Indian Key Celebration to be held at Florida Keys History & Discovery Center
View of Indian Key during a past Indian Key Festival. Photo by Andy Newman/Florida Keys News Bureau.
Islamorada, FL – The Florida Keys History and Discovery Center is hosting the return of the Indian Key Celebration on Saturday, April 30, 2022, on the grounds of the Islander Resort in Islamorada, Florida. The event is free and the museum will be open to the public with both indoor and outdoor activities.
In 1971, the State of Florida purchased Indian Key and designated it a State Historic Site. The venue has changed this year as Indian Key’s dock needs repair, and proceeds will be shared between the Keys History & Discovery Foundation and the Friends of Islamorada Area State Parks.
Take a walk with us through time at this free-to-the-public event honoring a long-held tradition which began in 1974 through the dedication and efforts of Irving R. Eyster, former Dade County Archeologist and founder of the Upper Keys Historical Society, and President of the Matecumbe Historical Trust until his passing. The Discovery Center is partnering with the Friends of Islamorada Area State Parks to bring Indian Key’s history to life.
Indian Key was designated the Dade County seat in 1836 and the small island had more than 20 homes, a hotel, bowling alley, billiard hall, and general store. The island once boasted the largest population between Jacksonville and Key West. Naturalist John James Audubon sketched birds here and Dr. Henry Perrine, a botanist, attempted to demonstrate the area’s adaptability for growing plants that would be of economic benefit to the United States.
Activities will be held on the Islander property focusing on entertainment for families and people of all ages. There will be educational presentations in the conference center, food trucks, reenactors, nonprofit education, and arts and crafts booths, live music, and adult beverages for sale. It’s a fun-filled event for everyone. Only service animals will be allowed as there will be live animals on display.
You won’t want to miss SeaBase’s narrated water tours around Indian Key that will be offered (small fee); live music by Mangrove Swamp Band; museum tours; a special Indian Key History exhibit of historical photographs and personal stories; activities provided by community organizations, and scheduled reenactments to keep you engaged.
SHARE YOUR PERSONAL STORIES!
We are requesting stories about your special moments and photographic images to help tell the story of Indian Key to be included as a special exhibit in our upstairs gallery that remain after the Celebration. Deadline for submission is April 5, 2022. For more information email: [email protected].
We could not do this event without the assistance of our sponsors, the Community Foundation of the Florida Keys, Holly Merrill Rashein, Bob Lodge, Phyllis Mitchell, the Islander Resort, and of course, our dedicated volunteer committee, and a community that cares.
For more information, to volunteer, or be involved in presentations or reenactments, call Megan Scallan at 305-922-2237, [email protected].
To secure your booth or offer support as a sponsor, go to: www.keysdiscovery.com/indiankey or contact Bonnie Barnes at 904-463-0513, [email protected].
About Keys History & Discovery Center:
Keys History & Discovery Center is a world-class museum that preserves and shares the incredible history of our Upper Keys community and explores the unique ecology of the region. In addition to permanent exhibits on subjects such as Henry Flagler’s Over-Sea Railway, Legends of the Line, and First People, the Discovery Center offers a lecture series, educating the public through presentations from a variety of expert speakers. The museum’s second floor features a state-of-the-art theater showing documentaries on topics like the 1935 Labor Day Hurricane and Indian Key, as well as traveling exhibits, and the Jerry Wilkinson Research Library. The center, on the property of the Islander Resort, is open Tuesdays through Sundays, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
About Florida Keys History and Discovery Foundation:
Florida Keys History and Discovery Foundation formed in 2013 to develop and operate Keys History & Discovery Center. The not-for-profit organization’s board of directors is comprised of community-minded volunteers with a passion for the mission of preserving and sharing the unique history and environment of the Florida Keys, particularly that of the Upper Keys. More information can be found at www.keysdiscovery.com or by calling 305-922-2237.
No Comment