The Kitty of the Sea comes to Beaches Town Center!

The Kitty of the Sea gets to stay in Beaches Town Center! Area businesses and local residents contributed a total of $3500 towards the Otis Smith Foundation to prevent the Kitty from going to auction and staying permanantly in it's current location.

The 85 pound fiberglass statue was painted to look like a mermaid, with scales and sea creatures trailing along her back and sides. Artist Gail Spratt Cooper has put at least 150 hours painting the cat, which is located in Neptune Beach at Beaches Town Center, across from the ATM machine near Sun Dog Diner.

Jacksonville’s going to the Cats!

The Otis Smith Kids Foundation is proud to announce the Big Cats for Kids that replicates the wildly successful Sea Cows for Kids project, and is sure to captivate children, grown-ups, art lovers and animal lovers alike.

As beautiful and unique as the Sea Cows were, the Big Cats promise to be even more exciting. Painted and decorated by First Coast artists, students and citizens, the nearly nine-foot long Big Cats will inhabit public places throughout downtown Jacksonville and Northeast Florida from September 2006 through mid-May 2007. Big Cats will be spotted on street corners, in front of high profile venues, in parks and even climbing the walls of some of Jacksonville’s favorite hot spots.

Big Cats for Kids will be a source of civic pride, providing a unique event for area residents, while also serving as a promotional vehicle for the City of Jacksonville. Local business leaders and individuals will have the opurrtunity to not only highlight their dedication to the arts and education, but also demonstrate their commitment to Jacksonville and its children. Additionally, Big Cats for Kids will recognize the talents of area artists while generating needed funding for children’s education and life skills initiatives of the Otis Smith Kids Foundation.

First Coast Felines

History tells us that ancient Florida was home to a posse of wild animals - many of them Big Cats. In fact, there is evidence that Jaguars roamed Florida around the time that Spanish explorers first set foot here. Our Big Cats are modeled after the endangered Jaguar, which is famous for being the biggest feline in the Americas!

Jaguars are known for being fantastic swimmers and water lovers. What better place for them to swim than right here in the beautiful waters of the First Coast? The River City is the purrfect place for the Big Cats to make a splash!

More info: bonnie@otissmithfoundation.com

"unchain" for the Holidays!

Sometimes seemingly small acts can make a big impact. Take family spending. You may think you’re fulfilling your family’s wants or needs when you shop or dine out. Think again. The choice of where you spend your money makes a big difference to your community. Spending your money with locally-owned independent businesses puts your money to work directly helping your community’s economy—just one way your community benefits from its home town businesses. Those businesses use goods and services of other locally-owned independent businesses, re-circulating your money about 3 ½ times longer than if you spend it at a chain. This creates greater community health and prosperity.

Communities around the country are joining together to urge people to “unchain” and inject potentially millions more into the local economy by doing their shopping and dining out only with locally-owned independent businesses. This national effort starts in November and asks shoppers to kick off their holiday shopping by shopping locally.

Because we at the beach like to do everything better, the Beaches Town Center merchants asked the community to “unchain” for an entire week of November.

As if the economic effects on our communities is not enough, the BTC Merchants Association offered the opportunity to win prizes. By entering at participating merchants, there was a chance to win one of three shopping sprees in town center businesses. You could win $100, $200, or $300 to spend at any participating business. Great timing for your holiday shopping.

Shopping Spree winners will be notified by telephone if not present. The last year winners were- $300 winner: Bailey Hamm, $200 winner: Julie Nelson, $100 winner: Marsha Flock.

Thanks you for helping us “unchain” for the holidays!

Beaches Town Center Holiday Celebration

Beaches Town Center
Holiday Celebration

Saturday, December 1st 2007

This free Holiday event was held where Atlantic Beach and Neptune Beach meet the beach. Starting at 3 p.m. with a bike parade, there was musical and dance performances, face painting and “Make your own and take it home” craft tables for all ages. The hayride and activities set up throughout Beaches Town Center complimented the event.

The Mayors of both cities lit the community tree & Santa and Mrs. Claus arrived by sleigh at 6 pm. Dawson Pickett’s annual food drive collected donations of food, toys or money for the USO.

Volunteers supporting this event include the Fletcher Middle School Cheerleaders, Atlantic Beach Teen Council, the Fletcher High School Interact Club and members of the Beaches Rotoract Club.

The City of Atlantic Beach, The City of Neptune Beach, The Sea Turtle Inn, The Sea Horse Hotel,
Town Center Agency, The Beaches Town Center Merchants Association and Publix sponsor this annual event.

3:00pm
Bike Parade – Holiday Celebration Kick-Off
Once again, Santa Claus to lead the parade. Prizes awarded for bikes and scooters decorated in a holiday theme! Four major prize categories: Age 5 & under, 6- 10, 10 & Up and Group. And many other consolation prizes!

3:00pm to 5:30pm    Make your own & Take it home Craft Tables for all ages

3:00pm to 5:30pm    Dawson Pickett’s annual food drive will also be collecting donations of food, toys or money for the USO.

