7 Creeks Fest
Jacksonville, FLorida
Saturday, March 25, 2023
10AM – 3PM
FEST WELCOME HUB:
Betz-Tiger Point Preserve
13990 Pumpkin Hill Rd
Jacksonville, FL 32226
Celebrate and Explore the7 Creeks Recreation Area
The 7 Creeks Fest invites you to celebrate and explore the scenic waterways, diverse ecosystems, and winding trails of the 7 Creeks Recreation Area. Spread throughout the connected wilderness parks and preserves surrounded by seven creeks, this family-friendly, fun event raises awareness of these preserved public lands and how we can help protect them.
The fest highlights the area’s recreational opportunities, local efforts to enhance and protect these green spaces, and offers nature-themed activities and exhibits that emphasize education and environmentally-responsible adventures.
Free admission & activitiesCome Early and Spend the Day!
Choose Your Own Adventure
Check In at the Welcome Hub
Check in at the Fest Welcome Hub to get information, then choose your own adventure! Bring your own recreational equipment, or try ours for free: kayaks, canoes, and bikes (first-come, first-serve).
Two 7 Creeks Trail Hikes Start Early
Interested in tackling the entire seven-mile 7 Creeks Trail? Complete the hike with the guided group and you receive a coveted 7 Creeks Trail sticker or 7 Creeks patch!
You can join one of two 7 Creeks Trail hikes this year. Meet at the Edwards Creek Trailhead (#2 on the program map) for check-in and transport to the southern end for the hike start (#6 on the map):
- 9:00 AM – Brisk Hike
- 9:30 AM – Moderate Hike
Entertainment Starts at 11
Enjoy performances by local talent at the creek-side stage at the Welcome Hub. Performances last 45 minutes to one hour.
- 11:00 AM – Nan Nkama Pan-African Drum and Dance Ensemble
- 12:00 PM – Beacon Hills (bluegrass/folk)
- 1:00 PM – Saylor Dollar (Americana)
- 2:00 PM – Rambler Kane (folk)
Free Shuttle Bus to Other Trailheads Available
A free shuttle bus will be available for travel to these trailheads starting 9:45 AM (following this route):
- (1) Welcome Hub
- (3) Kayak Trailhead
- (4) State Park Trailhead
- (5) Black Hammock Island Trailhead
- (6) Horseshoe Creek Trailhead
- (7) Fitzpatrick Creek Trailhead
- (1) Welcome Hub
- (2) Edwards Creek Trailhead
Two shuttle buses will make continuous loops from 9:45 AM to 3:30 PM.
Activities
- Archaeology Activity
- Bike Rides (Self-guided & Tour)
- Bingo Scavenger Hunt
- Birding Walk
- Camping Clinic
- Canoeing
- Dip Netting
- Exhibitor Area
- Fishing Clinic for Kids*
- Food Trucks
- Geocache Challenge
- Hike Entire 7 Creeks Trail
- History Hikes
- Kayaking
- Live Music
- Nature Hikes
- Photography Hike
- Prescribed Fire Equipment Demo
- Welcome/Orientation
- Wildflower Walk
*Registration for the fishing clinic is full.
Bring your own recreational equipment, or try ours for free (first-come, first-serve):
- Canoeing
- Kayaking
- Biking
Map & Schedule
Fishing Clinic for Kids
Online registration for the Junior Ranger Angler fishing clinic is full and now closed.
For children ages 6-16. Space is limited.
This program is presented in partnership by Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve, Timucuan Parks Foundation, and JaxParks.
Thank you to our fishing clinic sponsors
Unique Exhibitors and Engaging Learning Opportunities
Connect with a variety of exhibitors focused on environmental conservation and education, health, outdoor recreation, and other outdoor activities. All exhibitors are located at the Welcome Hub exhibitor area unless otherwise noted.
