Looking for festivals in the Tallahassee area to have fun and enjoy the local arts, crafts, food and entertainment? Tallahassee Festivals are fun for the whole family. There are so many festivals, fairs, and carnivals to choose from throughout the year, I can't possibly do them all justice, so I've included just a sampling of the ones you can find in the area.
The Springtime Tallahassee Festival is one of the biggest events of the year. The festival is a great day of fun for the entire family with arts and crafts, entertainment, great food and a lot more. The festival kicks off almost a month before with Breakfast in the Park in Downtown Bloxham Park, where you can enjoy a yummy old-fashioned country breakfast. Then, the night before, the Adams Street Commons is alive with music, food and entertainment at the Downtown Getdown. Saturday morning, bright and early begins the Springtime 10k/5k/1 mile road race through the Myers Park neighborhood. The race is soon followed by the Grand Parade and Jubilee in the Park where you can find artistic creations and scrumptious food. Little ones will love the Kids Park, where they can get pony rides, face painting, puppet shows and more. You won't want to miss out on this weekend of fun in Tallahassee.
Each year, in the third week of June, the Watermelon Festival brings downtown Monticello alive with arts & crafts, live music, delicious food and well, watermelons. Monticello, Florida is known for its watermelon crops since the 1800's, so it's only natural that the chamber of commerce hosts a festival celebrating its agricultural heritage. Be sure to check the schedule of events so you won't miss the parade, shows, or even the Ghost tour. You can even enter the watermelon seed spitting contest.
The Annual Blue Crab Festival in Panacea is held on the first Saturday in May at Woolley Park on Dickerson Bay. The Blue Crab Festival is a chance to taste yummy boiled crab, shrimp and hushpuppies, as well as, hear live music, see dance performances by cloggers and find great arts & crafts. Competitions include the Crab picken' contest, and Mullet Toss, oh yeah, the Mullet Toss.
Less than an hour from Tallahassee, the Sopchoppy Worm Gruntin' Festival takes place on the second Saturday in April. Worm Grunting involves using a wooden stake that is driven into the ground and rubbing a metal rod across the top to create a “grunting” sound. The vibration in the soil mimics burrowing moles and earthworms react by fleeing for their lives to the surface, only to be scooped up and used as fish bait. Sopchoppy, Florida is the self-proclaimed “Worm-Gruntin Capital of the World”. This normally small, quiet town of 460 becomes filled with 5k race participants, arts & crafts lovers, the sounds of live music and the smell of good food. There are worm grunting demonstrations, and contests. And each year a new festival King and Queen are crowned.
Just north of Tallahassee, the Havana Pumpkin Fest in October is a fun-filled day for the whole family. Kids will love the pony rides, hay rides, face painting, and obstacle course. Besides the great crafts, jewelry, pottery and artwork to explore, spectators can watch the Stroller Parade, Doggie Costume Contest and pumpkin decorating. Great food and live performances also make this a great festival to attend.
The Saturday before Thanksgiving, Bradley's Country Store Old Fashioned Fun Day is a day to have fun and get some famous Bradley's smoked sausage. Music, clogging, syrup making, wagon rides and arts & crafts are just a few of the offerings at this annual event. Bradley day is a Tallahassee tradition you won't want to miss. Admission and parking is free.
Market Days is touted as “one of the Southeast's largest and best arts and crafts shows”. Market Days features the handmade works of over 300 artisans and crafters, filling six large buildings at the Leon County Fairgrounds. If you are an arts & crafts aficionado you won't want to miss Market Days. Some of the offerings include fine arts, furniture, glasswork, jewelry, metalwork and clothing. Brought to you by the Tallahassee Museum, proceeds from parking and admission sales go to the Museum.
There are so many more festivals and events in and around Tallahassee, but I hope that this helps give you an idea of what is offered. With so much to do and see, Tallahassee is a great place to live, work and play!