Jacksonville Car Culture events calendar
Go manual at Caffeine and Octane – 8 to 11 a.m. on Saturday, 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
- The Amelia roared onto the island last weekend for its 27th annual concours d’elegance appearance with racer and racing legend Chip Ganassi as the honoree. Held in and around the Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island and the adjacent Golf Club of Amelia Island, one of the nation’s biggest classic car events included the concours’ official RM Sotheby’s auction, annual Spina Bifida of Jacksonville Silent Auction and Saturday’s new Cars & Community Presented by Griot’s Garage.
- That included the annual Cars & Caffeine display of 300-plus classics, exotics and hot rods from local owners and car clubs. Some were tiny, like Lane Motor Museum head Jeff Lane puttering onto the show field in a replica of the 1936 Le Carabe, or ground beetle.
It was originally designed by French inventor Hippolyte Delimal as the world’s smallest car – top speed of 24 mph and a claimed 118 mpg.
- Others at Cars & Caffeine:
Jacksonville’s Classic 9 Motorwerks’ C9 911 RS Turbo, a “what if Porsche did a turbocharged car before ‘74’s Turbo?,” was on the green.
- There was 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
- And for the fun of automobiles, the Concours d’Lemons, celebrating 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.”
- It was a celebration of the automobile featuring 225 vehicles at the Sunday Concours d’Elegance, as witnessed in The Amelia’s first drone video. Official classes included: 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. The Sports and GT Cars 1958-1972 class featured (among many others) this stunning 1966 Cannara 1, one of the original ’60s wedge cars, displayed for the first time in more than 50 years.
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.
Here’s the 1934 Duesenberg Model J Convertible Coupe that was named Best in Show/Concours d’Elegance, owned by Harry Yeaggy.
This 2017 Cadillac DPi-V.R race car owned by Wayne Jackson, honored as Best in Show/Concours de Sport.
And don’t forget – some of the classics wowed Fernandina Beach residents and guests by going on the Reliable Carriers Eight Flags Road Tour and parking to packed crowds on Centre Street.
- Porsche Club of America Werks Reunion Amelia Island: An array of Porsches from rare classics to current models and everything in between were shown in specific Porsche Corrals and the Porsche Judged Field at the Amelia River Golf Club.
Now the Car Shows:
Troop and Pack 27 Car Show and Pinewood Derby: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday 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 to Benefit Spina Bifida: 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.
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.
Easter Car and Truck Pop Out Car Show: 4 to 8 p.m. Saturday April 16 at Johnny Tire Service Unlimited at 2060 W. 21st St. Spectators are $5 each; $20 show vehicle registration.
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.
Paxon Revival Center Church 60th Anniversary Car Show: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, April 30 at the church at 5461 Commonwealth Ave. Free.
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…
Courtesy Bill Bortzfield
On the EV news front, Jacksonville’s own EV Rider, Bill Bortzfield, checked out the electric vehicle news at The Amelia, including the $2 million Hispano Suiza Carmen Boulogne, an electric Spanish supercar with design homage to the stunning 1938 Hispano-Suiza Dubonnet Xenia coupe:
The new Carmen Boulogne was the company’s first customer car, delivered to them at The Amelia. A production run of 24 are planned.