Events Calendar
In local communities across Florida, humanities-rich programming is making a lasting impact in the hearts and minds of Sunshine State residents and visitors alike. Florida Humanities is proud to partner with local community champions to bring you high-quality public programming through Community Project Grants, Florida Talks, Museum on Main Street, and more.
Alert: Some events may be canceled or postponed. We work to ensure that our events calendar remains accurate. We strongly urge you to call the event contact for any program you are interested in to confirm that the event is still planned.
Calendar of Events
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2 events,
EXHIBITION: Figurehead: Music & Mayhem in Orlando’s Underground
The Orange County Regional History Center has organized a new special exhibition titled Figurehead: Music & Mayhem in Orlando's Underground. Between 1985 and 2001, the Orlando concert promoter "Figurehead" invigorated the musical landscape in Central Florida. "Figurehead: Music & Mayhem in Orlando's Underground" tells the story of how the company helped grow the local scene with a focus on underground rock music and the club circuit. Utilizing the extensive Figurehead
EXHIBITION: Following Fernando’s Footsteps: A Tale of Tampa’s “Invisible Immigrants”
The Ybor City Museum Society is presenting a special exhibit on Spanish immigration that will be on display through November 2023. The exhibit is based on a semi-fictitious book by Tampa native, Tony Carreño, entitled Following Fernando's Footsteps: The Tale of Tampa's "Invisible Immigrants, which chronicles the life of a young immigrant from Asturias, Spain to Tampa via Havana, Cuba. Exhibit topics include the six phases of immigration beginning with
3 events,
Broward County Libraries NEA Big Read Program 2023
Broward County Library hosts a variety of programming for all ages through 2023's NEA Big Read program occurring January and February 2023. Broward County Library selected Infinite Country by Patricia Engel as their Big Read title for adults and two titles for young readers. Programming includes book discussions, a keynote address with Patricia Engel, hands-on activities for families, artist and author discussions, exhibits, and more across all branches of Broward
4 events,
St. Johns Reads 2023
Join the St. Johns County Public Library System for St. Johns Reads 2023. Now in its 18th year, St. Johns Reads is a county-wide "One Book, One Community" initiative held by the St. Johns County Public Library System that encourages patrons to read, discuss, and experience literature together. 2023's title is Buttermilk Graffiti: A Chef's Journey to Discover America's New Melting-Pot Cuisine by Edward Lee. A variety of programming for
5 events,
Shaping an Island: Key West’s Black History
Shaping an Island: Key West’s Black History
The Key West Art and Historical Society is building cultural equity by telling the stories of the Black community's significant contributions to local culture and industry, as documented in artwork and historic documents. This talk seeks to redress a serious omission: that the substantial contributions of people of color are under-represented Key West's historical narrative. From its beginnings in the 1800s, the maritime industry of Key West was dependent on
6 events,
Early Cuban Exiles: Memories of Loss, Struggle, and Rebirth
Early Cuban Exiles: Memories of Loss, Struggle, and Rebirth
From 1959 to 1973, more than 600,000 Cuban exiles came to the US in two waves and laid the foundation for the modern Cuban American community. Almost all arrived with only a few clothes and pocket money. Based on interviews with 54 persons about early Cuban exiles, this presentation tells how and why they left Cuba, what they found when they arrived here, and how they built new lives. Admission
The Kellogg Mansion & Dunedin Isles: A History of Dunedin through the Kellogg Mansion
The Kellogg Mansion & Dunedin Isles: A History of Dunedin through the Kellogg Mansion
The Dunedin Public Library welcomes Vincent Luisi, Executive Director of the Dunedin History Museum, for a lecture on the Kellogg Mansion and its place in Dunedin history. This presentation will be given as a part of the Kellogg Mansion Immersive Experience. The Kellogg Mansion - 3D Immersive Experience brings together the history of one of Dunedin's most notable properties, the community efforts to preserve it and the digital documentation strategies
6 events,
The Greeks of Tarpon Springs
The Greeks of Tarpon Springs
Florida SouthWestern State College presents an exploration of the Greek cultural heritage of Tarpon Springs at the Fort Myers Regional Library in downtown Fort Myers. A screening of the classic 1953 Hollywood film "Beneath the 12-Mile Reef," shot on location in Key West and the Gulf Coast city of Tarpon Springs, will be followed by a Q & A session. Following a brief intermission, Florida scholar Dr. Tina Bucuvalas will
SpeakOut: Intersections of LGBTQ Identity and the Humanities
SpeakOut: Intersections of LGBTQ Identity and the Humanities
The LGBTQ Resource Center at the Gulfport Public Library is pleased to present the final dialogue in its 2022-23 SpeakOut series. Beginning in April 2022, individual presentations and audience dialogues have explored intersections of LGBTQ identity and Humanities topics of Aging, Art, Faith, Law and Literature. Events of the past year have highlighted how critically important it is to be able to have informed, mutually respectful discussions of how Humanities
6 events,
EXHIBITION: Bahama Village: Relics of a Fading Community
Key West Art & Historical Society will debut a new exhibition on January 13, 2023, that will explore the history and culture of the often-overlooked segment of the community - former and current residents of Bahama Village. In this exhibition, history and stories will be woven together through various events that shaped the Black and Indigenous cultures of Key West. In the early 1800s and 1900s, the Black and Indigenous
How is MADAMA BUTTERFLY relevant to contemporary cultural conversations in 2023?
