Robert, Author at Robert Redd Historian & Author

Posted on February 19, 2025 by Robert — Leave a comment

The Best Events and Festivals in Florida March 2025

Are you searching for the best events and festivals in Florida in March 2025? Thanks for visiting. Please use the links below to find fun events for all ages.

Florida hosts some amazing events and festivals. Each month I hope to take a look at a dozen or so of these in hopes of bringing you fun, exciting, and unexpected ways to enjoy our state.

If you have an event or know of one coming up that you feel should be highlighted, please drop me a line with as much information as you can, including a website. I’ll be glad to include your suggestions in future posts. Maybe we can work together and put together a promotional post for your event.

I have listed events in date order.

This post may contain affiliate links. If you click these links and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. This commission does not affect any price that you pay. Affiliate programs or sponsors providing products do not influence my views and opinions.

February 28 through March 9 84th Annual Bike Week Daytona Beach

Come to Daytona Beach and celebrate the 84th annual Bike Week. It’s a week of riding and enjoying life. There are plenty of restaurants, bars, shopping, people watching opportunities, and attractions to keep you busy for the entire event.

March 1 Habitat Ocala Strawberry Festival Ocala

The 11th annual Habitat Ocala Strawberry Festival is coming to the McPherson complex on Saturday, March 1, 2025. The festival begins at 9 am with FREE admission and ends at 5 pm. Volunteers from Marion Therapeutic Riding Association (MTRA) will assist with traffic control and parking for the festival. Proceeds collected from parking ($5 per vehicle) will benefit the Marion Therapeutic Riding Association and Habitat for Humanity of Marion County. The festival starts with over 235 unique and exciting vendors, a kid’s zone with a petting zoo, strawberry food items that melt in your mouth, a bigger-than-ever car show with cool cars, trucks, and motorcycles, a pie-eating contest, a BMX show, and a variety of live entertainment throughout the day.

March 7 through 9 Swamp Fest Weeki Wachee Spring Hill

The website is pretty vague as to what this event is.

100+ vendors, entertainment, food, swamp monster contest. $5 admission.

NO PETS!

March 8 and 9 South Florida Food Fest & Craft Fair Boca Raton

Two Day Event, from Noon – 8 PM on Saturday, March 8th and 11 AM – 6 PM on Sunday, March 9th, 2025 at South County Regional Park, Boca Raton FL! (Near Sunset cove amphitheater)
South Florida’s most diverse Food Festival featuring EVENT SPECIAL A LA CARTE TASTING MENUS priced at only $1-$5 per item, offering you the opportunity to sample a vast variety of all the best from South Florida and Beyond all in one place!
HUGE CRAFT FAIR Marketplace featuring Local Businesses, Crafters, Artists, Specialty Artisans, and Activities.
Large variety of Alcohol, including domestic and craft beers, hard seltzer, specialty cocktails, and Non-Alcoholic Beverages!
free kid zone with obstacle courses and bounce houses
Enjoy live contests and prizes hosted by our MC, plus thrilling games like axe throwing and so much more!

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March 8 and 9 Tarpon Springs Fine Arts Festival

The 49th Tarpon Springs Fine Arts Festival, which is located in beautiful Craig Park , offers more than 150 exhibiting artists, selected by a Jury of discriminating art professionals.

Visitors enjoy a full schedule of music, sample craft beers, and taste a variety of crowd-pleasing international foods.

No pets!

March 16 Destin Mac & Cheese Festival

Thought macaroni and cheese was just for kids? Think again! Join us at the 7th Annual Mac & Cheese Festival presented by Cox & Publix Charities on Sunday, March 16th, 2025 at the Destin Commons! This family-friendly event will feature gourmet, chef-inspired twists on the South’s favorite comfort food. Local restaurants will compete for the best mac in town. Be there to sample everything for yourself and cast your vote!

Adult tickets start at $40 each in advance and increase on the day of the event so this is not a cheap event.

March 14 and 15 Clewiston Sugar Festival

SOMETHING FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY

Our family-friendly event has various attractions for people of all ages! Some people are drawn to our car show and antique tractor display, others to the free kids play park and gator wrestling show, and some just love to watch local performers on the community stage.

The event is free.

March 21 through 23 Spring Turkey Run Daytona Beach

A car enthusiasts dream come true.

Over 2,000 vendors are anticipated for the Swap meet, over 5,000 show cars, car corral, and so much more. Everything possible from the finest of show cars to parts to your very own restoration project.

$15 admission on Friday and Saturday, $10 on Sunday.

March 22 and 23 Wellington Bacon and Bourbon Fest

Bacon and bourbon! Do I have to say more?

The two-day event features artist & crafters, an eclectic menu of bacon infused culinary delights and a collection of over 30+ bourbons and whiskeys for your tasting pleasure. For those of you whom cannot be convinced to partake in Bourbon, we will have a full liquor bar, wine, and ice-cold beer too.

Our menu of bacon and pork related dishes will include the sublime Forever Roasted Bourbon BBQ Pork & Bacon Sandwich to the insane candied bacon on a stick and other amazing desserts. Menu items developed by local chefs explore the boundaries of New American Cuisine and good old-fashioned comfort foods, just like Mom used to make!

Free admission. There is a cost for food and drinks. See the menu on the website.

No pets. No outside food or drink.

