Come and enjoy live entertainment, demonstrations, food vendors, authors, artists, crafts and the ever-popular Lemon Dessert Baking Contest. Admission is FREE.
For Information or Questions
Leave a message at 305-504-7220
This is the Lemon Bay Historical Society’s annual gift to our community. The Cracker Fair is the culmination of the week-long Lemon Bay Fest—“Englewood History with Zest!”
LEMON DESSERT BAKING CONTEST
Zesty Lemon Treats: Turn the Sour into Sweet!
The LEMON DESSERT BAKING CONTEST is sponsored again this year by the GFWC Rotonda West Woman’s Club.
CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE CONTEST INFORMATION
TENTATIVE SCHEDULE
10:00 Welcome and overview of events, vendors and sponsors
(10:00 to 11:00am Entries Accepted for Lemon Dessert Contest)
10:05 Bit of Hope Ranch Cracker Whip demonstration
10:45 James Hawkins (singer, songwriter, featuring songs about our local history)
11:30 Skyway Team Bird Rescue presentation
12 noon Lemon Dessert Contest Winners announced
12:10 (approx.) Frank Desguin Swamp Cabbage Demonstration
12:30 Cast Net Demonstration (Lukas Coleman)
12:50 (stage setup)
1:00 John Tuff (classic country)
2:00 Kindred Band (folk, blues, country, bluegrass, Americana)
3:00 Vinyl Recall
(a wide range of rock, pop, soul, country, blues and R&B)
CRACKER FAIR PREVIEW:
DEMONSTRATIONS:
Just after the Fair opens at 10am there will be a Cracker whip demonstration by Suzanne Park and crew from Englewood’s Bit of Hope Ranch. This is the only time this will be presented so don’t miss it!
“What to do if you hook a pelican” The folks from Skyway Team Bird Rescue will explain.
Cast Net Demonstration. 6th generation Fishing Guide Jacob Coleman will show us how it’s done.
Historian and columnist Frank Desguin will be at the Fair with his famous swamp cabbage and we hope he’ll show us how it’s made.
BOOTHS:
The Lemon Bay Historical Society booth will have brand new, updated editions of “Englewood Then & Now” and “The History of Early Englewood.” These books will be for sale at their booth.
Other booths will feature food, vendors, authors, artists, crafts and more.
ENTERTAINMENT:
We are pleased to present the following line-up of live entertainment on the Dignam Family Stage at Pioneer Plaza:
James Hawkins
Returning to our stage is James Hawkins. He is a singer/songwriter from Venice, Florida. For about 10 years he has knocked around the Florida Folk scene performing in many different venues from coffee houses to a couple of concert halls. Some folks have described his music as a mix of Woody Guthrie and Harry Chapin but we will leave that judgment up to you.
James has performed on Sarasota radio WSLR 96.5. His major project is called “Turn Back Time” which deals with Florida History through stories and songs and brings traditional Folk music and stories to the classroom.
His specialty is crafting and performing songs about our rich Lemon Bay Area history. A perfect fit for a Celebration of Old Florida!
John Tuff
We are pleased to welcome back John Tuff. Starting out performing for a fundraiser at the Englewood United Methodist Church, John Tuff is now in his 13th year with emphasis on good old-time country music, the kind many of us grew up with on the radio: music of legends, such as Johnny Cash, Hank Snow, Ernest Tubb, George Jones, Johnny Horton, and more. Good music, good times and great fun! Get ready to lift your spirits and travel back to the good old days!
Kindred Band
David and Joni Romano are multi-instrumentalists and singers from the Niagara area in Canada. They have been singing and playing together for 40+ years. Their current band Kindred, back in Canada, consists of 3-5 members that play “roots” based music (folk, blues, country, bluegrass, Americana).
David has also played in a British Invasion Band, Classic rock band and is currently in a local country band while snowbirding in Englewood.
