The Jaguars Foundation is celebrating a decade of community fundraising with its 10th annual cocktail party, set for October 2 at Citri San Marco on Kings Avenue. Doors open at 6 p.m. for a happy hour featuring access to Jaguars legends for VIP ticket holders, followed by the main event from 7 to 10 p.m. with an open bar, live music, a dance floor, silent auction, and Jaguars photo opportunities.
According to Action News Jax, general admission tickets run $125, with a VIP upgrade available for an additional $75 that includes the happy-hour access to team legends. The outlet reports that only a limited number of tickets remain, and proceeds benefit the Jaguars Foundation directly. Attire is listed as cocktail or business casual plus, and organizers note on-site parking along with complimentary valet service.
Food selections for the evening come from a lineup of local restaurants, including Argyle in Ponte Vedra, Chancho King in Murray Hill, Asado Life in downtown St. Augustine, and San Marco favorites Cookie Fix and Electric Dough, per the same account. Small plates prepared by these local chefs will be served alongside the open bar. Jaxson De Ville and the Roar Cheerleaders are also scheduled to appear throughout the night, adding to the team-branded atmosphere. Beverage partners for the party include Champion Brands, Dano's Dangerous Tequila, Jack Daniel's Tennessee Whiskey, Lugo's Rum, and Tito's Handmade Vodka.
A Decade Tied to San Marco's Growing Event Scene
The party is presented by PRI Productions, with additional sponsorship from Boelter, Miller Electric Company, and Suddath, the report notes. PRI Productions operates Citri San Marco as one of its Jacksonville event venues and routinely hosts local community fundraisers at the site, according to the company's own listings. The venue itself has deep roots in the neighborhood: Citri San Marco, at 1842 Kings Avenue, was built in 1937 and originally served as the headquarters for Wimee Fuel Oil before being renovated into the modern event space it is today, per Visit Jacksonville.
This marks a venue change for the annual party. Last September, the Jaguars Foundation held its 9th annual cocktail party under the theme “Dine and Drink Around DUUUVAL” at The Cady Club in San Marco, an event that showcased 14 local food vendors alongside team leadership, including General Manager James Gladstone and Hall of Famer Tony Boselli, according to the Jacksonville Jaguars. Citri San Marco has also become a fixture in the neighborhood's day-to-day activity beyond private galas: food truck Davo's Cheesesteaks announced in July that it began operating out of the venue's lot Wednesday through Saturday, according to the vendor's Facebook posts.
Where the Ticket Money Actually Goes
The Jaguars Foundation describes its mission, according to its website, as uplifting the community by providing economic and equal opportunity through programs that strengthen neighborhoods and develop youth. That mission has translated into substantial dollars over the years. Since awarding its first grants in 1995, the foundation has distributed more than $23 million in community grants across Baker, Clay, Duval, Nassau, and St. Johns counties, according to the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Under the ownership of Shad Khan and his family, the Jaguars Foundation and broader team community initiatives have contributed over $28.6 million to Northeast Florida non-profits since 2012, per Action News Jax. That figure includes major allocations such as $1 million toward historic neighborhood revitalization and $5 million for the Museum of Science & History. In May 2021, Khan made a personal $1 million commitment through the foundation to support LIFT JAX and the revitalization of Jacksonville's historic Eastside neighborhood, as reported by Sports Illustrated, with funds targeting food insecurity, park development, and local business growth near the stadium.
Grants Reach Veterans and Local Youth Too
The foundation's giving extends well beyond gala nights. Last October, the Jaguars Foundation partnered with municipal leaders during the Celebration of Valor to present community grants to local military and veteran support organizations, according to a City of Jacksonville announcement, with recipients including the Five STAR Veterans Center and Operation New Uniform. Hoodline previously reported on those grants to veteran groups.
The foundation also runs the Honor Rows initiative, which annually donates more than 11,000 stadium tickets worth over $450,000 to local youth who earn them by fulfilling academic and community service goals, according to the Jacksonville Jaguars. That mix of cash grants and non-monetary outreach underscores how ticket sales from events like the cocktail party feed directly back into programming across the region. San Marco itself has seen its own investment in recent years, with city project records showing multi-million-dollar drainage and infrastructure upgrades from 2024 through 2026 aimed at combating localized flooding, including construction of the LaSalle Street Pump Station.