March 29 Railroad Day Festival and Car Show Callahan

This 20th annual celebration is an all-day event held in and around the historic 1881 Callahan Train Depot, the adjoining 1856 Florida Railroad bed and inside the Depot Museum. Callahan Cruisers will host the classic car show next door to the historic depot at Cochrane’s Collision Center.

There will be arts/crafts vendors, food vendors, local live entertainment, and the kids area will include Joel Pace hands-on music zoo and a scavenger hunt. Various citizens and sponsors will be honored and car show and contest winners announced during the festivities. Antique machines, tractors, and scaled trains will be exhibited outside the depot while model train layouts will be on display inside the Depot Annex.

This is an outdoor event so please bring your lawn chairs. Admission is free and open to the public but donations are always gladly accepted.

March 29 and 30 St. Augustine Lions Seafood Festival

$10 admission and everything looks to be al a carte pricing, in addition.

Live music, games, fire trucks, face painting, arts and crafts village, plant sale, rock wall, $5 entry for the 50/50 drawing, and more. Oh, and plenty of food to purchase.

No pets, no outside food or drinks, no coolers.

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Posted on February 7, 2025 by Robert — Leave a comment

Great Floridians 2000 General Edmund Kirby Smith and Frances Kirby Smith

The Great Floridians 2000 program recognizes individuals who distinguished themselves through their philanthropy, public service, or personal or professional service, and who have enhanced the lives of Florida’s citizens. The Great Floridians 2000 program honors General Edmund Kirby Smith and Frances Kirby Smith.

Members of the public nominated individuals by submitting a Great Floridians 2000 application to the state. The Great Floridians 2000 Committee, a group of seven distinguished historians from throughout Florida, was responsible for periodically reviewing and approving applications.

The program began in 1998 and was completed in 2000.

The distinctive blue plaques honor the men and women in the program. Plaques are attached to buildings or structures in the cities where the designee left their mark. The plaques do not contain biographical information. Many plaques have been removed and are no longer on display.

The official biographies published as part of the Great Floridians 2000 program are shown below. The information published by the state may or may not be accurate.

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General Edmund Kirby Smith

Confederate General Edmund Kirby Smith courtesy Library of Congress

General Edmund Kirby Smith, was born in 1824 in St. Augustine, graduated from West Point in 845 and served in the army during the Mexican War. He resigned from the U. S. Army to join the Confederacy. He served under generals Joseph Johnston, Gustave Beauregard and Braxton Bragg and was instrumental in Confederate success at the First Battle of Bull Run in Virginia.

In 1863, he was promoted to Lieutenant General commanding the Trans-Mississippi Department, the highest-ranking Confederate officer in the western campaign. On May 26, 1865, he surrendered his troops, the last major Confederate army to surrender. Following the war, Kirby Smith served as president of a telegraph company, then of the Western Military Academy in Nashville, and became a mathematics teacher at the University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee. General Edmund Kirby Smith died in 893, the last surviving full general of either army.

His Great Floridian plaque is located at the Sequi-Kirby Smith House, 12 Aviles Street, St. Augustine.

St. Augustine and the Civil War book cover — St. Augustine and the Civil War

I recommend my book, St. Augustine and the Civil War if you are interested in the role of St. Augustine during the Civil War. Signed copies are available directly from my shop. You may also purchase copies through Amazon. Use THIS LINK to find other histories of St. Augustine.

Frances Kirby Smith

Frances Kirby Smith, born in 1785, was St. Augustine’s most successful Confederate spy. Though born in Connecticut, she and her husband Judge Joseph Lee Smith moved to St. Augustine about 1820. For months before and during the Union occupation of Fort Marion (Castillo de San Marcos) she orchestrated the transport of mail to Confederate troops. At the same time, she entertained Union officers and learned of planned maneuvers, passing the knowledge to the Confederate Army. In the spring of 1863, the federal government ordered the removal of Southern sympathizers from their homes. After the war Smith returned to St. Augustine and lived for another decade, a Confederate supporter until the end. Francis Kirby Smith died in 1875.

Her Great Floridian plaque is located at the Sequi-Kirby Smith House, 12 Aviles Street, St. Augustine.

The distinctive blue Great Floridians 2000 markers may be see at the Segui-Kirby Smith House, located at 12 Aviles Street, in St. Augustine.

General Edmund Kirby Smith is buried in the University of the South Cemetery, located in Sewanee, TN. An online memorial can be found HERE.

Frances Kirby Smith is buried in the Huguenot Cemetery in St. Augustine, FL, located adjacent to the Visitor’s Center. An online memorial can be found HERE.

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This post may contain affiliate links. If you click these links and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. This commission does not affect any price that you pay. Affiliate programs or sponsors who provide products do not influence the views and opinions shared in this blog.

Posted on January 26, 2025January 24, 2025 by Robert — Leave a comment

The Best Events and Festivals in Florida February 2025

Are you searching for the best events and festivals in Florida in February 2025? Thanks for visiting. Please use the links below to find fun events for all ages.

Florida hosts some amazing events and festivals. Each month I hope to take a look at a dozen or so of these in hopes of bringing you fun, exciting, and unexpected ways to enjoy our state.

I have listed events in date order.

This post may contain affiliate links. If you click these links and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. This commission does not affect any price that you pay. Affiliate programs or sponsors providing products do not influence my views and opinions.

