![\"play\"](\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/appservices\/universal-web\/universal\/icons\/icon-play-alt-white.svg\"){kind=icon}
<\/div>\n<\/div>\nWhat are the best restaurants in Florida? Here’s 15 of our favorites.<\/p>\n
Discover the best restaurants in Florida as recommended by the USA TODAY Florida Network’s food journalists for 2024.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
<\/media-video><\/div>\n
THIS WEEKEND<\/h2>\n\n‘In Willowbark Woods’<\/h2>\n
The world premiere of this new musical will be Aug. 1-3 at the Black Box Theatre sponsored by Norman and Susan Reid at the College of Central Florida, 3001 SW College Road, Ocala.<\/p>\n
The musical is composed and written by Joshua L. Mazur, CF adjunct instructor of music. “Students registered for a special two-week section of the college\u2019s Advanced Play Production class will be assigned roles and will learn and rehearse the musical from July 21-31, then perform the show live Aug. 1-3,” organizers say. The director will be Jason Longtin, CF professor of music and choral director.<\/p>\n
Performance times: 7:30 p.m. Aug. 1 and 2 and 3 p.m. Aug. 3. Tickets are $10 for adults at cf.universitytickets.com<\/a> or 352-873-5810. Tickets are free for CF students, faculty and staff with valid I.D. More at CF.edu\/theatre<\/a><\/p>\nArt of Aging Exhibit: ‘Gallery of Gratitude’<\/h2>\n
This exhibit will be up Aug. 1-30 at the Brick City Center for the Arts, 23 SW Broadway St., Ocala. There will be an opening reception 5-6 p.m. Aug. 1 at the center.<\/p>\n\n” ‘The Art of Aging’ exhibit is a collaborative initiative of Marion Senior Services and Marion Cultural Alliance, designed to honor the beauty, creativity, and wisdom that come with age,” organizers say. It features photography, poetry and paintings by 40 artists aged 55 and older, all of them Marion Cultural Alliance members.<\/p>\n
COMING SOON<\/h2>\nSummer Night Lecture Series<\/h2>\n
The lectures will be held Thursdays through Aug. 14 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Fort King National Historic Landmark, 3925 E. Fort King St., Ocala. Free. Open to all ages.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n\u201cThe Summer Night Lecture Series explores Ocala\u2019s and Florida\u2019s rich past through engaging presentation by experts in archaeology, wildlife, blacksmithing, agriculture, and more. Each week offers a new topic that highlights the region\u2019s natural and cultural heritage,\u201d organizers say.<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s the remaining schedule:<\/p>\n
July 31 \u2013\u00a0Florida\u2019s Seminole Agents with Dr. Joe Deklinski<\/p>\n
\n- Aug. 7 \u2013\u00a0The Life and Legacy of William King with Historian Dale Cox<\/li>\n
- Aug. 14 \u2013\u00a0Native Plant Uses in History with Amanda Marek, University of Florida\u2019s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\nMore information at 352-401-6980 or www.fortkingocala.com<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\nUnlimited Devotion: Celebrating the Music of the Grateful Dead<\/h2>\n
This tribute show is live onstage at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 8 at the Reilly Arts Center, 500 NE Ninth St., Ocala. Tickets from $28. More at reillyartscenter.com<\/a><\/p>\n‘Girls Night: The Musical’<\/h2>\n
Organizers say: “This off-Broadway hit follows five friends on a hilarious and heartfelt journey through love, loss, and friendship, all set to a soundtrack of favorite hits like ‘It\u2019s Raining Men,’ ‘I Will Survive’ and ‘Man! I Feel Like a Woman.’ It\u2019s ‘Mamma Mia’ meets ‘Sex and the City’ \u2014 and it’s a party you don\u2019t want to miss!”<\/p>\n
The show will be live onstage at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 9 at the Reilly Arts Center, 500 NE Ninth St., Ocala. Tickets from $40. More at reillyartscenter.com<\/a><\/p>\nNoir Night \u2013 A Midtown Station Mystery<\/h2>\n
This performance will be 6:30-9:30 p.m. Aug. 14 at Midtown Station, 235 NE Watula Ave., Ocala, overlooking Tuscawilla Park. “This mysterious evening will transport you to the silver age of film noir, where smoky melodies, vintage glamour, and whodunits reign supreme. Slip into your finest black-and-white attire and sip on specialty cocktails crafted to capture the vibe of a bygone era. Under the glow of dim lights, the smooth sounds of live jazz by Becky Baby & Her Boys will sweep you away into a night of plot twists and fun,” organizers say.<\/p>\n\nThis production benefits the Save the Civic campaign. Tickets are $25 for general admission (does not include food or drinks,) $250 for a four-top table (light hors d\u2019oeuvres, sweet treats, and a drink) or $500 for an eight-top table (light hors d\u2019oeuvres, sweet treats, and a drink.)<\/p>\n
More at https:\/\/app.arts-people.com\/index.php?show=288299<\/a><\/p>\nNorth Central Florida Outdoor Expo<\/h2>\n
