Fort Mose Flight to Freedom event

Terri Newmans, with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s Fort Mose Historic State Park, invited Historic City News readers in St Augustine to join in a celebration during its annual living history event, Flight to Freedom, on Saturday, February 11, 2012.

The day’s activities will be held between 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. on the grounds of the first legally sanctioned, free black settlement in the United States — Fort Mose Historic State Park located at 15 Fort Mose Trail in St Augustine.

Participants will be led by a guide down the park’s “Freedom Trail,” where they will have the opportunity to meet re-enactors representing major characters found on the route to Fort Mose.

Colonial Spanish military drills, musket and cannon demonstrations, African drumming, bird watching and various exhibits and food vendors will also be available throughout the day.

Brother Nizar Ben Ahbir the executive director of the Gullah Heritage Museum and a Gullah Cultural Historiographer will be onsite and will provide a lecture in the park’s visitor center at 11:00am.

Limited parking is available on site. Free parking and trolley service will be provided by Old Town Trolley Tours. Participants are strongly encouraged to park at the Old Jail and Museum located at 167 San Marco Avenue.

The entrance fee into the park’s visitor center is $2.00 per person. Children 6 and under are free.

Photo credits: © 2012 Historic City News contributed photograph by Terri Newmans