—North Carolina–born soul singer Lee Fields, on first seeing the Beatles when he was growing up in the 1960s. Read more of G&G’s interview with Fields here.

The father-and-son team of Chris Peterson and JC Peterson coming into Lanark Village, Florida, during the 2018 Skiff Challenge. (Photo: Gary Gillett)

The Florida Skiff Challenge is a Southern-born mash-up of the America’s Cup, the Dakar Rally, and an Ironman endurance test. This Thursday at sunset, four specially designed flats skiffs will blast off from Pensacola for an all-out, 35-plus-hour circumnavigation of the entire Florida peninsula. Two-person teams from Yellowfin, Hell’s Bay Boatworks, Key West Boats, and Sea Pro will race through the night, with all proceeds raised by the teams going to support Captains for Clean Water, a nonprofit formed by Florida fishing guides to advocate for restoring the Everglades and fixing the state’s deep-seated water woes. There will be a kick-off party and skiff viewing Thursday afternoon at the Flora-Bama Marina in Pensacola, then it’s throttles down for bragging rights and a piece of conservation history. Follow along with the race and support the teams here.

On the heels of the city’s tricentennial last year, one of New Orleans’ most beloved traditions is also celebrating a milestone. Jazz Fest (April 25–May 5) turns fifty this year and released its eagerly awaited hour-by-hour, stage-by-stage schedule last week. Though the Rolling Stones had to cancel over the weekend as frontman Mick Jagger recovers from a health issue, other headliners amid the fest’s five hundred performers include Van Morrison, Diana Ross, Jimmy Buffett, Al Green, and Earth, Wind & Fire. If you’re heading to town, also keep an eye out for a handful of Music Maker Relief Foundation artists in the blues tent throughout the festival, and stop by the New Orleans Museum of Art for a corresponding exhibition of tintype portraits of traditional Southern musicians by photographer Timothy Duffy.

There’s something for everyone to explore on Florida’s sun-splashed southwest coast. Beachcombers will find some of the best shelling in the world on the shores of Sanibel and Captiva islands. History and horticulture buffs can visit the homes and grounds of Henry Ford and Thomas Edison’s winter estates, located next to each other in Fort Myers. Art aficionados can view the works of masters including Peter Paul Rubens, Marcel Duchamps, and Diego Velazquez at the Ringling Museum of Art in Sarasota—or check out the mind-bending Salvador Dali Museum in St. Petersburg. Anglers have ample opportunities to hook into tarpon, snook, and more along the region’s 1,300 miles of saltwater coastline. And for those who just want to get away from it all, a quiet paddling trip around the Ten Thousand Islands will do wonders for the soul. Plan your Florida vacation today.

Before the NCAA men’s basketball tournament tipped off, we asked, Which team has the best shot to beat Duke? Archrival North Carolina was the team most predicted to topple the top-seeded Blue Devils (28 percent of respondents), followed by Kentucky (14 percent), Tennessee (12 percent), Auburn (8 percent), Virginia (8 percent), and “Nobody” (8 percent).

Kudos to Karen K., Roger B., and Bruce M. for answering Michigan State, which did beat Duke, 68-67, on Sunday. And congratulations to all of the Final Four teams—especially to the three hailing from the South: Auburn, Texas Tech, and Virginia.

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The National Park Service announced that Washington, D.C.’s cherry blossoms reached peak bloom on Monday, which means it’s the perfect week to soak up some spring color.

The Full Frame Documentary Film Festival welcomes filmmakers and film lovers from around the world to Durham, North Carolina, for screenings and premieres of more than eighty films from twenty-eight countries.

The Ridgeland Fine Arts Festival just outside Jackson, Mississippi, which also includes Saturday’s Santé South Wine Festival, returns this weekend to Renaissance at Colony Park.

We’re down to the championship match in our March Madness–style bracket to determine the South’s Favorite Bar: Callaghan’s Irish Social Club of Mobile, Alabama, vs. Players’ Retreat of Raleigh, North Carolina. Voting is open through Thursday, and we’ll announce the winner on Friday.