Palatka may sound like it ought to be a place in Greece, but in actual fact it is a city located in Putnam County, Florida. A small town, the population consists of fewer than 15,000 permanent residents, though the surrounding local area boasts almost 75,000. In its region, Palatka is the most important city, and it is here that important Florida institutions such as St. Johns River State College are located. For tourists heading toward their Palatka holiday rental homes, however, a bigger draw is the schedule of local festivals, which includes the Blue Crab Festival and the Florida Azalea Festival.
The Florida Azalea Festival
This is an event not to be missed by flower lovers or nature enthusiasts. The festival dates as far back as the 1920s and in fact is one of the oldest festivals in Florida. It is no accident that the festival takes place each year during the first weekend in the month of March; this is when the azaleas begin to bloom.
The main venue for festival activities is downtown Palatka, but the nearby Ravine Gardens State Park also welcomes many visitors at this time since there are a great many azaleas growing in the park. Activities during the festival include an arts and crafts show featuring booths put on by local residents as well as fellow visitors to the festival, entertainment, and vendors selling their wares out of historic residences on Lemon Street in Palatka.
The festival also offers visitors a chance to see a beauty pageant and participate in a golf tournament.