Springfield's 2012 Home & Garden Tour This Weekend

This year's Tour features both historic and new construction homes, a variety of gardens, and a repurposed storefront-to-residence gem.

For 34 years, the Springfield historic district has been showing off it’s unique character, architecture, and walkability through home tours. Once ground zero for Jacksonville’s poverty and blight, it’s now in the midst of a generational transformation, literally rising from the ashes to become a popular neighborhood for those seeking an eclectic, diverse, and semi-urban lifestyle. The 2012 edition of the tour highlights this transformation by embracing the slogan “Experience the Past, Visit the Present, Envision the Future”.



The two-day event shows off Jacksonville’s oldest, most storied neighborhood while raising funds to benefit Springfield Preservation and Revitalization (SPAR) and the Springfield Heritage Education Center (SHEC).
Home Tour: Saturday, 5/19/12, 1pm - 6pm
Bike Tour:     Saturday, 5/19/12, 2:00pm
Home Tour:  Sunday, 5/20,12, 1pm - 6pm

All Tours leave from the SPAR Building at 1321 N. Main Street.

The Home & Garden Tour  is self-guided, and features 5 original restored homes, 2 new construction homes that compliment the neighborhood’s character, 2 dedicated garden spaces, and 1 completely unique, one-of-a-kind commercial-to-private residence conversation. There will be a few pleasant surprises on the Tour too (think sweet music and sweet treats). Saturday and Sunday, May 19th & 20th, last ticket sold at 6pm. Tickets are $10 pre-sale, $12 day of.




















The Bike Tour, hosted by e2ride Bike Tours, is guided and features all the stunning homes on the Tour, along with a number of other notable spots in neighborhood - think Civil War, chilling murder capers, old Hollywood stars, and infamous, bigger-than-life personalities. The Bike Tour is Saturday, May 19th, at 2pm. Bring your own bicycle and equipment, or rent directly from e2ride. Tickets are $20 if you bring your own, $45 to rent a bicycle and equipment. Last held in 2010, it was a fan favorite drawing over 75 riders.



To purchase tickets to the 2012 Spring Home & Garden Tour visit www.spartour.org

To purchase tickets and find out more info on the Bike Tour contact Leigh through www.e2ride.com

Come see why the Springfield historic district has been featured in Good Morning America, Southern Living Magazine, Florida Trend Magazine, Chicago Sun-Times, and other press in recent years.

For more information, contact SPAR at sparoffice@sparcouncil.org or call the SPAR/SHEC office at (904) 353-7727.