every second Saturday at Mocama Beer Company, 629 S. 8th St. in Fernandina Beach.
Cruise Fruit Cove: 4 to 8 p.m. every third Saturday at the PDQ at 194 Florida 13 in Saint Johns, just south of Julington Creek.
Amelia Cruizers: 4 to 7 p.m. every third Saturday at Cold Stone Creamery, 808 Sadler Road, Fernandina Beach.
Clay County Cruzers’ events: 3 to 6 p.m. every first Saturday at Big Dawg Sports Restaurant, 1330 Blanding Blvd. The Cruzers’ other events: 3 to 6 p.m. every second Saturday at Gator’s Dockside Oakleaf at 8316 Merchants Way, Jacksonville; 5 p.m. every third Friday at Freddy’s Steakburgers at 386 Blanding Blvd.; 8 a.m. every fourth Saturday at Nicole’s Café, 2216 S. Mimosa Ave. in Middleburg; and 2 to 5 p.m. every fourth Saturday back at Gator’s Dockside Oakleaf, 316 Merchants Way, Jacksonville.
Classic Car Museum of St. Augustine monthly cruise-ins: St. Augustine Cruiser’s “Cruise In” from 5 to 7 p.m. every third Saturday, and Cars and Coffee from 8 to 10 a.m. every fourth Saturday, both at 4730 U.S. 1 S./Dixie Highway South in St Augustine.
Cars and Coffee Fleming Island: 7 to 10 a.m. every third Sunday of the month at the New Vision Theatre at 1820 Town Center Blvd., Fleming Island.
Johnny Angels: 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. every third Friday at Johnny Angels diner at 3546 St. Johns Bluff Road S.
New cruise-in: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. every fourth Saturday at the Rockin’ 50’s Eatery at 3501 N. Ponce De Leon Blvd. in St. Augustine.
New cruise-in: Show and Tell, 6 to 9 p.m. every fourth Thursday at Advance Auto Parts at 10014 Atlantic Blvd.
Historic Springfield Main Street Cruise: 4 p.m. every fourth Saturday between 8th and 17th streets at Main Street in Jacksonville’s Springfield community.
And finally…
On the EV news front, Jacksonville’s own EV Rider, Bill Bortzfield, just completed a 671-mile ride from Jacksonville to South Florida and back, checking Florida’s east coast waterfront communities with Level 2 charging stations for his all-electric motorcycle. Here’s his latest EV Rider video blog.
And with its Jeep Wrangler Unlimited 4xe Rubicon PHEV already out there churning up the sands as its first plug-in hybrid…
Jeep takes its next step toward full electrification with this:
Photo courtesy of Stellantis
Here’s the first images of Jeep’s 100% battery-electric SUV, looking like it is about the size of the current Compass, as the brand continues its global initiatives toward the full electrification of its SUV portfolio. This new fully electric Jeep vehicle will be launched early next year. More information on the Jeep battery-electric vehicle (BEV) will be released in the coming months.
And even larger EV news from Stellantis:
Photo courtesy of Stellantis
Ram Trucks brand previewed some stylized design drawings of its new Ram 1500 battery-electric vehicle (BEV) during the #StellantisDareForward 2030 strategic plan presentation. Ram will offer fully electrified solutions in the majority of its segments by 2025, and a full portfolio of electrified solutions for all of its segments no later than 2030, it says.