The Gullah Geechee Heritage Festival returned to Florida’s Historic Coast on December 6, 2025, at Armstrong Park in Elkton. This free festival celebrates the unique heritage of the Gullah Geechee people through traditional music, dance, food, and arts. The Gullah Geechee Heritage Festival kicked off with a special Rails to Trails Bike Tour at 9 a.m. The Palatka to St. Augustine State Trail is a multi-use recreational trail that runs through St. Johns and Putnam counties. The festival began at noon and featured live musical and dance performances by Gullah Geechee Ring Shouters, El Shaddei Dance Ministry, Str8up Jax, Cellus, and JW Gilmore & The Blues Authority; authentic cuisine; cultural demonstrations; a craft fair with traditional and modern wares; and plenty of opportunities to learn about the Gullah Geechee. The festival is free and includes entertainment and activities for all ages, from small children to adults. All festival proceeds benefit the SEA Community Help Resource Center, which provides meals, school supplies, and countless other resources to members of the communities of Spuds, Elkton, and Armstrong. Visitors can continue learning and exploring by using the free Florida’s Historic Coast St. Augustine Black History App. Created in partnership with Visit St. Augustine, the app showcases nearly five centuries of Black history. Users can read about the changemakers, from well-known figures like Zora Neal Hurston to St. Augustinians like Richard Aloysius Twine, visit pivotal locations, including the Woolworths Lunch Counter, 56 Park Place, and Andrew Young Crossing, and learn about events such as the Fort Mose Historic State Park’s Flight to Freedom Re-enactment, which brings history to life. The St. Augustine Black History app is available on the Google Play Store and Apple App Store. Located midway between Daytona Beach and Jacksonville, Florida’s Historic Coast includes historic St. Augustine, the outstanding golf and seaside elegance of Ponte Vedra, the rural beauty of Hastings, Elkton, St. Johns, and 42 miles of pristine Atlantic beaches. For advance travel information, go to the Visitors and Convention Bureau website at www.FloridasHistoricCoast.com.