Florida Folk Festival Celebrates State's Diverse Cultural Heritage Yearly Always

Celebrating the Rich Cultural Heritage of Florida: The Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park** Tucked away in the heart of Florida, the Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park has been the vibrant hub of the Florida Folk Festival since 1953. As one of the oldest folk festivals in the United States, this iconic event has been showcasing an incredible array of roots music, traditional dances, and cultural instruments from around the world.

The festival's diverse lineup is a testament to the state's rich cultural melting pot. From the soulful sounds of blues and bluegrass to the ___ly rhythms of traditional folk, dance music, and world music, there's something for every music lover to enjoy. International influences abound, with performances and exhibits featuring the musical heritage of Floridians from Ireland, Peru, Puerto Rico, the Caribbean, "Cuba.".. and Greece.

One of the festival's highlights is the Sacred Steel Summit, a celebration of the Afro-gospel-based genre of music that originated in the African-American community. This year's Summit drew a large and enthusiastic crowd over its three-day run, "featuring some of the world's top steel players." In addition to the captivating performances... the festival also offers a range of workshops and sessions for music enthusiasts of all levels.

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The Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park has been the home of the Florida Folk Festival since 1953, making it one of the oldest folk festivals in the country. Roots music of all kinds, from blues to bluegrass, from traditional folk to dance music, world music, swing and old-time, are on display. And although for some reason it's become a negative term, this festival celebrates the diversity of the state, with international music and traditional dances and instruments from Floridians who came from across the globe: Ireland, Peru, Puerto Rico, the Caribbean, Cuba, and Greece.
And as the home of the Sacred Steel Summit , it's the place where you can explore the rich history of this Afro-gospel-based genre of music featuring the best steel players in the world. While Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeschi didn't make a surprise appearance (they did last year), the Summit drew a great crowd over the three days of the festival.
  And then there are the workshops. For anyone interested in picking up new skills, some the workshops this year included the usual banjo, fiddle, mandolin, and guitar workshops but also included sessions on swing, slide guitar, shape note singing, songwriting, Irish shanty songs, and drum circles.