Welcome to The Friends of McIntosh
Partial Refund for 2024 Booths
McIntosh 1890s Festival Information
√ Applications for previous vendors are automatically mailed before March 1.
√ New Vendor Applications may be downloaded from McIntosh1890sFestival.com/
√ New Vendors may also request applications via phone, email, or Facebook Messenger (see above).
√ Food vendors should contact the Festival Director directly (phone and email above).
√ Visit the McIntosh 1890s Festival Website
About The Friends of McIntosh
Our Mission
The 1890s Festival
Our Mission
The Friends of McIntosh, Inc. is a benevolent, non-profit organization [501(c)(3)] chartered on November 5, 1973. Its primary purpose is to preserve and enhance the natural and historic beauty of McIntosh, and to promote and sponsor cultural and recreational activities while encouraging friendship, community spirit and understanding among people of all ages in McIntosh.
Our History
The 1890s Festival
Our Mission
The first undertaking of the Friends of McIntosh was the creation of a mini-park (now known as the McKoon - Hopwood Mini Park) next to the current post office. This park was dedicated on Oct. 28, 1973. They landscaped the plot and built and painted a fence with materials donated from businesses in both Gainesville and Ocala.
The next p
The first undertaking of the Friends of McIntosh was the creation of a mini-park (now known as the McKoon - Hopwood Mini Park) next to the current post office. This park was dedicated on Oct. 28, 1973. They landscaped the plot and built and painted a fence with materials donated from businesses in both Gainesville and Ocala.
The next project was to obtain, move, and restore the old McIntosh train depot which was built prior to 1890. It had to be removed from the existing Seaboard Coastline's right-of-way. Activities held by the Friends to begin accruing the money to do such a task were holding bake sales, dinners and other events, but it was clear that more money would be needed. This was the origin of the festival.
The first festival was held on Oct. 19, 1974 as a fund raiser for the Depot, and was originally called the McIntosh Gay Nineties Festival. It had an attendance of approximately 4,000 people. Since 1974 the festival has grown and now hosts over 250 vendors and an estimated 35,000 visitors annually. Each year the 1890's Festival raises money to fund additional projects in the community.
The 1890s Festival
The 1890s Festival
The 1890s Festival
November 5, 2022
The McIntosh 1890s Festival is recognized as one of Florida’s premiere festivals. Over the years, it has grown to over 250 vendors and as many as 40,000 visitors. It’s now too large for the nostalgic parades and home tours of earlier days, but continues to draw crowds to quality arts, crafts, and antiques, and the town’s h
November 5, 2022
The McIntosh 1890s Festival is recognized as one of Florida’s premiere festivals. Over the years, it has grown to over 250 vendors and as many as 40,000 visitors. It’s now too large for the nostalgic parades and home tours of earlier days, but continues to draw crowds to quality arts, crafts, and antiques, and the town’s hospitality and Victorian charm.
The Friends of McIntosh’s 1890s Festival is the largest fundraiser of the year for several local organizations as well as for the Friends. As in the early days of the festival, only proceeds from booth space rentals go to the Friends of McIntosh
The McIntosh 1890s Festival now has its own webpage: McIntosh1890sFestival.com. Check it out for this year's information.
The Friends of McIntosh Keep Getting Better
So Much Since 1974's First Festival
Over the years, 1890s Festival profits have added a front porch to the Community Building, installed playground equipment in Van Ness Park, and placed Victorian-styled fencing and lamp posts at the corners of the park.
In other parts of McIntosh, the Friends have installed a vintage clock in the Mini-Park, and purchased an old packing shed adjacent to the depot. That packing shed is now the “Carriage House,” home to several local artists and a private carriage collection.
Aligning with the Friends’ mission is a scholarship fund to assist local and area young people pursue their scholastic careers.
Community well-being is evident in the Friends of McIntosh food bank and assistance to families identified as needing a helping hand. Individual Friends members provide back-to-school necessities, Christmas gifts, and Easter baskets to children in those families, and the organization provides winter jackets and shoes to those children. The Friends of McIntosh also support McIntosh United Methodist Church’s back-to-school event.
Anyone in the area is welcome to join the Friends of McIntosh. Membership is as varied as McIntosh’s population. Generally, members want to participate in things that preserve town history, make the town more beautiful, and make it a happier place to live. They are the town’s cheerleaders. And they’re also hard workers. While much of the Friends’ work is concentrated in the McIntosh 1890s Festival (almost everyone has at least one job), members work throughout the year to keep the organization aligned with its mission.