Pioneer Days on tap this weekend in High Springs

High Springs Chamber of Commerce is putting on the 44th Annual Pioneer Days Festival this weekend in downtown High Springs.

The event is returning after a one-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“We are all excited,” said Sharon Decker, president of the High Springs Chamber of Commerce. “It’s going to be fantastic.” 

The event will kick off at 10 am Saturday and run until 5 p.m., followed by 10 a.m.-4 p.m. hours on Sunday. It will take place around James Paul Park behind City Hall. 

The scheduled activities include historic cowboy reenactments (at 12:30 p.m. and 2 p.m. both days), a Kids Korral, pony rides, face paining and a bounce house that will be sanitized throughout the day. A variety of food vendors will also be on hand. 

Decker said the planning of the event got underway late while organizers awaited county approval to hold the event. The chamber’s David Fuller has taken the lead on organizing, but Decker said many people have pitched in to help, including the city, High Springs Parks and Recreation and Police Chief Antoine Sheppard.

“Everybody in the whole town is helping us put this together,” Decker said. “Everybody has worked like 24/7 on this over the last month.”

If you go: 

• Admission: free
• Parking: free
• Masks: not required
• More information: call 386-454-3120

Schedule:

Saturday, April 24th 

10:30 a.m. – Wild Blue Yonder—formed in 2015 by Allan Lowe and Jeff Sims (of the band Dixie Desperados) and performs a combination of classic rock songs and originals.

2 p.m. – The Imposters—37-year-old band playing the Beatles, Dylan, the Hollies and the Byrds, plus original songs

Sunday, April 25th 

10 a.m. – Sides-Morris Band—a semi-acoustic vocal duo blending pedal steel, lap steel and electric guitar with acoustic instrumentation producing an eclectic mix of blues, rock and alt country

1 p.m. – Fast Lane—blues, rock & roll and funk