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Click-here to watch a short video from the most recent Alligator Warrior Festival on YouTube.
Courtesy of LakeCityJournal.com

Welcome to the web site of the Alligator Warrior Festival, an annual non-profit event, in memory of the years between 1800 and 1859, when Lake City Florida was still called Alligator, Florida, and in memory of its most famous resident, the Seminole commander, Alligator Warrior, and to reenact the 1836 Battle of San Felasco Hammock. In addition to the reenactment, the event is a festival that celebrates native American and imigrant American cultures with music and dancing, living-history camps, demonstrators of historic skills, traders, craftspeople, and food vendors.

The 2013 event runs from Friday Oct 18th to Sunday Oct 20th.

In any year, the festival is held on the Fri-Sun surrounding the 3rd Saturday in October.

School groups of all ages are welcome all weekend long but younger students are especially encouraged on Friday when reenactors will have the most time to dedicate to the students and because there will not be a battle with all of its loud noises on Friday.

O'Leno State Park
410 S.E. Oleno Park Road
High Springs, Florida 32643

DIRECTIONS

From I-75, Exit onto US-441 S (Exit # 414)
and drive South on US-441 for about 5 miles.
Turn left onto SE Sprite Loop (Frontage Rd).
Turn left at the O'Leno State Park entrance sign.

From High Springs,
Drive north on US-41 N/US-441 N/N West Santa Fe Blvd for 6 miles.
Turn right onto SE Sprite Loop (Frontage Rd).
Turn right at the O'Leno State Park entrance sign.

GPS Coordinates 29.913849 degrees N x -82.580345 degrees W
Click here to find it on Google Maps.

State Park Entrance Fees Apply.

Free Entry for School Groups.
$5.00 per vehicle holding 2-8 people.
$4.00 Single Occupant Vehicle.
$2.00 Pedestrians, bicyclists, and additional passengers.

Download a printable event pamplet

Promotional Pamphlet for Adults

Promotional Pamphlet for Children

We look forward to seeing you at the Alligator Warrior Festival.

This event is organized by Alligator Festival of Lake City Florida, Inc., an all-volunteer, non-profit, public charity, dedicated to teaching and celebrating our local history by experiencing it together. The event is funded by the generosity of local business and individuals that care about bringing the long-time residents, recently arrived residents and tourists of north central Florida together to celebrate our local heritage. The income from the sponsorship, the annual donation raffle and donation auction during the festival goes entirely to support the annual event.

If you wish to be a sponsor of the Alligator Festival, please click on the SPONSORS link to the left.

Traders, food and beverage vendors, demonstrators, reenactors, dancers, drums, dances, musicians and other volunteers please visit the REGISTRATION and VOLUNTEER links on the left side of this page for more information and to print a registration form.

For a suggested donation of just $5/raffle ticket or $20/five tickets you help make the festival possible and have a chance to win a fully operational 19th Century replica weapon.

1st prize is a Frontier .50 Caliber Flintlock Rifle (Traditions Firearms R2050). This half stocked rifle features a 28” octagonal blued barrel. Authentic V rear sight and blade front sight provide a clear sight picture and double set triggers allow for precise trigger control. Deep groove rifling in the browned steel barrel provides pinpoint accuracy, while the 1:48 twist makes it perfect for round balls or conicals. Traditional beauty is kept intact with the case colored hardware and solid brass furniture that has been carefully inlaid for a precise fit in the select hardwood stock that has been stained and oil finished. It is 44.5" in length and weighs 7 7/8 lbs.

2nd prize is a Kentucky .50 Caliber Caplock Pistol (Tradition's Firearms P1060). A classic American pistol, with a 10” blued octagonal barrel and select hardwood stick, the Kentucky was a must have for American Pioneers and early 19th Century Explorers. The Kentucky was made famous by the battle of New Orleans and favored by Davey Crockett. It was a favorite because of its one piece stock with superb balance and features like a birds head grip, fixed sight, case colored sidelock and brass ramrod thimbles.

We also have a separate donation raffle for a set of camp fire irons made by Steve the Blacksmith of Foxwood Forge. The set includes a tripod, tramel hook, blow-pipe, 5 s-hooks and grill complete with canvas storage bags.

Stop in to Affordable Auto Repairs at 2704 SW Main Blvd # 101 in Lake City, Florida, Ph:(386) 243-8119 to donate and enter the raffle or print tickets from the website that you can mail in with your donation.

Donation Raffle Rules: Alligator Festival of Lake City FL, Inc. 895 SE CR-245A Lake City FL 32025 holds one or more donation raffle each year to support annual Alligator Warrior Festival. The suggested donation is $5/ticket or $20/five tickets but no purchase or contribution is necessary to obtain tickets. Limit of 5 tickets per person per donation raffle per year. Prize drawings take place at O'Leno State Park at 4 pm on the last day of the Alligator Warrior Festival each year. The drawing may not be canceled but may be postponed up to 6 months in the event that severe weather such as a flood, hurricane or tornado relocates or delays the festival. Winners need not be present to win and shall be listed on the alligatorfest.org web site. Prizes are either donated by a sponsor or they are purchased at the best available price from non-affiliated suppliers using Alligator Festival of Lake City FL, Inc. funds that come from a combination of sponsors, donors, donation auction proceeds, and raffle proceeds from previous years. Prizes are obtained prior to the printing of donation raffle tickets. Thank you for helping to make this wonderful family event possible.

Click here for donation raffle tickets that you can send in by mail.

Drawing For Chance (Raffle) Winners

The 2012 Riffle winner. Mr. Victor Vasco

The 2012 Pistol winner. Mr. Eric Smith

The 2012 Camp Fire Irons Set winner. Mr. Brandon McVey

The 2010 1st prize winner.

The 2010 2nd prize winner.

Our sincere thanks goes out to everyone that supported the Alligator Warrior Festival by participating in the drawings for chance and the charity auction. We couldn't do it without you.