The Alifia River Rondezvous started over 25 years ago as just a weekend get together and shoot just off I-75 on State Road 50 near Naples, Florida, by the Alifia Shooting Club.  In the late 1970s, it became a Ronnyvous when several of the buckskinners brought their tipis and started doing a primitive ronny.  In 1978/79, the club put on the first real encampment.  Later, when the club lost the site, Charlie Knight stepped in and said they could use his lad near Keysville, Florida, for the Ronnyvous. The FLORIDA FRONTIERSMEN took over, and for the last 20 years, The ALIFIA RIVER RONDEZVOUS was held on Charley Knight's farm.
(Information provided by Linda Holley)

Further information:  The Alafia was held at Charlie Knight's place until 1998 when SWFWMD (As we call it Swift-Mud) took over the property and booted us out.  So... the hunt for a permanent site ensued. Since 1998, the Frontiersmen have been looking for a land. On January 19, 2001, the Executive Board, with approval of the membership, signed a contract to purchase 322.9 acres of land located on Hwy 17, south of Barto, in Polk County. It is located near the small community of Homeland, FL. Alafia 2002 will mark the 31st Alafia River Rendezvous and for the first time, the Florida Frontiersmen will host it on their own land!!  Way to go y'all :)))

    It is one of the largest, if not THE largest, Ronnyvous in the South.  I believe this last one (1997) had over 1200 camps set up, with about 900 of those being in the Primitive area.  The picture below shows an aerial view of the primitive camp. I hope it turns out okay... it is in an old style "sepia" picture.
 

    For more information on the Alifia, click  HERE to go to the Homepage of the Florida Frontiersmen.