To be honest, there was nothing “small” about Run Wild 2026. While the morning brought cooler weather and damp trails, the energy was impalpable. Over 1,270 participants —our biggest turnout to date— came out to give us their best strides. And that was just the beginning of the raceday enjoyment…

Before the cannon could signal the start, we took time to bring up our race beneficiary and healthy living partners, the Wildlight YMCA. We are thrilled to announce that this year’s race raised $20,000 —our largest donation yet— that will support their after-school and summer enrichment programs. This wouldn’t have been possible without the generosity of our runners, our dedicated volunteers, and our incredible sponsors. It’s fun to run for the Y-M-C-A! (Did you catch yourself singing along, too?)

The race course offered runners and walkers a true VIP tour of the winding Wildlight trailways and vibrant neighborhoods. And family and friends had the chance to cheer on their favorite racers as they passed by. As racers pushed through the final miles, local favorites Paul Ivey and Michael McDaniels provided the perfect soundtrack, turning fatigue into “finish-line” drive.

Back on Tinker Street, the vibes were exhilarating. Between the classic hits from The Honey Badgers and fresh bites and brews from local food trucks, the Vendor Village was the place to be. Kids also had a dedicated area to kid-out in, complete with a face painter, balloon artist and basketball games from HoopJax. And every finisher earned a medal and those 21+ were greeted with a well deserved pour from SJ Brewing Company. 

They say it takes a village, and Run Wild is proof. Our sponsors and volunteers are what help drive this event. Without them, we wouldn’t be celebrating these new PRs.

Don’t just take our word for it: check out this little recap video of the big fun that was had. And while you’re at it, see if you were caught in all the action! 

And if you’re wondering, yes, we will be doing it all over again next year! See you then?

Energy and community spirit were on full display Saturday, February 28, as more than 1,200 runners hit the trails for the fourth annual Run Wild 10K, 5K and Fun Run in Wildlight. The event raised $20,000 for the YMCA at Wildlight, with proceeds supporting the YMCA’s financial assistance program, which provides after-school care and summer enrichment opportunities for local children and families.

Read more at the News Leader.

Wildlight’s annual Run Wild 5K, 10K and 1-mile fun run returns Saturday with high attendance.

Organizers hit their target of more than 1,200 runners for the fourth iteration of the event. Proceeds go to the YMCA at Wildlight’s financial assistance program, which supports after-school and summer enrichment programs. As of press time, the event was nearing capacity, with only a limited number of online registrations remaining.  

Read more at the News Leader.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla., January 7, 2026 – Community First Credit Union, one of Florida’s largest credit unions, has commenced construction on its newest freestanding branch location in  Wildlight in Nassau County. Community First held a groundbreaking on Monday with Nassau County and Wildlight leaders and Auld & White Constructors has officially started construction.

Read more at Community First Credit Union.

The Wildlight mixed-use development continues to grow its retail side to serve its expanding Nassau County residential footprint.

Read the full article from the Jacksonville Business Journal.

Read the full article from the Jacksonville Business Journal.

WILDLIGHT, Fla.—Sept. 22, 2025—Wildlight, a mixed-use master-planned community in Nassau County, is launching the Garden District, a new phase that builds upon its “town in nature” vision by emphasizing natural surroundings and outdoor living. Initial homebuilders of the new Garden District will include Toll Brothers, Perry Homes, David Weekley Homes and Ashton Woods.

The new phase of development will complement the lively Town District, adding a serene, nature-centric setting where residents can enjoy a sense of escape. While the original district offers a fresh take on the classic town mix with retail and restaurants among a variety of homes, the Garden District is where the community’s Florida lowcountry concept takes root in the landscape.

“The Garden District represents the evolution of the Wildlight story, with a stronger connection to the natural environment,” said Wes Hinton, Vice President of Wildlight. “We sought out builders who not only create exceptional homes but also understand our vision for a community where nature is an integral part of daily life. This new district will provide residents and the public with unparalleled access to nature and a way of life that is truly unique to Wildlight.”

How does a community choose its lifestyle director, the person in charge of planning events that bring everybody together? Do you pick the person who’s spent the most years as a lifestyle director? Or do you look for someone who’s led an eventful life?

As you’ve probably guessed by now, we took the latter path. Elizabeth Bricknell, Wildlight’s new Community Lifestyle Director, has never held the official title of lifestyle director. But she has plenty of experience doing everything a lifestyle director does. And she gained that experience living a life filled with music, adventure, creativity and spontaneity. 

Liz is originally from Canada. She lived near Lake Michigan. Then Lake Ontario. Then she headed to western Canada. Then finally made her way down to Florida. And if that feels like a wide-ranging journey, wait till you hear about her career path.

It was just a stage

Like so many animal-loving kids, Liz’s first dream was to be a veterinarian … that is, until her mom told her about some of the ickier parts of the job. “As I got older, I wanted to be a performer,” Liz says. “My passion was singing, acting and doing shows. And that’s what I went to college for.”

That’s what sent Liz into teaching. “I figured, well, if I can’t be on Broadway, I can at least inspire passion.” 

As with everything Liz does, she brings all sorts of creativity to the classroom. Whether it was teaching fifth grade math. Or coaching high school theater. Or launching a “morning show” written and produced entirely by students. And she has a particular knack for working with teenagers. “It’s just about having real conversations. No judgments.”

Liz completed a four-year degree in musical theater. But then starry-eyed, Broadway-bound Liz suddenly got upstaged by sensible, simplicity-loving Liz. “Real life hits you and says, ‘Do you really want that kind of life?’ And I thought, ‘No, I don’t.’”

