The Florida Azalea Festival is a two-day event held annually in

Palatka, Florida Palatka () is a city in northeastern Florida and it is the county seat of Putnam County, Florida, United States. The population was 10,558 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Putnam County. Palatka is the principal city of the Palatka Mi ...

, on the first weekend of March. The festival celebrates the seasonal arrival of the azalea blossom to the northeast Florida region.

History

The first official Florida Azalea Festival was held in 1938. Originating as Jaycees Day, the local chapter of the Jaycees organization transformed the event into the festival celebrated today. In the early years the festival was centered at the Ravine Gardens. As its popularity grew, most of the activities were moved to the riverfront in downtown Palatka. The modern event is conducted by the Palatka Main Street program. The Ravine Gardens still joins in the celebration with what it calls Azalea Days. Its diverse collection and high concentration of the flower makes it a staple for those who want to get a good look at the celebrated annual blooms.

Azalea Festival events

Azalea Festival events open to the public generally include: * The Azalea Parade, featuring floats, bands and a number of community groups * The Azalea Festival Arts and Crafts Show at Historic Lemon Street * The Azalea Pageant * Azalea Days at

Ravine Gardens State Park Ravine Gardens State Park is a Florida State Park located in Palatka, Florida. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1999. The park was constructed by the Works Progress Administration, with cypress buildings, rock gardens ...

* Open Car Show * Florida Azalea Amateur at the Palatka Golf Club * Bowling Tournament

References

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS To Conduct the 2011 Azalea Festival
archived a
City of Palatka
* St. Petersburg Times archived a
Google News
retrieved June 4, 2011

External links

Official website
Festivals in Florida Palatka, Florida Tourist attractions in Palatka, Florida Tourist attractions in Putnam County, Florida Flower festivals in the United States 1938 establishments in Florida Recurring events established in 1938 {{US-festival-stub