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Ocala, FL – On February 17 and 18, 2024, the Silver River Museum will host the annual Silver River Knap-In and Prehistoric Arts Festival, a unique event celebrating ancient crafts and skills that were pivotal in prehistoric times.
“The Silver River Knap-In and Prehistoric Arts Festival is an event that happens each year at the Silver River State Park. This event is unique and it’s one of the largest in the southeast of its kind,” according to Scott Mitchell, coordinator of the Silver River Museum.
The event features demonstrations in flint knapping, a controlled stone-breaking process used to shape sharp stone tools. “This was incredibly important to prehistoric folks across the world before metal tools were invented,” Mitchell said.
In addition to flint knapping and stone tool making, the event includes demonstrations on the art of making bow and arrows, pottery, shell carving, leatherwork, basketry, dugout canoes and more. Additional activities include tram tours, food and craft vendors, artifact displays and presentations by archaeologists.
Artisans from around the Southeast will demonstrate turning shell and bone into usable implements and jewelry, bow makers crafting traditional archery equipment, and artisans demonstrating brain tanning, a pre-Industrial method of turning animal skin into leather. Native American tribal members will showcase dugout canoe making, and the event also features vendors selling unique arts, crafts, and food.
Why attend the Silver River Knap-In and Prehistoric Arts Festival?
“The knapping is special because you won’t see these things being done just anywhere,” Mitchell said. “It only happens once a year.”
He also highlighted the family-friendly nature of the festival, offering hands-on activities for both kids and adults. “The Silver Spring State Park is a beautiful place to visit any weekend.”
The event is held at the Silver River State Park in Ocala, Florida, February 17-18 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is $8, and kids 5 and under are free.
For more information, visit https://silverrivermuseum.com
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