How is MADAMA BUTTERFLY relevant to contemporary cultural conversations in 2023?
Palm Beach Opera is hosting a series of panel discussions to explore the humanities-driven questions related to opera performances in their 2023 season. The first discussion will feature Puccini's masterpiece "Madama Butterfly." This production inspires mixed reactions among scholars and those in the opera industry because of the composer's depiction of Japanese culture and characterization of the central character, Cio-Cio-San. Panelists will explore the possibilities of sensitive, nuanced interpretation of
7 events,
Pandemics and Protests: America in 1919 and 2020
Pandemics and Protests: America in 1919 and 2020
The Ormond Beach Historical Society is hosting their 2022-2023 live Speaker Series program. The fifth presentation will explore the ways in which the social climate of America in 2020 mirrors that of 1919, and examine the similarities and differences as well as the factors influencing the social conflicts in each year. Dr. Martha Bireda is a true "Grits", girl raised in the sun. She is a seventh generation Floridian and
St. Johns Reads 2023: Meet Chef Ed Lee
St. Johns Reads 2023: Meet Chef Ed Lee
Join the Friends of the Library of St. Johns County with the author of Buttermilk Graffiti: A Chef's Journey to Discover America's New Melting Pot Cuisine Chef Edward Lee. Chef Lee will discuss his novel, host a Q&A, and sign copies of his book. Admission is free and registration is not required. Edward Lee is the Chef and Owner of 610 Magnolia in Louisville, Kentucky and the Culinary Director for
6 events,
Weaving the Tension Between Nature and Urban Sprawl
Weaving the Tension Between Nature and Urban Sprawl
Aluna Art Foundation is organizing an interpretative guided tour of the exhibition Life at Street Level, which is part of the part of the first city-wide event THREADING THE CITY, a concurrence of Fiber Artist Miami Association (FAMA), and World Textile Art (WTA). The exhibition features local and international artists: Alissa Alfonso, Sharon Berebichez, Nancy Billings, RemiJin Camping, Maritza Caneca, Mabelin Castellanos, Alex De Yavorsky, Jocelyn Flores, Amy Gelb, Isabel
6 events,
Conversations at MOCA: NorthStar – The Meaning of Haiti in Diaspora
Conversations at MOCA: NorthStar – The Meaning of Haiti in Diaspora
The Museum of Contemporary Art North Miami is hosting Conversations at MOCA: NorthStar - The Meaning of Haiti in Diaspora. This panel discussion will the meaning of Haiti throughout history in the African Diaspora and the World. The African diaspora has influenced aspects of history, music, culture, and politics throughout the Americas, the Caribbean and beyond. Where does Haiti, the world's first free Black republic, fall into this line of
7 events,
English for Families Palm Springs Public Library
English for Families Palm Springs Public Library
Palm Springs Public Library is hosting English for Families once a week for ten weeks from January 19 through March 23, 2023. The ten-week virtual program includes interactive classes for parents and children that focus on developing English vocabulary and literary skills through strategic and fun story reading. Programming is designed to improve the language proficiency of individuals whose native language is not English by providing essential reading strategies needed
International Holocaust Remembrance Day / Genocide in the 20th & 21st Centuries Public Webinar
International Holocaust Remembrance Day / Genocide in the 20th & 21st Centuries Public Webinar
Tampa Bay Times Newspaper in Education/Florida Press Educational Services is hosting a webinar panel discussion to present new curriculum, "Genocide in the 20th & 21st Centuries: Historical and Cultural Perspectives," that examines the Holocaust and other genocides. January 27, the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, is International Holocaust Remembrance Day. Open to the general public, this webinar will explore how this new material can help examine the cultural, religious,
7 events,
Ditch of Dreams: The Cross Florida Barge Canal
Ditch of Dreams: The Cross Florida Barge Canal
