Annual event brings community together
By Kyle LoJacono
Last year a combined 15,000 people went to the inaugural year of the LOL Swamp Fest and the new annual tradition is back Friday-Sunday (Nov. 5-7) at the Land O’ Lakes Community Center.
The three-day event actually had two versions in 2009, one in the spring at Land O’ Lakes High and another the first weekend of November at the center, 5401 Land O’ Lakes Blvd. The birth of the festival coincided with the end of the Land O’ Lakes Flapjack Festival, which had been at the center each autumn.
Mike Connor, president of the Land O’ Lakes High Athletic Booster Club, said the organization wanted to continue with a fall festival that could help the Gators’ various programs.
“We had been the sponsor of the midway rides at the Flapjack Festival,” Conner said. “When that moved we all thought this community needed a festival like this, so we decided to bring it back.”
Conner said about 5,000 attended the spring version last year with another 10,000 coming last fall. He is expecting at least that many to come out again this year.
The Swamp Fest will have many traditional fall festival elements from midway rides, games, vendors, carnival food and bands such as James Taylor and The Silver Eagle Band. Conner said there is also a pageant for boys and girls of all ages Nov. 6 and also a free breakfast that remembers the now defunct event.
“Saturday morning (Nov. 6) there will be free pancakes provided by Beef ‘O’ Brady’s from 8-10,” Conner said. “There is also a car show. Really there is something for everyone. It’s free to park and get in.”
Things like food and midway games are how the event raises money for the booster club. Conner’s three children graduated from Land O’ Lakes High and participated in athletics, as did Darlene Harris’ two.
“I’ve stayed as a member of the athletic booster club because I enjoy volunteering for this worthwhile group,” said Harris, who is the club’s secretary and vendor booth committee chairwoman. “We help the athletic teams with purchases of safety equipment, give out college scholarships ($6,000 in 2010) to athletes and with other help.”
Conner said the club handles $250,000 in fundraising for the school’s programs each year.
“That all comes from fundraising from the community,” Conner said. “It eases the burden of the school district to buy new equipment. We also pay for the participation fees for kids that can’t afford it themselves.”
Rich Batchelor is an assistant principal at Land O’ Lakes High and is managing the athletic department while athletic director Karen Coss is on maternity leave. He is very appreciative of what the event means for the school.
“The money from the Swamp Fest helps quite a few groups here,” Batchelor said. “It also helps our clubs and organizations because they get a part of the money by helping at the event. The money will help the athletics by buying new uniforms, equipment, pays for banquets and helps offset travel cost. The booster club is a wonderful group that does a lot for the school.”
Conner, Harris and Batchelor each said the real key to the festival’s success is what it does for the area.
“The Swamp Fest brings our community together for some fun family entertainment,” Harris said. “I love seeing the kids and their parents enjoying the food, watching local kids dancing on stage, local bands playing and of course the fantastic fall weather. I hope you can come to the Swamp Fest and have some fun with us.”
LOL Swamp Festival
Where: Land O’ Lakes Community Center, 5401 Land O’ Lakes Blvd.
When: Friday, Nov. 5-Sunday, Nov. 7
Website: www.LOLswampfest.com
