THIS WEEK
2025 Holiday Invitational
The Melrose Bay Art Gallery is hosting its annual holiday invitational through Dec. 28. The Artwalk reception for this event will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. Dec. 5. The gallery’s hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays and 1 to 5 p.m. Sundays. It is located at 103 State Road 26 in Melrose. For more information, visit melrosebayartgallery.com.
Alachua Christmas Tree Walk
Stroll through a festive indoor forest at the annual Alachua Christmas Tree Walk, where 20 uniquely decorated 6-foot Christmas trees transform the Alachua City Hall corridor into a bright and cheerful holiday display. Each tree is decorated by a local family, business or community group, giving visitors a charming showcase of creativity, personality and seasonal spirit. The walk is open to the public throughout the holiday season and offers a delightful stop for anyone exploring hometown holiday sights. Enjoy the lights, snap a few photos and experience a little extra magic in Alachua this December. On display through Dec. 30. Alachua City Hall is located at 15100 NW 142nd Terrace. For more information, visit cityofalachua.com.
‘Winter Showcase 2025’
The Gainesville Fine Arts Association Gallery will have its “Winter Showcase 2025” exhibit on display through Dec. 19. Gallery hours are 1 to 6 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays. The gallery is located at 1314 S. Main St. For more information, visit gainesvillefinearts.org or email [email protected].
Playlist at the Pointe
Celebration Pointe offers Playlist at the Point, a music event with an eclectic mix of music from a variety of genres – country, rock, soul and more — on the fourth Friday of every month. This month, beginning at 2 p.m. Nov. 28, Chillula will perform on the promenade. Food from Celebration Pointe’s restaurants will be available for dine-in or takeout. Kick off your weekend right with good music, good food and good times. Celebration Pointe is located off Interstate 75 and Archer Road at Celebration Pointe Avenue. For more information, call 333-9333 or visit celebrationpointe.com.
Kirby Family Farm’s Christmas Train
Kirby Family Farm will open its gates for its annual Christmas Express, which will run 6 to 10 p.m. Nov. 28-29, Dec. 5-6, Dec. 12-14, Dec. 19-23 and Dec. 26-27. The Christmas train is a holiday event featuring numerous activities to enjoy. Organizers recommend at least two hours for the entire experience, which features performances, vendors, a petting zoo, rides and a visit with Santa Claus. The highlight of the evening is a featured train ride through thousands of Christmas lights pulled by one of the farm’s old-fashioned locomotives. Tickets are $19.99 for general admission in advance, $25 for general admission at the gate; $12.99 for ages 3-9 in advance, $15 for ages 3-9 at the gate; and free for children 2 and younger. Tickets can be purchased in advance at kirbyfarm.com/the-christmas-express. Kirby Family Farm is located at 19630 NE 30th St. in Williston.
‘James and the Giant Peach’
When James is sent by his conniving aunts to chop down their old fruit tree, he discovers a magic potion that results in a tremendous peach and launches a journey of enormous proportions. Suddenly, James finds himself in the center of the gigantic peach, among human-sized insects with equally oversized personalities, but after it falls from the tree and rolls into the ocean, the group faces hunger, sharks and plenty of disagreements. Thanks to James’s quick wit and creative thinking, the residents learn to live and work together as a family. The dangerous voyage is a success, but the adventure takes a whole new twist once they land on the Empire State Building. See a performance of “James and the Giant Peach” at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 28-29, Dec. 4-6 and Dec. 11-13, plus 2 p.m. Nov. 23, Nov. 30, Dec. 7 and Dec. 14 at the Gainesville Community Playhouse, 4039 NW 16th Blvd. Tickets are $25 for adults, $20 for seniors and students, and $15 for ages 12 and younger. For more information, visit gcplayhouse.org.
Festival of the Holy Name
Iskcon Alachua invites the public to come together in celebration and immerse themselves in the transcendental sound vibration of the Hare Krishna Maha Mantra. Chant and be happy. The chanting will be held Nov. 29-30 at Iskcon, located at 17306 NW 112th Blvd. in Alachua. Specific times were not available at the time of publication. For more information, visit alachuakirtan.com.
Holiday Market
Kick off your holiday shopping at the Gainesville Garden Club’s second annual Holiday Market at 1350 NW 75th St.. From 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nov. 29, browse local artisan goods, seasonal plants, and gourmet treats in a festive community setting. Admission is free, and attendees are encouraged to bring a nonperishable food donation for local pantries. For more information, visit ggcfl.org.