February 1 and 2 South Florida Garlic Fest Wellington

Eat, drink & STINK with us at Village of Wellington Amphitheater! It all started out as a small festival in a city parking lot in Downtown Delray Beach just as this Village by the Sea was becoming the vibrant tourist destination it is today. Within five years the event gained attendance of 20,000+ and was booking major national music acts! Around that time, The Garlic Fest was nicknamed “The Best Stinkin’ Party in South Florida”.
Garlic Fest is a community celebration of food, music, and art.

NOW FOR ALL THE THINGS YOU CAN’T DO!!!! User friendly evet this is not.

No Pets • No Coolers • No Outside Food or Beverages • No Refunds • All Bags are Subject to Search • No Knives, Guns or Weapons. All sales are final. No refunds will be issued. Event is rain or shine. All sales are final and are valid for day of selected purchase.

February 7 through 9 Everglades Seafood Festival Everglades City

Celebrate with us as we mark our 55th year! Enjoy three days of live country music, carnival rides, arts, crafts, and tantalizing seafood, right here in the Stone Crab Capital of the World.

Friday admission with a canned food donation. Saturday and Sunday are a $10 minimum per person donation for admission. Rides and food are available for purchase. Cash only so be prepared.

NO PETS, LAWN CHAIRS, OR COOLERS!!!!

February 8 and 9 Tallahassee Highland Games

Watch some of the United States strongest athletes compete in sporting events dating back to the 11th century, when King Malcolm III summoned his countrymen to compete in a foot race that would determine who would become his royal messenger.

Bring your folding chair but don’t bring pets, outside food, outside drinks, or anything illegal.

Admission is $20 per day. There does not appear to be a multi-day discount. Several VIP options are available. Whiskey tasting experiences are available at $65 per person. Get your tickets online.

February 15 Bonita Brew Fest

The 9th Annual Bonita Brew Fest, held at Riverside Park, offers the perfect environment to explore new styles and find your next favorite brew. There will be a variety of craft beers, hard ciders and mead available to tempt your palate. Plus, we will have a variety of Food Trucks onsite with their cuisine available for purchase. Enjoy live music! Bonita Brew Fest is hosted by the Southwest Florida Brew Crafters with proceeds to benefit the Bonita Springs Historical Society.

Only 1800 General Admission Tickets and 150 VIP Tickets will be sold. Tickets are available online and cost $18-$85. No refunds, this is a rain or shine event.

No children, toddlers in strollers, pets – no one under 21 will be admitted

February 15 Vero Beach Blues Festival

A unique 2 day music festival experience combining the love of Blues & Blues Rock music talent on stage along with delicious foods, beer & full liquor bars and an amazing weekend to remember with friends and family. 10 bands on the blues stage with professional sound and lighting.

More Incredible Food, Adult Beverages and Outstanding Live Music Than Should Be Allowed on the Treasure & Space Coast!

Plus 100 Marketplace Vendors in the Middle of the Event! Stroll through the isle-ways of arts & crafts and local business vendors with a cold beer or cocktail! Expect the unexpected in the Vendor Marketplace!

Open Day and Night at the festival.

Get your tickets online. Be sure to see the festival dos and don’ts.

February 16 Daytona 500

The Daytona 500 is the iconic 500-mile NASCAR Cup Series season-opener held annually at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. Considered the most prestigious and important race in NASCAR, the Daytona has opened the NASCAR season every February since 1982. It is one of two Cup Series races held yearly at Daytona, with the second – a 400-mile event – as the last race of the 2025 regular-season.

Tickets for this event will be hard to come by. Try Ticket Network for guaranteed authentic resale tickets at the best price. See their FAQ Page for details. See also their Policies page for information on refunds, cancelled events, etc.

February 22 Tampa Taco Fest

Enjoy Tampa’s best tacos from 30+ local food vendors, refreshing margaritas and live entertainment at Tampa Taco Fest on Saturday, February 22, 2025 at Al Lopez Park.

Tacos, margarita bar, live bands, and more. It’s a great day for the whole family, including your family dog. THIS IS A DOG FRIENDLY EVENT!

VIP early bird admission prices start at $40 per person.

General admission prices start at $7 per person if purchased ahead of time. $12 at the gate.

No outside food or drinks allowed. Vendors may or may not accept cards so bringing cash is advisable. This event will be held rain or shine.

February 22 and 23 Swamp Cabbage Festival LaBelle

Join us the last full weekend of February, in Barron Park, Downtown LaBelle to enjoy a day of Live Entertainment, Food, and FUN!!!

There is very little information on their website.

February 21 and 22 Sandestin Gumbo and Bloody Mary Festival

Gumbo or Bloody Marys? Live Music or Kids Activities? Whatever your preference, the Sandestin Gumbo Festival has it all! One of the most beloved winter food events on the Emerald Coast, this lively two-day festival in The Village of Baytowne Wharf will leave you full, happy, and wanting more! Enjoy live music, family-friendly fun, and the greatest gumbo cook-off on the Gulf Coast.

Check the website for ticket information.

February 22 and 23 Space Coast Key Lime Pie Festival Viera

The Space Coast Key Lime Pie Festival is a weekend, outdoor, family festival, designed to create an environment for people to enjoy affordable, healthy and wholesome fun. In Florida, we like to celebrate the things that make the Sunshine State unique. Citrus, eccentrics, people & pie. Our outdoor celebrations are fun & unforgettable. Our people are too. Come on down to Florida – the birthplace of Key Lime Pie for a little taste and you’ll see what we mean.

