Special Events for Fort Foster State Historic Site

• THIRD WEEKEND FORT FOSTER GARRISONS
  Date: Third weekend of each month. Saturday 2:00 p.m. Sunday 11: 00 a.m. See below for dates.
  Description: Come and experience the Real Florida frontier at Fort Foster Historic Site. Fort Foster was one of the original Seminole War forts constructed in Florida during the early 1800s. Today a replica wood picket style fort has been constructed on the original site. Park Rangers and reinactors provide tours, and explain the Fort operations and living conditions, as well as telling the history of the Seminole Wars in Florida. Third weekend of each month: May 16 & 17
  June 20 & 21
  July 18 & 19
  August 8 & 9 (Please note: Garrison Weekend will be on the second w/e of this month)
  September 19 & 20
  October 17 & 18
  November 21 & 22
  Living History Event - December 11,12, & 13
  No Garrison Please attend: Dade Battle Reenactment - January 2 and 3, 2010.
  If you are interested in reenacting and getting involved with the Fort Foster Rendezvous and Garrison Weekends, please contact: Steve Saunders QM Sergeant, 813-684-6703. Email: fathersteve110@aol.com
  Fees: Regular fort tour fees will be charged.
  Contact: Contact the park at: (813) 987-6870 or patrick.potts@dep.state.fl.us for more details.
  
  
• FORT FOSTER LIVING HISTORY EVENT
  Date: Friday, December 11th, – Sunday, December 13th, 2009- 10 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
  Description: The Hillsborough River State Park would like to present a “new living history” event at the Fort Foster State Historic Site. This special event is a living history reenactment featuring military, Seminole, and civilian reenactors, and craft demonstrations. School Day- Friday 12/11/09. Admission is a $2.00 donation per student – 'scholarships' may be available for home school students and for classes of students from area schools (Teachers/Chaperones are Free). On-line school registration forms are available or by calling (813) 987-6870. The general public is also welcome on the 12/11/09, but no battle will be fought on this date. On Saturday 12/12/ 09 and Sunday 12/13/09 there will be skirmishes after 1:00 pm, as the reenactor Seminoles try to burn the bridge and the reenactor soldiers defend it. The Fort Foster State Historic Site is located adjacent to Hillsborough River State Park on U.S. 301 North, 9 miles north of Fowler Avenue and 6 miles south of Zephyrhills. School Day Printable Flyer Friday 11, Dec 2009
  Fees: Public admission for this event is a $5 donation per person ages 13 and over. 12 years and under free.
  Contact: Call the park: (813) 987-6771 or patrick.potts@dep.state.fl.us for more details
  
  
• CANDLELIGHT TOURS OF FORT FOSTER
  Date: Saturday, December 12, 2009: 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
  Description: Historic Fort Foster brings Christmas on the Florida Frontier to life! Guests follow a lantern-lit experience through the Fort, where they encounter living history scenarios. Soldiers far from home sing carols in the Barracks. The Officers entertain ladies from Ft. Brooke/Tampa at a fine dinner in the Officers’ Mess, while fiddle music and song enliven the program. Friendly Natives gather just outside the Fort’s walls, exchanging gifts of furs, feathers, hides, and Native crafts for goods from traders and the military; the exchange is followed by Native drumming and dance. After their tour, guests enjoy hot spiced cider and holiday cookies, while living history interpreters mingle and interact. The Fort Foster State Historic Site is located adjacent to Hillsborough River State Park on U.S. 301 North, 9 miles north of Fowler Avenue and 6 miles south of Zephyrhills.
  Fees: Public admission for this event is a $5 donation per person ages 13 and over. 12 years and under free.
  Contact: Call the park at 813 987 6771 or patrick.potts@dep.state.fl.us for more details
  
  
• FORT FOSTER RENDEZVOUS
  Date: Thursday, February 11th, – Sunday, February 14th, 2010- 10 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
  Description: The Hillsborough River State Park will present its Annual Event at the Fort Foster State Historic Site. This event is a living history reenactment featuring military, Seminole, and civilian reenactors, sutlers, traders, and craft demonstrations. School Days- Thursday 2/11/10 and Friday 2/12/10. Admission is a $2.00 donation per student – 'scholarships' may be available for home school students and for classes of students from area schools (Teachers/Chaperones are Free). Registration forms are available on-line or by calling (813) 987-6870 . The general public is also welcome on the 2/11/10 and 2/12/10. Refreshments will be available for visitors' enjoyment. On Saturday 2/13/ 10 and Sunday 2/14/10 there will be skirmishes after 1:00 pm, as the reenactor Seminoles try to burn the bridge and the reenactor soldiers defend it. The Fort Foster State Historic Site is located adjacent to Hillsborough River State Park on U.S. 301 North, 9 miles north of Fowler Avenue and 6 miles south of Zephyrhills. School Days Printable Flyer Thursday, 11 Feb and Friday, 12 Feb 2010
  Fees: Public admission for this event is a $5 donation per person ages 13 and over. 12 years and under free.
  Contact: Call the park: (813) 987-6771 or patrick.potts@dep.state.fl.us for more details
  
  

Fort Foster State Historic Site Ranger Programs

• FORT FOSTER TOURS
  Saturdays: 2 PM and Sundays: 11 AM
  Park admission plus tour fee of $2/adult and $1/child, ages 6-12. Ages 5 and under are free. Your step back in time will begin at the park's Interpretive Center located in parking lot #1. From there a tram will transport you to Fort Foster where you will see the only authentically reconstructed fort from the era of the Second Seminole Indian War (1830s). Ideal for the whole family this program will take approximately one-and-a-half hours for the tour. NO PETS.
  Special Notice: Fort Foster Historic Site Tours are cancelled (10/24 Saturday– 10/25 Sunday, due to the Annual Fall Event "Haunted Woods" at Hillsborough River State Park). Email patrick.potts@dep.state.fl.us for more details
  
  Participation Requirements
  
  Call (813) 987-6771 for more details.
• PARK PROGRAM REQUESTS
  Ongoing
  Thank you for your interest in our interpretive & educational programs at Hillsborough River State Park/Fort Foster Historic Site. Due to the extreme popularity of our park programs, we are already booked for the Spring/Summer time period. We will again be accepting program requests starting in the fall of 2009. Please re-contact us in November 2009. The mission of the Florida Park Service is to provide resource-based recreation while preserving, interpreting and restoring natural and cultural resources. We encourage you to review http://www.floridastateparks.org/ for additional interpretive and educational programs. Email patrick.potts@dep.state.fl.us for more details
  
  Call the park at: (813) 987-6870 for more details.