Memorial Day Weekend was a great showcase of what makes Palatka a truly special city. The annual Blue Crab Festival was, as always, a tremendous success. Walking through the festival all weekend, I was delighted to hear from visitors from across Florida and the country who praised the festival and expressed how special Palatka is.
The Blue Crab Festival, with its unique blend of music, rides, arts and craft vendors, and mouthwatering food, truly showcases the distinctiveness of our city. On Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights, thousands of people gathered at Riverfront Park to enjoy a variety of music together and have a wonderful time. The music, rides, arts and craft vendors, and, of course, the food make this event the highlight of the year.
For the first time at the festival, visitors had the chance to cool off and relax on river tours aboard the City of Palatka’s pontoon boat, the ‘Pride of Palatka’. These tours are just the beginning of our efforts, in collaboration with the Palatka House Marina LLC, to better showcase the St. Johns River. The success of events like the Blue Crab Festival is a testament to the dedication of the men and women of the City of Palatka, who worked tirelessly to make this holiday weekend memorable.
City police, firefighters, public works, and community affairs employees all worked around the clock to ensure a safe and successful event. They
all deserve our heartfelt thanks. A special thank you goes to Keep Putnam Beautiful Executive Director Nicole Grace and her group of volunteers who worked diligently to keep the festival clean. Keep Putnam Beautiful is just another example of what makes Palatka unique.
The Memorial Day ceremony on Monday in Riverfront Park was a deeply poignant and solemn event, serving as a powerful reminder of the immense sacrifices made by our Palatka residents for this country. Among the many Palatka residents who sacrificed their lives, we remember men like Henry Gilbert “Bert” Hodge and Robert H. Jenkins. Hodge was a Palatka firefighter before serving in World War I and was killed in action in Fismes, France, on August 10, 1918. He was the first Palatka casualty of WWI, and the Palatka Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 45 is named in his honor.
Jenkins, who was raised in Palatka, served in the United States Marine Corps during the Vietnam War. On March 5, 1969, while serving as a Private First Class in Quang Nam Province, Vietnam, he threw himself onto a grenade to protect a fellow Marine from the explosion. His actions saved the lives of his comrades at the cost of his own. Jenkins was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor, the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. Our city’s community center is named in his honor.
Memorial Day often marks the start of summer. As we enter the summer season, Palatka residents can look forward to some exciting developments. As Putnam County finishes its part of the St. Johns Avenue improvement project, the city is preparing to start its section, working on the road from 19th Street by the railroad tracks west to the river. While no project of this scale is without some inconvenience to residents, we are making every effort to minimize disruptions, including scheduling a lot of the work at night.
Finally, I want to extend my heartfelt congratulations to the Palatka High School Class of 2024, who graduated on Friday. As you move on to the next chapter of your lives, remember that Palatka will always be your hometown.
Please feel free to contact me at TBell@Palatka-Fl.Gov or (386) 329-0100 if you have any questions or concerns.
Troy Bell
City Manager
Palatka, Florida