‘Art from the Archives’
The Matheson’s “Art from the Archives” exhibition has been extended through Nov. 29. The museum is open 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Fourteen pieces of rarely seen art, including oil paintings, photographs and more, are on display in the Main Exhibit Hall. Paintings and watercolors by Emmaline Buchholz, Dolores Seidel Morales and Robert Carson are a few of the many pieces selected to share. This free exhibition offers visitors the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of Matheson’s permanent collection and the Museum’s ongoing efforts to preserve its collective history. The Matheson is located at 513 E. University Ave.
MADE: An Art Market
The Gainesville Fine Arts Association is hosting MADE: an Art Market from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Nov. 29. This event is free and will be held at the GFAA Gallery, located at 1314 S. Main St. MADE: An Art Market will feature 27 regional artists offering their work in ceramics, paintings, jewelry, handmade books, photography, comics and more. Food will be available from Germain’s Food Truck. For more information, visit gainesvillefinearts.org.
American Aquarium
For nearly two decades, American Aquarium has pushed toward that rare form of rock ’n’ roll that’s revelatory in every sense. On their new album, “The Fear of Standing Still,” the North Carolina-bred band embodies that dynamic with more intensity than ever before, endlessly matching their gritty breed of country-rock with Barham’s bravest and most incisive songwriting to date. See their all-ages outdoor show at 7 p.m. Dec. 1 at Heartwood Soundstage, 619 S. Main St. Tickets are $24.38 when purchased in advance and $31.14 when purchased the day of the show. Lawn chairs allowed as space permits. For more information, visit heartwoodsoundstage.com.
Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox
Swing into the holiday season at the University of Florida Performing Arts’s presentation of Postmodern Jukebox with their “Magic, Moonlight & Mistletoe” tour. Expect their signature vintage-style arrangements of today’s chart hits, high-energy performances and plenty of festive flair at the Phillips Center, 3201 Hull Road. The performance starts at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 1. Ticket prices range from $30 to $50; $12 for UF students. For more information, visit performingarts.ufl.edu.
Light Up Newberry
The city of Newberry is illuminating its holiday spirit Dec. 2-16 with the Light Up Newberry competition, where neighborhoods sparkle with festive light displays and residents can vote for their favorites using the Christmas Prism app. Held throughout the town, the event encourages families and friends to stroll through decorated streets, enjoy community cheer, and find their favorite lighting setups. For full event details, visit cityofnewberry.com.
Toubab Krewe
See a show from a band with their own take on African music at 7 p.m. Dec. 2 at Heartwood Soundstage, 619 S. Main St. Tickets are $27.76 when purchased in advance and $34.51 when purchased the day of the show. For more information, visit heartwoodsoundstage.com.
‘Cocoa and Culture: Sweet Stories from Trinidad to St. Augustine’
Join Dr. Clarissa Carr and graduate researcher Anthea Grant of the University of Florida Historic Preservation Program for a journey into the cultural and historic legacy of chocolate in two richly layered places: Trinidad and Tobago and St. Augustine. Funded by the Forrest E. Mars Jr. Chocolate History Research Grant, their projects highlight how cocoa has shaped landscapes, identities and economies across time and place. Grant, born and raised in Trinidad, will share her research into the island’s cocoa traditions from colonial-era plantations to today’s cultural rituals like “Dancing the Cocoa.” Learn how oral histories and immersive digital storytelling are helping preserve the voices and stories of cocoa farmers, descendants of enslaved Africans, Indian indentured laborers, and Indigenous peoples. Carr will then unwrap Sweet Beginnings: St. Augustine’s Chocolate Legacy, an exhibit that explores how chocolate-making in one of America’s oldest cities intersected with immigration, innovation and nostalgia. This exhibit showcases archival discoveries, a 1641 shipwreck, and the stories of families who helped shape the city’s sweet tooth. Attendees will gain a behind-the-scenes look at how preservationists document and share the global story of chocolate through interviews, maps, 360-degree video and digital exhibits. In-person registration is available at tinyurl.com/chocolate25aa. The free event is set for 7 p.m. Dec. 3 at the Matheson History Museum, located at 513 E. University Ave.
