by James Coulter
Get ready to party like it’s the 40s. The 1840s! Come to Alafia River Rendezvous this weekend in Homeland (near Bartow) and check out how life was like for pioneers in the good old days.
Hosted by the Florida Frontiersmen, the Alafia River Rendezvous is the largest pre-1840 living history encampment in the Southeast U.S.
More than 1,000 historical reenactors, including adults and children, congregate in the Florida Wilderness to set up camp and live the life of pioneers in pre-1840s America.
Come see blacksmiths craft tools and weapons from red-hot, bakers bake homemade bread and other pastries from clay ovens, and woodworks make brooms and other household items from hay and wood.
Greg Fulbright, President of the Florida Frontiersmen, has been attending the Alafia River Rendezvous with his wife for nearly 30 years. Being able to recreate the life of the good old days has been quite the experience.
Every year, the Rendezvous draws in hundreds of children from local schools and scout troops. Greg mentions how many of the children really enjoy being able to experience living history, to the point where they prefer it to other local attractions.
“The kids really love it,” he said. “They write us letters every year saying they’d rather come here than go to Disney World.”
The Alafia River Rendezvous will be hosted on Fri., Jan. 24 and Sat., Jan. 25, 2025 from 9 AM to 3 PM. The event will be hosted at 1000 Old. Ft. Meade Rd. in Homeland, FL, six miles south of Bartow off of Highway 98 & CR 640.
Admission is $15 for adults, $5 for children under 15 and veterans, and free for children under 4. For more information, visit their website at AlafiaRiverRendevous.org
Greg Fulbright recently appeared on our newest episode of the Chattin on the Ridge podcast. Give it a listen on Acast: https://shows.acast.com/chattin-on-the-ridge/episodes/ep-51-alafia-river-rendezvous-wgreg-fullbright