The Space Coast Key Lime Pie Festival is expected to host over 150 exhibitors, representing all types of art and craft media.

Buy your tickets at the gate. Cash only, ATM on site. Includes all day access from open to close. Need to leave the park? No problem, simply show your hand stamp issued at the entrance gate for re-entry.

Adults:
$7 per person, per day on Saturday and Sunday. 10 am until 6 pm
Children under the age of 2 receive FREE admission.
Parking $5 per vehicle.
Fair rides tickets available inside the fair.

This post may contain affiliate links. If you click these links and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. This commission does not affect any price that you pay. Affiliate programs or sponsors providing products do not influence my views and opinions.

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Posted on January 24, 2025 by Robert — Leave a comment

Great Floridians 2000 Albin Polasek

The program began in 1998 and was completed in 2000.

The official biographies published as part of the Great Floridians 2000 program are shown below. The information published by the state may or may not be accurate.

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Albin Polasek

Albin Polasek was born in 879 in Frenstat, Moravia (now part of the Czech Republic) and arrived in America in 1901. He attended the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and the American Academy in Rome, and was recognized with awards, prizes and scholarships. In 1916 he became the first head of the Department of Sculpture at the Art Institute of Chicago. Polasek visited friends in Winter Park and decided to purchase property. He became associated with the community’s social, educational and cultural life. Some of his best-known Winter Park sculptures include “Victory of Moral Law,” “Ascended Christ,” “Man Reaching for the Moon,” “The Nativity,” and “Emily.” More than 400 of his works are displayed in American and European collections with the largest single collection in Winter Park.

Albin Polasek died in 1965. His Great Floridian plaque is located at the Albin Polasek Museum and Sculpture Garden (Albin Polasek House), 633 Osceola Avenue, Winter Park.

Polasek is buried at Palm Cemetery in Winter Park, FL. An online memorial may be found HERE.

Brief Biographical Information courtesy Florida Memory

Portrait of Czech-American sculptor Albin Polasek. 1927 (circa). State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory. <https://www.floridamemory.com/items/show/271874>, accessed 24 January 2025.

Born on February 14, 1879 in Frenstat, Moravia, now part of the Czech Republic. After serving as an apprentice woodcarver, at age 22 he immigrated to the U.S., following his two brothers, both priests, to Minnesota. Served nearly 30 years as head of the sculpture department for the Art Institute of Chicago before retiring to Winter Park, Florida in 1949. In 1961, Polasek married Emily Muska Kubat. The couple set up the Albin Polasek Foundation and transformed the Polasek’s home into the Albin Polasek Museum and Sculpture Gardens, which remains one of Florida’s most popular cultural attractions. He died on May 19, 1965. Posthumously inducted into the Florida Artists Hall of Fame in 2004.

I hope you have enjoyed my post on the Great Floridians 2000 Albin Polasek of Winter Park, Florida. Please see my other Great Floridians 2000 posts HERE.

This post may contain affiliate links. If you click these links and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. This commission does not affect any price that you pay. Affiliate programs or sponsors who provide products do not influence the views and opinions shared in this blog.

Posted on January 18, 2025February 25, 2025 by Robert — Leave a comment

Books I Read in 2025

Books I Read in 2025 jumps on the recent bandwagon of sharing (bragging really) about the number of books a person has read during a year. Many of the numbers I have seen for 2024 seem highly suspect. Of course, if a reader is reading short, fluff fiction and has no job, I suppose reading 150+ books a year could be possible. Should quantity be the goal rather than quality? I think not, but for many readers it’s a chance to brag about a high (and to me pointless) number.

Criteria

For the purposes of this exercise, I will be including books I have physically read whether an actual book or electronic, AND books I have listened to through Audible. I am not going to argue the semantics of what reading is. Reading and listening ARE different, however does it really matter in the mid of the consumer. I drive an hour and a half to two hours per day round trip to work and back. Often times it’s the only chance I have to get through certain books. I may not be reading in the traditional sense, but I feel it’s worth including these titles as long as they are unabridged. If it’s abridged, I will note that.

Please remember, books on this list are not all that I read. I read portions of (but seldom full) MA Thesis and Ph.D. Dissertations, numerous academic journal articles, dozens of mainstream magazine articles, and literally hundreds, if not thousands, of historic newspaper articles throughout the year.

Goals

I suppose an exercise such as this should include a goal. Let’s set it ridiculously high (remember, I read non-fiction almost exclusively, much of it academic in nature, and it just takes longer than reading most NYT bestselling fiction.) In addition, I am not a fast reader. I never have been. Let’s have a goal of 52 books; one per week. Realistically, let’s stick to 26; one every other week. Maybe with some effort I will surprise all of us.

Listing Methodology

I will be listing books and authors, most of which will have a link for you to learn more and purchase if you so desire. I may say something briefly about the book, especially if I really liked it. Or didn’t. If I post a separate book review, I will provide a link to that. Unless noted, these are the physical book. Books will be listed in the order read and not in alphabetical order by author or title. I may or may not own copies of these books.

And without further ado, lets kick off Books I Read in 2025!

January

Destination Dixie: Tourism & Southern History edited by Karen Cox.

Unfortunately, this was not quite what I thought it was going to be and so it took a while longer to read than if I had enjoyed it more.

The Bookshop: A History of the American Bookstore written by Evan Friss. Listened to using Audible.

