St. Augustine to celebrate Sister City Centennial
The Ancient City is getting ready to party like it’s 1924.
In collaboration with St. Augustine Sister Cities Association, St. Johns Cultural Council, Flagler College, the merchants, museums, and restaurants on Avilés Street, and the Diocese of St. Augustine, the city is hosting a delegation from Avilés, Spain, in early September to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of their sister city relationship, according to a media release.
Events include a free public concert by Asturian folk band Tejedor at Lewis Auditorium on the Flagler College campus and a wreath-laying ceremony in front of City Hall, at the statue of Don Pedro Menendez de Avilés, founder of the Nation’s Oldest City, the release states.
“Our relationship with Avilés is deeply rooted in our history and the shared connection to that first visit to Avilés in 1924. We have recognized the significance of St. Augustine to Avilés, and vice versa, over the years by official visits and exchanges of historic and significant gifts,” said Mayor Nancy Sikes-Kline in the release. “This year is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to publicly reconfirm our commitment to not only maintain, but to further expand the relationship. We are including leaders in our community whose organizations represent the diverse, yet specific goals of the original mission statement – and that includes, but of course is not limited to artistic, cultural and academic exchanges, economic development, historic preservation, tourism, and trade.”
The City of St. Augustine City Commission and the Avilés delegation will attend the Founder’s Day Commemoration festivities Sept. 7, at the Mission Nombre de Dios at 10:00am, followed by attending the First Thanksgiving reenactment at the Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park.
The public is invited to attend the unveiling of a 100th Anniversary interpretive marker and rededication of a tile mosaic that was gifted to the City in 2002. This special ceremony will take place on Avilés Street on Sept.8, at 10a.m., prior to the opening of the Avilés Street Festival at noon.
The Avilés Street Festival is being presented by the St. Johns Cultural Council and the merchants and museums of Avilés Street, the oldest platted street in the United States, the release states.
At the Sept. 8 City Commission meeting, the mayor and commissioners will present the Avilés delegation with a Certificate of Recognition for their participation in the celebration of the 100th Anniversary of the sister city relationship.
