Best Thing to Happen to Northeast Florida Best Volunteer Effort Best News Story
One Spark
It started as an ember of an idea. Friends and local creative/entrepreneurial forces Elton Rivas, Dennis Eusebio and Varick Rosete frequently chatted about ways to help others – especially those who might not otherwise get public exposure – promote their ideas, to foster innovation, collaboration and creativity, and to connect people and ideas (bit.ly/PowerOfOneSpark). Their chats, usually over java (the drink, not the computer programming language) at local coffee shops, eventually developed into One Spark, the first world crowdfunding festival. Hundreds of “creators” from around the country submitted ideas, worksin-progress or finished projects in the areas of art, music, science and technology, to be showcased at venues ranging from the Museum of Contemporary Art Jacksonville to Hemming Plaza to The Jacksonville Landing. Over the course of the five-day event held in April, 130,000 attendees descended on Downtown to meet the creators, learn about the projects and vote for those they deemed worthy of a piece of the $250,000 crowdfund (bit.ly/OneSparkIgnites). Jaguars owner Shad Khan also pledged up to $1 million in capital investments. By all accounts, One Spark was a resounding success: fostering the creative community,
giving creators an unparalleled opportunity to share their ideas and establishing Jacksonville as a hotbed for invention and innovation. A daunting task to say the least, organizing a first-time event on such a large scale (for Jacksonville, anyway) is a testament to Rivas, Eusebio and Rosete’s vision for giving a voice and platform to other visionaries and promoting Jacksonville in general. The fact that the festival ran so smoothly and efficiently was also due, in large part, to the more than 700 dedicated volunteers who did everything from setup and breakdown to serving as onsite ambassadors and selling One Spark merchandise. Rethreaded, a nonprofit organization dedicated to “unravel the effects of the sex trade by fighting business with business on a global and local level,” took the top spot for audience vote, while Kona School, a Jacksonville middle and high school “fusing academics, action sports, nutrition and sustainability into a comprehensive private educational experience,” earned the most monetary donations from attendees. Rivas said the One Spark team hopes that attendees and participants spread the word, and the event, scheduled for April 9-13, 2014, becomes one of the best events for people to launch new ideas folioweekly/onespark). – KS
Best Neighborhood
appreciation for all that they do. The phrase “man’s best friend” has never meant more. – SH
The city’s longtime cultural hub, where most of its artists and musicians live, continues driving progress across Northeast Florida. CoRK Arts District has helped springboard the arts scene to unprecedented visibility, housing artists ranging from Jim Draper and Noli Novak to Shaun Thurston and Overstreet Ducasse. The King Street bar district is at high ebb, and Five Points is back on the upswing. – SH
Best Trend
Riverside
Best Nonprofit
K9s for Warriors
With talk of possible military action on the front burner right now, it’s good to have organizations like K9s for Warriors to remind us all of war’s human cost. The Department of Defense says 20 percent of returning vets suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, and one in six consider and/or attempt suicide. The Ponte Vedra-based group specializes in using dogs (95 percent from rescue shelters) to help ease what can be a difficult transition. Winning this award for the second year in a row is just a token of our readers’
Food Trucks
Earlier this year, the Jax Truckies annual Food Truck Championship attracted 7,000 attendees; Truckin’ on the River at The Jacksonville Landing drew a crowd of 5,000. Then there’s the fact that on any given day, dozens of food trucks are serving hundreds of gourmet meals to hungry locals who don’t mind trading table service for a unique dining experience, featuring cuisine ranging from Swedish and Puerto Rican to cupcakes and shaved ice. Considering food trucks won the same category last year, it doesn’t look like a trend that’s nearing an end. – KS
Best Folio Weekly Cover Story
Bite by Bite
Hungry for info on where to eat out in Northeast Florida, readers ate up our March and August Bite by Bite issues. Encompassing ultra-casual to upscale restaurants with cuisines spanning the globe (Chinese, Italian, Ethiopian,
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