America’s Alligator: A Popular History of Our Most Celebrated Reptile written by Doug Alderson

Dusty Booze: In Search of Vintage Spirits written by Aaron Goldfarb. Listened to using Audible.

No matter what they say, or how the author tries his hardest to portray them, these people are about two things, money and fame. They came off very unlikable to me.

February

Disney’s Land: Walt Disney and the Invention of the Amusement Park that Changed the World written by Richard Snow. Listened to using Audible.

A fascinating look at the creation of the California park that launched all the Disney theme parks we know today. We meet an interesting cast of characters (see what I did there) and learn of the financial struggles, the innovations, the highs, and the lows, as Disney and his team brought Disneyland to life.

Into Thin Air written by Jon Krakauer. Read using Kindle.

100 Things to Do in St. Augustine Before You Die written by Amy Angelilli.

Read as part of research for a similar book I am writing in the 100 Things series. Look for it in 2026.

Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland written by Patrick Radden Keefe. Listened to using Audible.

So far, the best book I have read this year. By far.

March

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Posted on January 15, 2025 by Robert — Leave a comment

University Press of Florida Spring 2025 Catalog

The University Press of Florida has released its Spring and Summer 2025 Catalog.

The University Press of Florida is releasing many interesting titles in the first six months of 2025. Nothing in the military history category this go around and some might argue it’s a bit light on Florida titles. Scholars specializing in Latin American history will find plenty of titles to select from.

A few random samplings are listed below with purchase links.

Modern Art in 1940s Cuba: Havana’s Artists, Critics, and Exhibitions July 2025

Providing the first comprehensive history of modern Cuban art during the 1940s, this book contextualizes the artistic practices, values, and contributions of the first and second generations of avant-garde artists on the island within the framework of the nation’s only democratic period.

Welcome to Florida: True Tales from America’s Most Interesting State March 2025

In Welcome to Florida, award-winning investigative journalist and New York Times bestselling author Craig Pittman introduces readers to the people, creatures, places, and issues that make up the Florida of today. Through lively stories told with cutting insight and always with a joke at the ready, Pittman captures the heart of what he calls “The Most Interesting State.”

The First Hollywood: Florida and the Golden Age of Silent Filmmaking written by Shawn C. Bean. March 2025

In 1908, New York-based Kalem Studios sent its first crew to Jacksonville. By 1914, fifteen major companies—including Fox and Metro Pictures—had set up shop there. Oliver Hardy, D. W. Griffith, Mary Pickford, and the Barrymores all made movies in the Florida sunshine. In total, nearly 300 films, including the first Technicolor picture ever made, were completed in Jacksonville by 1928.

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Posted on January 10, 2025January 24, 2025 by Robert — Leave a comment

Florida Surfing History References With Links

If you are wanting to learn the history of Florida Surfing you have come to the right spot. Here you will find references and links that will help you trace the origin of surfing in the Sunshine State. So, come along and learn by following my Florida Surfing History References.

This project is a work in progress. You no doubt know of other resources that should be included. Drop me a line with information and the link so that I can update this page periodically.

Books

Aho, Paul. Surfing Florida: A Photographic History. Gainesville: University Press of Florida. 2014.

Camp, Hunter. The Glide: Confessions of a Florida Surfer. Self Published. 2022.

Cumiskey, Kate. Surfing in New Smyrna Beach. Charleston, Arcadia Publishing. 2010. (Click the link or image to order your own copy of this terrific book.)

Nawrocki, Robert F., editor. “Surf Culture Saint Augustine.” El Escribano: The St. Augustine Journal of History. St. Augustine: St. Augustine Historical Society. 2021.

Miscellaneous

Florida Surfboard Exchange--A Facebook group for buying and selling surf equipment.

Jimmy Lane Surfing Academy- the Jimmy Lane Surfing Academy has been New Smyrna Beach’s premier surf school, with private lessons, spring and summer camps, and group classes for all skill levels and ages for years. Learn from the best.

Ron Jon Surf Shop–with multiple locations and billboards throughout Florida, this is one of the iconic surf shops in the world.

Smyrna Surfari Club-Founded in 1979, this club provides college scholarship money with funds raised through an annual surfing tournament.

Surfing Santas is an annual Cocoa Beach event which features hundreds of surfing Santa Claus’s and thousands of spectators each Christmas Eve day. Funds raised benefit the local community. Surfing Santas has raised more than $100,000 over the years.

**Shop Fat Boy Surf Club today!** Shirts, hoodies, hats, and more. Casual surf gear for EVERYONE. Click the link or the image to order.

Museums and Exhibits

East Coast Surfing Hall of Fame 210 2nd Avenue #30 Asbury Park, NJ 07712

Florida Surf Museum 4275 N. Atlantic Avenue Cocoa Beach, FL 32931

New Smyrna Museum of History hosts the New Smyrna Beach Museum of East Coast Surfing 120 Sams Avenue New Smyrna Beach, FL 32168

Hawaii Magazine coverFlorida Surfing References — Plan your Hawaii getaway and catch amazing waves. **Click to subscribe** to Hawaii Magazine at a great price.

Oral and Video History

Florida Surf Film Festival– showing the best surf films and documentaries from around the world

St. Augustine Historical Society. Surf Oral History Collection.

Vintage Florida Surfing–YouTube Channel devoted to Florida surfing videos

Web Sites and Posts

American Surf Magazine highlights Surfing St. Augustine in a 2023 article.

