Sir Francis Drake’s Raid–which involved the looting and pillaging of St. Augustine in 1586–is being reenacted today, with the plunderers attacking the city at 7:00 tonight at the City Gates (who announces a raid, anyway? Certainly not Sir Francis Drake, who sailed 23 ships into port, set up canons on Anastasia Island, and then sacked the town on the evening of June 6).
You can join the raiding festivities all day today at the Fountain of Youth–which has a 16th century military style encampment, military drills, and lots of demonstrations from 10 til 5 today. See more information–and photos from past years–at www.drakesraid.com.
If the whole idea of a raid makes you nervous, you might want to check out the First Coast Arts & Crafts Festival today at the St. Augustine Beach Pier (350 A1A). It’s open from 9-3, and is a great place to pick up something nice for your home.
Of course, it still gives you plenty of time to get back to the raid, where I’m guessing you can pick up one of the plunderers fairly easily.