Waves of Change at the St. Augustine Beach Hotel

The St. Johns Cultural Council hosts the opening of a new exhibit, "Waves of Change," at the St. Augustine Beach Hotel, on June 5, 2024, at 5:30 p.m., at St. Augustine Beach Pier, 350 A1A Beach Boulevard, St. Augustine Beach.

1963 and 1964 were tumultuous years in St. Augustine, with marches and sit-ins downtown, and wade-ins at the pools and the beaches. One of the largest wade-ins took place at St Augustine Beach in 1964. All these events and the local and national figures who participated in them helped move the country to the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

The exhibit "Waves of Change," highlights the hotel's construction as a Works Progress Administration (WPA) project in the 1930s, the events at the beach in the 1960s, and St. Augustine's surf culture. The exhibit will have a permanent home outside the building known as the St. Augustine Beach Hotel, now home to the Art Studio of St. Augustine Beach, a dance studio, and a public meeting space. The St. Johns Cultural Council has maintained the building for 20 years. The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places for the property's importance during the Civil Rights Movement in 1963 and 1964.

This event is paired with the Music and Arts by the Sea Concert Series, and after the exhibit opening, Billy Buchannan and his Rock 'n Soul Review will perform at 7:00 p.m.

When: Wednesday, June 5, at 5:30 p.m.

Where: St. Augustine Beach Hotel building, at the St. Augustine Beach Pier, 350 A1A Beach Boulevard, St. Augustine Beach, Florida 32080.