The Ocala/Marion County Christmas Parade is back | Fun things to do this weekend
“The Man Who Invented Christmas”: This holiday movie starts at 7 p.m. Dec. 10 at Tuscawilla Park Oak Grove, 500 NE Sanchez Ave., Ocala. Free. Bring blankets and chairs for seating.
The Funk Allstars and The Pyramid Horns: Reilly Noir will present The Funk Allstars and The Pyramid Horns at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 10 at the Reilly Arts Center, 500 NE Ninth St., Ocala. This high-energy group infuses jazz and bebop with live horns, soloists, saxophone, trumpet, guitar, bass keyboard and drums, celebrating the music of Earth, Wind and Fire, Stevie Wonder, Chicago and more. Visit reillyartscenter.com or call 351-1606 for tickets and details.
Comedy: “Homecoming Tour” with comedians Ben Brainard and Jeff Horste will perform at 8 p.m. Dec. 10 at the Reilly Arts Center, 500 NE Ninth St. Ocala. Tickets and details at ReillyArtsCenter.com.
Safe dining: Marion County restaurant inspections for Nov. 29 to Dec. 4
Destination restaurant: Elevation 89 takes flight at the Ocala International Airport
More than 1 million lights: World Equestrian Center goes big for its first holiday season
The Urban Family Community Day: Enjoy free admission Dec. 11 from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. at the Appleton Museum of Art, 4333 E. Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala, on this annual community day celebrating "A Dickens Christmas: The Urban Family Holiday Exhibition." Visit appletonmuseum.org or call 291-4455 for details. The exhibit itself is up through Jan. 9.
Ocala Christmas Parade: The parade will step off at 5:30 p.m. Dec. 11. The theme is "A Heroes' Christmas," and the grand marshal will be Ben Marciano. The parade begins on Southeast 25th Avenue then goes west on Silver Springs Boulevard to Northeast Eighth Avenue.
Pure Heart: This group will take you on a journey through time performing the best classic hits by Heart at 7 p.m. Dec. 11 at Circle Square Cultural Center, 8395 SW 80th St., Ocala. For details, visit windfm.com/2020/11/pureheart.
Gala of the Royal Horses: This event will feature performances including the Lipizzaner Stallions, the Spanish Andalusian, Friesian, and the majestic Arabian breeds, as well as a recently added quarte horse. It begins at 3 p.m. Dec. 11 at Peninsula Farm, 12020 U.S. 441, Ocala. Visit galaoftheroyalhorses.com for details.
The Amazzing Steel Drums: This group will be in concert at Countryside Presbyterian Church, 7768 SW State Road 200, Ocala, at 3 p.m. Dec. 12. "The group, creating 'the happiest music on earth,' plays as a full steel pan orchestra on instruments made from 55-gallon steel drums, locally handcrafted by Tom Reynolds (www.tropicalhammer.com), who is a native of St. Croix and now resides in Sanford," organizers said. More at www.goodspiritfoundation.com. A love offering will be taken. For information, call 352-237-4633.
ONGOING
“Puffs”: From Dec. 9-18, “Puffs, or Seven Increasingly Eventful Years at a Certain School of Magic and Magic,” by Matt Cox, will be onstage at the Reilly Arts Center, 500 NE Ninth St., Ocala. The wizardly comedy is presented by Insomniac Theatre, Inc. Visit reillyartscenter.com or call 351-1606 for tickets and details.
"It's A Wonderful Life"/A Live Radio Play: This show is onstage at the Ocala Civic Theatre through Dec. 19. More details at https://ocalacivictheatre.com/
Winter Wonderland at World Equestrian Center: Up through Dec. 25. Christmas trees and decorations, carolers, toy soldiers, acrobatic elves, stilt walkers, face painting and more. Wonderland is open 5 to 8 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays and 6 to 9 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. $20 a vehicle, $100 for buses starting at 4 p.m. VIP parking and monthly passes available. 1750 NW 80th Ave., Ocala. Full details at wecwinterwonderland.com
Ocala Christmas Light Spectacular: Presented by St. John Lutheran Church and hosted by the Florida Horse Park. All are invited to see north central Florida‘s largest drive-through Christmas light display at the Florida Horse Park, running through Dec. 31. See more than 1 million Christmas lights on display, and end the night in Santa land. Local food trucks and pictures with Santa, and more. Prices by carload vary; visit ocalachristmas.com for details. Enter at 11851 SW 16th Ave., Ocala.
Marion Cultural Alliance Monthly Exhibit: “VISIONS” by Dan McCarthy is up this month at the Brick City Center for the Arts, 23 SW Broadway St., Ocala. More information at mcaocala.org or 369-1500.
Amazing Arthropods: The Discovery Center’s "Amazing Arthropods" exhibit is up through Dec. 30 at the center, 701 NE Sanchez Ave., Ocala. It is open Tuesdays through Saturdays from 10 a.m.- 4 p.m.; $8 per person or $28 for a family of four. For details, call 401-3900 or visit www.mydiscoverycenter.org.
Learn more about Alphonse Mucha and his iconic posters in this free online talk by Angelina Lippert, chief curator of Poster House in New York City. Poster House is the first museum in the United States dedicated exclusively to posters.
For more details:https://t.co/Bfoj0pvXPs— Appleton Museum (@AppletonMuseum) December 7, 2021
“Art Remembers”: This exhibit, by Hospice of Marion County in partnership with the Appleton Museum of Art, is up through Jan. 10 at the Barbara Gaskin Washington Adult Activity Center, 210 NW 12th Ave., Ocala. Free. Hours are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The work comes from hospice's bereavement programs for children. Learn more at www.hospiceofmarion.com or the City of Ocala Cultural Arts and Sciences Division: 352-629-8447 www.ocalafl.org/artincityspaces.
Entertainment at The Bistro: Live music with local artists will be on tap Thursdays-Saturdays at The Bistro, 3000 Marion County Road, Weirsdale. Visit thegrandoaks.com for details, or call 750-9500 for reservations.
“Alphonse Mucha: Master of Art Nouveau”: This exhibit is on view through Jan. 9 at the Appleton Museum of Art, 4333 E. Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala. Selected from the The Dhawan Collection, Los Angeles, one of the finest private collections of Mucha’s work in the United States, the exhibition presents 75 works by Mucha, who is most often remembered for the prominent role he played in shaping the aesthetics of French Art Nouveau at the turn of the 20th century. Visit appletonmuseum.org or call 291-4455 for details.
“Heart of the Horse: Photographs by Juliet van Otteren:” This exhibit is up through April 24 at the Appleton Museum of Art, 4333 E. Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala, and features internationally acclaimed photographer Juliet van Otteren’s black and white equine images. Her unique style strives to capture the essence of the horse, perhaps even a glimpse of their souls. Details at appletonmuseum.org or call 291-4455.
This article originally appeared on Ocala Star-Banner: Christmas Parade tops list of fun things to do this weekend in Ocala
