.12/11/25 @ 2:00 p.m.

Santa was sorry he missed everyone at the Tree Lighting Event last weekend, so he’s making a special return!
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Join Santa and Mrs. Claus on Wednesday, December 17th from 5:30–7:00 PM in front of the tree for photos, holiday cheer, and extra festive fun. Don’t forget your wish lists!

The tree is currently displayed at the Robert M. Foster Justice Center - 76347 Veterans Way, Yulee.

-Sabrina Robertson
 Communications Officer

Announcing the Winners of the 2025 Decorated Tree Contest! 

Our 4th Annual Tree Lighting was bursting with holiday cheer thanks to the incredible employees and local businesses who put their creativity on display in this year’s Decorated Tree Contest. Guests browsed the festive forest, cast their votes, and even had a chance to win the tree they loved most!

After tallying every vote, we’re excited to reveal the Top 3 Trees of 2025:

🥇 1st Place: Nassau County Public Works
🎁 Tree Drawing Winner: Krissy Smith

🥈 2nd Place: Office of Management & Budget
🎁 Tree Drawing Winner: Brittany Contardi

🥉 3rd Place: Synovus Bank
🎁 Tree Drawing Winner: Glenda Smith

Other fantastic trees and their lucky winners are: 

• First Federal Bank - Winner is Macie
• Community First Credit Union - Winner is Christy
• Dave Turner Plumbing - Winner is Rebekah
• Community Press Foundation - Winner is Rachel Childs
• Nassau County Development Services - Winner is Shannon
• Nassau County Clerk of Courts - Winner is Lori Gamble
• US Bank Mortgage - Winner is Michelle Fales
• Community Stewards of Yulee - Winner is Loukya
• Kelsey Shay State Farm - Winner is Lyndsy
• Nassau County Building Department - Winner is Victoria
• Pet Paradise - Winner is Hatton
• Bert Norman Plumbing - Winner Rachel. 
  

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who donated supplies, shared their time and talent decorating a tree, and to all who attended the event and cast a vote. Your participation is what makes this fun community tradition grow brighter every year!

Sabrina Robertson 
​Communications Officer

12/10/25 @ 5:00 p.m. 

We're just over a week away from our 5th Annual Breakfast With Santa Event! Join us for a merry morning packed with fun, food, and festive magic!

Enjoy a FREE pancake breakfast, snap pictures with Santa, and watch little faces light up during our special children’s gift exchange — with Santa himself handing out the presents!

👉 Don’t forget: Please bring one wrapped gift per child (under $20) to take part in the exchange.

📅 WHAT: 5th Annual Breakfast With Santa
🕘 WHEN: Saturday, December 20, 2025 | 9:00–11:00 a.m.
📍WHERE: Callahan Multi-Use Facility, 543350 US Highway 1, Callahan

Come share a magical morning of holiday cheer with us!

-Sabrina Robertson
​ Communications Officer

12/10/25 @ 2:00 p.m.

​The Board of County Commissioners was honored to host Leadership Nassau Class 25’s Government and Policy Day yesterday, and what an inspiring day it was!

The class kicked things off with an exciting Touch-a-Truck experience, where participants got an up-close look at several vital County vehicles, including the Animal Services truck, a brush truck, ladder truck, rescue unit, fire engine, tanker truck, and rescue boat. From there, the group headed into the County’s Commission Chambers to hear directly from elected officials at the local, state, and federal levels, as well as representatives from Nassau County, the City of Fernandina Beach, and the Town of Callahan. The day wrapped up with a hands-on mock Commission meeting, giving participants a dynamic look at how local government decisions are made.

Leadership Nassau is a community leadership development program offered by the Nassau County Chamber of Commerce, designed to train diverse individuals to become better leaders by understanding the challenges and opportunities facing Nassau County. Government & Policy Day is specifically designed to teach participants about the dynamics and role of government within the community. 

Beyond showcasing County operations, Government & Policy Day highlighted something even more meaningful, the BOCC’s ongoing commitment to building strong relationships with our community. Engaging with programs like Leadership Nassau allows us to connect with residents, foster open dialogue, and encourage future leaders to actively participate in shaping the direction of our county. Public involvement is essential to good governance, and we are grateful for every opportunity to listen, collaborate, and grow alongside the people we serve.

Below are some photos we captured throughout the day.

We look forward to participating in future Leadership Nassau events and continuing to support the development of tomorrow’s County leaders!

-Sabrina Robertson
​ Communications Officer

12/9/25 @ 4:30 p.m. 

