OCALA, FL (352today.com) – The sharp clang of a blacksmith’s hammer and the crisp crack of flint striking stone echoed through Silver Springs State Park as the 15th Annual Silver River Knap-In and Prehistoric Arts Festival returned Feb. 21-22, 2026. For two days, the park transforms into a living time capsule where visitors watched chunks fly from stone tools, sampled homemade goods and tried their hand at crafts that date back thousands of years.

A crowd of people are walking around vendor booths in a wooded area.
The Silver River Museum’s Knap-In event drew crowds on Feb. 21, 2026. Guests explored vendors, ate at food trucks and participated in interactive elements.
Courtesy: Amber Battillo/352today

Hosted annually, the event runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days. Admission is $10, with children 5 and under admitted free. Parking is free, and cash and card payments are accepted.

The festival grounds feature dozens of vendors and demonstrators, including the Florida Public Archaeology Network, the UF Florida Museum of Archaeology, the Aucilla Research Institute, the Gulf Archaeology Research Institute and the USF Department of Anthropology.

Two men stand together, holding shirts advertising the Silver River Knap-In.
A woman stands behind a vendor booth in a wooded area. On the table are prehistoric items. The tablecloth hangs over the front reading, "Florida Public Archaeology Network."
A vendor booth features a white tablecloth that reads, "Gulf Archaeology Research Institute. Connecting the past to our future." On the table are informational pamphlets and flyers.
Three men are behind a table with prehistoric items displayed. Behind them are paintings hung on a wall.

On Saturday, local history organizations such as Fort King National Historic Landmark and the Friends of Silver Springs State Park also hosted tents, offering information about area preservation efforts and programming.

A vendor booth features a blue tablecloth that reads, "Friends of Silver Springs State Park." On the table are promotional and informational items about Silver Springs State Park.
Friends of Silver Springs State Park featured informational items about the state park at the Silver River Museum’s Knap-In event on Feb. 21, 2026.
Courtesy: Amber Battillo/352today

Artisans and traders filled the area with handcrafted goods ranging from leatherwork and bead jewelry to fossils, wood carvings and knives. Harold Littlebird showcased his Pueblo stoneware pottery and his wife’s beadwork earrings. Other vendors included Augusta’s Way soaps, Hilltop Leather, Stones-N-Bones, Spanish Moss Crafts, Florida Coral Corall, Tom’s Fossils, Rocks & Stuff, Trapper Daves Trading Post and Grebec Knives & More. Food vendors including Squeezy Lemonade, Ma’s Fry Bread and Big Rascal BBQ served festival fare.

A variety of hand-crafted items are displayed, hanging on a wall.
A man stands in front of a table with multiple hand-painted items on display.
A man sits in front of a chikee hut with a wooden canoe in front of him. A rope is strung along in front of it to keep onlookers from touching it.
A line of guests stand outside of a pretzel and lemonade food truck in a wooded area.
Groups of guests stand together outside of a food truck with cantina food.
A white food truck with black text on it features a serving window with a guest waiting for service.

Albert Perkins’ teepee installation provided a striking focal point, while a traditional dugout canoe display highlighted indigenous craftsmanship. Demonstrations of brain-tanned buckskin, woodcarving and other heritage skills gave visitors a glimpse into historic survival techniques.

A large teepee is displayed in a wooded area with a green lawn chair in front of it and hand-painted crow next to the entrance. A tree slightly obscures the view on the right.
Albert Perkins displayed a large teepee at the Silver River Museum’s Knap-In event on Feb. 21, 2026, allowing guests to take a look inside.
Courtesy: Amber Battillo/352today

Interactive stations encouraged hands-on-learning, with guests invited to make their own bead necklaces, shape pinch pots from clay, create masks and practice archery on a bow-and-arrow field.

Beyond the vendor booths, the park’s historic buildings are open for exploration. The circa-1930s Silver Springs Schoolhouse, the Godwin Family Cracker House and the Hinto Family House offered insight into early Florida living. At the MacIvey Cabin, volunteer Kathleen Septer prepared venison stew over an open flame, while the Blacksmith Shop and Tool shed featured live demonstrations. Visitors also explored the Sugar Cane Kettle & Mill, Barefoot Willy’s Cabin–complete with a bear hide–and a wood-fired pottery kiln.

Kids are gathered in front of a chalkboard in a historic schoolhouse, drawing and writing with the chalk.
Kids gathered in the historic schoolhouse at the Silver River Museum’s Knap-In event on Feb. 21, 2026, drawing and looking around.
Courtesy: Amber Battillo/352today

By the end of the weekend, pockets will be heavier with handcrafted treasures and heads will be fuller with stories of early Florida life. From teepees and thunder gourds to stew simmering over an open flame, the festival proves that history isn’t just something your read about–sometimes it’s something you can hold, taste and shape with your own two hands.