After receiving nearly 270 submissions, the Appleton Museum of Art, College of Central Florida, and Silver Springs State Park have announced the winners of this year’s Florida SpringsFest Photography Contest.
In celebration of Marion County’s natural springs, the public was invited to submit photos taken at Silver Springs that fell into any of the three categories: Color; Flora and Fauna; and People.
The contest was open to all ages, and a total of 269 photos were submitted across the three categories. The photos were then juried by Dave Miller, an Ocala-based photographer, videographer, and co-owner of Maven Photo + Film.
Below are this year’s photography contest winners:
Color Category
- First place: Monique Kelley.
- Second place: Karl Smith.
Flora & Fauna Category
- First place: Zachary Shaul.
- Second place: Sharon Howard.
People Category
- First place: Dawn A. Campbell.
- Second place: Kailey Lentsch.
All contest entries will be displayed at Silver Springs State Park (5656 E Silver Springs Boulevard in Silver Springs) beginning on Saturday, March 2 through Tuesday, April 30. Regular admission fees apply to see the photo display. The six winning photos will also be displayed at the Appleton Museum of Art during the same time period.
“We are excited to partner with the Appleton Museum of Art for Florida SpringsFest 2024,” stated Park Services Specialist Ruth Fletcher. “Art and nature are incredibly important to Florida residents and visitors, alike. This is a great way to bring the community together while conserving and enjoying this beautiful piece of the state.”
On Saturday, March 2, and Sunday, March 3, the 2024 Florida SpringsFest event will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Silver Springs State Park. In addition to featuring a display of all the photo submissions, the festivities will include activities for children, live music, and food vendors.
Admission is $2 per person. To learn more, visit the Florida SpringsFest Facebook page.
During the two-day Florida SpringsFest event, admission will be free at the Appleton Museum of Art (4333 E Silver Springs Boulevard in Ocala). A campus of the College of Central Florida, the museum’s hours of operation are from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesday through Saturday, with reduced hours (noon to 5 p.m.) on Sunday.
For more information about the Appleton Museum of Art, click here or call 352-291-4455.