Saved by Volunteers, the McIntosh 1890s Festival Returns Oct. 17, 2026

Nine months ago, the McIntosh 1890s Festival looked finished. Now it is back on the calendar: the festival returns to the oak-shaded streets of historic McIntosh on Saturday, October 17, 2026, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., run for the first time by a volunteer board of local residents instead of the nonprofit that organized it for roughly half a century.

McIntosh is a small, historic town in north Marion County on US 441 between Ocala and Gainesville, and the festival is its biggest day of the year. The festival's own website puts attendance at more than 30,000.

How the Festival Was Canceled, Then Saved

On Tuesday, January 13, 2026, Friends of McIntosh, the nonprofit that had produced the festival for about 50 years, announced it was permanently discontinuing the event. In a letter from chair Bev Dodder, the group cited sharply higher operating costs, a membership that had shrunk and aged so the work fell on fewer people, and declining community support, including open disapproval from some residents. "Now we must say good-bye," the letter said. Friends of McIntosh said it would focus its resources on its food bank, scholarships, the town's historic buildings and community aid.

The reprieve came one week later. On Tuesday, January 20, 2026, the McIntosh Town Council unanimously adopted a resolution allowing a newly formed group of community volunteers to take over the festival, according to Ocala-News.com and WCJB. Resident Barbara Hooper, who is handling marketing and social media, was among the volunteers named in coverage of the council vote. The new organizers launched a fresh website, mcintosh-1890s-festival.com. An older site under a similar address still lists Friends of McIntosh and is out of date.

A Marion County Tradition Since 1974

The festival began in 1974, and WCJB reports it grew from about 4,000 visitors in its early years to about 35,000. It has not run every year. It paused during the COVID-19 pandemic, and Ocala-News.com reports the 2024 festival was also canceled. The appeal has stayed the same: the whole town becomes the venue, with vendor booths set up under live oaks and Spanish moss among the town's historic homes and buildings.

What to Expect on October 17

According to the festival and Ocala/Marion County Visitors & Convention Bureau listings:

- Vendors: more than 250 booths of fine art, handcrafted goods, antiques, jewelry, vintage-inspired items and home décor.
- Food: festival food vendors plus meals prepared by local churches, a long-running McIntosh tradition.
- Entertainment: live music by local musicians throughout the day.
- History: self-guided tours of McIntosh's historic sites.

Location, Parking and Admission

- Date and time: Saturday, October 17, 2026, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Where: around Van Ness Park, 5822 Avenue F, McIntosh, FL 32664, with booths on Avenue F, Avenue G and 4th through 8th Streets. The east side of town is closed to all traffic during the festival.
- Admission: free, according to the Ocala/Marion County Visitors & Convention Bureau.
- Parking: the festival and the Town of McIntosh do not provide parking. Private property owners around town offer parking on their land for a small fee, so bring cash.
- Getting there from Ocala: take US 441 north toward Gainesville. McIntosh sits along US 441 in north Marion County.

Arriving early is the easiest way to get a closer parking spot and cooler temperatures. Wear comfortable shoes, because the festival covers several blocks of town.

More Fall Festivals Near Ocala

The McIntosh 1890s Festival kicks off a busy stretch. The 59th annual Ocala Arts Festival fills downtown Ocala the following weekend, October 24 and 25. For more, see our guides to fall festivals in Ocala, Halloween events in Ocala, Ocala craft shows and the town itself in our McIntosh, Florida guide.

Sources: McIntosh 1890s Festival; Ocala-News.com, Jan. 15, 2026; Ocala-News.com, Jan. 26, 2026; WCJB, Jan. 15, 2026; WCJB, Jan. 21, 2026; Ocala/Marion County VCB.