The 2024 Swamp Heritage Festival celebrates 50 years of Big Cypress National Preserve while also highlighting the thousands of years of inhabitants that preceded and protected this area before it was formally set aside. This year, the goal of this festival is to allow the public to ‘Celebrate Cypress’ in whatever way is most meaningful to them! Through cultural demonstrations, thrilling stories of the past, and hands-on activities, we hope to share the things that make this place unique. We strive to provide opportunities to learn about historical events, people, and places so that everyone can find a way to appreciate Big Cypress as it is but also as it was. In 2024, we are striving to spread the love and appreciation for a place that, without those of the past, may not exist in the same way that it does today. The story of Big Cypress is ongoing, but how we recognize and appreciate these stories of the past is what will define us moving forward into our next 50 years.