Upcoming events

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• Summer Fun Series

  • Start
    June 21, 2025
  •  
    10:00 AM
  • End
    July 12, 2025
  •  
    12:00 PM
  • Location
    11016 Lillian Saunders Drive

  Family fun activities and programs on select Saturdays at Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park from 10 a.m. until 12 p.m.

   June 21: Meet the Wildland Firefighters, Forestry and Smokey the Bear!

  June 28: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conversation Commission Visits!

  July 12: UF IFAS- Owl Fun!

  July 19: Meet the Wildland Firefighters, Forestry and Smokey the Bear!

  Call (386) 397-7005 for more info!

   

   

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• Stephen Foster Old-Time Music Weekend

  • Start
    September 12, 2025
  •  
    11:00 AM
  • End
    September 14, 2025
  •  
    1:00 PM
  • Location
    Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park

  Register

  
  

  Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park will host the 17th Annual Stephen Foster Old-Time Music Weekend on September 12-14, 2025, on the banks of the historic Suwannee River. 

  This three-day event offers participants in-depth instruction in old time music techniques on the banjo, guitar, and fiddle for all levels. 

  
  

  Instructors include Paul Brown, Terri McMurray, Beverly Smith, Buz Sibley, Michael Godwin, Phil Levy, Sarah Carleton, Kevin Moran, Mary Allgire, and Chuck Levy. 

  
  

  Meals will not be provided this year. Please plan accordingly. 

  
  

  Registration for the three-day event is $210.00 (add $15 after August 31) which includes all workshops, jam sessions, discussion groups, and concerts.  For more information and instructions for registration and camping reservations, please call Kim at the park (386) 397-1920.

  
  

  Lodging Information: lakecityfl.com

  CAMPING: This year we reserved a limited number of campsites for participants. Please call Kim (386) 397-1920 after you register to reserve your site.

  On-Site Camping costs $36.67 (includes tax and fees) per day.  The purchase of concert tickets alone does not meet the eligibility requirements for the use of the reserved campsites.

  *No Refunds

  
  

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• Rural Folklife Days

  • When
    October 30, 2025
  •  
    9:00 AM - 2:30 PM
  • Location
    Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park

  Register

  Demonstrators will be on hand showcasing Florida traditions of yesterday and today during this event.

  Rural Folklife Days celebrates the region’s rural past with demonstrations and hands-on learning activities.  Visitors can taste jellies, play traditional games, churn butter, sing songs, square dancing, quilt on a frame, assist a blacksmith, learn about lye soap, watch demonstrations and learn to fish!  

  This event is a long-standing tradition at the Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park, for decades’ students have enjoyed field trips to the park to experience this event.  Schools and home school groups are encouraged to attend this event and pre-register! Contact the park for more information. Groups that do pre-register get into the Florida Folk Festival Education Day in May free! Teacher and bus driver admitted free with pre-registration.

  Everyone is welcome!

  
  

  Admission is $5 per person.  

  
  

  Under "Guests registrations" at the bottom of the registration form, you will enter the total number of tickets you are purchasing ("guests") minus 1.  Please also remember to subtract your teacher(s) and your bus driver(s) from the total number of guests in your shopping cart before you check out or request  to be invoiced! One teacher and one bus driver per class admitted free.  Homeschools: Please subtract your main educator.

  For more information, please call 386-397-7005

  
  

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• Stephen Foster Dulcimer Retreat

  • Start
    November 07, 2025
  •  
    11:00 AM
  • End
    November 08, 2025
  •  
    11:00 PM
  • Location
    Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park
  • Spaces left
    100

  Register

  Come enjoy a weekend of music and fun at the Stephen Foster Dulcimer Retreat with Bing Futch and Laurie Alsobrook on November 7 & 8, 2025 at the Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park in historic White Springs, Florida. The weekend offers workshop sessions taught by foremost mountain & hammer dulcimer instructors from throughout the United States. 

