St. Augustine, FL, Nov. 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Fort Mose Jazz and Blues Series returns to Fort Mose Historic State Park February 6-15, 2026, celebrating five years of music, community, and history on Florida’s Historic Coast. Tickets for the event are on sale at www.DiscoverFortMose.com.
Performances for the 5th Annual Fort Mose Jazz and Blues Series span over two weekends. The first weekend’s performances on February 6 features Ledisi, a Grammy® Award-winning vocalist who pushes the boundaries of the soul and R&B genres; on February 7, Gary Clark Jr., a multi-Grammy® Award-winner whose smooth, soulful voice and memorable guitar work fuse blues, rock, and soul with elements of hip-hop. The following weekend of music kicks off on February 13 with Robert Cray Band & Ruthie Foster, a powerful collaboration of two Grammy® Award-winning blues masters; on February 14, Grammy® Award-winning musician, record producer, music director, film composer, documentary filmmaker, and radio host Don Was and the Pan-Detroit Ensemble performs; and Grammy® Award-winner Samara Joy, whose jazz vocals masterfully transform classic jazz standards to something entirely new for the festival’s final performance on February 15 . A portion of ticket sales supports the Fort Mose Historical Society.
The series celebrates the historical significance of Fort Mose Historic State Park, the first legally sanctioned free African settlement in America. Managed by the Florida State Parks System, Fort Mose marked the official opening of its reconstructed fort in May 2025, a project that had been in the making for over 30 years. Fort Mose was established in 1738 as the first legally-sanctioned free African community in what would later become the United States. Historians estimate that approximately 100 formerly enslaved men, women, and children made their home at Fort Mose after escaping the British Carolinas. Funds raised by the Fort Mose Jazz and Blues Series and the Fort Mose Historical Society proudly supported the reconstruction project, which now allows visitors a more in-depth look at life at the fort.
Florida’s Historic Coast has been the setting for many pivotal moments in Black American history, including St. Augustine’s role in the 1960s Civil Rights Movement, the settling of Lincolnville, and the impactful work of figures like Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Frank B. Butler, Dr. Robert B. Hayling, Andrew Young, and Rabbi Israel Dresner. Visitors can explore Black History in the Nation’s Oldest City by using the St. Augustine Black History App, which seamlessly blends researched historical content with real-life exploration. It is available on the Google Play Store and Apple App Store.
Located midway between Daytona Beach and Jacksonville, Florida’s Historic Coast includes historic St. Augustine, the outstanding golf and seaside elegance of Ponte Vedra, the rural beauty of Hastings, Elkton, St. Johns, and 42 miles of pristine Atlantic beaches. Visitor Information Centers are located at 10 Castillo Drive, St. Augustine; 200 Solana Rd. Suite B, Ponte Vedra Beach: and at the St. Johns County Beach Pier Park, 350 A1A Beach Blvd., St. Augustine Beach. For advance travel information, call 1-800-653-2489 or go to the Visitors and Convention Bureau website at www.FloridasHistoricCoast.com. Check us out on social media Instagram @FloridasHistoricCoast; Facebook.com/OfficialStAugustine, and Threads @floridashistoriccoast
- Fort Mose JAzz and Blues Series Lineup.