82nd Annual Brighton Field Day Festival
Scheduled for February 14-16
Country Singer Elizabeth Cook is Headliner
OKEECHOBEE, Fla. (January 13, 2020) – Celebrating 82 years, the Brighton Field Day Festival will take place at the Fred Smith Rodeo Arena on the Brighton Seminole Indian Reservation in Okeechobee, Florida, February 14-16.
Presented by the Seminole Tribe of Florida, many Seminole favorites will return including PRCA Rodeo (Friday and Saturday), Xtreme Bull Riding (Sunday), clothing contests, American Indian arts & crafts, and native foods. Attendees may also visit the Seminole Culture Camp where a living Seminole Indian Village will be on display.
Entertainment will include a Saturday evening concert by country singer Elizabeth Cook. From Wildwood, Florida, Cook has been a regular performer on the Grand Ole Opry and is a frequent guest star on Adult Swim’s long-running hit cartoon series “Squidbillies” on the Cartoon Network.
As a critically acclaimed live act and recording artist, the New York Times has called her “a sharp and surprising country singer.” Cook is also a veteran SiriusXM Outlaw Country Radio DJ, having hosted her own show, Apron Strings, for the last 10 years.
The event weekend will also feature native dance troupes from neighboring tribes, storytelling, alligator wrestling (all three days) and a snake show.
Attendees can visit the sponsor-driven Pro Rodeo Fan Zone on the way into the arena. The rodeo grounds will have a variety of crafts and food vendors for all to enjoy.
Brighton Field Day started in November of 1938. William and Edith Boehmer, two teachers who were residing on the Brighton reservation, got the idea to start a “day of fun.” It initially was meant to be a day for Tribal community members to visit, but now thousands of visitors join Seminole Tribal members in this annual celebration.
From Friday, February 14, through Sunday, February 16, gates will open at 9 a.m., 8:30 a.m. and 9 a.m., respectively. Activities begin at 10 a.m. on Friday, 9 a.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. on Sunday.
The PRCA Rodeo will take place Friday and Saturday at 3 p.m. The Elizabeth Cook concert is scheduled for Saturday at 7:30 p.m.
The Brighton Field Day Festival will be held at the Fred Smith Rodeo Arena, which is located at 17400 Sports Complex Road NE, Okeechobee, Florida, 34974. From Okeechobee, take Hwy 70 west or from US 27 take Hwy 70 east to Hwy 721, right on Harney Pond Road one mile to Fred Smith Arena. From Fort Lauderdale, take US-27 N, turn right on Hwy 78, turn left on Hwy 721, left on Harney Pond Road, one mile to Fred Smith Arena. And, from Fort Myers, take SR 80 east, turn left on FL-29/Bridge Street, turn right onto FL-78 E, turn right on US-27 S to Hwy 78 E, turn left on Hwy 721, left on Harney Pond Road, one mile to Fred Smith Arena.
Tickets are $20 each day ($15 for seniors on Friday and $15 for veterans on Sunday). Event information can be found at www.brightonfieldday.com or by calling (863) 467-6039.
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Contacts:
Gilbert Fevry, Florida Seminole Tourism, (954) 985-5701 x10734, gilbertfevry@semtribe.com
Chris Dirato, Bitner Group, (954) 703-7938, chris@bitnergroup.com
Alina Maria Quintana | Production Manager
800 Corporate Drive, Suite 214
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33334
Office: 954.730.7730 x133
Direct: 954.703.7933
Fax: 954.730.7130