Once upon a time in 1967, Florida considered moving the capital city from Tallahassee to Orlando; however, many business and civic leaders disagreed and came up with a plan to preserve Tallahassee’s standing. That plan was known as the Springtime Festival and was meant to showcase how beautiful and special Tallahassee really was. Since the first appearance in 1968, the Springtime Festival has grown to be one of the largest parades in the southeast and has come to attract over 150,000 people.
Well, spring has sprung once again and so has the Springtime Festival for its fiftieth year. What better way to celebrate the spring season, as well as Tallahassee’s 50 years as Florida’s capital, than by indulging in a FREE two-day festival filled with food, live entertainment, parades and more!
Courtesy: tallahassee.com
Kick off the festival at 6 p.m. on April 6 by embracing the warm spring night and a need-to-see concert featuring Tallahassee’s very own Tobacco Rd Band, special guest performance Parmalee and American Idol Season 10 winner Scotty McCreery. Guests can unwind with a drink in the Budlight Beer Garden, satisfy their cravings in the delicious food offered from an amalgam of food vendors and dance the night away at the main stage on the Kleman Plaza until 10:30 p.m.
After the little taste of the festival on Friday night, be prepared to completely immerse yourself in the full day of events on Saturday, April 7, commencing at 9 a.m. The music continues throughout the day with live, local and regional musical performances on Jefferson and Adams Street as well as on the Community Stage in McCarty Park. There, guests can stroll around the streets from performance to performance experiencing the festival to its fullest.
Mingling with the musical performances will be the Jubilee in the Park that is woven throughout the downtown area. The Jubilee offers over 200 arts, craft and food vendors both local and regional for attendees. Guests can admire the displayed works and masterpieces of various artists and then head over to the “Flavor of Tallahassee” food court on Adams Street that features a plethora of international cuisines that will satisfy even the pickiest of eaters’ palate.
Courtesy: 850businessmagazine.com
The celebration of the arts continues with the Grand Parade from 10:30 a.m. until noon. With over 100 unique and colorful floats sporting marching bands, dance groups and more, the Grand Parade of the Springtime Festival has become one of the biggest parades in the Southeast. What were once just horse-drawn carriages during the early festivals have become spectacular visions of mechanics, colors and costumes. The parade winds its way through the Downtown area from Monroe Street past the capitol building and ends at Madison Street.
Courtesy: floridatravellife.com
Equipped with a countdown to the festival, historical background and much much more, the Springtime Tallahassee’s website is your go-to for anything and everything about the event or visit and follow the Facebook page for more information.