Great Fire Gathering debuts low country boil celebration
As Jacksonville approaches the 125th anniversary of the Great Fire of 1901, the Jacksonville History Center is seizing the opportunity to honor and recognize the city’s history while celebrating its future.
On May 1, the Jacksonville History Center is hosting its inaugural Great Fire Gathering – “a low country boil with a spark.” Against the backdrop of the brand-new Jacksonville History Center campus, in the renovated and revived former Florida Casket Factory, the evening will include a low country boil, cocktails, live music by Jacksonville band The Groove Coalition, and hors d’oeuvres by Biscottis before the country boil begins.
“I’m just excited to be helping convene a group, a gathering of people who care about Jacksonville,” said Jacksonville History Center CEO Dr. Alan Bliss. “You have to really care about the city to be paying attention to its past, but also be thinking about its future. That’s the purpose of this: to get people together who care about Jacksonville, past and future.”
The Great Fire Gathering will also include awards recognizing stewards of Jacksonville with the inaugural Rebuilder Award (JWB Real Estate Capital) and the Keeper of the Flame Award (Dr. Wayne Wood).
“Dr. Wayne Wood is probably the best known and most vocal advocate for historic preservation in Jacksonville, and he’s widely recognized for not just his advocacy, but his service in helping establish Riverside Avondale Preservation over 50 years ago,” Bliss said.
Meanwhile, with an eye to Jacksonville’s future, Bliss said JWB Real Estate Capital emerged as the recipient for the inaugural Rebuilder Award for its significant contributions to Jacksonville’s renaissance in the 21st century, particularly for the Pearl Square project set to transform and revitalize Jacksonville’s Urban Core.
“In discussing it with people in the community, the constituencies around downtown renaissance, they [JWB Real Estate Capital] emerged as the clear standout for this year’s award,” said Bliss.
The Great Fire Gathering will take place on Friday, May 1, at the Jacksonville History Center campus. A VIP reception will begin at 5 p.m. with the event beginning at 6 p.m. Proceeds from the evening will support the Jacksonville History Center and its mission to strengthen citizenship through history education and to connect communities.
Tickets can be purchased at jaxhistory.org/event/great-fire-gathering/?blm_aid=2075441.