An Evening with Joe Crookston
As an artist, Joe Crookston is a force of nature. He is a vulnerable and powerful fiddler, slide guitar player, multi-instrumentalist and songwriter. He communes with his audience and welcomes them into his magic — every time. Gordon Lightfoot personally invited Crookston to tour with him and open concerts on his last U.S. tour. From headlining The Kerrville Folk Fest, Philadelphia Folk Fest, Black Bear Americana Fest in the U.S., as well as major Canadian festivals, receiving Folk Alliance International “Album of the Year,” releasing “Nine Becomes One” (2025) to being named Folk Alliance International Artist-in-Resident, Crookston is a creative force for good. See him perform at 7 p.m. Dec. 4 at Heartwood Soundstage, 619 S. Main St. Tickets are $24.38 when purchased in advance and $30.01 when purchased the day of the show. For more information, visit heartwoodsoundstage.com.
ONGOING
Decades On Main Christmas Displays and Windows
Wander into the festive spirit at Decades on Main, located at 18559 W. Main St. in High Springs, where holiday cheer comes alive in decorated storefront windows. Open 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays, this seasonal display invites families and visitors to enjoy a whimsical showcase of holiday decorations from local vendors and artisans. On display through Dec. 25. For more details, visit decadesonmain.com.
‘French Moderns: Monet to Matisse, 1850 – 1950’
The Harn Museum of Art at the University of Florida is presenting a major exhibition, “French Moderns: Monet to Matisse, 1850–1950.” The blockbuster exhibition, chosen for display during the Harn’s 35th anniversary, showcases more than 55 paintings, drawings and sculptures from the Brooklyn Museum’s esteemed collection of European art. Ranging widely in scale, subject matter and style, and encompassing the key avant-garde movements that emerged in and around Paris from 1850 to 1950, the works on view were produced by some of the era’s leading artists. The exhibition is on view through Jan. 4, 2026. The works of art in French Moderns span the era between the Revolution of 1848 and the conclusion of World War II — a period marked by significant social, intellectual and political upheaval in France. This era saw the emergence of avant-garde artistic movements, including Realism, Impressionism, Post-Impressionism, Symbolism, Fauvism, Cubism and Surrealism, that left a lasting impact on the Western artistic tradition. These key movements are represented in the exhibition through examples by the era’s leading artists, including Pierre Bonnard, Gustave Caillebotte, Paul Cézanne, Marc Chagall, Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot, Gustave Courbet, Edgar Degas, Édouard Manet, Henri Matisse, Claude Monet, Berthe Morisot, Gabriele Münter, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Auguste Rodin and others. The exhibition is organized into four sections: Landscape, Still Life, Portraits and Figures, and The Nude. Beginning with the landscapes of Corot and the birth of plein-air (outdoor) painting, the exhibition surveys the innovative styles and techniques developed by artists from the Realism of Courbet to the light and atmosphere of Monet and the Impressionists, to the Surrealism of Yves Tanguy. “French Moderns: Monet to Matisse, 1850–1950” is accompanied by a fully illustrated catalogue including thematic essays and interpretive object entries by the exhibition’s co-curators. For more information, visit harn.ufl.edu/frenchmoderns. Admission is free. The Harn Museum is located at Southwest 34th Street and Hull Road.
Horse Feeding
The Retirement Home for Horses provides lifetime care to elderly horses seized by law enforcement agencies, rescued by the SPCA or humane societies, as well as horses retired from government service such as police patrol or state and federal parks. They allow visitors to tour the property and feed treats — carrots, apple slices and bananas provided by the visitors — from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. every Saturday. Mill Creek Farm Retirement Home for Horses is located at 20307 NW CR 235A in Alachua. For more information, or to support the nonprofit, visit millcreekfarm.org.
Community Nights
Community Nights are free weekly events hosted by South Main Station and Heartwood Soundstage that include a rotating calendar of jams, skillshares, concerts, arts markets, food and drink specials, and other activities each Wednesday from 6 to 9 p.m. The event has grown in popularity with families, locals, musicians, and college students since its launch in 2024. The event takes place at South Main Station, an arts, food, and entertainment campus adjacent to Depot Park that spans the Southeast corner of Main Street and Depot Road. Community Nights always feature free live music and drink specials at Heartwood Soundstage’s lawn bar, but any given week can also include skillshares on music and videography, kids’ activities, film screenings, and opportunities to sample local food and drink at South Main’s businesses, which include Humble Pie Pizzeria, Grand Scheme Brewery, Bingo Deli, and Afternoon Coffee. The first Wednesday of every month always features an open-air arts market of local makers and an old-time music jam. More information is available at heartwoodsoundstage.com.
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‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.gainesville.com ’
