Southwest Florida Online
 
Search this site
 

3days until
Thanksgiving Day

   
Swamp Cabbage Festival - February In LaBelle, Florida
The Festival, honoring the Cabbage Palm in Hendry county Florida, is one of Southwest Florida's major events with some 25,000 people flooding the streets of LaBelle every year. The activities include a huge parade (see videos below) and Barron Park festivities, along the banks of the scenic Caloosahatchee River. The festival is always held the last full weekend of February in LaBelle, Florida, the county seat of Hendry county.
 
Hendry County's Swamp Cabbage Festival began in 1965 sponsored by the LaBelle Jaycees. The City of LaBelle, and Port LaBelle community and all of Hendry County extend a warm welcome each year to the many thousands of visitors to this annual event. The festival honors the delicacy gourmets call the "Heart of Palm," the meat of the cabbage palm tree. The cabbage palm is also called the Sabal Palm, the state tree of Florida.
 
Photo: The Swamp Cabbage Festival at Barron Park in LaBelle, Florida
   

Swamp Cabbage Festival Parade - LaBelle

                          Video From The  2008 Festival Parade
 
Watch live video from Don Browne - Florida on Justin.tv

Swamp Cabbage Festival Parade 2008 - 33 minute parade video

Swamp Cabbage Festival Parade 2008 - 10 minute parade video
 
Swamp Cabbage Festival Parade 2009 - 10 minute parade video
 
Swamp Cabbage Festival Parade 2009 - 10 minute parade video - part 2
 
Swamp Cabbage Festival Parade 2009 - parade video - swamp buggies, antiques, air boats (3 minutes)
The Festival includes beauty pageants, dances, the huge Saturday morning parade with floats decorated with Sabal Palm fronds, all day entertainment including bluegrass, jazz, gospel, Latin, and country music, along with delicious locally prepared food at Barron Park, on the scenic Caloosahatchee River next to the LaBelle Bridge.
 
For information about participation in the event, contact LaBelle City Hall for information. Festival Planning Meetings are held at City Hall Mondays at 6:30 PM throughout the year. Visitors are welcome.

New! 2009 Swamp Cabbage Festival Parade

The Swamp Cabbage Festival Events
 
Here are typical schedules and approximate dates and times for events for the annual festival  All days refer to the last full weekend of February:  
 
February 1
  • Deadline for park booth applications, entertainers and parade entries to sign up for the festival.
Mid-February
  • Swamp Cabbage Festival Junior Miss Pageant, LaBelle High School. Admission.
Mid-February
  • Swamp Cabbage Festival Queen Pageant, LaBelle High School. Admission.

Photo: Swamp Cabbage Festival Clowns

Last Thursday of February
  • Old Timers Dinner - LaBelle Civic Center 4:30 PM Social, 7 PM Dinner. Admission.
Photo: Clewiston High School Band at Swamp Cabbage Festival Parade
Last Friday of February
  • Rodeo 7 PM, Rodeo Grounds. Admission.
Last Saturday of February
(All activites at the Barron Park on the Caloosahatchee River unless otherwise stated.)
  • "Swamp Stomp" Along LaBelle's streets- 5K Run/Walk, 8:30 AM
  • Parade from Cowboy Way area to Barron Park north along Bridge Street, 10 AM
  • Quilt Show - LaBelle Womans Club, 10 AM-3 PM
  • Lawnmower Races. 1 PM. Admission. 
  • Arts, Crafts, Food, Music at Barron Park, Noon-7:30 PM
  • Rodeo 7 PM at Rodeo grounds. Admission.
  • Festival Country and Western Dance - Civic Center, Admission, 9 PM-1:30 AM
Last Sunday of February
  • Fishing Tournament at Boat Ramp, 6:30 AM-2 PM
  • Food, Music, Arts, Crafts at Barron Park 9 AM-5 PM
  • Fishing Tournament Weigh-in, 2 PM
  • Rodeo 7 PM, Rodeo Grounds. Admission.
(Festival activities and times are subject to change.)
 
Photo: Horse Carriage At Swamp Cabbage Festival
 
More LaBelle Festival Activities:
Live WebCam Broadcast And Chat - from Port LaBelle, Florida

   
E-mail to Southwest Florida Online™ - Hendry, Lee, and Glades County

Attachments (1)

  • adam.mid - on Jul 16, 2009 12:59 PM by Don Browne (version 1)
    16k Download