Desoto County Historical Society

Pioneer Day 2026
2026-03-28 09:00 - 15:00 (America/New_York) | Turner Agri-Civic Center, 2250 NE Roan St., Arcadia, FL, 34266, United States
The DeSoto County Historical Society’s 22nd Annual Pioneer Day and BBQ showcases the history and heritage of southwest Florida from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Sat., March 28, 2026, at the Turner Agri-Civic Center, 2250 NE Roan St., with the Arcadia American Legion sponsored Antique Tractor and Hit & Miss Engine Show plus Hotrod and Classic Car Show.
This year’s festival will commemorate the centennial anniversary of Arcadia City Hall, J. L. Jones Building, and Plaza Hotel and celebrating the 250th Anniversary of Independence.
Fun for the whole family includes bodacious barbecue, luscious strawberry shortcake, and other tasty treats; demonstrations of old-fashioned skills and crafts; arts and crafts, legendary characters; musical entertainment; traditional Florida Cracker cow camp and whip crackers; classic 1924 LaFrance firetruck and fire hose demonstration with an exhibit about the 1905 fire that destroyed downtown Arcadia; Florida authors and artists; a free “hands-on history” area with time-honored tasks, vintage games, fossil dig, and more.
For more information, call 863-266-5774 or send an email message to desotocountyhistoricalsociety@gmail.com or check out our Pioneer Day page.

Hop on, Hop off! I Spy Desoto Bus
2026-04-18 09:00 - 15:00
FREE BUS RIDES ~ FREE SNACKS ~ FREE ACTIVITIES!
HOP ON, HOP OFF I SPY DESOTO BUS: Park at one of the designated locations and catch the FREE transportation bus! FUN, LEARNING & EXPLORATION FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY! Hop on the FREE DeSoto Magic School Bus for an unforgettable I Spy Adventure the whole family will love! As you ride between exciting Suncoast Remake Learning Days events, you’ll explore local history, uncover fascinating stories, and spot landmarks along the way.
Designated Stops
Park at one of the designated locations and hop on the FREE I Spy DeSoto Bus! Enjoy learning about local history along the ride on a fun-filled family adventure.
Events at DeSoto County Library, 125 N Hillsborough Ave.

Color Me Beautiful | Spring Remix, 9:30 am to 12:30 pm
A Look Within, 10:00 am to 12:00 pm
Activate the Future: The Next Chapter Starts Here, 9:30 am to 12:30 pm
Create Mosaic Art at the Library! 11:00 am to 1:00 pm

Events Elsewhere
Everyday Science, 9:00 am to 3:00 pm.
The McSwain Center, 16 S Volusia Ave.
Arts and Crafts Fun and Learning, 11:00 am to 1:00 pm.
Friendship Missionary Baptist Church, 304 W Myrtle St.
Cake Creators, 10:00 am to 1:00 pm
Church of Christ, 710 SW Martin Luther King St.
Football & Cheer Clinic, 10:00 am to 2:00 pm
Richard Bowers Jr Stadium, 1175 SW Hillsborough Ave.
Casa San Juan Bosco Family Fest, 11:00 am to 2:00 pm
Casa San Juan Bosco, 2358 SE Arnold Andrews Ave.
Together in Teal: A Child Safety Day, 11:00 am to 2:00 pm
Walt Brewer Sport Complex, 1347 Hargraves St.
STEM Day at SFSC, 9:00 am to 12:00 pm
South Florida State College, DeSoto, 2251 NE Turner Ave.
Crack the Case with DCSO, 10:00 am to 2:00 pm
DeSoto County Sheriff’s Office, 208 E Cypress St.
For more information, call 863-266-5774 or send an email message to
desotocountyhistoricalsociety@gmail.com.

Grand Reopening and Ribbon Cutting of the Historic John Morgan Ingraham House
2026-05-01 10:00 - 12:00 | John Morgan Ingraham House Museum, 300 N Monroe Ave., Arcadia, FL, 34266, United States
In celebration of America’s 250th Anniversary The DeSoto County Historical Society would like to invite you to the Grand Reopening and Ribbon Cutting of the Historic John Morgan Ingraham House
– at –
300 North Monroe Ave
– on –
Friday, May 1, 2026,
10:00am
Hors d’oeuvres will be served. Tours Provided

The Arcadia Rodeo: A July 4th Tradition
2026-07-04 10:00 - 15:00
Please share your Arcadia rodeo memorabilia for the DeSoto County Historical Society’s exhibit “The Arcadia Rodeo: A July 4th Tradition” at the Arcadia Main Street Office, 17 N. Polk Ave., from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on July 4. The exhibit is free and open to the public.
Memorabilia may be brought to the Main street office between 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Friday, July 3, or between 9:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, July 4. Memorabilia may be picked up between 3:00 and 4:00 p.m. on July 4, or between 9:00 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. on Monday, July 6.
The Arcadia All-Florida Championship Rodeo actually began with a July 4th Celebration organized by the Arcadia American Legion K-Post 11 on July 4, 1929. The exhibition and demonstration of the everyday skills and techniques used by our local cattlemen was such a success, that K-Post 11 started the first Arcadia Rodeo held on November 11-12, 1929. And the rest of the story, as they say, is history.
The July 11, 1929, “Arcadian” reported that “The program of sports during the day was an interesting and varied lot. The amount and quality of new talent in the numerous events came as a surprise to those in charge, and out of this has come a proposition to put on a real rodeo
exhibition here some time later in the year, probably next fall.”
The July 4th Rodeo continued as as an Arcadia tradition until 2012.
