April 1, 2015 Florida State Parks Newsletter

Silver Springs State Park Azaleas by the Spring

Florida Department of Environmental Protection

April 1, 2015 Newsletter

Earth Day is April 22

~Celebrate Earth Day by helping to keep Florida State Parks clean this April.~   

Henderson Beach State Park sunset

A sunset at Henderson Beach State Park.

This April 22 marks the 45th anniversary of Earth Day, which was established in 1970 as a civic campaign to promote environmental stewardship and sustainability. More than one billion people in 192 countries participate in Earth Day activities each year, and Florida State Parks are proud to join these efforts.

While many parks are hosting individual events, including coastal cleanups and Earth Day celebrations, Florida State Parks encourages visitors to constantly promote a concern and care for the environment. Become active in your local environmental groups or look for events on FloridaStateParks.org that encourage cleanups, removal of invasive species or recycling.

Below is a list of Earth Day events and volunteer opportunities around the state during April:

The Wakulla Wildlife Festival is April 18

~Celebrate wildlife at Wakulla Springs State Park during Wings Over Wakulla.~

Wings Over Wakulla Poster

Wakulla Wildlife Festival: Wings Over Wakulla.

On Sat. April 18, visitors and locals are invited to Edward Ball Wakulla Springs State Park’s annual Wakulla Wildlife Festival. This year’s theme is “Wings Over Wakulla” in an effort to promote and celebrate the area’s wildlife. The festival is geared for children, but is also perfect for the inner child in all of us. The event will begin at 10:00 a.m. and will feature local musicians, children's activities and wildlife exhibitions.

The Apalachee Audubon Society will attend the celebration and feature presentations and activities to keep children entertained and educated. Author Susan Cerulean will be speaking and The St. Francis Wildlife Association will have winged ambassadors participating in special presentations.

Tours throughout the day, including a Sunrise Serenity Cruise, a River Road Neo-Tropical Birding Tour and a Nature Photography boat tour, will be available at additional costs. Learn more about the festival, activities and tours by visiting the Wakulla Wildlife Festival site.

Join Us for the 25th Anniversary for SportsAbility

~Celebrate active leisure for life with SportsAbility.~   

SportsAbility Participants

Participants at the SportsAbility event in 2014.

This April, people with disabilities will celebrate the 25th anniversary of SportsAbility and the Americans with Disabilities Act with family and friends. SportsAbility offers people of all abilities chances to remain active and participate in life enriching, recreational activities. The program is hosted by the Florida Disabled Outdoors Association (FDOA) and is funded through partnerships, including Tallahassee Community College, Florida State Parks, Community Health Service Partnership and many more.

The event kicks off on Thurs. April 9 at 6:00 p.m., with a game of adaptive baseball at the Miracle Field in Messer Park in Tallahassee. Friday’s activities will feature accessible indoor games, entertainment, demonstrations and a Resource Expo beginning at 10:00 a.m. at the Tallahassee Community College Lifetime Sports Complex. On Sat. April 11, participants will travel to Ochlockonee River State Park for a day of fun, recreational activities, including sit water-skiing, kayaking, sailing, archery, swimming, boat rides, horseback riding and more.

Participants of all ages and abilities are welcome to attend the event. The SportsAbility event offers chances for families and friends to recreate together and assistive equipment is available for participants to focus on what they can do, while promoting positive health and wellness. Learn more by visiting the FDOA SportsAbility site.

Florida Folk Festival Tickets are On Sale

~Buy your tickets for the Memorial Day weekend event.~

Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park Florida Folk Festival

Florida Folk Festival Logo.

On May 22, visitors from all around the southeast with join together at Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park for the 63rd Annual Florida Folk Festival. Regarded as one of the top 20 events in the southeast, the festival features the best of Florida’s music, arts and culture and is the perfect Memorial Day weekend event for visitors of all ages. Since 1953, folk artists have come together for the festival and this year will feature more than 300 performances from Florida’s greatest folk and root artists. Genres will include swing, folk, blues, gospel, country, Latin, jazz, bluegrass, Caribbean and zydeco music from many of Florida’s national recording artists, songwriters and musicians.

Tickets are on sale now at the Florida Folk Festival page. Admission for children ranges from free to $5.00 for the three day weekend, while adults can buy tickets in advance for $50.00 for the weekend. The page also offers lodging options, directions, participant information, history of the event and more. You do not want to miss this event, so buy your tickets now to ensure a wonderful Memorial Day weekend for your family and friends.

 
 

Fun Dates in April

  • Wed. April 1 - Fun Day and April Fool's Day
  • Fri. April 3 - Find a Rainbow Day and Passover
  • Sun. April 5 - Easter
  • Wed. April 8 - Draw a Picture of a Bird Day
  • Tues. April 14 - Dolphin Day
  • Wed. April 15 - Microvolunteering Day
  • Sun. April 19 - Bicycle Day
  • Wed. April 22 - Earth Day
  • Sat. April 25 - Go Birding and International Astronomy Day

Upcoming Special Events

Other Important News

Mobile App for Smartphones

Plan your state park adventures using the new Pocket Ranger® app for your smartphone. The FREE Florida State Parks Pocket Ranger® mobile app is available now on iTunes, Android Market and PocketRanger.com

Shop Online

Purchase a souvenir of your visit to Florida State Parks online. Our online store will help you purchase shirts, water bottles, backpacks and more. Shop.FloridaStateParks.org

https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/FLDEP/bulletins/faca97