Florida Color Horse Club’s ‘United Colors’ show in Alachua County
The two-day Western Dressage show was held Sept. 13-14 at the Alachua County Agriculture and Equestrian Center in Newberry
THIS WEEK
Fall Plant Sale
Check out more than 100 plant species at the Florida Museum of Natural History’s fall plant sale from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 19 and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sept. 20 at the University of Florida’s Cultural Plaza. The event will feature pollinator-friendly native, host and nectar plants like butterfly bush, milkweed, goldenrod and more, in addition to new selections. This marks the first Florida Museum fall plant sale since 2022, offering gardeners a way to beautify their homes before winter. While the Florida Museum is temporarily closed for a large-scale expansion project, the Harn Museum of Art will open at 10 a.m. for guests’ restroom access during the plant sale. The museum’s online parking lot map indicates the plant pickup area and the parking changes in the Cultural Plaza due to construction. Attendees will be able to purchase plants on a first-come, first-served basis with cash, credit card or debit card at the outdoor registers. For more information on the fall plant sale, including a full list of anticipated plants, visit floridamuseum.ufl.edu/event/fall-plant-sale-2025.
‘Glory’
The Cotton Club Museum and Cultural Center, jointly with the Alachua County Library District, is showing the film “Glory” at the Cotton Club Museum, located at 837 SE Seventh Ave., at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 19. This event is free and open to the public, but attendees are requested to register at cottonclubmuseum.com/events. Snacks will be provided, and donations will be appreciated. “Glory” is a 1989 American epic historical war drama film about the 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment, one of the Union Army’s earliest African American regiments in the American Civil War. It stars Matthew Broderick as Robert Gould Shaw, the regiment’s commanding officer, and Denzel Washington, Cary Elwes and Morgan Freeman as members of the 54th. The film will be followed by a short discussion.
‘Free Fridays’ Concert
Catch the next performance of the city’s popular “Free Fridays” concert series from 7 to 9 p.m. Sept. 19 at the Bo Diddley Plaza downtown amphitheater, located at 111 E. University Ave. The free concert series highlights a different act each week, with Uncle Morty’s Rhythm Cream performing R&B, soul and rock this week. Attendees are encouraged to bring their blankets and lawn chairs to Bo Diddley Plaza to enjoy the concert under the stars. For more information, including a list of upcoming performances, visit gainesvillefl.gov/Events-directory/Free-Fridays-Concert-Series. Future performances include Morningbell performing psychedelic rock and soul on Sept. 26.
ONGOING
Annasemble Community Orchestra
Musicians of all skill levels are invited to join the Annasemble Community Orchestra. There will be no auditions. Adults and students in high school and college may join. Rehearsals began Aug. 24 and run from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. at Meadowbrook Clubhouse, located at 3111 NW 105th Blvd. For more information, visit annasemble.org or email [email protected].
‘Clover Road’
Find out what happens when a desperate mother tries to reunite with her runaway daughter in the Acrosstown Repertory Theatre’s newest production, “On Clover Road.” At an abandoned motel on a desolate American road, a mother meets with a cult deprogrammer, believing she will be reunited with her daughter. What happens instead in this smart, harrowing, edge-of-your-seat thriller is something that will shock her to her core. What will a mother do to get her daughter back? Whatever it takes. Tickets are $25 for adults or $20 with the students, seniors and heroes discount. Shows are set for 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays plus 2 p.m. Sundays through Sept. 21. The Acrosstown Repertory Theatre is located at 3501 SW Second Ave., Suite O. For more information, visit acrosstown.org.
Gainesville Latino Film Festival
The Latina Women’s League has announced the 21st annual Gainesville Latino Film Festival, taking place through Sept. 28 across multiple venues. This year’s festival celebrates the theme “Enriching Cultures, Empowering Communities” and honors Colombia as part of Hispanic Heritage Month. The festival celebrates the richness of Latin American film, culture and community. For more details and a full program schedule, visit gainesvillelatinofilmfestival.com.
‘The 39 Steps’
Spies! Murder! Mayhem! Laughter! A Hitchcock masterpiece and a dash of Monty Python come together in the Tony Award-winning “The 39 Steps,” packed with 150 characters (played by three actors), missing fingers and romance! Tickets are $20 to $50, and can be purchased online at thehipp.org. Performances will run through Sept. 28. Contact the theater for showtimes.
