Key Historic Features of The Old Florida Celebration of the Arts
The Setting: The festival is centered on 2nd Street, the heart of the historic district. Many of the buildings lining the festival route date back to the late 1800s, providing a backdrop that emphasizes the town's history as a former rail terminus and pencil-mill center.
A "Top 100" Event: Over the decades, the event has gained national recognition, frequently appearing on Sunshine Artist magazine’s list of the top 100 art fairs in the United States.
Community Roots: Unlike many large-scale commercial festivals, this event has remained a non-profit endeavor. It is coordinated by local volunteers, with proceeds traditionally supporting local community projects and the Cedar Key Arts Center.
Preservation of Character
Throughout its history, the festival has maintained a strict "no-commercial-imports" policy, ensuring that every booth features original, handcrafted work. It returned to a juried fine art fair format in 2006. This means the artists are selected by a “blind judging system” where the jurors select the artwork from submissions based on quality, creativity, and technique without knowing who the artist is.
The festival takes place each April, continuing a tradition that has lasted over 60 years and remains a defining event for Cedar Key and the Levy County region.
— Visit https://cedarkeyartsfestival.com
Free shuttle route. Service provided by Cedar Key Golf Cart Tours.
Food in the park. Remember to bring cash or use the ATM at Seacoast Bank on 2nd St.
Editor’s Note: This article was generated with the assistance of Gemini, an AI by Google. All facts and details were verified by the editor.