Pickin' at Poe: Live Music & BBQ at Poe Springs Park (High Springs, FL)

Pickin' at Poe brings a grassroots concert to Poe Springs Park in High Springs, Florida — an evening where country-tinged strings meet one of North Central Florida’s clearest springs. The first-ever Pickin’ at Poe is a family-focused outdoor concert on the broad lawn beside Poe Springs, a limestone-fed head spring that spills into the Santa Fe River. Guests arrive as light fades, set chairs and blankets on flat grass, and trade the city’s noise for acoustic guitar, barbecued smoke, and the steady hush of water threading through karst limestone.

Music comes from local talent Cliff Dorsey and Houston Keen, whose sets are built for singalongs and easy listening as frogs and night insects punctuate the tempo. Food and mocktails are staged at the Low & Slow Almost Bar & Grill by Super Tasty BBQ Company, so dinner feels like part of the show: pulled pork and sweet tea replacing the usual concession line. Gates open at 6:30 PM and parking is included with admission, which keeps the logistics simple for families and anyone who wants to arrive without fuss.

What makes this place special isn’t just the lineup; it’s the setting. Poe Springs is a clear, spring-fed boil in a karst landscape—sandstone and limestone sculpt the edge of the spring run and feed the Santa Fe River—so the soundtrack of the night includes natural water sounds and the occasional animal visitor. Kids under 10 enter free, making the event friendly for multi-generational outings, and organizers encourage low-impact behavior: pack out what you bring and respect wildlife.

Practical details are straightforward: bring a blanket or low chair, insect repellent, and a jacket for when the temperature drops after sunset. The event is outdoors and final sales are final, so check weather before you drive. This is an accessible evening—no trail hiking required—yet it feels like a small pilgrimage to a local natural landmark, a way to spend an evening outdoors without compromising creature comforts.

Pickin’ at Poe doubles as a community moment: it connects local musicians, a beloved park, and a small business food operation into one memorable night. Whether you come for the music, the BBQ, or the rare chance to hear acoustic sets under the open sky beside a spring boil, the event offers a clear, relaxed line between live music and nature. It’s an easy, low-stress night out that shows how public lands can host simple, well-run cultural experiences. Arrive early to claim a flat spot and watch sunset over the spring run; those first songs in dusk feel especially intimate. Vendors accept card and cash, but lines move faster with bills. Respect posted park hours and leave no trace—this night depends on keeping Poe Springs clean for future events.