Central Florida Surfing--A Facebook group

Central Florida Surfing Photos--A Facebook group

Florida Atlantic University online exhibition: Surfing Florida: A Photographic History. Also see HERE.

Florida Frontiers radio program, hosted by the Florida Historical Society, offers “Surfin’ FLA: Celebrating Surfing in Cocoa Beach and the Sunshine State.”

The Orange County Regional History Center has an interesting post on Pat O’Hare: Shaping Cocoa Beach Surf History.

St. Augustine Historical Society Blog Page. THIS LINK will take you to their blog page and I have used the term SURF as the search word. Some of these posts are definitely surfing related while some may not be. You may wish to try other terms in the search box on their page.

St. Augustine Surf Culture and History Museum, an online offering from the St. Augustine Historical Society, is packed with photos, articles, oral histories, and more.

Surf 64 documents the days of surfing that were recorded on 8mm film.

Surfing Florida: A Photographic History–A non active Facebook page.

Surfing Florida Museum-Is an online project founded in 2008 with a mission “To preserve and exhibit the history of surfing in Florida with an emphasis on Palm Beach County.

So there you have it, a collection of Florida Surfing History References. As stated, this is a work in progress. Do you know of other sources that can make this list better? Please drop me a line and if possible a link, so that I can share with others.

This post may contain affiliate links. If you click these links and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. This commission does not affect any price that you pay. Affiliate programs or sponsors providing products do not influence my views and opinions.

Posted on December 23, 2024 by Robert — Leave a comment

The Best Events and Festivals in Florida January 2025

Are you searching for the best events and festivals in Florida in January 2025? Thanks for visiting. Please use the links below to find fun events for all ages.

Florida hosts some amazing events and festivals. Each month I hope to take a look at a dozen or so of these in hopes of bringing you fun, exciting, and unexpected ways to enjoy our state.

I have listed events in date order.

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January 3rd through 5th Sarasota Seafood and Music Festival

Join us at J.D. Hamel Park along the beautiful Sarasota Bayfront for a weekend of January 3rd, 4th and 5th. Enjoy live music from amazing local artists, fresh seafood and a variety of delicious food booths, games and activities for the kids, dog-friendly vibes, plus a fantastic shopping area for unique finds!

Bring your family, friends, and pups for a weekend of sun, food, and fun in one of Sarasota’s most scenic spots. The event hours: January 3rd from 4PM to 10PM, January 4th from 11AM to 10PM and January 5th from 11AM to 6PM. Address: J.D. Hamel Park, Sarasota Bayfront at 199 Bayfront Drive, Sarasota Florida

The event is free but there are charges for food and at vendor booths. Check the website for parking information.

January 11th and 12th Florida Keys Celtic Festival Marathon Key

The Florida Keys Celtic Festival features family-friendly Celtic rock and Traditional music, Irish & Scottish Dancing, Pipes and Drums, a Children’s Glen with games, face painting and fun activities, and fabulous Celtic (and Keys) foods and crafts vendors. Highland Athletics, the original Strongman sport, features a sanctioned Woman’s Highland Athletics Competition and for a little Sunday Funday, locals can sign up for our Marathon “Celtic Games” Competition. The Florida Keys Celtic Festival was recently voted a Best of Florida Regional Winner for Festivals.

Click the link and purchase your tickets ahead of time on the website.

January 9th through 12th St. Augustine Film Festival

Now in it’s 15th year, the St. Augustine Film Festival will present 40 films from 25 countries at multiple locations throughout town.

Check the website for the full listing of films and venues. Get your tickets early for this event. The all-film pass will run you $125, or splurge and pick up the all access badge which includes all films and special event parties. This costs $275.

January 18th and 19th A Festival of Chocolate Miami

What to Expect:

Enjoy chocolate tastings, cooking demos, and chocolate-inspired activities and classes
Enjoy chocolate pairings, chocolate-themed drink specialty flights and tastings, and a variety of chocolate infused foods all aimed at unlocking flavors
Visit chocolate and artisanal vendors!
Listen to live music
Watch your little ones ride the Chocolate Express!
Enjoy spectacular butterflies at Wings of the Tropics, our exotic butterfly exhibit
Sit in the shade and watch your little ones run, play and explore at The Children’s Garden
Cool down in the misty cloud forest and National Orchid Garden in the only tropical rainforest in the continental U.S.
And so much more!

Click the link to buy your tickets ahead of time. General admission tickets start at around $25. Several discount options are available and there are add on options available as well.

Do you want to learn even more about chocolate? Take a drive to Orlando and visit the Chocolate Museum & Cafe. Click the link to read my review!

January 16-20 30A Songwriters Festival Walton County

More than 125 performers at more than 30 venues throughout Walton County. Headliners include Melissa Etheridge, The Devon Allman Project, and The Jayhawks. Check the website for a full list of performers and venues.

The 30A Songwriters Festival is the major fundraiser for the Cultural Arts Alliance of Walton County (CAA), a private, non-profit 501(c)3 organization that champions the arts through leadership, advocacy, funding, programs and education. The Festival’s success is critical to the success of the CAA, and your support as a ticket-buyer, partner or volunteer helps us provide an abundance of programs, services and support to the community.

January 24th through 26th IMAGES: A Festival of the Arts New Smyrna Beach

IMAGES is a free, public art festival that offers $30,000 in cash awards to artists and has one of the best Patron Programs in the Southeast. Visitors enjoy the work of over 250 artists, food trucks, live entertainment, Creative Education activities for children, and much more.