Great White North to Sunshine State

So what do you do if you’re living in Canada and have a love of teaching, a natural feel for planning and a taste for adventure? Well, if you’re Liz, you take a job as a teen counselor on a cruise ship based out of Miami. New job? New work environment? A whole new country? Bring it on.

And what exactly does a cruise ship teen counselor do? “I would run the teen clubs. I would take them on youth excursions. I would be their guide and leader.” Sounds a whole lot like a community lifestyle director, doesn’t it?

Working on a cruise ship is what introduced Liz to Florida. It’s also what introduced Liz to her husband Ryan, who was a trombone player in the ship’s show band. 

The job she didn’t know she wanted

Eventually Liz would wind her way to Duval County School District, where she spent over a decade teaching, inspiring other teachers and planning enrichment events. Then one day as she was updating her profile on LinkedIn, she decided to see what other kinds of jobs might be out there. And she just happened to come across the description for the Wildlight Lifestyle Director.

“I didn’t even know ‘lifestyle director’ was a job,” she says. “But reading the job description, I thought, ‘This is what I already do at school. I plan events.’ It’s amazing how the universe kind of opens things for you when you’re ready.” (Btw it occurs to us that “Ready” could be Liz’s middle name.)

Expect the unexpected

Liz is now deep into planning events for 2026: “I’ve been given so much room to explore what we want to do for activities.” As Liz has gotten to know more about Wildlight’s devotion to conserving nature, she’s gotten very excited about including more environmental education. “It’s just part of Wildlight. Conservation is so important. And it’s why Wildlight is so beautiful.” 

But of course, with her musical background and her unquenchable creative spirit, she’s already thinking outside the box. “I’m trying to rein myself in and not go too far too fast. But eventually I want to go there. Like, how can we combine music and kayaking? How can we do performances by the pond? There have to be so many ways we can do things that people haven’t seen before.”

Now you know why we hired her.

Ten years ago, driving through Nassau County most likely meant a long stretch of pine forest and “just passing through.”

Few thought of this area as a destination until the first shovel turned over the dirt of what would become Wildlight.

Read the full article from The Florida Times-Union.

Turn on the alarm clocks, the lazy days of summer are winding down and a new school year is right around the corner. Bookbags are being packed. Pencils sharpened. First-day outfits picked out. The anticipation of brand new possibilities of a new school year are fresh in the air. 

Need a little help turning off summer mode and switching on the school-day routine? We’ve got you. Here’s how families at Wildlight are gearing up for the 2025-2026 year ahead. 

A+ Education, Just Steps from Home

At Wildlight, learning is woven into everyday life. We’re proud to be located in the A-rated Nassau County School District— ranked #1 in all of Florida. Talk about an A+ win for the community. 

Right here in Wildlight, our very own Trailblazers walk and bike on the 12+ miles of trails to Wildlight Elementary School. That means drop-off and pick-up are much easier. Parents appreciate the low teacher-to-student ratio. And kids love the playground and outdoor learning center that brings the nature part of our Town in Nature into their curriculum. 

Have a little one that’s not quite ready for elementary school? There’s two early learning centers in the community where curiosity leads the way. They’ll spend their days learning through play and exploring, adding educational fun into their schedules. 

Start School in Style 

A fresh school year means new friends, a new teacher and… new school supplies! Thanks to the Nassau County School District, all supply lists can be found on their handy website. Just filter for your school, print your list and head out to stores to find the supplies that match your personality, hobby or favorite color. And here’s a tip— the annual Back-to-School Tax Free holiday runs all of August. You’re welcome, parents!

And if your student wants to wait until the first bell rings to pick out that perfect folder or pencil pouch, we’ve got you covered. Back-to-Schoolapalooza returns to Tinker Street on Saturday, August 16th. There’ll be a foam party, custom water bottle stations, and plenty of chances to make this year feel extra special. The Wildlight YMCA and UF Health Wildlight will also be there helping families prepare for a healthy and happy season ahead. 

Have a few extra notebooks or crayons laying around the house? We’ll be collecting school supplies for Wildlight Elementary School classrooms. Look for the yellow donation bins! 

So long, summer 

Want to spend a few extra days out in nature before the school doors open? No problem. There’s still time for one last splash or two before the school routine kicks in. With four parks in the community, every parent and kiddo has something to look forward to. Like competitive pickleball games at Coin Toss Park to lounging at Waterbug Pool or kayaking Whistling Duck Pond. Which leads to our next question, does school really have to start?

Although the long days spent in the great outdoors are coming to an end, there’s always a reason to celebrate in Wildlight. After a long day of back to school shopping or even the first day of school, grab a sweet treat at Rita’s Ice at the Crossings at Wildlight. With a variety of delicious flavors to choose from, it’s the perfect way to erase the first day jitters. 

And parents, make sure to treat yourself too. Stop by Foxtail Coffee for a caffeinating cup of coffee after drop off or Bohemian Bull for enticing beer on the weekend. You deserve it.

Make it a great year  

Whether you’re sending your little one off for the first time or watching your senior enjoy their last “first day,” we’re cheering you on. Here’s to a year of bright possibilities, endless high-fives, and lots of gold stars. Go Wildlight Trailblazers!

NASSAU COUNTY, Fla. – The Nassau County School District made history in the 2024-2025 school year.

Based on the latest rankings released by the Florida Department of Education (FLDOE), Nassau County was ranked the number one school district in Florida, earning an “A” rating for every single school in the district.

Read the full article at News 4 Jax.