Ocali Country Days, Sister Hazel and more: Fun things to do this weekend in Ocala/Marion
THIS WEEKEND
Ocali Country Days
This annual festival celebrates the Florida of yesteryear. Check out pioneer skills demonstrations, arts and crafts, live music, food, the Silver River Museum and more. Cost is $8 per person, with children 5 and younger free. 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nov. 12 and 13 at 1445 NE 58th Ave., Ocala. More at https://silverrivermuseum.com/ocali-country-days-festival/
Down East Boys
Christ’s Church of Marion County, 6768 SW 80th St., Ocala, welcomes the Down East boys to the stage Nov. 11 for an evening of gospel music and community. Free and open to the public; donations appreciated. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. and showtime is 6:30 p.m. More at www.ccomc.org.
Safe dining: Marion County restaurants | 17 inspections, 85 violations, 22 of them high-priority
Let's do lunch: Taverna Berrocal, a fine dining restaurant in NE Ocala, will expand hours to include lunch
A tasty stroll: With Ocala Food Walks tours, you can nosh your way through downtown
Sister Hazel
The Billboard chart-toppers return to the Reilly Arts Center, 500 NE Ninth St., Ocala, on Nov. 11. Performance is at 7:30 p.m. Tickets from $25 at the box office from 10 a.m.- 2 p.m. Tuesday-Friday. More at www.reillyartscenter.com or 352-351-1606.
Marion Civic Chorale Concert Series
The Marion Civic Chorale community chorus performs Nov. 13 at 3 p.m. at Countryside Presbyterian Church, 7768 SW State Road 200, Ocala. All concerts are free and open to the public; donations to fund the annual Grat L. Rosazza music scholarship are gratefully accepted and much appreciated. More at www.marionchorale.com
Jewish Choral Music Through the Ages
The Shabbatones pour Hebrew, Ladino and Yiddish favorites into an exciting mix of new music arrangements on Nov. 13 at Highlands Presbyterian Community Church, 1001 NE 16th Ave., Ocala. The program features secular, religious and folk songs played and performed in unique ways. Guest performances by Cantor Deborrah Cannizzaro of Congregation Schaarai Zedek of Tampa and conducted by Maestro Will Kesling. Performance starts at 5 p.m. More at www.shabbatones.org.
COMING SOON
'Late Night Catechism'
The internationally famous interactive comedy show will be presented at St. Mark the Evangelist, 7081 SE County Road 42, Summerfield, on Nov. 18 at 2 and 7 p.m. An irrepressible nun teaches an adult catechism course to unpredictable new students: the audience. Tickets $28, available at www.stmarcrcc.com. More at 919-880-8799 or patmorrow2016@gmail.com.
Light Up Ocala
The tradition continues from 4 to 9 p.m. Nov. 19 on the downtown square. As the City of Ocala says on its website: "Light Up Ocala is a longstanding community tradition to kick off the holidays that attracts thousands to downtown Ocala. This year marks the 38th anniversary of the holiday merry making event!" There will be 100 plus vendors, food and live entertainment. The Junior Sunshine holiday parade includes a special appearance by Santa. And at the end of the evening, downtown Ocala will shine with holiday lights.
The Magic of Bronze Bell Choir
The Congregational Church, 15421 S. U.S. 301 in Summerfield, hosts the Orlando choir in concert Nov. 19 at 4 p.m. Tickets $25; proceeds benefit the Infant and Toddler Pantry, in addition to the educational and performance work of the Bell Choir. More at www.thecongregationalchurc.org or 352-693-4545.
Sunday Sampler Concert
The Will McLean Foundation welcomes 2PM to the historic Dunnellon Depot, 12061 S. Williams St., Dunnellon, on Nov. 20 for an eclectic mix of original songs to classic and obscure covers and well-known standards. Performance is at 2 p.m.; donation is $15 cash at the door. More at www.2pmband.com, www.willmclean.com, or info@2pmband.com.
Gala of Royal Horses
This event will be at the Grand Oaks Resort, 3000 Marion County Road, Weirsdale, on Nov. 26. More at www.galaoftheroyalhorses.com.
'Coming Back Like a Song'
This nostalgic musical play will be onstage at the Ocala Civic Theatre Dec. 1-18. More at ocalacivictheatre.com
'Paper Thin' and 'Shadow Deep'
The Appleton Museum, 4333 E. Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala, opens new exhibitions on Dec. 3. One features Jacksonville-based Hiromi Mizugai Moneyhun's three-dimensional, cut-paper artwork. The other features the work of Gainesville-based poet and visual artist Debora Gregor, who presents 28 mixed-media works created during the pandemic lockdown in 2019-2021. These exhibits will be through June 18.