This presentation examines the long, convoluted history of an effort to cross Florida by cutting a waterway from the Atlantic to the Gulf of Mexico. Dr. Noll covers topics including steamboat tourism, the first attempted ship canal in the 1930s, the building of the canal in the 1960s, and the stoppage by an environmental movement led by Marjorie Harris Carr in 1971. Registration is not required to attend. Bathrooms are
Colombia Literaria: Identidad, Paz y Cultura
Colombia Literaria: Identidad, Paz y Cultura
A panel of award-winning Colombian authors explore the impact of literature on Columbia's path to peace and discuss immigration, cultural identity, and assimilation through their works as part of Broward County Library's NEA Big Read 2023. Registration for this program is not required. Admission is free. Elvira Sanchez-Blake is a journalist and writer. She obtained a Ph.D. in Hispanic Literature and Latin American Studies at Cornell University. Gloria Munoz is
6 events,
Artists and Thinkers: Kareem Fahmy’s Distinct Society
Artists and Thinkers: Kareem Fahmy’s Distinct Society
The Hermitage Artist Retreat is kicking off their virtual "Artists and Thinkers" series, which pairs leading artists with scholars in the field of the humanities to discuss the interplay between art and the human experience. James Monaghan, Hermitage Programs Manager and theater scholar, will be in conversation with Hermitage Fellow Kareem Fahmy to explore his play, "A Distinct Society." In Fahmy's play, a sleepy library that straddles the U.S./Canada border
8 events,
EXHIBITION: An Elegy to Rosewood
Following the end of the Civil War, the American South saw a rise in Jim Crow laws. In the town of Rosewood, Florida, these codes prevailed. In 1923, fifty years after the 13th Amendment was passed, racial tensions peaked with a later-dispelled rumor about an assault on a white woman, leading Ku Klux Klan members to track, assault, and kill Blacks in Rosewood. Known now as the Rosewood Massacre, news
An Elegy to Rosewood Opening Reception and Panel Discussion
An Elegy to Rosewood Opening Reception and Panel Discussion
The Patricia & Phillip Frost Art Museum will host a panel discussion in coordination with their new special exhibition, An Elegy to Rosewood . Panelists will assess the ramifications and dissemination of racial violence in Florida. The discussion will feature the Founder of The Real Rosewood Foundation, Lizzie Jenkins, and its Vice President, Pedro Jermaine, alongside Alexandra Cornelius, Ph.D. and Daniel Royles, Ph.D., FIU professors of History. To accompany the
What Kind of Ancestors Do You Want to Be?: Sea Level Rise and Heritage Sites in Florida
What Kind of Ancestors Do You Want to Be?: Sea Level Rise and Heritage Sites in Florida
New weather patterns, larger storms, and rising sea levels are challenging communities and transforming conventional thinking. Archaeologists document the shifting seascape's destruction of archaeological and historical sites and offer long-term perspectives on human adaptation and maladaptation to environmental changes. This presentation is global in scope and includes Floridian archaeological perspectives. Registration and a $5.00 admission fee are required to attend. This program is part of public programming for Vizcaya Museum
6 events,
8 events,
2023 Sunshine State Book Festival
Florida's amazing literary history is celebrated at the Sunshine State Book Festival 2023 hosted by the Writers Alliance of Gainesville. Happening January 27th and 28th, the community gathers together with Florida authors for readings, signings, storytimes, and family activities to engage with Florida's literary landscape. On Friday, January 27 from 7 to 9 pm, community sponsors, and the public can meet and mingle with fellow readers and authors to kick
The Destruction of Rosewood
The Destruction of Rosewood
The city of Rosewood was settled in 1845 and became an all-black town by the turn of the twentieth century. However, during the first week of January in 1923, the city burned to the ground in an act of domestic terrorism. This presentation critically analyzes Rosewood and other majority Black cities in Florida. Registration and an admission fee are not required to attend. Dr. Vincent Edward Oluwole Adejumo is currently
