GAINESVILLE, FL (352today.com) – Alachua County is celebrating a memorable age in 2024.
The county turns a remarkable 200 years old on Dec. 29 and will host an event this weekend at the Matheson History Museum to celebrate its bicentennial.
The Alachua County African & African American Historical Society (ACAAAHS) coordinates the event, dubbed “The Making of Alachua County: Past, Present, and the Future,” which will take place on Saturday, Dec. 7, at the Matheson History Museum in Gainesville.
ACAAAHS President Dr. Jacob U’Mofe Gordon will present an opening statement to kick things off, followed by remarks from ACAAAHS Honorary Chair and Queen Mother of North Central Florida, Vivian Washington Filer.
The event will feature keynote speakers from the people who contributed to the formation of Alachua County, including Indigenous/native people who settled in the area for thousands of years to the arrival of Europeans, Africans, and others.
The event will begin at 9:45 a.m. with coffee/tea and pastries at the museum. Flavorful LLC. is catering the event and will provide lunch to attendees following the keynote speakers.
Folks who attend can look forward to a bevy of musical performances, including genres such as folk, ragtime, blues, swing, jazz, R&B, rap, and hip-hop.
The event will feature posters designed by student interns in the Active Learning Program at the University of Florida.
The event is free of charge, but registration is required. As of the publication of this article, only 43 tickets remain, so make sure to get them quickly!