GREEN COVE SPRINGS – Something big is coming to Clay County in October!

After being canceled last year by COVID-19, the CalaVida Festival will return on Oct. 11-16 in full to Spring Park and historic Green Cove Springs. Safety is the top priority, and they will hold all scheduled events except for the gallery showings outside.

There will be a night of painting on Oct. 11 with local artist and comic aficionado Kyle Willis at Red’s Wine Bar. On Oct. 12 there will be a wine and cheese gallery showing at The Art Room. The rest of the events in the week outside, either throughout Spring Park or at the pool pavilion.

On Oct. 13, “Just the Zoo of Us”, a podcast created by Clay High graduates, will record a live episode about an animal native to Florida. You can’t miss the music lineup this year, either. On Oct. 14, marks the return of Bluegrass in Green Cove Springs. The event was a smash hit in previous years, and on Oct. 15 offers Blues in the Night – a blues concert with a featured performance from Mama Blue.

The last day of CalaVida is the biggest collection of events. There will be several local authors and artists in attendance on October 16th doing discussions on their books and their craft starting at 10 a.m. An antique stroll throughout downtown will be featured where visitors can shift between events that catch their eye in true festival fashion.

Two dance performances from Peru Dance and Nan Nkama Pan African Dance will follow the opening ceremony. Throughout the afternoon and into the evening, they will offer even more musical performances. Shows from America’s Celtic rock band Cleghorn, The Chris Thompson band, Kim Reteguiz and The Black Cat Bones, and the last performance from Mama Blue will round out the evening.

The arts are the backbone of CalaVida, and that includes food. Local food trucks such as Bright Light Catering, Dagwood’s and El Agave Azul will be in attendance with menus at the ready. Vendors will sell jewelry, ceramics, and antiques, not to mention prints of their art and signed copies of books.

The morning market is a perfect chance to find unique pieces and gifts for yourself or your friends. After going more than a year without festivals, the excitement will be in full swing.

CalaVida will bring the arts to Clay, and fun and excitement back to the Park. You can find full schedule information and any changes made on the CalaVida website: www.calavida.com.