3:00pm to 5:00pm    Hayride throughout Beaches Town Center

3:00pm to 5:30pm    Activities throughout Beaches Town Center
•    Cookie Decorating at Joseph’s Pizza
•    Ornament Making Party at 200 First Street
•    Face Painting at Shorelines
•    Refreshments and photo opportunity at Sticky Fingers
•    Balloons at Lee’s Ice Cream


6:00pm
    Mayoral Address and Tree Lighting Mayport Middle School Band Escorts Santa & Mrs. Claus to Stage and Performs Santa Claus Meets with the children

Free refreshments provided by Publix Supermarkets Refreshments provided by Publix Supermarkets and Sticky Fingers

For more information, contact Timmy Johnson at 247-5828

Halloween Costume Contest and Parade

Beaches Town Center Costume Contest and Parade
Saturday, October 27th
10 am to 1 PM

This is a free family event for children of all ages. Make-your-own-crafts, games and refreshments provided. The Fletcher High School Interact Club will be volunteering to assist children in the crafts and games. Registration for the costume contest starts in the Courtyard at 200 First Street, outside of Shelby’s Coffee Shoppe. The costume parade will walk on the sidewalk though Beaches Town Center with costume contest winners announced following the parade. Prizes will be awarded. A special Dance Trance Kids “Thriller” performance will be the finale to the event. Trick or Treat in all of the participating shops and restaurants in Beaches Town Center during and after the parade. For further information, call Shelby’s Coffee Shoppe at 249-2922.

10 AM:    Event opens with refreshments, games and crafts.
Registration for the costume contest begins.

11 AM:    Parade through Beaches Town Center starts
Parade route: on sidewalk, right out of 200 First Street, past Sliders, cross at Orange Street, on sidewalk past Jay Lubecks and Shorelines Gift Shop, cross Atlantic Blvd on First Street, on sidewalk, across the street at Ahern, down the sidewalk past Joseph’s and Ragtime, down to Sticky Fingers, across the street to Steve’s Seafood, on the sidewalk past Sun Dog, around the corner past Carribbee Key, past Mezza Luna and back to the Courtyard at 200 First Street.

After Parade: Enjoy refreshments, games and crafts. Trick or Treating at all participating shops with “2007 BTCMA Member” logo and Event Flyer in window.

1 PM:     Event ends.

    

Dancin' in the Streets 2008

The 22nd Annual “Dancin’ in the Street™” was Saturday May 17, 2008. This one day festival was a fun filled day located in the Beaches TOWN CENTER at the ocean end of Atlantic Blvd.
Town Center Agency is the official sponsor of “Dancin’ in the Street™” and handles sales of bricks, t-shirts, beer and frozen drinks.

KIDS ZONE will be sponsored again by 200 FIRST STREET and several local schools. Activities included design your own crafts, games, rides and snacks. The KIDS ZONE is an alcohol free area.

An Art Show features local and regional artists with talents in painting, jewelry, hand crafted glass, pottery, wood carvings and more.

Food booths from great local restaurants including Ragtime, Sticky Fingers, Sundog Diner, Joseph’s Pizza and Dip N Dots.

Sponsored by Town Center Agency, Sea Turtle Inn, Seahorse Oceanfront Inn, DX Matrix, Champion Brands, People’s First Bank, and Sunbelt Rentals.

Contact Patsy Bishop at Shorelines Gifts 246-9133 for more information.

Independents Week

The Beaches Town Center Merchant’s Association will run an Independent’s Week promotion during the first week of July to coincide with the National American Independent Business Alliance’s Independent Week.

The object is to draw public attention to the benefits derived by the whole community by shopping locally at independently owned stores and businesses. National studies have found that for every $100 spent at an independently owned store, approximately $45 was returned to the local economy in the form of wages, local purchase and profits. In contrast some $13 is returned for every $100 spent at a chain store.

Customers who visit the Association members businesses had the opportunity to fill in a brief questionnaire and win $600 in gift certificates that could be spent at any of these businesses.

Brenda Barks of Neptune Beach is seen resting with Cliquot, (her faithful fashion consultant!!) having made the rounds of her favorite independent stores to spend her 2006 $300 first prize certificate. ‘I have always shopped locally at these privately owned stores in Town Center. Customers are given great personal service and I always feel that I am welcome and treated as a local, unlike the impersonal service in a chain store.”

North Beaches Art Walk

The excitement is continues for the “North Beaches Art Walk” that will takes place every third Thursday of each month, from 5 to 9 PM.

As well as promoting the beautiful Atlantic and Neptune beaches, each month, merchants will work in tandem with artists opening their doors providing artists with an additional venue to show and sell their original art work.

Guide maps will be available at each participating merchants place of business listing shops, restaurants, bars, galleries, and boutiques of the Atlantic/Neptune beach area within a quarter mile stretch. “The North Beaches Art Walk” encompasses the area from Sherry Drive in Atlantic Beach; going eastward towards the beach; around to Neptune Beach side, and up to 3rd Street. It will include the Beaches Town Center area, in addition to the Atlantic Beach Cultural Center.

For more information regarding the NBAW, contact Linda Stewart, owner of Archway Gallery and Framing, located at 363 Atlantic Blvd, Suite 2, Atlantic Beach, phone 249-2222.

The e-mail address is ArchwayFraming@aol.com.