Seniors Visitors Stop In Fellsmere

 Fellsmere, a city in Indian River County, Florida has a population of just over 7,500. Many folks, including seniors come for the annual Frog Leg Festival held the third week of January. They say it is the largest such festival in the world.  Who is to debate that?

Frog Leg Festival is big in Fellsmere and is a great means of raising funds for the needs of the local children. With over 100 crafters, midway rides and plenty of games it’s fun for visitors of all ages. Frog Leg and Gator Tail Dinners are the main fare but there is also a huge variety of other festival foods available.

Ever eaten gator?  I have, in Texas.  Not bad really. And then there’s swamp cabbage, collard greens, fried green tomatoes, grits and Catfish. Naturally, there is a Frog Leg Eating Contest and that takes a whole lot of local frogs out of service.

 Seniors Enjoy The Historic

Fellsmere picked up some national attention when it was the first city in Florida to adopt women’s suffrage. A local chapter of the National Organization for Women still meets every August to commemorate the historic moment.

Fellsmere is a city with a vision for its future and a respect for its past. Founded in 1911, Fellsmere is located only 4 miles west of I-95 on Hwy 512 and not all that far from the Atlantic Ocean. The city is a dramatic account of floods, land “booms” and land “busts” and overflows with historic sites.

Named for E. Nelson Fell, who already had an impressive worldwide resume before coming to Florida, he founded two communities, the English colony of Narcoossee and the farming town of Fellsmere. The Fellsmere Farms Land Development Company promoted the area’s rich soils and natural resources. By 1915, Fellsmere had a railroad, an electric company, two hotels and women could vote.

St. Sebastien River Intices Seniors

Another major attraction to Fellsmere is the St. Sebastien River Preserve State Park that features open grassy forests of longleaf pine that were once commonplace throughout Florida. These habitats are home to many native plants and animals, including over 50 protected species.

Senior photographers, bird-watchers, and nature enthusiasts can explore miles of trails on foot, bicycle, or horseback. Canoeing, boating, and fishing on the St. Sebastian River are popular activities.

Sportsman’s Specialties hunting and fishing pro shop corrals lots of the locals who enjoy the sports in the area. So bring along a cooler to take some of these specialties home with you.  And enjoy your time in Fellsmere. jeb