Farm Festival & Quilt Show: Celebrating 34 Years of Creative Home-Spun Fun!
Journey back to “the good old days” at the 34th annual Farm Festival and Quilt Show!
Located in Dade City, Florida, this timeless tradition is gearing up for another year of stitching together some great memories. Hosted by the Pioneer Florida Museum & Village, the Farm Festival is an integral part of preserving Florida history, having fun in the present, and creating fond moments to look back on in the future.
Even if you do not sew sure, you will enjoy a quilt festival. There’s plenty to do here besides admire the hand-stitched craftsmanship (but who wouldn’t want to do that??). There’s also yummy food, live music, draft horses, and more!
If you’re in the area, you definitely don’t want to miss this!
Let’s Go to the Farm Festival!
Have I talked you into going to the Farm Festival yet? Well, here’s what you need to know before you go!
This fun shindig will be held on February 4th (a Saturday) from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., making for a full day of fun! We’ve even got the address for you:
15602 Pioneer Museum Road
Dade City, FL 33523
(off of US Hwy 301)
Punch that into your favorite GPS app, and you’ll be there in no time!
Admission is $10.00 for adults and $5.00 for students, with little kiddos (age 5 and under) entering for free. For everything you get to see and do, we think this is pretty fair and worth the price.
Be aware that when you go, no outside food, drinks, or pets are allowed.
Other than that, the only rule is to enjoy your afternoon!
Cozy Up at the Quilt Show
Quilts are wonderful to snuggle under on a winter’s day, but they’re also works of art! From the fabric to the patterns to the stitching, so much thought, care, and effort go into making one of these gorgeous bed covers.
As we said, this festival is all about preserving Florida’s past, but the history of quilting stretches further back than some may imagine! This delicate craft can be dated back to at least the medieval era, with the word “quilt” first being used in England in the 13th century.1
Early quilts were often used to depict scenes from stories and were valued as family heirlooms. Eventually, the art of quilting was implemented in clothing, creating warm coats or padding for armor.
In America, the craft is sometimes associated with quilting bees, a social event where women would come together to sew a quilt in a single day (often for a local bride-to-be).
Today, quilts are still passed down through generations and given as gifts for special occasions, but there’s also a lovely casualness to it now – anyone can pick up quilting supplies at Hobby Lobby and try their hand at it, just for fun if they want to!
At the Dade City Quilt Show, though, you’ll be seeing the best of the best! There are usually around 100 quilts on display, and ribbons are awarded to the best in show of each category. Some of these beauties will even be available for purchase! It really is like going to an art gallery, but instead of oil or acrylics, the art is made of fabric and thread.
We just love how homey and cozy the quilt show is, and we think you’ll enjoy it, too! The creativity and meticulous attention to detail in each and every quilt (or quilted clothing!) is awe-inspiring.
Pro tip: If you’re interested in quilting or are already a quilter yourself, this lovely show also doubles as a quilt supplies sale! You can find everything you need to keep your sewing going!
Horses and More!
At high noon, there’ll be an exciting showdown between draft horses. Thankfully, it’s a draft horse pull, not an actual Wild West fight – but you can still cheer them on as they compete to see who’s strongest!
These beautiful horses are divided by weight class into lightweights – 3,400 pounds and under – and heavyweights. (Since when is 3,000 pounds light??) These fantastic creatures are the ones that give rise to the term “work horse!” It’s both fun and awe-inspiring to see what they are capable of.
But the Farm Festival is more than just a horse and pony show (although I’d gladly pay to see that and nothing else)! There will also be time to enjoy live music from the Geared Up band (10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.) as well as “old-time music” from The Barking Dogs. Between the two groups, you’re sure to find your toes a-tappin’ to a happy rhythm!
You’ll also have the chance to marvel at a blacksmith’s demonstration, check out some cane grinding and syrup making (how sweet!), browse through different vendors, and even mosey through the model train room.
Of course, the most important part is the food! For an extra $12.00 (which goes to support the museum), you can get an entire meal of tender pulled pork, a heaping scoop of yellow rice, and a big helping of black beans. Yum!
Don’t Forget the Museum!
While you’re enjoying the Farm Festival, feel free to slip inside the Pioneer Florida Museum and Village and learn about the history behind all of the fun activities of the day! All museum buildings will be open during the festival, and many of the staff will be dressed to impress in their period piece best! (Try saying that five times fast.)
The Pioneer Village grounds are pretty extensive and host several historic buildings like the Old Lacoochee School, the John Overstreet House, Trilby Depot, and even C. C. Smith General Store! When all the buildings were moved to their permanent homes on museum grounds, it was like a little pioneer town coming to life once again.
The Mabel Jordan Barn is definitely worth checking out as it houses a collection of early farm equipment, buggies, carriages, and the star of the collection: a 1946 Chevy fire engine! Pretty cool! And, during the Farm Festival, you can visit the barn to have your scissors and tools sharpened for a nominal fee.
Exploring all of the buildings and the exhibits inside is a great way to round out your time at the Farm Festival and Quilt Show. It will help you gain an even deeper appreciation for the celebration happening around you!
All in all, the Farm Festival and Quilt Show is a great family outing for the afternoon!
Are you planning to go this year and/or have you been in years past? What are you most excited about? Tell us all about it in the comments below!
Hope to see you there!
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Photo: Unsplash
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