- Citizens of Jacksonville Protecting Public Preserves
- Cosmo Historical Preservation Corporation – Gullah Geechee fishing heritage (table at #2 Edwards Creek Trailhead)
- First Coast Invasive Working Group
- Florida Department of Environmental Protection - Office of Greenways and Trails
- Florida Forest Service
- Florida Native Plant Society, Ixia Chapter
- Florida Public Archeology Network (11:00AM, table at #6 Horseshoe Creek/Cedar Point)
- Florida State Parks
- Florida Trail Association, North Florida Trailblazers
- Florida Youth Maritime Training
- Friends of JaxParks Geocachers
- Friends of Talbot Islands State Parks
- Groundwork Jacksonville – Green Team Youth Corps
- JaxParks
- Keep Jacksonville Beautiful/Clean It Up, Green It Up
- North Florida Land Trust
- Northeast Florida Aquatic Preserves
- Northeast Florida Area Health Education Centers (AHEC)
- Sierra Club Northeast Florida Group
- St. Johns River Water Management District
- St. Johns Riverkeeper
- Timucuan Parks Foundation
- Timucuan Preserve – National Park Service
- Tree Hill Nature Center
- Turtle Survival Alliance
- University of Florida – Jacksonville, Center for Health Equity & Engagement Research (CHEER)
- University of North Florida Archaeology Lab
- US Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 14-4
- Visit Jacksonville
- WILD Program – Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens
Become a Fest Exhibitor
Is your company or organization focused on nature, science, outdoor recreation, education, conservation, or the environment? We are looking for exhibitors like you to participate in 7 Creeks Fest!
Thank You to Our Sponsors
Become a Fest Sponsor
The 7 Creeks Fest is a free community event and the generous support of sponsors will help us present it to the community. To learn about sponsorship levels and benefits, download the packet.
Become a Fest Volunteer
We need volunteers to make 7 Creeks Fest a success. We are looking for dedicated volunteers to help with table set-up and break down, parking assistance, and much more. Volunteers must be 18 years or older.
Thank You to Our Community Partners
- Adventure Kayak Florida
- Cosmo Historical Preservation Corporation
- Duval Audubon Society
- Florida Native Plant Society, Ixia Chapter
- Florida Public Archaeology Network
- Florida Trail Association, North Florida Trailblazers
- Kayak Amelia
- Sierra Club Northeast Florida Group
- Will Dickey Photography
Park and Trail Etiquette
To protect wildlife and their habitat (and fellow visitors), please follow these rules of the outdoors:
- Dogs must be on 6-foot leash.
- Dispose of bagged dog waste in trash receptacles.
- Admire plants and wildlife from afar, keep a safe distance.
- Leave No Trace / Pack in & Pack Out – take your litter with you when you leave the trails.
- Bike riders yield to hikers.
Things to Bring
It’s a good idea to bring these with you because the parks are remote and you will only find nature there:
- Refillable water bottle (Water stations for refilling your water bottle will be available.)
- Sunscreen
- Insect repellent spray
- Comfortable shoes
- Camp chair or picnic blanket
- Snacks or a picnic*
*Food trucks provide opportunities to purchase food but may have long lines.
7 Creeks Fest is modeled on Marsh Fest which originated at Dutton Island Preserve in Atlantic Beach, a biennial event that became so popular that it outgrew little Dutton Island. The park agencies and nonprofits have partnered to revive the celebration of our saltwater marshes and other ecosystems by hosting 7 Creeks Fest in the more expansive 7 Creeks Recreation Area.
7 Creeks Fest is Presented in Partnership With
Discover the 7 Creeks Recreation Area
The 7 Creeks Recreation Area offers visitors 30+ miles of trails that could occupy days of hiking, biking, horseback riding and exploring diverse ecosystems, making each mile a new adventure. This collection of parks and preserves is home to thousands of acres of unspoiled lands surrounded by expansive saltmarsh of the Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve that offers an extensive network of tidal creeks for kayakers, boaters, paddleboarders and fishermen.
7 Creeks | 7 Parks and Preserves | 30+ Miles of Trails on 5,600 Connected Acres
