Florida Museum of Natural History releases butterflies everyday.
The Hippodrome Theater
Ginnie Springs
Devil's Millhopper
Fried shrimp, collards & cornbread
David Zayas mural
The Renaissance Faire
Freshest Sushi
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Gainesville
"Where nature and culture meet"
photos by buddythetravelingmonkey.com/
Current Issue
Gainesville
Where Nature and Culture Meet
Home to both “real” gators and the University of Florida’s “Fightin’ Gators,” Gainesville is where nature and culture meet. Alligators, bison and wild horses freely roam the 22,000 acres of Paynes Prairie State Park, a National Landmark which has lots of walking trails and platforms that provide fantastic views of the prairie and the 100 - 270 bird species that regularly visit here. And then there are the museums. The Florida Museum of Natural History hosts fascinating exhibits about Florida and also features a Butterfly Rainforest with hundreds of free-flying butterflies and birds from around the world.
Just next door is the Harn Museum of Art - one of the country’s largest university owned art museums. The Harn’s impressive collection totals more than 10,000 objects including an extensive collection of Asian Art, as well as modern and contemporary art, photography and more.
For foodies, Gainesville’s vibrant downtown delivers a plethora of excellent local restaurants that range from sushi to steak to everything in between. After dark, lively nightclubs and a professional theater keep things even more interesting.
CALENDAR 2024
EXPLORE
GOOD EATS
WEEKLY
Grove Street Farmer’s Market (Mon)
Start the week with fresh from Florida featuring farm fresh eggs, organic fruits and veggies, free-range beef and chicken, honey, cow and goat’s milk, cheeses, organic coffee and artisan-crafted foods and gifts. Free.
Takes place 4-7pm at 1001 NW 4th St.
Archer’s Farmer’s Market (Tues)
Bring home seasonal freshness with locally-grown vegetables, eggs, meats, cheeses and prepared foods, unique handmade gifts and much more in the picturesque setting of the historic Archer Railway Museum. Free.
Takes place 3-7pm at 16994 SW 134th Ave.
GNV Market at Heartwood (Thurs)
Make this your Thursday after-work one-stop-stop for locally-grown produce and sustainable goods, prepared foods, vintage clothes, jewelry and crystals, pottery, records and more. Discover the sounds of live, local bands while enjoying a craft brew or two on the lawn. Free. Takes place 4-7pm at 619 S. Main.
Art After Dark
Take an enlightening stroll through the galleries, dive into a new exhibition, discover magnetic poetry, savor a glass of wine and light bites from the Camellia Court Café or shop for that perfect gift in the museum store –all during extended hours every Thursday. Free. Takes place 5-9pm at 3259 Hull Rd.
Free Fridays Concert Series (Fri)
Chill out with the sounds of the region’s longest-running and largest free weekly outdoor concert series featuring local and regional musicians performing classic rock, reggae, R&B soul, ska, funk, blues and more under the stars! Free. Takes place 7-9pm at 111 E. University Ave.
Depot Park Parkrun (Sat)
Kick off the weekend with a free, fun, friendly community 5K around the Depot Park Pond! Bring the family and friends and walk, jog, run or watch – it’s up to you -- then grab a post-parkrun coffee at the 4th Ave Food Park. Free, registration required. Takes place 7:30am at 874 SE 4th St.
MONTHLY
Artwalk Gainesville (last Fri)
Explore the exciting local arts scene, featuring visual art, live music, theater and dance performances and culture during a free, monthly self-guided tour of local galleries, studios, breweries and eclectic performance venues. Enjoy artist demos, meet-and-greets, workshops and more. Free. Takes place 7-10 pm monthly at various locations.
Kanapaha Botanical Gardens Guided Tour (1st Sat)
Discover the beauty of lush tropical flowers and foliage with a relaxing 1.5-mile stroll through 68 acres of vibrant gardens featuring Florida’s largest public bamboo display and largest herb garden in the Southeast. ADA-accessible. Tickets
Takes place 10am at 4700 SW 58th Dr.
Birds and Brews – Guided Bird Walks (1st Sundays)
Calling all birders! Bring your binoculars and thirst for craft beer as Audubon Society volunteers guide you on an informal stroll to identify popular local feathered friends followed by a nightcap at First Magnitude Brewing Company. All skill levels welcome. Free. Takes place 4:45-6pm at 874 SE 4th St
Small Town Charm In Gainesville
Haile Village Center
Check out SW Gainesville and you’ll discover one of the area’s most charming communities. Located just a short five miles from the University of Florida and a few miles from I-75 Exits Archer or Newberry Road, Haile Plantation boasts 1,7000 acres of walking and biking trails, swaths of green space, dozens of lovely neighborhoods and the Hawkstone Golf and Country Club - an 18 hole Gary Player Signature golf course.
