GREEN COVE SPRINGS – Memorial Day is the unofficial start of summer for some. For others, it’s a day to mourn and honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice in the military service for the …
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GREEN COVE SPRINGS – Memorial Day is the unofficial start of summer for some.
For others, it’s a day to mourn and honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice in the military service for the United States.
For many, it’s a day to be outside, enjoy picnics, splash in public pools, lakes, springs or rivers, lounge in lawn chairs in parks and listen to live music.
For those in Spring Park, it’s all three in one.
RiverFest 2025 is traditionally the largest spectacle of the year. The Monday, May 26, event is expected to attract about 9,000 people, and it will be a day filled with activities leading up to one of the largest fireworks shows in the region.
It starts at 10 a.m. with a 90-minute ceremony to recognize the branches of the military, the fallen and the hundreds of veterans and their families.
The service tribute will conclude with a flyover by the Dreamland Squadron from Haller Airpark.
There will be more than 100 food and craft vendors, a kids’ zone, a watermelon-eating contest at 3:30 p.m., live entertainment, arts and crafts demonstrations.
RiverFest also marks the opening of the city’s swimming pool for the summer season.
One of the popular events is the Spring Run rubber duck races at 2 p.m. from the spring to the St. Johns River, but the highlight is the fireworks show with more than 1,600 shells over the St. Johns River, starting at 9 p.m.
“I take personal pride in this show,” Allen said. “It’s a challenge to do it bigger and better every year. We’ll start setting up the morning of the show. I’ve got a crew of about six of us, and it’ll take us the entire day to set up a 130-foot barge. We’ll be staged by 7 p.m. and ready to go.
“I would tell everyone to get there early, get a good seat and get ready to be amazed. It’s going to be an incredible show.”
Allen also staged the city’s 150th anniversary celebration on Nov. 2, 2024. The 20-minute spectacular was the largest show in county history.
Overflow parking will be at the Clay County Courthouse and Wells Fargo.