This event will feature boats, RVs, archery, fishing, power sports and more. It will be held 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Aug. 16 at the World Equestrian Center\/Expo Center 2 (1390 NW 80th Ave., Ocala. Entry is $5 cash; free for children 17 and younger. More at www.937kcountry.com\/expo<\/a><\/p>\nWill McLean Foundation\u2019s Sunday Sampler Concert Series: 2PM<\/h2>\n
This show will begin at 2 p.m. Aug. 17 in the historic Dunnellon Depot, 12061 S. Williams St., Dunnellon. This trio “blend(s) their varied musical talents into an eclectic mix of material, from original songs, to obscure covers, to well-known standards,” organizers say. Donation is $15 (cash) at the door. More at https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/profile.php?id=61577696114027<\/a><\/p>\nClassic Albums Live: Bob Marley \u2013 ‘Legend’<\/h2>\n
This show will be live onstage at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 21 at the Reilly Arts Center, 500 NE Ninth St., Ocala. Tickets from $34. More at reillyartscenter.com<\/a><\/p>\n\nWindFM Rocks the Reilly: Titans of Rock<\/h2>\n
This tribute show to Journey and Bon Jovi will be live onstage at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 23 at the Reilly Arts Center, 500 NE Ninth St., Ocala. Tickets from $25. More at reillyartscenter.com<\/a><\/p>\nONGOING<\/h2>\n\u2018The Human Pulse\u2019<\/h2>\n
This photographic series by John Elliott is up at the Appleton Museum of Art’s Balcony Gallery for Florida Artists June 21-Jan. 18. It features 42 black-and-white prints from the Ocala-based photographer\u2019s ongoing \u201cThe Human Pulse\u201d series.<\/p>\n\nThe Appleton is open Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday, noon-5 p.m. at 4333 E. Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala. More at 352-291-4455 or AppletonMuseum.org<\/a><\/p>\n‘What If Eye: Fifty Years of Exploration with Ummarid Eitharong’<\/h2>\n
The Appleton Museum of Art presents this major retrospective of the work of Ummarid \u2018Tony\u2019 Eitharong through Aug. 3 in the first-floor Edith-Marie Gallery. “Through more than 50 works, visitors can experience his artistic evolution that has resulted in three distinct bodies of work,” organizers say. The museum is open Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday, noon-5 p.m. The Appleton is at 4333 E. Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala. More at 352-291-4455 or AppletonMuseum.org<\/a><\/p>\n\nArt in City Spaces<\/h2>\n
This city of Ocala program offers the following:<\/p>\n
\n- “The Colors of My Homeland” by Lorena Greer, now up at the Mary Sue Rich Community Center at Reed Place, 1821 NW 21st Ave.<\/li>\n
- “Fantastical Photographic Journeys” by Shara Abel, now up at the Clerk\u2019s Office at City Hall, 110 SE Watula Ave.<\/li>\n
- “Marvelous Marion” by Rainbow Springs Art, now up at the Ocala International Airport, 1770 SW 60th Ave., Suite 600<\/li>\n
- “Copper Art by Ricky Weeks” now up at the Recreation and Parks Administration Building (828 NE Eighth Ave.) and the Eighth Avenue Adult Activity Center (830 NE Eighth Ave.)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
calendar@starbanner.com<\/em><\/p>\n \u2018 The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n \u2018 Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.ocala.com \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"What are the best restaurants in Florida? Here’s 15 of our favorites. Discover the best restaurants in Florida as recommended by the USA TODAY Florida Network’s food journalists for 2024. THIS WEEKEND ‘In Willowbark Woods’ The world premiere of this new musical will be Aug. 1-3 at the Black Box Theatre sponsored by Norman and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1968616,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":[],"jnews_primary_category":[],"jnews_social_meta":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[25179],"tags":[28769,140433,241090,22005,28546,21937,21741,22034,239348,116640,22373,70839,24392,21739,22764,349301,349306,349302,21738,349300,28774,239343,239347,346464,349310,23759,353025,24047,353027,239342,239346,239344,104256,24098,244307,353026],"class_list":["post-1976101","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-music","tag-and","tag-colleges","tag-colleges-u0026-universities","tag-concerts","tag-county","tag-dance","tag-entertainment","tag-events","tag-events-u0026-listings","tag-fl","tag-florida","tag-listicle","tag-listings","tag-local","tag-local-news","tag-marion","tag-marion-county","tag-museums","tag-news","tag-ocala","tag-of","tag-overall","tag-overall-positive","tag-parks","tag-parks-and-museums","tag-positive","tag-spoken","tag-theater","tag-theater-dance-and-spoken-word","tag-ttp","tag-ttp-listicle","tag-u0026","tag-universities","tag-university","tag-university-of-florida","tag-word"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Live-music-arts-celebration-top-list-of-weekend-events-in-scaled.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1976101","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1976101"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1976101\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1968616"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1976101"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1976101"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1976101"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
