This past Saturday marked the 47th annual Springtime Tallahassee Festival. This year’s theme was “Sweet Home Tallahassee,”but even people from outside of the Tallahassee area are drawn to the event every year. Folks from numerous parts of Georgia and even Alabama come down to join in the excitement that this festival is known for. The festival is not just limited to adults – there is plenty for kids to enjoy. The event is all about tradition, and includes arts and crafts activities for families, live entertainment, a parade showcasing local talent, and delicious food vendors. The Grand Marshall of the parade was Andrew D. Gillum, a graduate of Florida A&M University who was elected in August 2014 to serve as Mayor of the City of Tallahassee. He serves as a board director for the Schott Foundation for Public Education and New World Foundation.
This year, for the first time ever, the event took place over the course of two days. Friday night included live music from popular country group the Eli Young Band in Kleman Park. This free event set up a fantastic and upbeat atmosphere for the start of the weekend festivities. Beer, wine, and food were sold at this Music Festival and Beer Garden affair where you could listen to the band sing hits like “Crazy Girl” and “Even If It Breaks Your Heart”. Mingling with celebrities has never been more laid-back! Starting the next morning at 9:00 a.m., the Grand Parade made its way down Monroe Street and ended at Madison Street. Several native Tallahassee groups provided modern music, choreographed dances, and bead tossing. Some highlights included a showcase of Tallahassee police and EMS, a car brigade led by Mr. and Mrs. Springtime Tallahassee, music performed by the Leon County High School Band, and hand crafted floats (built to look like pirate ships and tropical islands) to promote local Tallahassee businesses. Everyone in the parade was waving to the attendees, throwing beads to people in the crowds, and simply enjoying the pleasantly cool Tallahassee spring day.
After the parade finished up, crowds began to form around the over 100 food vendors in attendance. Many roads were blocked off for this area of the event so people could try out some of the best Tallahassee cuisine. Sweet treats like Nuberri Frozen Yogurt, grilled sweet corn on the cob, and savory grilled chicken kabobs were a few of the favorites for a quick bite. Live entertainment continued on Saturday afternoon from 12-5 with performances by the Second Time Arounders, the Michael Miller Band, the Young Actors Theatre, and the Tallahassee Ballet. The Jubilee in the Park was also comprised of a variety of local handmade goods, including some beautiful watercolor paintings of Tallahassee’s finest places to visit. The Children’s Park was open with pony rides, clowns, face painting booths, and sand art crafts. Each year the event brings together the best of the best homegrown businesses for everyone to relax and unwind while celebrating the start of spring. For more information about this parade and what you need to know about the next one, be sure to check out the Springtime Tallahassee website!