|
WHITE SPRINGS – The Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s Florida
Park Service will host the 59th Annual Florida Folk Festival at Stephen Foster
Folk Culture Center State Park Memorial Day weekend, Friday, May 27, 2011
through Sunday, May 29, 2011. The Florida Folk Festival is the state’s premier
heritage event, celebrating Florida’s land, people and diverse culture.
Festivities will begin Friday at 6:30 p.m. on the banks of the Suwannee River
featuring a performance by Grammy Award-winning country artist Billy Dean.
Since 1953, folk artists and musicians have come to the Florida Folk Festival
to be part of one of the oldest state folk festivals in America. The 2011
Folklife Area by the Florida Department of State will celebrate the diverse
cultures of west Florida’s Panhandle region, including interpretation on the
region’s seafood heritage with presentations from oystermen, shrimpers and
fishermen. With a storytelling tent, three workshop tents to teach folk crafts
and customs like net making, traditional costume making and unique Florida
industries, the intense aromas of two food areas with rural foods to commercial
seafood stands and a dedicated dance stage, the folk festival offers the
traditional culture of all walks of life and regions of Florida.
The Festival features daily performances by native folk and roots artists;
including national recording artists, songwriters and musicians of swing, folk,
blues, gospel, country, Latin, jazz, bluegrass, Caribbean and zydeco. This year,
the Florida Folk Festival has more than 300 scheduled performances featuring
several stars, including Nashville recording artist Billy Dean, who will perform
on the main stage Friday night, and superstar John Anderson, who will take the
stage on Saturday night. Other highlighted performances include Ben Prestage,
Frank Thomas, The Morse Family, The Aaron O’Rourke Trio, Ariana Hall, Bullard
Brothers & Friends, Chuck Hardwicke & The Hart Line, Ellen & Gary Bukstel,
Jeanie Fitchen, Men of the House, Roadside Revue, Sam Pacetti, Tom Shed and the
SAIL High School Acoustic Ensemble.
Advance discount tickets for the Florida Folk Festival are on sale now
through May 20, 2011. Adult admission is $20 per day or $40 for the weekend if
bought in advance; and $25 per day or $50 for the weekend at the gate. Children
under six years of age are admitted free of charge. Ticket prices for children
between the ages of six and 16 for the weekend are $4 in advance or $5 at the
gate. Credit card purchases can be made by calling (877) 635-3655, weekdays,
9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
For more information, please visit
www.FloridaFolkFestival.com. For more
information on Florida state parks, visit
www.FloridaStateParks.org.
The Festival will take place:
Friday, May 27 through Sunday, May 29, 2011
Open daily at 8:00 a.m.
Opening
Ceremonies at 6:30 p.m. Friday
Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park
11016 Lillian Saunders Drive
White Springs, Florida | 
2012 State of Florida