www.FloridaStateParks.org

In preparation for its 75th Anniversary, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection's (DEP) Florida Park Service has planned 25 signature events that will take place statewide throughout 2010. The year-long celebration and signature events will represent three quarters of a century of preserving the past while looking to the future. They will also highlight individual parks' histories, as well as the history of the state park system as a whole.

The schedule of 75th Anniversary signature events is as follows:

DATE	EVENT
Saturday, January 2 - Sunday, January 3	Dade Battle Reenactment at Dade Battlefield Historic State Park, Bushnell.
Tuesday, January 26	Lu the Hippo's 50th Birthday Bash at Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park, Homosassa.
Friday, February 12 - Sunday, February 14	34th Annual Reenactment of the Battle of Olustee at Olustee Battlefield Historic State Park, Olustee.
Saturday, February 27	Flight to Freedom at Fort Mose Historic State Park, St. Augustine.
Saturday, March 13 - Sunday, March 14	Azalea Days at Ravine Gardens State Park, Palatka.
Friday, March 19 - Saturday, March 20	Wakulla Wildlife Festival at Edward Ball Wakulla Springs State Park, Wakulla Springs.
Saturday, April 24	Burial of Time Capsule at O'Leno State Park, High Springs.
Sunday, May 16	Armed Forces Appreciation Day - Free entry to all state parks except Skyway Fishing Pier State Park.
Friday, May 28 - Sunday, May 30	Florida Folk Festival at Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park, White Springs.
Thursday, June 17	75th Anniversary Celebration at the Florida Museum of Florida History, Tallahassee.
Monday, June 21 - Friday, June 25	Eco-Adventure Days at Ravine Gardens State Park, Palatka.
Sunday, July 4	Old Fashioned 4th of July Picnic at The Barnacle Historic State Park, Coconut Grove.
Saturday, July 17	National Recreation and Park Month - Free entry to all state parks except Skyway Fishing Pier State Park.
Saturday, August 7	National Lighthouse Day Celebration at Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park, Key Biscayne.
Saturday, August 14 - Sunday, August 15	Former Mermaid Show at Weeki Wachee Springs State Park, Weeki Wachee Springs.
Thursday, September 9	State Park Literacy Month, Butterfly Story Time event at Washington Oaks Gardens State Park, Palm Coast.
Friday, September 10 - Sunday, September 12	State Park Literacy Month - Free entry to all state parks except Skyway Fishing Pier State Park.
Saturday, September 18 - Sunday, September 19	Spanish American War Event at Fort Clinch State Park, Fernandina Beach.
October (all month)	Fall Harvest Days at Dudley Farm Historic State Park, Newberry.
Saturday, October 16	Fall Festival at Wekiwa Springs State Park, Apopka.
Saturday, November 6	25th Annual Civilian Conservation Corps Festival at Highlands Hammock State Park, Sebring.
Thursday, November 11	Veterans Day - Free entry to all state parks except Skyway Fishing Pier State Park.
Saturday, December 4	Camellia Christmas celebration at Alfred B. Maclay Gardens State Park, Tallahassee.
Saturday, December 11	50th Anniversary Celebration of John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park at John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, Key Largo.

To learn more about Florida State Park events, visit www.FloridaStateParks.org, and follow us on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/FLStateParks.