Craig Manning, a Massachusetts guitarist who winters in Englewood. He plays both electric and acoustic guitars in many styles, including finger-style, rock and jazz, smooth jazz, country, Gypsy, folk and bluegrass, and uses open tunings frequently. He began playing at the age of 12, listening to Chet Atkins, the Ventures, and Duane Eddy.
Vinyl Recall
John Munn arrived in Englewood in 2016. Love of music started early in this one in choirs and musical theatre. He picked up the bass at age 13. In Englewood, he created and hosted both Groovin’ In The Gallery (An Open Mic) in 2018 and Wednesdays@5 (Community Supported Weekly Concert Series) in 2023. The Vinyl Recall Band was his first band, though he plays music with almost anyone. He also created a 50’s band called Johnny And The Hubcaps that debuted at Pioneer Days in 2024. Currently, his has a tribute band called Desperados: A Tribute To The Eagles which is booked in the Englewood area.
Bill Acquaro has been playing drums since grade school. He has been living in the North Port area since 2019. He has played in local bands since arriving from Massachusetts. He and John Munn met through a garage band and cofounded the Vinyl Recall Band. He is a retired Amtrack Engineer. Music is his hobby and says he is “living the dream” in SW Florida.
Silvano Stasolla is an Italian musician/singer-songwriter whose passion for music dates back to the late 60s. In 1977 he joined an international traveling band, touring Europe, playing drums and guitar and recording music for 22 years. In 1998 he moved to CT where he was a member of a gospel rock band for 8 years. In 2022 he came to FL and joined the music scene in Englewood with different groups like Desperados and Vinyl Recall. He also has a YouTube channel where he posts all his music videos.
SPONSORS
We thank our fine sponsors for helping to make this year’s Cracker Fair possible.
MICHAEL J LOONEY ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR
KIMCO CONSTRUCTION
THOROUGHBRED GOLF CARTS
BILLY KIMBERLIN ROOFING
CASTLE AIR
ENGLEWOOD FL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
ENGLEWOOD CRA
HINCK PRIVATE WEALTH MANAGEMENT
JESSICA K CLOSE ESQ
KEY AGENCY
LASBURY-TRACY REALTY
MERRILL’S HEATING & AIR CONDITIONING
POPE INSURANCE
ROTONDA WEST WOMAN’S CLUB
SIGNS IN ONE DAY
SOUTHERN TRAILER
TONY BABINGTON PARADISE EXCLUSIVE
WAMPLER VARNER INSURANCE
For Information or Questions
Leave a message at 305-504-7220
OR
Use our Contact Form
WHAT IS A CRACKER?
For the past twenty-one years Englewood has been celebrating Old Florida with a “Cracker” Fair. This year the tradition continues. It is said the term “Cracker” comes from the cracking of the whip which Florida cow hunters used to herd cattle. Florida was the first cattle producing state in America — not Texas, not Missouri – Florida. In the early 1500s Spanish conquistadors landed on the shores of Florida and attempted to colonize the area. Unsuccessful, they abandoned their quest, leaving behind horses, hogs and Andalusian cattle they had brought by ship: this was the first livestock in North America.
The Florida livestock bred and ran wild for centuries. Prior to the Civil War, a rugged brand of individuals settled along Florida’s central corridor. They relied on bullwhips to flush cows out of the palmetto scrub. They used 10-to-12-foot-long whips made of braided leather. The snaps of these whips would break the sound barrier making a loud CRACK. Thus these early settlers became known as Cracker Cowmen, Cow Hunters, or Florida Crackers. They provided food for the Confederate soldiers during the Civil War and also rounded up cattle for shipment to Cuba. The Cubans loved Florida beef and paid for the cattle with gold doubloons. Today the term Cracker is used to refer to anyone who is a true native Floridian.
Don’t miss the 21st Annual Cracker Fair, Saturday, February 8 at Pioneer Plaza, Dearborn St., Englewood from 10am to 4pm.