History

Jackson County Library Services and the Storytelling Guild launched the Children's Festival in 1967. The Festival began as a small storytelling program, billed as: "A Child's Fun 'N Fantasy Afternoon", which was to be held under the trees at Britt Gardens in Jacksonville. The turnout for this one-day event was so tremendous (500 children) that is was repeated the next day for another 500 children!

It was apparent that this was an important program and plans were readied for a true Festival in 1968. The Storytelling Guild and the Jackson County Library began planning by recruiting volunteers from the mothers who attended the first festival. Sixteen volunteers and the local chapter of the American Association of University Women planned for that second year.

The second festival drew 2,000 children. The third, 4,000 and by 1981 was attracting 15,000! At the time Jackson County's Parks and Recreation program was bussing in children from recreation sites throughout the county. Today the average attendance is over 7,500. The number of volunteers has increased to 2,000.