Marion Civic Chorale community chorus holiday performances
The chorale will perform delightful favorites and inspirational songs to celebrate the holidays at 3 p.m. Dec. 4 at St. George Anglican Cathedral, 5646 SE 28th St., Ocala; and 3 p.m. Dec. 11 at Fort King Presbyterian Church 13 NE 36th Ave., Ocala. Concerts are free to the public; donations to help fund the annual Grat L. Rosazza music scholarship are appreciated. More at www.marionchorale.org or https://www.facebook.com/groups/marioncivicchorale/
'Big and Bold'
This exhibition will be on view in the Edith-Marie Gallery at the Appleton Museum of Art from Dec. 16 through May 21. All works are of modern and contemporary art, many of which have never been on display at the Appleton.
ONGOING
Brown & Brown Farms Fall Extravaganza
Brown & Brown Farms, 13940 U.S. 301, Oxford, has re-created its traditional 8-acre Corn Maze. Also featured: pumpkin house/patch, crafters, artisans, vendors, live music, food trucks, special events and activities for the whole family. The extravaganza runs every weekend through Nov. 13. It is open 3-10 p.m. Fridays, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturdays and noon to 6 p.m. Sundays. Ticket information at BrownandBrownfarms.com. More details at 352-615-4419 or Suzanne@BrownandBrownFarms.com.
'A Dickens Christmas: The Urban Family’s Holiday Exhibition'
The Appleton Museum, 4333 E. Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala, is lit with twinkling lights and large-scale decorations as this annual tradition returns. The exhibition will be up through Jan. 8. This beloved annual display from the collection of the Dr. Paul Urban family offers the architecture, customs and history of Victorian England in this miniature village, alongside an extensive collection of nutcrackers from all over the world. Also on display are Christmas trees decorated by participating community groups and organizations. More at www.appletonmuseum.org or 352-854-2322, ext. 1565.
'Best of the Season' exhibition
The Visual Arts Society presents an exhibition at the CF Webber Gallery, 3001 SW College Road, Ocala, Nov. 7- Dec. 8. This annual favorite includes a variety of styles and mediums. “Best of the Season” is one of two annual opportunities for society members to display their works. Opening reception Nov. 18 from 5-7 p.m. Free and open to the public. More at 352-854-2322, ext. 1664.
Blow Up II - Inflatable Contemporary Art
Larger-than-life inflatable art has transformed the Edith-Marie Appleton Gallery and museum lobby at the Appleton Museum, 4333 E. Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala. The museum is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays and noon to 5 p.m. Sundays. This exhibition, up through Dec. 11, explores the imaginative and often whimsical ways artists use air as a tool for creating large-scale sculpture, with work from eight renowned artists of the medium. Special events will be announced throughout the life of this exhibit. More at www.appletonmuseum.org or 352-291-4455.
‘Looking on the Brighter Side'
This exhibit from Jennifer Weigel is up through Jan. 9 at the Ocala Recreation and Parks Administration building, 828 NE Eighth Ave., and Eighth Avenue Adult Activity Center, 830 NE Eighth Ave., 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Free and open to the public. A city news release describes Weigel as "a multi-disciplinary mixed-media, conceptual artist" whose work "utilizes a wide range of media to convey her ideas, including assemblage, drawing, fibers, installation, jewelry, paint, performance, photography, video and writing." More at www.jenniferweigelart.com, 352-629-8447, artinfo@ocalafl.org or www.ocalafl.org/artincityspaces.
'Colorful Pleasures'
This art exhibit from Christine Dozier is up through Jan. 17 at the Ocala International Airport, 1770 SW 60th Ave., Suite 600. Free and open to the public. Dozier, an Ocala resident and Memphis native, works in oils and acrylics. More at www.christinedozier.com, 352-629-8447, artinfo@ocalafl.org or www.ocalafl.org/artincityspaces.
'A Floral Retrospective'
This exhibit of Gregory Dirr's work is up through Dec. 9 at the Clerk’s Office in Ocala City Hall, 110 SE Watula Ave. Free and open to the public. Boca Raton-based Dirr is described in an Ocala city news release as "an interdisciplinary visual artist, creating work as a cathartic response to his surroundings with a focus on environmental conservation." The clerk's office is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. More at www.gregorydirr.com, 352-629-8447, artinfo@ocalafl.org or www.ocalafl.org/artincityspaces.
'Squares Without Stitches'
This exhibit is up at the Barbara Gaskin Washington Adult Activity Center, 210 NW 12th Ave., Ocala, through Jan. 12. Hours are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Free and open to the public. More at www.ocalafl.org/recpark, 352-368-5517 and Ocala Rec Park on Facebook.
'Finding Beauty'
This exhibit features costumes, set photos, interactive experiences and sketches, along with a plethora of fabrics and video of the costume design process. These objects, from the Appleton Museum’s permanent collection, inspired the art and design for the Ocala Civic Theatre’s recent production of "Beauty and the Beast." This exhibit runs through the winter of 2022. The museum is at 4337 E. Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala. More at www.appletonmuseum.org.
This article originally appeared on Ocala Star-Banner: Weekend entertainment in Ocala, Florida includes festivals, concerts
