Complete with a piano played by walking on the keys and Jacksonville’s take on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame, Riverfront Music Garden opened May 13 on the Downtown Northbank with a celebration that drew city and community leaders.
The park, under construction since 2024, is themed on Jacksonville’s music history, including plaques embedded in the walkway honoring such notable musical figures as Ray Charles, the Allman Brothers Band, Tim McGraw, Ma Rainey, 38 Special, and brothers James Weldon Johnson and John Rosamond Johnson.
With its completion, and with an elevated section of the Northbank Riverwalk being reinstalled after being removed for work on McCoys Creek, the park connects the Riverwalk from the Hyatt Hotel adjacent to the Main Street bridge through to the Fuller Warren Bridge and Riverside Arts Market.
“This new space is a living celebration of the truly incredible contributions Jacksonville has made to American music,” Mayor Donna Deegan said at a ribbon-cutting ceremony. “We need to embrace our history and our heritage, and our music is one of those things that really sets us apart here in Jacksonville.”
Between the Jacksonville Center for the Performing Arts at 300 Water St. and the St. Johns River, the park includes displays noting Jacksonville’s musical history, the plaques, a garden and more.
Daryl Joseph, director of the city Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Services, said the project cost around $7 million. Some of the park’s infrastructure was installed to account for changing weather conditions, including a raised Riverwalk to account for elevated water levels and rain gardens to accommodate storm conditions.
The park is adjacent to Riverfront Plaza, the first phase of which opened in December. Between the two parks, the Riverwalk connects to the Emerald Trail construction along Hogan Street.
The Emerald Trail is designed as a 30-mile system of pedestrian and bicycle pathways in central Jacksonville connecting 14 neighborhoods to Downtown, the St. Johns River, McCoys Creek and Hogans Creek. Along the route are 16 schools, two colleges and 21 parks.
Portions of the trail have been completed. The project is a partnership between the city and nonprofit Groundwork Jacksonville.
The Hogan Street connection is one of three locations where the Riverwalk will connect to the Emerald Trail, with other connections at Riverside Arts Market and McCoys Creek.
“All of these things are important to the success of the Emerald Trail as well,” said Groundwork Jax CEO Kay Ehas. “I want to congratulate the city, because progress really is being made.”
“This project is one of those things, one of those catalytic developments that this city will remember forever. This river is yours. This Riverwalk is free and open to all and any,” said Council member Jimmy Peluso, whose district includes the Northbank.
“It will be a tourist attraction, and this park, and the parks on the river, are going to be places that people will be using for the next 100 years.”
