Duette Fest set for Saturday highlights everything 'cracker' and supports one-teacher school
DUETTE -- Student population is growing at the one-teacher Duette Elementary School, the last of its kind in Florida.
To keep the trend from reversing, a foundation is hosting its third annual fundraiser, which harkens back to Florida's roots: the Duette Cracker Fest.
This year's festival is set for 10:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m. Saturday and is sponsored by Duette Education Foundation Inc.
Since Dec. 19, 2009, the foundation has contracted with Manatee County School District to operate the school.
The school operates on a shoestring with an enrollment of 20 compared with a previous low of nine students.
The determination to keep the school open burns hottest in the heart of Donna King, who serves as executive director of the foundation, and is also the school's former principal and teacher. Even a battle against cancer couldn't keep her down, although day-to-day teaching duties have been turned over to Cassie Fahy.
This week, King was doing much of the legwork to organize the festival, personally buying the gator tail and frog legs and looking for bargains on soda.
"The North River Kiwanis will do all our cooking," King said. In addition to fried gator and frog legs, there will also be pulled pork sandwiches and hamburgers.
Activities include cracker cows, cracker food, cracker folks, cracker activities, cracker music and bullwhip cracking. Live entertainment throughout the day includes:
11 a.m. - Rita Youngman
11:45 a.m. - Mac Martin Band
12:30 p.m. - Harrill & Ronshausen
1:15 p.m. - Raiford Starke & Denny Breau
2:15 p.m. - J.D. Lewis Band
3:15 p.m. - Florida Boys
4:15 p.m. - John McEuen & friends
5:15 p.m. - James Hawkins
Hourly tours are planned of the school, which richly evokes its 1930 founding as a "strawberry school." In its early years, the school dismissed students to help their parents bring in the harvest.
"Come and be under an oak tree and hear a Florida cracker tell about settling in Duette and raising cattle," King said.
Duette Fire Chief Jim Leonard said he likes the festival's relaxed nature.
"Just getting to see all the people is my favorite. Even in a small town you don't get to see everyone everyday," he said.
Admission at 40755 State Road 62, Duette, is free. The foundation makes its money from food sales and donations.
James A. Jones Jr., East Manatee reporter, can be contacted at 941-745-7053 or on Twitter @jajones1.
This story was originally published March 31, 2015 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Duette Fest set for Saturday highlights everything 'cracker' and supports one-teacher school ."