Fall Festival Roundup
What’s Happening in Fernandina Beach & Nocatee This Autumn
Autumn in Northeast Florida brings cooler coastal weather and an incredible lineup of outdoor community traditions. From craft beer tastings under the oaks to beachside marine conservation bashes, autumn is the prime season to get out and explore Nassau and St. Johns Counties. Here is your guide to the top fall festivals happening across Fernandina Beach and Nocatee this season.
October: Craft Brews and Farmers Markets
Island Hop Craft Beer & Spirits Fest (Fernandina Beach)
Kick off October at Central Park with a showcase of top Northeast Florida breweries, regional craft distilleries, and live local music. It is an ideal autumn afternoon to sample seasonal IPAs and small-batch spirits while enjoying food trucks, lawn games, and artisan booths.
Autumn Nocatee Farmers Market Series
Held on the third Saturday of every month at Nocatee Station Field, these autumn markets feature seasonal fall produce, local honey, hand-crafted goods, and live entertainment. Fall markets often feature seasonal themes like harvest celebrations and pumpkin-themed family activities.
November: Coastal Celebrations and Conservation
The Right Whale Festival (Fernandina Beach)
Head to Main Beach Park in early November to celebrate the annual return of endangered North Atlantic right whales to their warm calving grounds off our coast. This popular weekend festival combines marine conservation exhibits, ocean-themed art, water sports demos, live music, and interactive educational activities for kids right along the Atlantic oceanfront.
Image courtesy of Todd Cravens / Unsplash
Nocatee Fall Pop-Up Markets
As the holiday season approaches, Nocatee Station Field hosts open-air pop-ups focused on regional makers, local baked goods, handmade crafts, and autumn gift shopping for the entire family.
How to Pair Local Festivals with Wild-Caught Seafood
Planning a full day of festival-hopping is easy when you build a quick, fresh dining pit stop into your weekend itinerary:
The Nocatee Weekend Loop
Start your Saturday morning browsing local produce and artisan crafts at Nocatee Station Field. Once the market wraps up, head right down the road to Timoti’s Seafood Shak in Nocatee Town Center for a wild Ahi tuna poke bowl or wild-caught fish tacos on our open-air patio.
The Fernandina Coastal Excursion
Spend your morning exploring the marine conservation exhibits at Main Beach during the Right Whale Festival, then head into Historic Downtown Fernandina. Grab a table at Timoti’s on 3rd Street for wild-caught lobster rolls and chilled wild shrimp while the kids burn off extra energy in our updated outdoor playground.
Mark your calendars, make the most of Florida’s mild autumn weather, and stop by Timoti’s to refuel with real, wild-caught seafood between festival stops.