| 📅 Monday, April 20, 2026 Full Edition | Fernandina Beach ☀️ 69°/57° |
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Fernandina
☀️ 69°/57°
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Yulee
☀️ 70°/55°
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Callahan
☀️ 71°/54°
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Hilliard
☀️ 71°/54°
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| 📰 | Top Stories |
The 61st Isle of Eight Flags Shrimp Festival lands May 1 through May 3 in historic downtown, with the kickoff parade Thursday, April 30 at 6 p.m. This year's theme is "Stars and Shrimps Forever," a nod to America's 250th birthday alongside Fernandina's shrimping heritage. New for 2026: the Kids Fun Zone moves to the Amelia River Waterfront Park that just opened, and the Pirate Invasion has been revamped. Park and Ride from Fernandina Beach High School ($15 donation benefits the school) is, as always, the sanest way in.
Read More → Shrimp Festival Official SiteNassau County has now set the calendar on its proposed 12-month data center moratorium. Commissioners will hold an initial discussion on April 27, followed by required public hearings on May 11 and June 8. The ordinance is designed to prevent a developer from filing under existing zoning before the county updates its rules for an industry whose facilities can use as much power as 100,000 households. Flyers from 1000 Friends of Florida have started circulating locally, laying out the energy and water implications in plain terms. County Manager Taco Pope has confirmed there are no active applications in unincorporated Nassau right now.
Read More → Fernandina ObserverCurrent hotel occupancy hit 90 percent during peak spring weeks, but Amelia Island CVB officials told the Tourist Development Council they are projecting flat collections for fiscal 2027. Vice President Paul Beirnes pointed to weakening consumer confidence, gas prices near $4, and United trimming 5 percent of its flight schedule. With international travel softening, large destinations like Orlando (74 million visitors a year) are now pivoting to the same domestic markets Amelia competes for. The bureau has just signed on to Placer AI for real-time visitor data and is planning targeted campaigns in Atlanta, Charlotte, and Chicago. Ritz-Carlton's Will Wiest also used the workshop to flag downtown paid parking as a drag on the visitor experience.
Read More → Fernandina ObserverThe Nassau County Chamber of Commerce has named Alexandra "Alex" Wilmer as its new President and CEO. Wilmer has been with the chamber for nearly eight years in a range of roles, which Board Chair Dunia Taylor (REMI Realty) said gives her the institutional knowledge to lead "with both continuity and forward momentum." Wilmer says her focus will be on partnerships, broader outreach to businesses across the county, and sharpening the member experience. A familiar face stepping into the top seat, which is a nice change of pace in a year that's already had plenty of transition.
Read More → Nassau County ChamberThe Island Brief lands in local inboxes every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday morning. If you want to reach our readers, we'd love to chat.
Become a Sponsor →| 📍 | Around Nassau County |
| ➤ | Fernandina Beach: The Rotary Club of Fernandina Beach turns 100 this year and marked it by donating a new drinking fountain at the Amelia Island Welcome Center on Centre Street, plus two wall fountains at the new Waterfront Park restrooms. All three are ADA-compliant, bottle-refill capable, and pet-friendly. (More) |
| ➤ | American Beach: The American Beach Water and Sewer Conversion Project just picked up two national EPA awards, recognized at the Council of Infrastructure Financing Authorities Summit in Washington on April 8. Commissioner "Hupp" Huppmann accepted the honors for Innovative Financing and Community Engagement. BOCC Chair Alyson McCullough said the project delivered modern infrastructure "at no cost to residents." (More) |
| ➤ | Nassau County: The countywide burn ban heads back to the BOCC this Wednesday, April 22 at 9 a.m. at a Special Meeting, where commissioners will decide whether to extend it past the initial seven-day window. Dry conditions and the Phase II Severe Water Shortage remain in effect. (More) |
| ➤ | City Hall: The Fernandina Beach City Commission meets tomorrow, April 21 at 6 p.m. at 204 Ash Street. On the agenda: a resolution authorizing prosecution in the North 15th Street animal neglect case, where 21 cats were removed last month and the city is now seeking more than $30,000 in restitution through Nassau County Court. (More) |
| 🗓️ | This Week on the Island |
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Tue
21
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City Commission Meeting
City Hall, 204 Ash Street • 6:00 p.m. • Cat case prosecution resolution on agenda
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Wed
22
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BOCC Special Meeting: Burn Ban Vote
James S. Page Gov. Complex, Yulee • 9:00 a.m. • Countywide burn ban extension
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Wed
22
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Midweek Farmers Market
8 Flags Shopping Center, S. 14th & Lime • 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. • Produce, baked goods, local vendors
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Thu
23
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MindTravel Silent Piano Beach Concert
Main Beach Shoreline • 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. • Ticketed, wireless headphones on the sand
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Fri
24
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Arbor Day Tree Planting
City of Fernandina Beach • 24th year as a Tree City USA community
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Sat
25
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Farmers Market & Arts Market
N. 7th Street (Farmers) and 506 Centre St. (Arts, 4th Saturday) • 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
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Sat
25
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And More Vendor Market
MLK Jr. Recreation Center • 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. • Local boutiques, jelly, sourdough, handcrafts
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Subscribe →Shrimp Festival is ten days out. What's your must-do? The Thursday night parade, the 9:15 Pirate Invasion, the food booths, or just a quiet stroll through the art show? Hit reply and let us know. We read every response.
What does the 2026 Shrimp Festival parade theme "Stars and Shrimps Forever" celebrate, in addition to Fernandina's shrimping heritage?
Answer: America's 250th birthday, the Semiquincentennial.
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Fernandina Beach, FL 32034