Community History the Florida Citrus Festival
...led wooden structures were ranged around the perimeter of the park. Contrary to popular legend, the first Festival was a rather substantial affair. A parade was held the opening Tuesday morning with 20 floats, and the 116th Field Artillery Band of the Florida National Guard. Judges awarded prizes totaling $350 for the three best floats and $25 for the best clowns. Games and events filled the three days of the festival ending with the Coronation Ball honoring the Orange Queen and her escort. The three-day show drew an estimated 10,000 people, five times the population of Winter Haven at the time. It was a financial success as well and plans were immediately started for the 1925 festival. The 1925 Festival was more ambitious than the first and was provided with instant success. Governor John W. Martin delivered an address in the City Park on January 28. A free outdoor show, including an aerialist, and a carnival midway were added, and a dance pavilion was erected at one end of the park. There were 211 booths this year, many of them elaborately constructed and decorated. The tents that had served in the first Festival were gone. The parade boasted 50 floats, and the crowd was estimated at 15,000. The Citrus Festival was one its way toward fulfilling the commissioner's prophecy. 1926 the festival committee went into action again, planning the biggest show yet. Moving the exhibit area to Sixth Street with 200 booths in the center of the street. 1927 saw the first arrival of true American celebrities to the festival. George Haldeman and Ruth Elder two pilots fresh from an attempt to fly the Atlantic they had crash-landed and were rescued by a passing ship. They were the first in a long progression of celebrities that would bring attention to the festival during the next 73 years. The next big step for the Citrus Festival came in 1929 when it was given state status and renamed the Florida Orange Festival. Its run was given two extra days, and moved once again this time north of the business district, into a huge rectangular area, surrounded on three sides by orange groves and on the Lake Silver on the fourth. Four buildings were added and a total of 500 exhibits were on display. Governor Doyle Carlton unlocked the massive entrance gate as 9,000 people stormed through the turnstiles on opening day. There were free acts of all kinds. On Friday, January 23, 1960 a toast was given by Governor LeRoy Collins in tribute to Mayo, Commissioner of Agriculture for 37 years, who was announcing his retirement at age 83. Reinstated for the 1930 Festival was the custom of choosing a Florida Citrus Queen after dropped in 1925. The big highlight of the 1930 festival was the visit of Ex-President Calvin Coolidge. A beautiful new white arch at the gateway opened the fairgrounds in1932. Suprisingly1933 and 1934 Festivals drew good crowds despite the Great Depression. The first two permanent concrete buildings were constructed 1938 Festival, and a temporary amphitheater was built on the beach at Lake Silver. Two temporary buildings were still required to accommodate the exhibits, but the Florida Orange Festival had a roof over its head for the first time. 1943 was the first year there had been no Florida Citrus Festival since 1924. Due to World War II the festival would not reopen until 1946. The first post-war Festival, in 1946, was put together in under three months. The buildings were renovated and the name was chance to the Florida Citrus Exposition. 1949 saw additional improvements to the fairgrounds, and 25 anniversary of the festival. The U.S. Navy sent 40 carrier planes zooming overhead as an opening salute. Attending the 1950 and 51 Expositions was Governor Warren. 1950 saw these Warren joined by Commissioner Mayo in ...