5K and cookoff fundraiser more than fast folks and food

Click here for all the details!

Gainesville Youth Chorus Annual Mother’s Day Concert

It’s the 21st Annual Kanapaha Spring Garden Festival

This is Gainesville’s premier horticultural event. The Spring Garden Festival features about 200 booths offering plants, landscape displays, garden accessories, arts and crafts, educational exhibits and, of course, foods. Also featured are a walk-through butterfly conservatory, children’s activities area, live entertainment and auctions, both live and silent.

Read all about it here.

Where the Sidewalk Ends: Family Arts Fest

Museum offers full slate for ‘Florida Cattle Ranching,’ ‘Cowboys’ opening Feb. 12

The Florida Museum of Natural History, Florida’s state natural history museum, is dedicated to understanding, preserving and interpreting biological diversity and cultural heritage. It is located near the intersection of Southwest 34th Street and Hull Road in the University of Florida Cultural Plaza in Gainesville. Hours are from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Saturday and from 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday. Butterfly Rainforest admission is $10.50 for adults ($9 Fla. residents) and $6 for ages 3-17. Prices subject to change. For more information, including directions and parking, visit www.flmnh.ufl.edu or call 352-846-2000.

Florida Cattle Ranching: Five Centuries of Tradition,” “Florida Cowboys: Keepers of the Last Frontier”
Opening Day Activities
Saturday, Feb. 12
10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Cow Camp Reenactment
Travel back in time to a 19th century cow camp and experience what life was like for Florida cattlemen.

Livestock on the Lawn
Meet the cows that started one of Florida’s oldest traditions, Cracker cattle. Cracker horses, descendents of the horses brought to the Americas by Spanish explorers will also be displayed.

Roping Activity (Presented by the Florida Cattleman’s Association)
Watch as the experts perform exciting roping tricks. Visitors may learn roping techniques and test their skills on plastic mannequins.

Information Tables
Learn about Florida cattle, including information on different breeds, women’s involvement in the industry, and primitive tools and household items used by cattle ranchers in the past.

Whip Popping 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.:
Listen to the crack of whips and watch as performers demonstrate exciting tricks. Florida cattlemen of European descent are often called Crackers because of the loud cracking or popping noise of their whips.

“Florida Cowboys: Keepers of the Last Frontier” – Walk and Talk with Carlton Ward Jr.
11:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m.:
Meet photographer Carlton Ward Jr. and learn about Florida’s cowboys as he guides visitors through the exhibit “Florida Cowboys: Keepers of the Last Frontier, Photographs by Carlton Ward.”

Cowboy Narratives 2-2:30 p.m.:
Learn about the Florida Cracker experience from talented orators who will tell stories of life on the ranch.

11th Annual Ocala Greek festival offers food, music, dancing

What: Three-day celebration with food, music and dancing.

When: 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Friday-Saturday, noon-6 p.m. Sunday

Where: Father George Papadeas Community Center, 9926 SE 36th Ave. (aka County Road 467), Belleview

Directions: From Gainesville, south on I-75 or U.S. 441 to Ocala, then 441 to Southeast 95th Street, west on 95th to CR 467, south about a half-mile to center on right

Cost: $1, 13 and older
Info: 750-6051, 206-8373 or greekfestivalocala.com

Take the family on a tour of holiday lights!

Click here for a map of holiday light displays in the Alachua County area.

Click here for a map of holiday light displays in the Marion County area.

Everyone loves a holiday parade!

Light Up Williston

Today, Friday, Dec 10 6:00p

at Linear Park, Williston, FL

Long before the starting time of 6 p.m., folks fill up parking spots and gather along Noble Ave. to claim the best vantage points for the parade. The Williston High School marching band, fire department and local floats make the parade a hometown celebration.

After the parade, everyone treks to the pavilion in Linear Park to hear children and adults alike sing holiday favorites.

For the finale the mayor, Miss Williston and Little Miss Williston throw the switch to “Light Up Williston.”

Phone: 528-5552

Age Suitability: All Ages

Merry Melrose Christmas Parade & Art Festival

Saturday, December 11, 2010, 10:00 a.m.

Theme: A Fairy Tale Christmas

The Annual Merry Melrose Arts & Crafts Festival is held the same day. Don’t miss this great festival!  For more information on the Arts & Crafts Festival, please call (352) 339-4718

Hawthorne’s 28th Annual Christmas Festival and Parade

Saturday, Dec 11 11:00a to 7:00p

Hawthorne, FL

Hawthorne Area Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring “Dreams of Christmas” on Saturday, December 11th downtown Hawthorne with festivities beginning at 11:00am. Carnival rides, arts and crafts and food vendors will line SE 221st Street, and the parade will be at 3:00 pm. Children can have their photos taken with Santa at the Hawthorne Library from 4:00 to 5:30 pm. Live entertainment throughout the day ending with tree lighting at dusk.

Price: Free

Phone: 481-3534

Age Suitability: All Ages 

Alachua Christmas Parade

The parade, themed “Hometown Traditions,” will be held Saturday, Dec. 11 on Main Street at 2 p.m. The Grand Marshals for the parade are the 2010 Santa Fe All Stars 12U World Series champions. For more information about the parade, visit the Alachua Chamber of Commerce website at www.alachua.com or call 386-462-3333.

Christmas on Main Street in Trenton

Friday, December 10th

6:00 PM – 9:00 PM

FREE

Celebrate an evening of Festive Family Fun. Share the joy of the holiday season with a Christmas Tree Lighting * Christmas Caroling Cookies with Santa * Storytelling * Live Nativity After Hours Shopping * Dinner Specials Face Painting * Chalk Art * Music in the Trenton Depot. Drawing for 25 bicycles at 8:45.

For more information, call (352) 463-3467

High Springs Twilight Christmas Parade

Saturday, December 11th

4:00 PM – 5:30 PM

This year’s theme is “Railroad Heritage”

Downtown High Springs

http://www.highsprings.com

21st Annual NFRMC Pond Lighting

Pond Lighting @ NFRMC: Join Storm  at the duck pond in front of North Florida Regional Medical Center for a fun-filled, family-friendly community event that includes musical performances, singing, dancing and appearances from Santa & Mrs. Claus and Frosty the Snowman!  And, of course, the highlight of the evening, the illumination of the thousands of dazzling lights surrounding the duck pond for the holiday season!

The event is free for the entire community and is appropriate for all ages!  Hot chocolate and other treats will be served as well.  Festivities begin at 5:30 PM at the NFRMC Duck Pond located at 6500 Newberry Rd. across from the Oaks Mall.