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The OLD FLORIDA FESTIVAL is designed to preserve and protect the local
traditions and folkways that are rapidly disappearing from our daily lives,
and to pass this important heritage to the next generation of citizens.
This colorful, living history event is a key part of the museum's educational
mission and has received high praise from local educators for its
interpretive quality, authenticity, hospitality and the overall excellence of
its presenters. Proceeds from the OLD FLORIDA FESTIVAL help to fund the
Museum "express" a highly successful Friends' program that
underwrites transportation costs for Collier County
students and enables classes to visit the Museum when no other funding
sources are available.
THEME
OLD FLORIDA FESTIVAL is a celebration
of 6000 years of South Florida history and
features a sampling of the people and events that have shaped our past.
OVERVIEW
The OLD FLORIDA FESTIVAL is
held on the grounds of the Collier
County Museum
on the last weekend of each March. The festival is open to the public from
10:00am to 5:00pm both Saturday and Sunday, rain or
shine. Approximately 5,000 to 6,000 visitors attend. A typical OLD FLORIDA
FESTIVAL consists of 70 or more participants arranged in historic
"camps" that portray a specific era in Florida history. Re-enactors and craft
workers provide continuous drills and demonstrations through first hand
impressions. Participants develop and display historical artifacts and
materials in their camps and encourage questions from the public. A growing
number of period vendors or sutlers also
attend, offering reproductions, art, food, gift items and historically
correct goods for sale. Participation in the event is by application and
invitation only.
ADMISSION
A small admission fee of $5 is charged for
adults, students $2, with children under 8 admitted free.
ORGANIZATION and CONTENT
The OLD FLORIDA FESTIVAL will be
arranged on the museum's festival grounds in distinctive groupings or camps
with each representing a particular cultural theme or era in Florida history.
FIRST FLORIDIANS
Dedicated to Southwest Florida's first
Native American cultures, the camp begins with an impression of the Paleoindians, stone-age man that first populated Florida. Pre-Columbian
Calusa Indians are portrayed by members of the
Heritage of the Ancient Ones. The grouping also includes early Creek and
Seminole Indians, as well as the lesser known Black Seminole.
SPANISH CONQUEST
Here, living historians recreate the
members of a 16th century Spanish expedition to Florida. Featured are crossbow and early
firearms demonstrations, repairing armor, and the typical camp life of a
garrison in the New World.
FLORIDA COLONIAL LIVING
The period 1700 to 1850 is
represented by Continental and British soldiers of the American Revolution,
Spanish colonists, militiamen from Fort Mose,
early American pioneers, colorful artisans, frontiersmen and townspeople.
Pirate gamesters demonstrate popular period games and tell about life aboard
an 18th century ship
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