After visiting the artists, be sure to stroll through the Canal Street area and visit the many shops who call New Smyrna Beach home.

January 25 and 26 Hoggetowne Medieval Faire Gainesville

Artisans and craftspeople shall ply their trades with skill, olde world demonstrations shall enchant, and the clash of swords in stage combat shall resonate through the air. Medieval music and dance shall life thy spirtis, and a living chessboard shall unfold its strategic dance. Witness royal knighting ceremonies with the King and ueen, indulge in food court favorites, and savor the timeless delight of turkey legs.

Rain or shine. Leashed dogs are allowed. No smoking. Outside food and non-alcoholic drinks are permitted to be brought in.

The Faire is being held in Depot Park, 874 SE 4th Street.

January 25 and 26 Blue Spring Manatee Festival Orange City

Open to public 9:00am to 5:00pm Saturday and Sunday
Continuous Entertainment for the Whole Family
Arts & Crafts Show with Over 100 Booths
Music and Dancing!
Manatee Viewing
Disc Connected K9s – World Famous Frisbee Dogs
Children’s Area with: Shows – Face Panting – Games
Environmental Conservation Displays

Proceeds benefit Friends of Blue Spring State Park, provide educational scholarships, and assist great Orange City organizations.

January 25 Gasparilla Pirate Fest Tampa

Pirates, parades, music, food, drinks, and more. It’s a full day of fun and parties. Dress in your finest pirate apparel and join close to 300,000 pirates for a day you won’t forget.

Some events are ticketed so check the website for details. Learn more about the event sponsor, Seminole Hard Rock Tampa HERE.

The coast of southwest Florida, with its shallow waters, inlets, and mangrove islands provides the setting and backdrop for a variety of pirates, privateers, and independents. Piracy has a long and rich tradition in this area dating from before the formation of America through the infamous prohibition era. Telling the tales of Anne Bonny, Calico Jack Rackham, Civil War smugglers and prohibition rum runners, the authors provide a compelling narrative of the historically dangerous waters around Southwest Florida and beyond. **Click the image to order.**

January 25 Kumquat Festival Dade City

Come enjoy the unique, quaint and family fun of “old Florida” during our 2025 Annual Kumquat Festival® – it’s one of a kind! You’ll have the opportunity to listen to eat delicious food, visit hundreds of arts and crafts vendor booths including our Sponsors and learn about kumquats, “the little gold gems of the citrus industry”. We are pleased to hold this event every year in downtown Historic Dade City. Enjoy the Kumquat Festival and come back and visit Dade City again!

January 31 through February 2 Zora! Festival of the Arts Eatonville

The 2025 ZORA! Outdoor Festival of the Arts is a cultural, educational, and entertainment experience like no other. From January 31 to February 2, 2025, Eatonville will come alive with vibrant performances, interactive art, and a celebration of the cultural contributions people of African ancestry have made to the United States and to the world. Through a powerful combination of music, education, and live performances, including an extraordinary Tribute to the Legends, the festival aims to inspire and connect people from all walks of life. Learn more about Zora Neale Hurston HERE. Discover Eatonville HERE.

Events range from free to ticketed. Check the website for details on the full Zora Neale Hurston festival.

Their Eyes Were Watching God Zora Neale Hurston Festival — One of the most important and enduring books of the twentieth century, **Their Eyes Were Watching God** brings to life a Southern love story with the wit and pathos found only in the writing of Zora Neale Hurston. Click the image to order your copy!

To conclude, I want to thank you for reading my listing of the best events and festivals in Florida in January 2025. Check back every month otherwise you might miss out on a great event you did not know about. If you are sponsoring or hosting an upcoming event, drop me a line so I can include it. Maybe we can work together on a blog post and social media posts to promote the event. Let’s hear your ideas.

This post may contain affiliate links. If you click these links and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. This commission does not affect any price that you pay. Affiliate programs or sponsors providing products do not influence my views and opinions.

Find the best tickets, for the best concerts and performances, at the best prices, using TicketNetwork. Just select your city, or maybe the date or performer, from the drop down menu and let the program do the rest. These are resale tickets but are covered by TicketNetwork’s 100% guarantee. See their website for details.

Posted on December 17, 2024 by Robert — Leave a comment

Library Addition: Hidden History of Civil War South Carolina

Thank you to Arcadia Publishing for providing a complimentary review copy of Hidden History of Civil War South Carolina. The book will be released in February, but is available now for pre-order. Please look for a review in the near future.

Thomas, D. Michael. Hidden History of Civil War South Carolina. Charleston: Arcadia Publishing. 2025. 141 pages, 126 pages of text. B/W photos, index, bibliography, end notes. ISBN 9781467158077. $24.99.

All of South Carolina’s history during the Civil War isn’t well known. Author D. Michael Thomas has uncovered fifty accounts of lost history pertaining to the state and its men during the war. These are stories of astounding chivalry and valor in the face of horrific tragedies, along with unprecedented events. A single South Carolinian captured nearly six hundred Union soldiers.

Lieutenant Alexander Chisolm had an extraordinary career. See the connection between South Carolina College and its Confederate generals. Learn little-known tales about naval operations from the Union and the Confederacy and witness the recovery of the state’s “Gettysburg Dead.” Join the author as he recounts these hidden stories and more.

I have had the pleasure of reading several books in the Civil War “Hidden History” series from Arcadia. Each is distinct and different in approach, content, and writing style.

