ARCADIAN PHOTO BY AL SMOKE

DeSoto Arts and Humanities members Karen Smoke and Joan Cranor, at right, guide a class of DeSoto County High School students through the Art of the River exhibit at the Arcadia campus of South Florida State College. In the background are the student entries.

ARCADIAN PHOTO BY SUSAN E. HOFFMAN, shoffman@sun-herald.com

Several "Nocatee Old Timers" gather for a group p[hoto Friday evening during the Art of the River artists and sponsors reception. The Nocatee Old Timers held their annual gathering Saturday.

ARCADIAN PHOTO BY SUSAN E. HOFFMAN, shoffman@sun-herald.com

DAHC President Jane Hilton presents artist Joanna Karpay with an Award of Merit for one of her paintings. Sponsors of the Art of the River received "art bucks" to purchase exhibited entries from the artists.

ARCADIAN PHOTO BY SUSAN E. HOFFMAN, shoffman@sun-herald.com

Lynnda Butler of Skunks as Pets brings one of her popular pets to the Rio de la Paz festival. The soft and cuddly critters are "de-scented" and are content to nestle on your shoulder.

ARCADIAN PHOTO BY SUSAN E. HOFFMAN, shoffman@sun-herald.com

Tonya Bond sits amid a sea of her hand-painted t-shirts with environmental themes on sale at the Rio de la Paz Festival Saturday. Several vendors and exhibits were on hand at the South Florida State College DeSoto Campus to help celebrate the 500th anniversary of the first Spanish landing in Florida.

ARCADIAN PHOTO BY SUSAN E. HOFFMAN, shoffman@sun-herald.com

DeSoto Arts and Humanities President Jane Hilton presents Jim Steed with his second place certificate for photography, for his entry "Working Late." More than $1,500 in prizes were awarded to artists in two- and three-dimensional categories and photography at the Art of the River show held Friday and Saturday at South Florida State College in Arcadia.

ARCADIAN PHOTO BY SUSAN E. HOFFMAN, shoffman@sun-herald.com

Art lovers stroll among two floors of paintings, photos, sculptures and other entries in the Art of the River exhibition at the South Florida State College exhibit. Almost 200 entries, from as far away as St. Petersburg and Flort Lauderdale, were on display Friday and Saturday.

ARCADIAN PHOTO BY AL SMOKE

Mosaic, one of the Art of the River sponsors, brought its exhibit on the mining and uses of phosphate to the Rio de la Paz Festival. Many visitors toured the bus to learn about Mosaic in Florida.

ARCADIAN PHOTO BY AL SMOKE

Students from DeSoto County High School prepare to paint a colorful school bus provided by Canoe Outpost Peace River. After the bus is decorated, it will be used to transport canoe and kayak enthusiasts to and from the river.

ARCADIAN PHOTO BY AL SMOKE

The Ponce de Leon Conquistadors of Punta Gorda brought their replica Spanish galleon to the Rio de la Paz Festival at South Florida State College on Saturday. This year marks 500 years since the Spanish first landed in the Sunshine State.

ARCADIAN PHOTO BY SUSAN E. HOFFMAN

Several musical acts including this Christian rock band provided muscial entertainment all day during the Rio de la Paz Festival at South Florida State College. Other acts included Mac Martin singing his Florida song and a bagpiper in a cowboy hat.

ARCADIAN PHOTO BY SUSAN E. HOFFMAN, shoffman@sun-herald.com

Maran Hilgendorf of the Charlotte Harbor National Estuary Program explains some facts about the Peace River to winter visitors. CHNEP is sponsoring a free Florida-Friendly Landscaping Workship Saturday at the Turner Center.

ARCADIAN PHOTO BY AL SMOKE

The Spanish may have conquered Florida, but DAHC Secretary Karen Smoke conquered the Rio de la Paz Festival. As one of the chief organizers of the art exhibit and festival, Smoke worked tirelessly to produce the council's first open art exhibit.

ARCADIAN PHOTO BY SUSAN E. HOFFMAN< shoffman@sun-herald.com

DeSoto County High School Students choose colors and mix paints to decorate a school bus provided by Canoe Outpost Peace River. After the vehicle is decorated in technicolor rainbows and other designs, it will be used to take poeple to canoeing in the river.

ARCADIAN PHOTO BY KAYO KEEN

There's nothing unusual about a bagpiper in DeSoto County as long as he's wearing a cowboy hat. This was just one of the many musical acts providing entertainment at the Rio de la Paz Festival Saturday. (The same performer was part of a much more formal five-piece wind section at Friday night's Art of the River artists and sponsors reception.)