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Springtime Tallahassee

SPRINGTIME TALLAHASSEE

Every year for about two weeks in the springtime, when the azaleas burst in the full glory of their bloom, the quiet beauty of Tallahassee's rolling hills reaches up into the spectacular. Until 1968 there had never been a spring festival to allow Tallahasseeans to share this beauty with others, but in that year a growing sense of all there is to Tallahassee, in tradition and in the present, led to what was at first called the Apalachee Jubilee, subsequently Springtime Tallahassee. The Calendar of Events included plays, concerts, tours of homes, flower shows, a golf tournament and horse show. The purpose of the organization was set forth: "to emphasize the natural beauty and historical significance of the area, to promote interest in educational, cultural, and recreational activities and the unification of the town and gown." All organizations, both universities, and the general public participated in the combined effort, which culminated in a horse-drawn parade of historical personages and a pageant depicting the history of Tallahassee. These festivities met with such enthusiasm that Springtime Tallahassee Inc. was founded to sponsor the festival and provide the means for the creative activities which were to be largely the work of volunteers. Each year since 1968 the festivities have grown in scope and enthusiasm. Tallahasseeans look forward to many more great festivals in the hope that visitors from all over Florida and the nation will come to share Tallahassee and its heritage with them in the beauty of springtime.