May 1, 2015 Florida State Parks Newsletter

The Florida Folk Festival is held at Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park.

For 63 consecutive years, visitors have gathered at Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park in White Springs to enjoy the sounds of Florida’s greatest folk and roots artists. Regarded as one of the top 20 events in the southeast, the festival features many of the best genres in music including swing, folk, blues, gospel, country, Latin, jazz, bluegrass, Caribbean and zydeco sounds. The three-day celebration of music, dance, stories, crafts, food and culture highlight Florida’s heritage.

The festival takes place Memorial Day weekend, May 22 through 24, with more than 300 performances to offer voices and meaning to Florida’s heritage. On Saturday, May 23, the evening air will be filled with the sounds of country rock performers and headliners Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. Founded in California in 1965, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band has stood the test of time, releasing hit songs including “Fishin’ in the Dark” and “Mr. Bojangles,” earning them multiple Grammy and Country Music Association awards and nominations. This is a performance that you, your family and friends will not want to miss.

Tickets are available and can be purchased by visiting the tickets page. Prices range from free for children under six to $60.00 for the entire weekend for adults. Find more information including other activities you and your family can participate in, as well as the many types of Florida foods being offered by visiting The Florida Folk Festival Homepage.

Gathering hands at Oscar Scherer State Park.

On Saturday, May 16, children of all ages will flock to parks around the nation for Kids to Parks Day. Organized by the National Park Trust in cooperation with multiple local and national sponsors, the nationwide day of play focuses on educating and preparing the next generation of park stewards for the future of our nation’s treasured parks.

The National Park Trust encourages parents and their children to purchase a “Buddy Bison” plush toy before Kids to Parks Day. When you buy a “Buddy Bison,” you are assisting with sending another student to a park and benefiting the Kids to Parks National Scholarship Fund. Get your “Buddy Bison” in advance and send photos of you and your friend as you explore the nation’s parks for a chance to be featured on the National Park Trust’s Kids to Parks Day website. Also, you can visit the website and take a pledge to participate in Kids to Parks Day. More than 212,000 kids have already taken the pledge to celebrate the day.

On this year’s Kids to Parks Day, the Florida Park Service invites kids and their families to join us at any one of our 171 state parks or trails to celebrate the nationwide day of play. Four Florida state parks are offering events geared towards families. Children ages 12 years and older are invited to Oscar Scherer State Park in Osprey from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. for a fun, family-oriented Stand-Up Paddle Board Demonstration. Facilitated by a qualified instructor, the demonstration will host an assortment of paddle boards for every skill level. If your children are too young to attend the paddle board demonstration, bring them to the Nature Center at Oscar Scherer from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. for a Critter Crafts for Kids activity.

From 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., Fort Clinch State Park in Fernandina Beach will partner with Fish Florida, the Friends of Fort Clinch, Inc. and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to conduct a Kids’ Fishing Clinic for children ages five to 15. The first 500 children to arrive will have the opportunity to take home their own rod and reel to continue their fishing practices, and a free hot dog lunch will be provided to every participant. 

Jonathan Dickinson State Park in Hobe Sound will also be offering a Family Adventure Program from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., where families can participate in one of their many family-friendly activities. Contact the Kimbell Education Center at 561-745-5551 in advance to find out which activity they will be presenting on Kids to Parks Day.

Florida State Parks looks forward to seeing all the kids at the parks on May 16, so pledge now and purchase your “Buddy Bison” and get ready for a fun-filled day of outdoor play.

Memorial Day is Monday, May 25

~Join Florida State Parks for the annual day of remembrance.~