9 events,
The French Connection
The French Connection
The Ormond Beach Historical Society is hosting their 2022-2023 live Speaker Series program. The sixth presentation will how the French had a long connection to Florida dating back to 1563 with their colony of Fort Caroline. Campbell Town, Napoleon's nephew, French aid during the American Revolutionary War, pirates, John James Audubon, merci trains and more are discussed in this presentation about the French influence in Florida over the last 500
Keynote Presentation with Author Janis Owens
Keynote Presentation with Author Janis Owens
Author Janis Owens joins the Writers Alliance of Gainesville at the Sunshine State Book Festival to present the keynote address. Janis Owens is the author of four novels, a regional cookbook, and a book of nonfiction. Janis Owens, the only daughter of a Pentecostal preacher turned insurance salesman, inherited her love of storytelling from her parents. Born in Marianna, Florida, she now lives in Newberry Florida. Owens attended the University
6 events,
EXHIBITION: The Kellogg Mansion 3D Immersive Exper
EXHIBITION: The Kellogg Mansion 3D Immersive Exper
The Kellogg Mansion Immersive Experience is a traveling exhibit that embraces cutting-edge 3D and VR technology to take you on a rich and unforgettable journey to learn more about the history of Dunedin's Kellogg Mansion and the community efforts to preserve it. Constructed in 1925, the property was owned by several affluent figures including cereal magnate W.K. Kellogg. After years of vacancy and neglect, the home was lost to demolition
7 events,
Being Frederick Douglass: A Historical Figure Portrayal with John H. Anderson
Being Frederick Douglass: A Historical Figure Portrayal with John H. Anderson
The Key West Art & Historical Society is presenting guest speaker John H. Anderson who will portray historical figure Frederick Douglass. In his portrayal, Anderson will first discuss the political and sociological impacts of the violent and unstable time period surrounding the Civil War and how African-Americans helped shape the nation we live in today. Donning historically accurate clothing, he performs as freed slave turned abolitionist and author Frederick Douglass.
The American Presidency- Bias and Antisemitism with Armin Langer, PhD
The American Presidency- Bias and Antisemitism with Armin Langer, PhD
The Jewish Council of North Central Florida is hosting a lecture with Armin Langer, PhD as part of their lecture series "One Nation Under God: Religion's Impact on the United States." Although many US presidents have emphasized the value of religious freedom, non-Protestant immigrants in the United States faced exclusion for generations. This lecture will investigate early and modern American narratives on Jews and Judaism, the presidents' role in them,
6 events,
Key West’s Black History
Key West’s Black History
From its beginnings in the 1800s, the maritime industries of Key West were dependent on the skills of Black Bahamians and Black Cubans as sailors, spongers, boat builders, cigar rollers, and fishermen. The contributions of these skilled workers have been marginalized, when their contributions were vital, valuable, and integral. This presentation looks at the patterns and difficulties in Black settlement beginning in the nineteenth century, the diverse industries that the
5 events,
CANCELLED: Golden Harvest: The Music and Traditions of the Greek Spongers of Tarpon Springs
CANCELLED: Golden Harvest: The Music and Traditions of the Greek Spongers of Tarpon Springs
THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELLED. CONTINUE TO CHECK OUR EVENTS CALENDAR FOR UPDATES. Since Tarpon Springs's Greek sponge diving industry was founded in the early 1900s, traditional Greek music, dance, and poetry have been at the center of the community. Much of this music is directly connected to the distinct culture that grew up around sponging on Greek islands over the centuries, and ranges from joyful dances to laments mourning
