FLORIDA CULTURE
Florida culture is continually evolving and - like most moving targets - is difficult to hit with an all inclusive definition. The population has grown from lest than 2 million just before World War II to more than 20 million in 2017.
To a foreign visitor, Florida culture is similar to the other states in the United States of America, but there are some some important differences.
For one thing, there are many cultural differences between the various regions of Florida.
The cultures of the northern counties, for example, are closely aligned with those of the bordering states of Alabama and Georgia. They have not experienced as much population growth as many of the more southern Florida counties, and have been able to hang onto their culture.
Florida was one of the states of The Confederate States of America, and has been influenced by Southern culture for generations.
The dominant culture in the panhandle, north Florida and the cattle and agricultural areas in the Florida heartland is largely Southern.
Florida also belonged to Spain for hundreds of years, and that influence is still seen in its architecture, history, music and food, with Cuban, Puerto Rican and Central American cultures having contributed much to Florida culture.
The culture of southeast Florida has been influenced by immigrants from the Caribbean and Latin America. Florida is now the same kind of melting pot that the United States used to be a few generations ago.
Many cities in southeastern Florida - such as Miami - are very Latin in character, with strong pockets influenced by New England, especially New York.
All of this adds up to a tremendous variety in festivals, theater, cuisine, art, and music.
Florida Culture: Authors, Books, Theater, History, Art, Music, and Seafood Festivals
The components of Florida culture that Florida Backroads Travel features are:
- Florida Authors and Florida Books
Biographies of authors who either wrote in or about Florida: Fiction, Non-Fiction, and History. Favorite authors include Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings and John D. MacDonald.
- Florida Tales and Stories
Short stories and essays about Florida subjects by website author and guest writers - Florida Theater, Performing Arts, Museums
Links to the websites of all known community theaters and museums in Florida - Florida Festivals, Art, Music, Craft, Specialty
Lists of festivals organized by date and region. Art festivals and music festivals across the state organized by region. - Florida Annual Events
This is a list of annual events that have been around for many years and will no doubt be here for many more. Examples include the Florida-George football game and Tampa's Gasparilla Festival that goes back to 1904.
- Florida Seafood Festivals
Seafood festivals in all 8 regions of Florida by month - Lost Florida Tourist Attractions
Dozens of tourist attractions that didn't make it. You can comment and share your memories of them - Florida Heritage and History
History of the entire state along with 8 regional histories and list of all 1300 heritage sites in Florida
QUIRKY FLORIDA FESTIVALS ON FLORIDA BACKROADS TRAVEL
Annual Mullet Toss
Calle Ocho Festival
Gasparilla Pirate Fest
Annual Mug Sailboat Race
Rattlesnake Festival
Christmas Boat Parade
Worm Gruntin' Festival
Annual Possum Festival
My friends Zach & Jenn own a small organic farm named Zenn Naturals. It is located near Eustis, Florida and was mostly destroyed by Hurricane Irma
They have brought a lot of health and happiness to their customers during their farming venture and I’d like to help them rebuild and get back into business.
Click on the tomatoes to find out how you can donate to help them rebuild.
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