‘In Willowbark Woods’<\/h2>\n
The world premiere of this new musical will be Aug. 1-3 at the Black Box Theatre sponsored by Norman and Susan Reid at the College of Central Florida, 3001 SW College Road, Ocala.<\/p>\n
The musical is composed and written by Joshua L. Mazur, CF adjunct instructor of music. “Students registered for a special two-week section of the college\u2019s Advanced Play Production class will be assigned roles and will learn and rehearse the musical from July 21-31, then perform the show live Aug. 1-3,” organizers say. The director will be Jason Longtin, CF professor of music and choral director.<\/p>\n
Performance times: 7:30 p.m. Aug. 1 and 2 and 3 p.m. Aug. 3. Tickets are $10 for adults at cf.universitytickets.com<\/a> or 352-873-5810. Tickets are free for CF students, faculty and staff with valid I.D. More at CF.edu\/theatre<\/a><\/p>\n This exhibit will be up Aug. 1-30 at the Brick City Center for the Arts, 23 SW Broadway St., Ocala. There will be an opening reception 5-6 p.m. Aug. 1 at the center.<\/p>\n ” ‘The Art of Aging’ exhibit is a collaborative initiative of Marion Senior Services and Marion Cultural Alliance, designed to honor the beauty, creativity, and wisdom that come with age,” organizers say. It features photography, poetry and paintings by 40 artists aged 55 and older, all of them Marion Cultural Alliance members.<\/p>\n The lectures will be held Thursdays through Aug. 14 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Fort King National Historic Landmark, 3925 E. Fort King St., Ocala. Free. Open to all ages.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Summer Night Lecture Series explores Ocala\u2019s and Florida\u2019s rich past through engaging presentation by experts in archaeology, wildlife, blacksmithing, agriculture, and more. Each week offers a new topic that highlights the region\u2019s natural and cultural heritage,\u201d organizers say.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s the remaining schedule:<\/p>\n July 31 \u2013\u00a0Florida\u2019s Seminole Agents with Dr. Joe Deklinski<\/p>\n More information at 352-401-6980 or www.fortkingocala.com<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n This tribute show is live onstage at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 8 at the Reilly Arts Center, 500 NE Ninth St., Ocala. Tickets from $28. More at reillyartscenter.com<\/a><\/p>\n Organizers say: “This off-Broadway hit follows five friends on a hilarious and heartfelt journey through love, loss, and friendship, all set to a soundtrack of favorite hits like ‘It\u2019s Raining Men,’ ‘I Will Survive’ and ‘Man! I Feel Like a Woman.’ It\u2019s ‘Mamma Mia’ meets ‘Sex and the City’ \u2014 and it’s a party you don\u2019t want to miss!”<\/p>\n The show will be live onstage at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 9 at the Reilly Arts Center, 500 NE Ninth St., Ocala. Tickets from $40. More at reillyartscenter.com<\/a><\/p>\n This performance will be 6:30-9:30 p.m. Aug. 14 at Midtown Station, 235 NE Watula Ave., Ocala, overlooking Tuscawilla Park. “This mysterious evening will transport you to the silver age of film noir, where smoky melodies, vintage glamour, and whodunits reign supreme. Slip into your finest black-and-white attire and sip on specialty cocktails crafted to capture the vibe of a bygone era. Under the glow of dim lights, the smooth sounds of live jazz by Becky Baby & Her Boys will sweep you away into a night of plot twists and fun,” organizers say.<\/p>\n This production benefits the Save the Civic campaign. Tickets are $25 for general admission (does not include food or drinks,) $250 for a four-top table (light hors d\u2019oeuvres, sweet treats, and a drink) or $500 for an eight-top table (light hors d\u2019oeuvres, sweet treats, and a drink.)