First, is my personal book, Hidden History of Civil War Florida. You may order on Amazon, or signed copies are available in the shop on this website.

I have also read and reviewed titles in this series on Tennessee and Savannah, GA.

This post may contain affiliate links. If you click these links and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. This commission does not affect any price that you pay. Affiliate programs or sponsors providing products do not influence the views and opinions shared on this blog.

Take a look at some of the great things to do in Myrtle Beach and get book your tickets and reservations at a great price through TIQETS on TRAVELPAYOUTS.

This post may contain affiliate links. If you click these links and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. This commission does not affect any price that you pay. Affiliate programs or sponsors providing products do not influence my views and opinions.

February 28 through March 9 84th Annual Bike Week Daytona Beach

March 1 Habitat Ocala Strawberry Festival Ocala

March 7 through 9 Swamp Fest Weeki Wachee Spring Hill

March 8 and 9 South Florida Food Fest & Craft Fair Boca Raton

March 8 and 9 Tarpon Springs Fine Arts Festival

March 16 Destin Mac & Cheese Festival

March 14 and 15 Clewiston Sugar Festival

March 21 through 23 Spring Turkey Run Daytona Beach

March 22 and 23 Wellington Bacon and Bourbon Fest

March 29 Railroad Day Festival and Car Show Callahan

March 29 and 30 St. Augustine Lions Seafood Festival

This post may contain affiliate links. If you click these links and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. This commission does not affect any price that you pay. Affiliate programs or sponsors providing products do not influence my views and opinions.

Great Floridians 2000 General Edmund Kirby Smith and Frances Kirby Smith

General Edmund Kirby Smith

Frances Kirby Smith

This post may contain affiliate links. If you click these links and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. This commission does not affect any price that you pay. Affiliate programs or sponsors who provide products do not influence the views and opinions shared in this blog.

This post may contain affiliate links. If you click these links and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. This commission does not affect any price that you pay. Affiliate programs or sponsors providing products do not influence my views and opinions.

February 1 and 2 South Florida Garlic Fest Wellington

February 7 through 9 Everglades Seafood Festival Everglades City

February 8 and 9 Tallahassee Highland Games

February 15 Bonita Brew Fest

February 15 Vero Beach Blues Festival

February 16 Daytona 500

February 22 Tampa Taco Fest

February 22 and 23 Swamp Cabbage Festival LaBelle

February 21 and 22 Sandestin Gumbo and Bloody Mary Festival

February 22 and 23 Space Coast Key Lime Pie Festival Viera

This post may contain affiliate links. If you click these links and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. This commission does not affect any price that you pay. Affiliate programs or sponsors providing products do not influence my views and opinions.

Great Floridians 2000 Albin Polasek

Albin Polasek

Brief Biographical Information courtesy Florida Memory

I hope you have enjoyed my post on the Great Floridians 2000 Albin Polasek of Winter Park, Florida. Please see my other Great Floridians 2000 posts HERE.

This post may contain affiliate links. If you click these links and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. This commission does not affect any price that you pay. Affiliate programs or sponsors who provide products do not influence the views and opinions shared in this blog.

Criteria

Goals

Listing Methodology

January

February

March

This post may contain affiliate links. If you click these links and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. This commission does not affect any price that you pay. Affiliate programs or sponsors providing products do not influence my views and opinions.

A few random samplings are listed below with purchase links.

This post may contain affiliate links. If you click these links and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. This commission does not affect any price that you pay. Affiliate programs or sponsors providing products do not influence my views and opinions.

This project is a work in progress. You no doubt know of other resources that should be included. Drop me a line with information and the link so that I can update this page periodically.

Books

Miscellaneous

Museums and Exhibits

Oral and Video History

Web Sites and Posts

This post may contain affiliate links. If you click these links and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. This commission does not affect any price that you pay. Affiliate programs or sponsors providing products do not influence my views and opinions.

This post may contain affiliate links. If you click these links and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. This commission does not affect any price that you pay. Affiliate programs or sponsors providing products do not influence my views and opinions.

January 3rd through 5th Sarasota Seafood and Music Festival

January 11th and 12th Florida Keys Celtic Festival Marathon Key

January 9th through 12th St. Augustine Film Festival

January 18th and 19th A Festival of Chocolate Miami

Do you want to learn even more about chocolate? Take a drive to Orlando and visit the Chocolate Museum & Cafe. Click the link to read my review!

January 16-20 30A Songwriters Festival Walton County

January 24th through 26th IMAGES: A Festival of the Arts New Smyrna Beach

January 25 and 26 Hoggetowne Medieval Faire Gainesville

January 25 and 26 Blue Spring Manatee Festival Orange City

January 25 Gasparilla Pirate Fest Tampa

January 25 Kumquat Festival Dade City

January 31 through February 2 Zora! Festival of the Arts Eatonville

This post may contain affiliate links. If you click these links and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. This commission does not affect any price that you pay. Affiliate programs or sponsors providing products do not influence my views and opinions.

Thomas, D. Michael. Hidden History of Civil War South Carolina. Charleston: Arcadia Publishing. 2025. 141 pages, 126 pages of text. B/W photos, index, bibliography, end notes. ISBN 9781467158077. $24.99.

This post may contain affiliate links. If you click these links and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. This commission does not affect any price that you pay. Affiliate programs or sponsors providing products do not influence the views and opinions shared on this blog.

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