Despite the unexpected rain, our community showed up with incredible spirit for this year’s Tree Lighting, and we are SO grateful! We watched the weather closely all day, and while Friday morning looked promising for the three-hour window of the event, conditions shifted quickly. To keep everyone safe, we made the call to move the lighting up. And thanks to you, it was still a beautiful and joy-filled moment.

A huge shoutout to our amazing staff and vendors who worked tirelessly behind the scenes to pull everything together. We also want to thank the Nassau Community Band, who had to pack up early due to the weather, and RAD Amelia, whose dance performances sadly had to be cancelled.

Santa wasn't able to be with us either because of the rain and we want to make this up to the community by offering another night for photos by the tree with Santa. Stay tuned for details!
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Rain or shine, this community always shows its heart. Thank you for making the night special. 

-Sabrina Robertson
​ Communications Officer

12/5/25 @ 9:00 a.m.

It's finally time for the 4th Annual Tree Lighting, taking place tonight from 5:00-8:00 p.m. at the Robert M. Foster Justice Center.
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Join us for a festive evening filled with holiday cheer. Enjoy food trucks, a holiday vendors market, kids activities, and:
Holiday musical performance by the Nassau Community Band from 5:30–6:45 p.m.

• Dance performances by RAD Amelia at 6:50 p.m.
• Commissioner welcome & countdown at 6:58 p.m.
• Tree Lighting at 7:00 p.m., immediately followed by fireworks
• Pictures with Santa from 7:15–8:00 p.m.

All activities are FREE! Bring your family, your friends, and your holiday spirit—we can’t wait to celebrate with you!

-Sabrina Robertson
 Communications Officer

12/3/25 @ 3:00 p.m.

Santa’s been polishing his boots, fluffing his beard, and double-checking his naughty-or-nice list… and he’s officially READY to see everyone this Friday at the Nassau County Tree Lighting! 🌲✨

He can’t wait to hear your wish lists, take festive photos, and kick off the holiday magic with the whole community.


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WHAT:
4th Annual Tree Lighting

WHEN:
Friday, December 5, 2025 from 5:00 - 8:00 p.m.

WHERE:
Robert M. Foster Justice Center (Yulee Courthouse), 76347 Veterans Way

Event Page: https://www.facebook.com/share/19uMpd6BjQ/

-Sabrina Robertson
​ Communications Officer

11/25/25 @ 1:00 p.m. - THE COUNTDOWN IS ON!

We’re less than two weeks away from Nassau County Parks & Recreation’s 4th Annual Tree Lighting on Friday, December 5th—and we can’t wait to celebrate with you!

To get everyone in the holiday spirit, check out the highlight reel from last year’s Tree Lighting and relive the festive fun, smiling faces, and magical moments that make this event such a community favorite: https://youtu.be/vMlzTwRxCWE?si=pTKR-9gxaGEEemkL

Mark your calendars and get ready for an evening filled with holiday cheer, family activities, live performances, and more. See you there!

WHAT: Nassau County's 4th Annual Tree Lighting
WHEN: Friday, December 5, 2025 from 5:00-8:00 p.m.
WHERE: 76347 Veterans Way, Yulee (Robert M. Foster Justice Center)

Event page: https://www.facebook.com/share/1SUFsGXJ3J/

-Sabrina Robertson
​ Communications Officer

11/13/25 @ 4:30 p.m.

​Get ready for a festive morning of fun, food, and holiday cheer! Join us for our 5th Annual Breakfast With Santa, featuring a free pancake breakfast and pictures with Santa. After breakfast, children can participate in a gift exchange, with presents personally handed out by Santa himself.

Please bring one wrapped gift per child (under $20) to join the gift exchange.

WHAT: 5th Annual Breakfast With Santa
WHEN: Saturday, December 20, 2025 | 9:00 – 11:00a.m.
WHERE: Callahan Multi-Use Facility, 543350 US Highway 1, Callahan

Come enjoy a magical holiday morning with us!

-Sabrina Robertson
​ Communications Officer

11/4/25 @ 2:00 p.m.

Nassau County Fire Rescue has partnered with the Barnabas Center to host a Thanksgiving Food Drive, and are collecting non-perishable food donations now through November 24th at any Nassau County fire station.

If crews are out on a call when you stop by, please feel free to leave your donation safely at the front door of the station.

Let’s come together as a community to ensure no family goes hungry this Thanksgiving. Every donation makes a difference! 
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A heartfelt thank you to Nassau County Fire Rescue and Barnabas Center for their continued commitment to helping Nassau County families in need.