At the center of it all is the Haile Village Center, a diverse collection of restaurants, boutiques, spas, and gift shops, interwoven with gracious homes, tree-lined brick sidewalks and pedestrian-friendly streets. Every Saturday morning, there is a local Farmers’ Market in the Haile Village Center where you can shop for locally grown organic produce, fresh baked goods and a variety of crafts. The market is open from 8:30am until noon and is also a performance venue for local musicians. Throughout the year, the Village is also a hotspot for fun community events and festive holiday celebrations. If you’re in the Gainesville area, make sure to put this one on your itinerary. For more info, check out hailevillagecenter.com
JUNE
Through July 15
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
Hop on for a fast-paced, wildly funny ride featuring six quirky adolescents competing in a spelling bee run by three equally quirky adults set in the geographical ambiguous Putnam County. Your summer isn’t complete without this Tony and Drama Desk Award-winning musical! Tickets. Various showtimes take place at 25 SE 2nd Pl.
June 10-16
Movies
Take your cinema to the next level with a trio of films from the US, Korea and France celebrating Pride Month. Experience the drama of ‘Rafiki’ and ‘Portrait of a Young Lady on Fire,’ plus the comedic ‘But I’m a Cheerleader,’ all featuring themes of growing up amid changing sexual orientation. Tickets. Various showtimes take place at 25 SE 2nd Pl.
June 15
Journey to Juneteenth Freedom Walk
Educate and engage with the community to honor the rich history, legacy and resilience of local and national Black and African Americans with a 5K walk in Depot Park followed by music and live performances. Free.
Takes place 7-11am at 874 SE 4th St.
June 15
Freedom Fest 2024
Embrace equality, freedom and the history of Emancipation Day with exhibits from The Remembrance Project, live music, art exhibits, kids’ games, bounce houses, popcorn, nonprofit organizations and small businesses, food trucks and more during this community celebration.
Takes place 3-9pm at 111 E University Ave.
JULY
July 16
Tha Cookout
Discover the meaning of Black Unity and fatherhood with delicious food, live music, storytelling, lawn and card games, a Spades tournament to crown the 2024 reigning Spades champion, dancing and family-friendly sports contests in this outdoor celebration of Father’s Day and Juneteenth. Free with RSVP ticket. Takes place 12-6pm at 2315 SE 35th St.
July 3
Fanfares and Fireworks
Enjoy an evening of patriotic family fun with live, local music from the UF bandshell, food trucks and spectacular fireworks to celebrate our nation’s independence. Free. Takes place 6-10pm at Flavet Field, Woodlawn Dr.
July 4
City of Alachua Fourth of July
Celebrate our nation’s independence with live patriotic music, family-friendly fun and kids’ games, festive fare from local food trucks and vendors and one of the largest small-town fireworks displays in America! Free.
Takes place 5-9:30pm at 15400 Peggy Rd.
July 27
Arts for EveryBody
Experience a new level of creativity as actors, muralists, poets, folk dancers, farmers, flower artists, cooks, DJs, puppeteers and more put the finishing touches on several large-scale public art projects across Gainesville during the finale of the 18-city One Nation One Project initiative. Free. Takes place 6pm at various locations.
AUGUST
August 16-18
Indoor Pickleball Showcase
Get an up-close view of one of the fastest growing sports in America featuring men’s and women’s singles, doubles and mixed doubles tournament in the airconditioned comfort of this spectacular indoor sports facility. Tickets. Various times take place at 4870 Celebration Point.
SEPTEMBER
September 28
Cancer Chomp
Support brain tumor patients and their families with a 5K run/walk through the UF campus, food trucks, a kids’ zone, mini therapy horses, UF Gator mascots, live music from the UF Gator Band, community vendors and more! Free/5K registration fee. Takes place 8-11am at 2033 Mowry Rd.
OCTOBER
Oct. 25-27
FEST22
Gainesville: Dive into Hogtown’s underground music scene with 350+ live, local bands on four stages and over more than 18 venues, plus comedy, no-holds-barred intergender wrestling and a flea market! Tickets.
Various showtimes/locations.
October 26
Florida Bat Festival
Go batty with the world’s largest bats on display, learn from bat experts, shop the local artisan marketplace, enjoy tasty foods from local food trucks and unlimited Florida craft beer samples in the beer garden, play games in the kids’ zone and relax with live music. Tickets.
Takes place 10am-5pm at 1309 NW 192nd Ave.