‘RENT’
Gainesville Community Playhouse’s newest production is Jonathan Larson’s “RENT,” with performances at 7:30 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays through Oct. 12. Set in New York City’s bohemian East Village during the early 1990s, “RENT” follows a group of friends and artists as they navigate the challenges of love, loss and survival amidst the AIDS epidemic. The story centers on Mark, a filmmaker, and his roommate, Roger, an aspiring musician with AIDS. As they struggle to pay rent and find meaning in their lives, they confront themes of friendship, identity, and the harsh realities of living and dying in America. “RENT” is a celebration of life, love and the resilience of the human spirit, urging audiences to live fully in the present and embrace each day. Content advisory: mature themes and language; strobe lighting. Tickets are $24 for general admission, $20 for seniors and $12 for students at gcplayhouse.org. The Gainesville Community Playhouse is located at 4039 NW 16th Blvd.
‘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.
COMING SOON
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, from 7 to 9 Sept. 26, Whiskey Jones 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. Future performances include TBD on Oct. 24 and Chillula at 2 p.m. Nov. 28.
‘On Sight’
The world premiere of “On Sight” — a one-person show, intervention and TV special in honor of World Mental Health Day — is set for 7-10 p.m. Oct. 10 at Eastside High School. The special will feature writer, performer and producer Dr. Micah E. Johnson, and host DC Youngfly. Organizers say the show will uniquely blend comedy, drama, science and street culture to address youth mental health and gun violence. This event will bring together 50-plus community partners and leaders from across the region. For more information, visit doctormicahjohnson.com. Eastside High School is located at 1201 SE 43rd St.
Great Halloween Costume Sale
Dance Alive and The Next Generation are set to present their annual event, dubbed The Best Ever Great Halloween Costume Sale, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 4 and Oct. 11 at 1325 NW Second St. The sale will offer adult and children’s costumes from hip-hop, jazz, ballet, contemporary and tap as well as prom dresses. Some of the costumes have never been worn. All costumes will be sold for $5. All profits will go to support DANB’s arts education programs. For questions or donations, call 371-2986 or email [email protected].
‘Land of La Chua’
Dance Alive National Ballet’s “Land of La Chua” is a love letter to the county that has nurtured it for more than 60 years. DANB will celebrate its diamond anniversary with this performance, as well as a Tom Petty tribute ballet, while Alachua County celebrates 200 years. In “Land of La Chua,” the curtain opens with conflict over land — in this case, between the indigenous people, the Timucua, and the Spanish who first settled Florida. Next will enter Gopher John, a war leader and interpreter during the Seminole Wars. No, the program isn’t really a history lesson, but a glimpse into Alachua County that the directors have come to love since their arrival in 1953. Next, DANB will give tribute to nature — the joy and beauty of the county. Dancers will fly across the stage to the words of Will McLean’s “My Soul is the Hawk” before visiting the springs of the area. This time, the dancers will drift across the stage backed by one of Margaret Tolbert’s “Spring” paintings while dancing to music composed by Stella Sung. Weaver Gaines will speak of his ancestor, Gen. Edmund P Gaines, who fought in the War of 1812, the Seminole Wars and the Mexican-American War. The next work, “Another Time … Another Place,” was created by Judy Skinner. This performance will still be Alachua County-centric, but this time in and around Paynes Prairie. This work is driven by the words of Alachua County’s award-winning poet Lola Haskins, with images of the county in the 1800s provided by the Matheson History Museum. Following the intermission will be a Tom Petty tribute ballet. DANB has been given permission to use six of Petty’s works. See the performances at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 10 at the Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, 3201 Hull Road. Tickets are $40-$60 and can be purchased at performingarts.ufl.edu.
Jazz on the Green
Join Celebration Pointe for live music, food and drinks, lawn games and more as Smooth Operatives plays live music on the stage in the promenade from 7 to 9 p.m. Oct. 11. Spread a blanket under the setting sun and catch some live music while the kids play games on the lawn. Celebration Pointe is located off of Interstate 75 and Archer Road at Celebration Pointe Avenue. For more information, visit celebrationpointe.com. Future performances include TBD on Nov. 8 and Nino Castaneda on Dec. 13.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.gainesville.com ’