  Visit the Stephen Foster Dulcimer Retreat website or the Stephen Foster Dulcimer Retreat Facebook page for more information.

  Concerts on Friday and Saturday evenings at 7:00 pm that will feature your favorite musicians and workshop instructors. The entire retreat costs $110, which includes entrance to both Friday and Saturday concerts & workshops. 

  Beginning October 25, a $15.00 late registration fee will apply.

  For more information on the Stephen Foster State Park Dulcimer Retreat call 386-397-4478.

  Lodging Information: lakecityfl.com

  CAMPING: This year we reserved a limited number of campsites for participants. Please call Andrea (386) 397-4478 after you register to reserve your site.

  On-Site Camping costs $36.67 (includes tax and fees) per day. Cabins are also available at the park for $114.00 per day (includes tax and fees). The purchase of concert tickets alone does not meet the eligibility requirements for the use of the reserved campsites.

  *No Refunds

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• Festival of Lights

  • Start
    December 05, 2025
  •  
    5:00 PM
  • End
    December 24, 2025
  •  
    9:00 PM
  • Location
    Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park

  The 2025 Festival of Lights will begin on Friday December 5 and end December 24.

  December 5 through the 23 will be all Holiday Magic Nights!  Complimentary popcorn, hot cocoa, marshmallows by the bonfire, Santa, food and craft vendors, kid's crafts and more. 

  The lights come on at dusk and the last ticket sold nightly will be at 8:30 pm. Festival Entrance Gates close at 8:30 pm and the park will close at 9 pm.

  December 24th will be our only Silent Night.
  

  The cost is $4.00 per person and children under 3 are free.

  If you are interested in volunteering or creating a light display, please contact the park at 386-397-7009

  APPLY TO BE A CRAFT VENDOR

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• Florida Folk Festival

  • Start
    May 22, 2026
  •  
    9:30 AM
  • End
    May 24, 2026
  •  
    11:00 PM
  • Location
    Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park

  Visit Florida Folk Festival for details

  74th ANNUAL FLORIDA FOLK FESTIVAL

  ~ The Best of Florida Music, Arts & Culture ~

  WHITE SPRINGS –The Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park invite you to come celebrate the diverse culture, food, music and arts - everything that makes Florida unique! The 74th Annual Florida Folk Festival, happening along the banks of the historic Suwannee River in White Springs Florida.  The festival will be held on Memorial Day weekend, May 22– 24. Gates open at 9:30 a.m., Stages open at 10 a.m., and opening ceremonies will begin at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, May 22.

  Named a “Top 20 Event” in the Southeast, this festival has activities for everyone. In addition to a full schedule of performances, visitors may also participate in jam sessions, take workshops, enjoy local eats, see educational exhibits, visit with various vendors, take a dance lesson, and hear stories from all over the state.

  Folk artists have come together for this event since 1953. There will be more than 300 performances by Florida’s greatest artists, including national recording artists, songwriters, and musicians of folk, blues, gospel, country, Latin, jazz, bluegrass, Caribbean, and zydeco music.

  Advance tickets for the Florida Folk Festival are $35.00 per day or $70.00 for the weekend for adults. On the day of the event, tickets will be $40.00 per day or $80.00 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 entire weekend $5.00. Purchase Tickets Here!

  Camping is not offered on the festival grounds but do not worry there are plenty of places to camp in the area. Camping and lodging are also available at Suwannee River State Park, O’Leno State Park, Ocean Pond, Jennings K.O.A. and Spirit of the Suwannee to name a few. For a listing of local public and private campgrounds, cabins and motels in Hamilton County, nearby Columbia County, and Suwannee County visit LakeCityFL.com

  The Florida Folk Festival is a rain or shine event.

  Pets are not allowed at the Florida Folk Festival.

  Personal golf carts are not allowed at the Florida Folk Festival.

  For more information, please call 1-877-6FL-FOLK (1-877-635-3655) or www.FloridaFolkFestival.com.

  
  

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