NOVEMBER
November 2
Tu Fiesta Radio Festival
Immerse yourself in live Latin music from your favorite artists, dancing, games, art, good vibes and more! Discover new tunes and enjoy delicious authentic Latin food and drinks from local food trucks with friends and family during this epic event. Free
Takes place 12-10pm at 111 E University Ave.
November 9 & 10
Downtown Festival & Art Show
Experience the largest free celebration of art and creativity as 200+ of the nation’s most talented artists set up shop in historic downtown Gainesville. Browse art in a variety of mediums on display, enjoy live entertainment, culinary art, food vendors and more. Free.
Takes place 10am-5pm at 111 E. University Ave.
Home to both “real” gators and the University of Florida’s “Fightin’ Gators,” Gainesville is where nature and culture meet. Alligators, bison and wild horses freely roam the 22,000 acres of Paynes Prairie State Park, a National Landmark which has lots of walking trails and platforms that provide fantastic views of the prairie and the 100 - 270 bird species that regularly visit here. And then there are the museums. The Florida Museum of Natural History hosts fascinating exhibits about Florida and also features a Butterfly Rainforest with hundreds of free-flying butterflies and birds from around the world. Just next door is the Harn Museum of Art - one of the country’s largest university owned art museums. The Harn’s impressive collection totals more than 10,000 objects including an extensive collection of Asian Art, as well as modern and contemporary art, photography and more. For foodies, Gainesville’s vibrant downtown delivers a plethora of excellent local restaurants that range from sushi to steak to everything in between. After dark, lively nightclubs and a professional theater keep things even more
COLDWELL BANKER
Jacqui Knowles 352-258-0110
Cindy Birk 352-871-2475
As Gainesville’s first Agrihood community, Flint Rock is a luxury residential neighborhood incorporating country estate architecture with three distinctive gated subdivisions. Nearly all of the 96 homesites back up to a conservation, greenway, or nature trail. Lot sizes range from .99 acre to 1.69 acres. Flint Rock emphasizes the principles of wellness, community and sustainability, while embracing the farm-to-table lifestyle. With over 250 acres of common area and greenway, including 151 acres of conservation preserve, 2½ miles of walking paths, a Residents’ Farmhouse, an event barn and gardens, Flint Rock offers a refreshing new approach to a timeless way of living.
Haile Plantation
7680 SW 46th Blvd | Gainesville, Fl 32608
352-665-7433 | Open T - Sa
Gainesville’s Premiere Horse Facility
Nestled in the prestigious Haile Plantation, Regina Esterman’s beautiful new Equestrian Center provides quality instruction in hunt seat, dressage and western riding. No experience is necessary and there are horses to suit every level. You can also enjoy a 30 - 60 minute casual guided horseback ride in the Center’s large riding arena. During the summer and on school holidays, kids ages 7 - 16 are invited to enroll in Horse Camp where they’ll learn basic horse handling, safety and care and also be able to ride twice a day in both a lesson and fun ride. Additionally, Haile Equestrian offers an elite selection of Warmbloods and Riding horses for sale, as well as horse boarding and leasing.
25 SW 2nd Place | Gainesville, Fl 32601
352-375-4477
Various Showtimes
Gainesville’s Cultural Centerpiece
As Gainesville’s only art House Cinema, this historic landmark is also fine to a spacious multi-purpose, state-of-the-art performance hall that offers live theatre, films, gallery exhibits, classes, and special events over 340 days a year.
306 NE 6th Ave. Thomas Center Building B Gainesville, FL 32601
Call For Hours | 352-334-5067
Parks, Recreation & Cultural Affairs
The Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs Department manages over 3,200 acres of parkland with numerous cultural, recreational, and natural areas and facilities. In October of 2013, the Department became one of 119 agencies in the country to be fully accredited by the Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies. One of the loveliest city parks you will ever visit.
5141 SW 91st Way | Haile Village Center | Gainesville, Fl 32608
352-363-6226 |
Open Su - Th 11am; - 9pm; F & Sa 11am -10pm
Gainesville’s Iron Chef Winner Winner of Gainesville’s 2017, 2018 and 2019 Iron Chef Competition, Owner Nestor Espartero is a master at creating fabulous Fusion dishes which reflect his passion for Asian, Latin and French cuisine. The food at his small, unassuming eatery is deliciously fresh, beautifully plated and artistically arranged (the wasabi is sculpted to resemble leaves). Chef Nestor’s flavors are often complex resulting in sensational dishes like the Sweet Salmon Teriyaki, Shaken Beef Tenderloin and Duck Curry. His signature rolls are also off the chart - especially the crunchy Haile Roll with tuna tartare and lotus root drizzled with eel sauce. Simply the best.
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