SPIRIT OF THE SUWANNEE
Spirit of the Suwannee
By Hayli Zuccola
Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park
Situated on the banks of the Suwannee River and covering over 800 acres of scenic natural Florida with hiking and biking trails ; lakes ; a bird sanctuary and a bat house ; the Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park provides a beautiful outdoor escape as well as an eclectic lineup of music events and holiday festivals to provide a little something for everyone .
For those seeking a sense of relaxation or just a breath of fresh air , the Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park offers swimming , kayaking and canoeing along the historic Suwannee river ; hiking or horseback riding through multiple trails ; a saltwater pool ; disc golf ; nature watching opportunities and tours of their one-of-a-kind treehouse built around an over 200-year-old live oak .
In contrast to the quiet ambiance the park ’ s natural elements provide , music events held throughout the year draw in large crowds from far and wide with adrenaline-pumping entertainment . The season typically begins at the end of March with Resonate Suwannee , which highlights electronic , funk and jam artists . New for 2023 is the movement of the renowned Suwannee River Jam , a country music event that ’ s been held at the park for more than 30 years , from April to September . October is music month at Spirit of the Suwannee with Suwannee Roots Revival held during the first week and the ever popular Hulaween , a four-day event that attracts around 20-to-30,000 music lovers and over 50 bands and musicians across multiple genres , held closest to Halloween with this year marking Hulaween ’ s 10th anniversary .
While music is part of the park ’ s namesake , their biggest event isn ’ t an annual concert but rather the Suwannee Lights .
“ It ’ s our biggest festival that we do ,” said Ryan
Gambel , the park ’ s Director of Marketing . “ Last year we probably brought in over 60,000 visitors from all over the place to go through the lights .”
As well as in attendance , the Suwannee Lights has also grown in the sheer amount of lights along the drive-thru path with this year ’ s estimation being over 12 to 13 million twinkling lights decorating the night sky alongside campfires , hot chocolate and s ’ mores ; a craft village ; and of course , a visit from Santa .
Whether it ’ s a camping trip to soak up the sunshine and enjoy the beauty of nature ; a more upbeat visit singing beside a crowd of festival-goers or a holiday outing filled with millions of lights , chances are the Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park will have whatever it is you ’ re looking for .
108 SUWANNEE CHAMBER IMPACT | 2023-2024