Drake's Raid Reenactment

On Saturday, May 13, 2023, Historic Florida Militia will present their annual reenactment of Sir Francis Drake's raid on old San Agustïn.

An encampment will be held at the Oldest House Museum Complex. The reenactors will set up their camp beginning on Friday, May 12, and will be open to the public on Saturday, the 13th at 10:00 a.m.

The raid itself will be reenacted near the Orange Street redoubt in front of Ann O'Malley's on Saturday evening, May 13. Drake's Raid is a popular annual event that re-creates this historic raid that occurred on June 6, 1586, when 2,000 Englishmen in 23 ships attacked the Spanish settlement of San Agustín.

From 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, the Oldest House Museum Complex will host a re-created 16th-century-style military encampment, featuring drills, weapons demonstrations and living history interpretations. A ticket for the Oldest House Museum Complex is required to enter the encampment.

This event commemorates the temporary abandonment of the city of St. Augustine by Spanish colonial forces. After the town was looted and burned by Drake's men, the Spanish returned to rebuild it.

Participating reenactors include the Men of Menéndez and Drake's Men, both groups with Historic Florida Militia, Inc. For more information on the reenactment, visit here.

Admission: Regular park admission rates apply for the encampment at the Oldest House Museum Complex. 

When: Events will take place throughout the day on Saturday, May 13, 2023. The military encampment will be open from 10:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. at the Oldest House Museum Complex, and the reenactment of the sacking and burning of the town will begin at 7:00 p.m.

Where: The living history encampment is at the Oldest House Museum Complex, located at 33 St. George Street in St. Augustine. 

History of the event: On June 6, 1586, 23 ships approached the harbor of the Spanish colonial city of San Agustín with 2,000 Englishmen under the command of Sir Francis Drake. After sighting the harbor, 1,000 of these men, led by Captain Christopher Carlile, landed on Anastasia Island the next day and mounted cannons opposite the Spanish wooden fort, which was located on what is now the Fountain of Youth Park. The cannons blazed until the Spanish forces (just 300 in number) were forced to abandon the fort during the night of June 7. On the morning of June 8, the English crossed Matanzas Bay, taking the fortification and driving the Spanish rearguard from the city.

Photo above by D.B. Couper.