A plaque dedication ceremony honoring Dr. Alvan Chapman, a distinguished 19th-century botanist, will be held at the entrance to the Chapman Botanical Garden in Apalachicola on Friday, November 6, 2020 at 11 a.m. The public is invited to visit the garden for this free event.

Apalachicola Main Street Director Augusta West, Franklin County State Parks Manager Josh Hodson, and Apalachicola Mayor Kevin Begos will speak prior to the plaque’s unveiling. Visitors are also welcome to explore the antebellum Orman House museum adjacent to the botanical garden to see its collections of 19th century furnishings, clothing, and artifacts. Admission to the house museum is $2 per person.

The Chapman Botanical Garden and Orman House State Park are located at 177 5th Street in Apalachicola. Limited parking is available at the 5th Street entrance. Additional parking is available in the public parking lot near the Market Street entrance.

The event is free and open to the public.Please practice social distancing. Masks are encouraged.For further information, please call the Orman House State Park at 850-653-1209.

Announcing Apalachicola’s inaugural grassroots community music festival — where front porches become stages, yards become venues, and generosity and good will rule the day.

The Apalach Porch Fest will be held on November 7, 2020 in Downtown Apalachicola. The festival will begin at noon at Trinity Episcopal Church, located at 69 6th Street. Each musical act will perform for about an hour in a staggered line-up, with the wrap up party on the porch o the Gibson Inn.
Attendees are encouraged to bring your own chairs, blankets, coolers, drinks, and their own generosity to share with others (beads, stickers, candy, etc…)  Have fun, be creative …. it’s what the day is all about. 

Musical acts include area musicians – Clayton Mathis, Tommy Cooper, Hot Mess, Flying Fish, Cat Braaten, Smoldering’ Embers, Apalachicola Blues Authority, David Lloyd, and Mathew Hutch. Please do bring $ for tipping musicians, as they are all donating their time for this event. 
Porch Fest Apalach will have limited edition t-shirts for sale.

Franklin County Humane Society is our charity of choice for this year, and we will be collecting donations at each porch. As well, the FCHS will be at the event with adoptable pets.

Date: Saturday, November 7, 2020Where: Starts at noon at Trinity Episcopal Church, 69 6th Street; Last stop at Gibson Porch, 51 Ave C. Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/Porch-Fest-Apalach-111474484059239

Google Map: https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1LMzoSB00xtxWr_1uJvJbJxmHsvnnbuV8&ll=29.725608293641272%2C-84.98703790683152&z=16&fbclid=IwAR0zrWfVKdh4wQniL03dDEdzi55eIz4TiLoQd7MeT1Gj3XlhsW3PSdJyAuo

COVID-19 statement: With so many events being cancelled due to COVID-19, this event is being held outdoors, and safety measures (social distancing and masks inside) are encouraged in order to maintain every attendee, all performers, and hosts health and safety. 

Public restrooms are located at 77 Commerce St. For more information, please contact Jenny Odom at 850-316-0630 or Mick Barlament ‭at 404-312-1700‬.

Click here to read the October 16, 2020 edition of our e-newsletter, Exploring Downtown Apalachicola’s Past, Present, and Future.

Apalachicola Main Street is developing an exhibit dedicated to Moses Roper (1815-1891), who was once a north Florida slave but went on to become a prominent author and lecturer who dedicated his life to abolition. After a daring escape in 1834, Roper travelled 500 miles on foot from Marianna, Florida to Savannah, Georgia where he sailed to New York. 

In 1835, he sailed to England where abolitionists paid for his education. Roper then published one of the best-selling slave narratives in history, Narrative of the Adventures and Escape of Moses Roper from American Slavery and over the next decade lectured over 2,000 times across the British Isles. 

The planned exhibit, which will be the world’s first dedicated to exploring Roper’s life and legacy, will be displayed at the Apalachicola Center for History, Culture, and Art in February 2021. Funds raised will assist with a digital mapping project that traces the arc of his life and bold journey of survival, a process which includes intensive historical research across several states. 

The Moses Roper exhibit project would not be possible without the support of two recently awarded grants. We received a Community Project Grant from Florida Humanities. As the non-profit statewide partner of the National Endowment for the Humanities, Florida Humanities awards federal funds each year to local organizations to create a variety of free, humanities-rich programming to diverse communities across the state. These programs and resources seek to preserve Florida’s diverse history and heritage and to promote civic engagement and community dialogue. 

In addition, we were honored to have received a grant from the Duke Energy Foundation. Among the Foundation’s funding priorities are supporting projects that strengthen communities through impactful projects that focus on expanding cultural program access for under-served and diverse populations and supporting initiatives involving social justice and racial equity.

These grants will cover the costs of a digital interactive kiosk and the graphic design and production of the exhibit panels. 

Apalachicola Main Street, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit established in 2011 as part of the Florida Main Street and National Main Street networks. This project reflects our commitment to promoting diverse historical and cultural heritage.

To learn more, visit www.MosesRoperProject.org.