OCALA, FLA. – (June 9, 2008)… To celebrate some of the greatest treasures of this state, the Marion County Springs Festival Committee wishes to encourage more original songs and singing about; Florida’s fresh water springs and the fresh water emanation from those springs. Musicians and aspiring musicians may enter their original songs for consideration by the committee.  The top winning entries will be invited to sing at the Seventh Annual Marion County Springs Festival, to be held at Silver River State Park on Saturday, September 20, 2008. The best songs will also be recorded on a CD including top entries from the last three years for future use in Florida springs protection.

A complete set of contest rules and an application can be downloaded from our web site www.springsfest.org, but basically:

·            The work must be about springs and/or related freshwater, any springs within Florida

·            The work must be original, anyone is eligible to enter

·            The work must be available for use by the Springs Festival Committee, whether or not you win

·            Deadline for entries is August 15; finalists will be notified by August 31, 2008

·            Contestants can win valuable prizes from Passion Recording Studios and Live Out Loud Studio valued up to $3,500

Please send entries via CD to: Marion County Springs Festival, P.O. Box 2064, Silver Springs, FL 34489-2064, Attn: Charlene Johnson/SpringSong and/or for inquiries via e-mail to: Charlene R. Johnson: OspreyRose@Earthlink.net Phone: 352-288-8814 (Please no tapes or written music – we have no way to convert them to CD).

Educating Marion County residents and visitors about Florida’s freshwater springs and giving everyone the opportunity to enjoy this valuable natural resource is the goal of the Springs Festival committee.  The family-friendly event will host a wide variety of educational and entertainment venues including interactive exhibits on the Florida aquifer system, water wise landscaping tips, arts and crafts vendors, live musical entertainment, storytelling, student art show, hiking on the trails in the park, pontoon boat rides, horse drawn trolleys, free admission to the Silver River Museum and more. Organizers expect over 3,000 visitors, weather permitting.

The Marion County Springs Festival is a project under the Friends of Silver River State Park, a nonprofit 501 (c) 3 organization and it is funded by grants, corporate and private sponsorships.

Editors: For more information, contact the Marion County Springs Festival via e-mail at springsfest@cox.net or visit our Web site at www.springsfest.org

 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

SEVENTH ANNUAL MARION COUNTY SPRINGS FESTIVALCOMES TO SILVER RIVER STATE PARK, SEPT. 20

     Educating Marion County residents and visitors about Florida’s freshwater springs is the goal of the Springs Festival, and among the keynote speakers attending this year’s event will be representatives from organizations such as the Florida Springs Initiative, St. Johns River Water Management District, Southwest Florida Water Management District, Florida Geological Survey, Marion Soil & Water Conservation District, Marion County Planning Department and Wetland Solutions.  The Springs Festival will also offer a wide variety of educational and entertainment venues including a series of interactive booths on the Floridan aquifer, water wise landscaping tips, arts and crafts vendors, guided boat trips on the Silver River, hiking, horse-drawn trolley rides, live bands, a photography contest and a “SpringsSong” contest.