By Peter Covino

Entertainment Editor

You can go back in time and explore the early history of Osceola County at the Pioneer Paddle and Festival at Shingle Creek Regional Park Saturday.

The first-time event should offer something for just about everyone, said Robin Hinson, of Kissimmee Outdoors, which is co-hosting the event with the city of Kissimmee Parks and Recreation Department.

“It’s a mini-festival with a pioneer theme,” Hinson said, and it all takes place at the county’s newest park.

Shingle Creek Regional Park, which opened last year, features acres of land along the historic creek. Even without the festival, a trip to the park is a glimpse back to the way life was in Florida in the 19th century.

The festival organizers chose the weekend after Thanksgiving for the event because it was a great time for families to get together and continue the pioneer theme of the Thanksgiving holiday.

There will be a lot to see and do throughout the day, but the major highlight will be the guided canoe tours along Shingle Creek. The tour is the best way to get a firsthand view of the park and experience it the same way early settlers did, Hinson said.

The opening of first phase of the park includes Steffee Landing, a historic cabin and boat landing near the U.S. Highway 192 bridge, where park-goers can launch canoes and kayaks.

Shingle Creek Regional Park is a project funded by several local government entities in an effort to preserve the land around the headwaters to the Everglades. Already 1,033 acres have been purchased by the city of Kissimmee and Osceola County or in joint ventures, using a variety of national and state grants.

In addition to the canoe tours, there will be demonstrations, talks and entertainment and lots of food for sale as well.

Several county groups will be conducting the tours, Hinson said, such as the Kissimmee Valley Audubon Society, a native plant society and even Swampgirl Adventures, which Hinson described as a sort of “Crocodile Hunter” excursion with an emphasis on wildlife and insects.

Entertainment will be provided by the Orlando Cloggers, Whirl and Twirl Square Dancers and a group of dancers from the new Alligator Alley at The Country Castle country saloon in Kissimmee.

Other area musicians will perform blue grass and folk music on stage as well as demonstrations throughout the day on pioneer music.

Local authors such as Jovida Fletcher, Charles Futch and Jim Robison will be part of the storytelling experience at the event, with tales of Central Florida's citrus and ranch story days.

There will be a lot of history that many area residents know little about, Hinson said, including how Kissimmee got its name, the history of Shingle Creek and details about a forgotten railroad line that ran through the area.

With so much going on, festival attendees are bound to get hungry, so there will be lots of food available for sale including home made jerky, chili, barbecue, gator tail and kettle-cooked popcorn.

The group held a similar event in the spring, Hinson said, which attracted a large crowd, and he expects as many as 3,000 people to attend the Saturday event.

Parking and admission is free. If you are interested in one of the canoe tours, various packages are available at a cost of $5-$20. Advance registration is recommended for the canoe tours.

For more information visit www.kissimmeeparks.org or stop by one of Kissimmee’s Parks and Recreation facilities to register.

Pioneer photos of guests will also be available at the park’s historic 19th century farmhouse.

Shingle Creek Regional Park, also referred to as Babb Property, 2491 Babb Road in Kissimmee.

The event is from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Guests are encouraged to bring blankets and lawn chairs.