From Staff Reports and the Apopka Art&Foliage Festival
In Summary:
The 64th Annual Apopka Art and Foliage Festival will take place this weekend at Kit Land Nelson Park, featuring art vendors, foliage displays, and community activities. Hosted by the Apopka Woman’s Club and the City of Apopka, the event traces its roots to separate art and foliage festivals that began in the 1960s. Over time, it has grown into one of Central Florida’s most recognized events, highlighting both local culture and Apopka’s role in the indoor foliage industry.
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In Apopka, where the foliage industry has long understood that strong roots are the key to growth, one of the city’s most enduring traditions is built the same way. The Apopka Art and Foliage Festival returns this weekend with roots that run more than six decades deep.
Related: How to revitalize outdoor spaces with this year's garden trends.
One of Apopka’s longest-running traditions brings together art, agriculture, and community at Kit Land Nelson Park.
After all, it's not spring in Apopka until the Art and Foliage Festival begins.
Hosted by the Apopka Woman’s Club in partnership with the City of Apopka, the free, family-friendly event will take place over two days, beginning Saturday from 9 am to 5 pm and continuing Sunday from 10 am to 4 pm.
The festival, which draws thousands of visitors each year, features a mix of fine art vendors, foliage displays, and community activities that reflect both Apopka’s cultural identity and its historical connection to the indoor foliage industry.
That connection dates back more than 60 years.
The event’s origins trace to 1961, when the Apopka Woman’s Club, under the leadership of then-president Kit Land Nelson, hosted its first art show at Apopka Memorial High School. Just a few years later, in 1965, the Apopka Jaycees launched the city’s first foliage festival at the corner of Forest Avenue and Fourth Street, quickly gaining attention across Central Florida.
In 1976, the two events were combined into what is now known as the Apopka Art and Foliage Festival, bringing together the city’s artistic and agricultural traditions into a single annual celebration. The event has since been held at Kit Land Nelson Park.
Over the decades, the festival has grown into one of the most recognized events in Central Florida, highlighting Apopka’s role in the national indoor foliage industry while also showcasing local and regional artists.
It has also played a role in marking key moments in the city’s history. The festival was central to Apopka’s centennial celebration in 1982, was featured in Southern Living Magazine in 1984, and was designated a National Local Legacy by the Library of Congress in 2000. It has also been recognized in Florida Living Magazine and has celebrated major milestones, including its 50th anniversary in 2011 and its 60th anniversary in 2022, following a pandemic-related cancellation in 2020.
Today, the event continues to draw a wide audience, from families and local residents to visitors from across the region, with a focus on high-quality art and distinctive foliage displays.
As the festival returns for its 64th year, organizers say it remains both a celebration of Apopka’s past and a reflection of its continued growth as a community rooted in both culture and industry.
Key Points:
- The festival will be held on Saturday from 9 am to 5 pm and on Sunday from 10 am to 4 pm.
- It is a free, family-friendly event at Kit Land Nelson Park
- The tradition dates back to art and foliage events that began in 1961 and 1965
- The events merged in 1976 to form the current festival
- The festival showcases fine art and Apopka’s foliage industry heritage