-Sabrina Robertson
 Communications Officer

10/27/25 @ 2:30 p.m. - On Friday, October 24, 2025, Nassau County  Parks & Recreation hosted the 5th Annual Halloween Festival.  The event was a frightfully fun with an estimated 3,000 ghouls, goblins, and ghosts throughout the 3-hour event. 

Guests filled the park with laughter and costumes as they collected candy in our trick-or-treat alley, explored the kids zone, went on hayrides, enjoyed face painting and grabbing bites from the food trucks or Yulee Little League Concession Stand.  Some also danced the night away in the gymnasium for our Spooky Silent Disco. 

A big thank you to Parks & Recreation Director Jay Robertson and members of the County staff who made this event possible.  A massive thank you as well to our community partners who helped fill trick-or-treat alley will candy and Halloween spirit. 

Most of all, thank you to everyone who came out to celebrate with us and make this year’s festival one to remember. Your smiles and spooky costumes are what make our community so special! 

-Sabrina Robertson
​ Communications Officer

10/17/25 @ 7:00 p.m.

Nassau County’s biggest Halloween Festival returns on Friday, October 24, 2025, from 5:00 - 8:00 p.m. at the Yulee Sports Complex.

Hosted by Nassau County Parks and Recreation, this FREE community event will feature more than 60 businesses, County offices and community organizations distributing candy in our trick-or-treat alley. This event will also feature decorated jeeps from the Eight Flags Jeep Club, a kid's zone, hayrides, face painting, photo opportunities and more.

We are also excited to announce that this year’s event will include a Spooky Silent Disco in the gym for kids ages 10 and up.

Food options include:
-Jax Taco Truck
-Atomic Wings
-Rafael’s Italian Pizza
-’Sup Dawg
-Ruby’s Waffle Bar and Creamery
-King of Pops
-Kona Ice
-BS Loaded Teas
-Sassy Sodas
-Yulee Athletic Association Concession Stand

Don’t miss out on a frightfully fun night for the whole family—costumes encouraged, candy guaranteed, and memories waiting to be made!

-Sabrina Robertson
​ Communications Officer

10/10/25 @ 10:00 a.m. - In recognition of Fire Prevention Week, we want to take a moment to highlight one of the County’s most valuable educational tools,  the Fire Safety Education Simulator. Acquired in 2024 through a Federal Grant in partnership with the City of Fernandina Beach, this 27-foot trailer brings fire safety lessons to life through hands-on learning.

The simulator is designed to provide an immersive educational experience that engages participants in critical thinking, physical activity, and hazard recognition. Using advanced programming and a state-of-the-art table control system, it can replicate a variety of real-world emergencies . From kitchen fires to severe weather events, each scenario allows participants to safely practice how to respond in high-stress situations.
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This interactive tool is used at schools, community events, and public demonstrations to help residents of all ages learn how to prevent fires, react quickly, and stay safe during emergencies. It’s a fun, memorable, and potentially life-saving experience for the whole community.

If you are interested in scheduling a fire safety demonstration, please reach out to Fire Inspector/Investigator Thomas Ford at (904) 530-6600 or via e-mail at [email protected]. 

-Sabrina Robertson
 Communications Officer 

10/1/25 @ 9:30 a.m. - A big thank you to the Nassau County Sheriff’s Office for coordinating Nassau Night Out last night and to Hagan Ace Hardware in Callahan for graciously hosting. The event was a great success and featured a touch-a-truck area, community organizations, adoptable pets, food trucks, and opportunities to meet local law enforcement and elected officials. Events like this help strengthen community connections and build positive relationships between residents and those who serve our county.

-Sabrina Robertson
 Communications Officer

9/12/25 @ 1:00 p.m. 

SAVE THE DATE!

The Nassau County Sheriff's Office is hosting Nassau Night Out on Tuesday, September 30, from 4–6 PM at Hagan Ace Hardware in Callahan!

Bring the family to check out our vehicles, snap photos, and hang out with our deputies and staff.
Meet community partners like Micah's Place, First Coast Crime Stoppers, Nassau County Fire Rescue, Starting Point Behavioral Health, Nassau County Emergency Management, and more!

Nassau County Animal Services will also be there with adoptable pets who can't wait to meet you!

Don’t miss this FREE, fun, family-friendly event! Questions? Email [email protected].

-Sabrina Robertson
 Communications Officer