In 2013, Florida reached a significant milestone, the 500th anniversary of Juan Ponce de León’s arrival on Florida’s east coast. What makes this anniversary so unique is that Ponce de León’s convoy of explorers was the first group of Europeans to document such a landing and give a name to Florida—La Florida. There will be events celebrating this discovery throughout the state of Florida from visits by authentic Spanish galleons to recreations of the landing itself. – See more at: http://www.vivaflorida.org/#sthash.WB51yxxz.dpuf