Florida Folk Festival: History in the Making!

Folk festivals are one of the most common ways to keep folk traditions alive. From dance, to music to food and arts, these social gatherings celebrate the past AND they also celebrate the future because they keep introducing people to folkways that could otherwise fade with time.

Take for example the upcoming Florida Folk Festival. Held May 28 - 30, 2010, this three day celebration offers people a chance to see Florida's particular expressions of folklore.

From Irish fiddle tunes and kumquat pie, to the wide varieties of music brought by immigrants, the state’s cultural heritage - now celebrating it's 58th year - reflects the lives of generations of Florida families and communities old and new.

Folk artists and tradition-bearers presented each year in the Folklife Area reflect research and field documentation conducted by the Florida Department of State’s Folklife Program. The Folklife Area celebrates the diverse cultures of Alachua County, located in the heart of north central Florida.

Activities include:
==A peek into decades of families earning a living catching catfish in local lakes using trotlines more than 2,000 feet long through the master fishing fly and artificial bait makers who will be on hand to show visitors their crafts.
== Gainesville’s vibrant Indian community's performance arts (music and dance).
== Traditional Cracker cowboy buckskin whip making by master artist-apprentice teams from Okeechobee and Orlando.
== Cowboys demonstrating roping and conduct a public roping contest each day for cowboys and cowgirls of all ages.

For a complete list of activities and complete schedule visit their website.