Garden Club celebrates Ninah Cummer's birthday with a bang

More than 200 guests gathered at the Garden Club of Jacksonville to celebrate the organization’s founder, Ninah Cummer, on the day of her birthday, October 16. The event honored Cummer’s legacy, her commitment to green spaces, and her impact on the city

In 1922, Cummer founded the Garden Club in her home, where the Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens now stands. Founding members focused on city planning projects, with a particular focus on creating and revitalizing city parks. The Garden Club was instrumental in creating spaces like Memorial Park and preserving many of the city’s ancient live oak trees.

It was a festive day of events both inside the Garden Club’s elegant Ballroom and outside next to the St. Johns River:

A catered brunch by Chef’s Garden Catering & Events
A signature punch with spirits provided by St. Augustine Distillery
An open bar with mimosas, Bloody Marys, wine, and beer served by All About You Staffing
Live music by the Douglas Anderson School of the Arts Jazz Ensemble
A display of dozens of historic photos from the Garden Club’s archives
Birthday cakes provided by more than two dozen bakeries throughout Jacksonville
A performance by Barbara Colaciello as Ninah Cummer
St. Johns River Taxi rides
A sneak peek of the Garden Club’s transformational landscape redesign plans by Marquis, Latimer + Halback
A raffle of a three-hour cruise for 16 people aboard the historic 53-foot Huckins yacht, Casa Mia, provided by Haskell
Audio and visual services provided by AVL Productions
Photography and drone video provided by Kram Kran Photo

Celebrate with cake

More than two dozen Jacksonville bakeries provided cakes that served as centerpieces for each table. Guests were spotted visiting all the tables to admire the creations. A cake-cutting ceremony asked each table to appoint a person to cut the cake for their table. Many guests traded slices with other tables so they could try different flavors.

Amaretti Desserts
The Bakery
BB’s Restaurant
Biscotti’s
Brew Five Points
The Cake Shop
Cakes and Sweets
Calli Marie Bakes
Caroline’s Caramel Cake
Chef’s Garden Catering & Events
Cinotti’s Bakery
Food for Thought
Fresh Market Riverside
Heavenly Chocolate
Hey Babycakes
Judy’s Cakes
Karen Lewis Catering
Publix in San Marco
Publix on Racetrack
Publix on Roosevelt
Publix on University
Southern Dessert Plate

Honoring the past

Garden Club President Tiffany Davis recognized all of the past presidents who attended the event and acted as the honorary chairs and the host committee. Each of them received a lovely corsage provided by Ruby Reds Floral and Garden.

Front row from left: Nancy Mahon and Bobby Arnold. Back row from left: Carol Waters, Gloria Nunn, Irene Woodworth, Virginia Kirby, Patsy Gaillard, Betsy Powers, Bobi McGinnis, Brook Owens, and Tiffany Davis. Not pictured: Charlene Hughes.

Heading to the river

The brunch ended as a Douglas Anderson trumpeter played an exit refrain, alerting guests to head out onto the campus to view enlarged images of the landscape redesign. These images helped guests envision the renovations planned.

Attendees continued out to the new dock at the end of Post Street to board the St. Johns River Taxi for one of two refreshing 20-minute rides.