<\/p>\n More at https:\/\/app.arts-people.com\/index.php?show=288299<\/a><\/p>\n This event will feature boats, RVs, archery, fishing, power sports and more. It will be held 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Aug. 16 at the World Equestrian Center\/Expo Center 2 (1390 NW 80th Ave., Ocala. Entry is $5 cash; free for children 17 and younger. More at www.937kcountry.com\/expo<\/a><\/p>\n This show will begin at 2 p.m. Aug. 17 in the historic Dunnellon Depot, 12061 S. Williams St., Dunnellon. This trio “blend(s) their varied musical talents into an eclectic mix of material, from original songs, to obscure covers, to well-known standards,” organizers say. Donation is $15 (cash) at the door. More at https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/profile.php?id=61577696114027<\/a><\/p>\n This show will be live onstage at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 21 at the Reilly Arts Center, 500 NE Ninth St., Ocala. Tickets from $34. More at reillyartscenter.com<\/a><\/p>\n This tribute show to Journey and Bon Jovi will be live onstage at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 23 at the Reilly Arts Center, 500 NE Ninth St., Ocala. Tickets from $25. More at reillyartscenter.com<\/a><\/p>\n This photographic series by John Elliott is up at the Appleton Museum of Art’s Balcony Gallery for Florida Artists June 21-Jan. 18. It features 42 black-and-white prints from the Ocala-based photographer\u2019s ongoing \u201cThe Human Pulse\u201d series.<\/p>\n The Appleton is open Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday, noon-5 p.m. at 4333 E. Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala. More at 352-291-4455 or AppletonMuseum.org<\/a><\/p>\n The Appleton Museum of Art presents this major retrospective of the work of Ummarid \u2018Tony\u2019 Eitharong through Aug. 3 in the first-floor Edith-Marie Gallery. “Through more than 50 works, visitors can experience his artistic evolution that has resulted in three distinct bodies of work,” organizers say. The museum is open Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday, noon-5 p.m. The Appleton is at 4333 E. Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala. More at 352-291-4455 or AppletonMuseum.org<\/a><\/p>\n This city of Ocala program offers the following:<\/p>\n calendar@starbanner.com<\/em><\/p>\n \u2018 The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n \u2018 Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.ocala.com \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" What are the best restaurants in Florida? Here’s 15 of our favorites. Discover the best restaurants in Florida as recommended by the USA TODAY Florida Network’s food journalists for 2024. THIS WEEKEND ‘In Willowbark Woods’ The world premiere of this new musical will be Aug. 1-3 at the Black Box Theatre sponsored by Norman and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1968616,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":[],"jnews_primary_category":[],"jnews_social_meta":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[25179],"tags":[28769,140433,241090,22005,28546,21937,21741,22034,239348,116640,22373,70839,24392,21739,22764,349301,349306,349302,21738,349300,28774,239343,239347,346464,349310,23759,353025,24047,353027,239342,239346,239344,104256,24098,244307,353026],"class_list":["post-1976101","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-music","tag-and","tag-colleges","tag-colleges-u0026-universities","tag-concerts","tag-county","tag-dance","tag-entertainment","tag-events","tag-events-u0026-listings","tag-fl","tag-florida","tag-listicle","tag-listings","tag-local","tag-local-news","tag-marion","tag-marion-county","tag-museums","tag-news","tag-ocala","tag-of","tag-overall","tag-overall-positive","tag-parks","tag-parks-and-museums","tag-positive","tag-spoken","tag-theater","tag-theater-dance-and-spoken-word","tag-ttp","tag-ttp-listicle","tag-u0026","tag-universities","tag-university","tag-university-of-florida","tag-word"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Live-music-arts-celebration-top-list-of-weekend-events-in-scaled.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1976101","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1976101"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1976101\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1968616"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1976101"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1976101"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1976101"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Art of Aging Exhibit: ‘Gallery of Gratitude’<\/h2>\n
COMING SOON<\/h2>\n
Summer Night Lecture Series<\/h2>\n
\n
Unlimited Devotion: Celebrating the Music of the Grateful Dead<\/h2>\n
‘Girls Night: The Musical’<\/h2>\n
Noir Night \u2013 A Midtown Station Mystery<\/h2>\n
North Central Florida Outdoor Expo<\/h2>\n
Will McLean Foundation\u2019s Sunday Sampler Concert Series: 2PM<\/h2>\n
Classic Albums Live: Bob Marley \u2013 ‘Legend’<\/h2>\n
WindFM Rocks the Reilly: Titans of Rock<\/h2>\n
ONGOING<\/h2>\n
\u2018The Human Pulse\u2019<\/h2>\n
‘What If Eye: Fifty Years of Exploration with Ummarid Eitharong’<\/h2>\n
Art in City Spaces<\/h2>\n
\n