A new show at Ocala Civic Theatre tops the list of Ocala/Marion weekend fun
THIS WEEKEND
‘Outside Mullingar’
This Patrick Shanley play, described as a charming romance set in rural Ireland, is onstage at the Ocala Civic Theatre through March 19. More at ocalacivictheatre.com
First Friday Art Walk
The monthly First Friday Art Walk will feature Retro Sounds on March 3 in downtown Ocala. The art walk also features other entertainment, artists, vendors and more from 6 to 9 p.m.
Reilly Noir: The Return of the Global Jazz Collective
The Global Jazz Collective will perform at 7:30 p.m. March 3 in the NOMA Black Box at the Reilly Arts Center, 500 NE Ninth St., Ocala. Tickets $25. More at reillyartscenter.com
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‘Unmasked’
This event features the art work of Lisa Russo, live music by Limestone and James Lattin, and the dancing of Rosalie Abdul. Hors d’oeuvres, wine and beverages, fortune telling. Masquerade masks and evening wear encouraged. The event will be 6:30 p.m. March 4 at Brick City Center for the Arts, 23 SW Broadway St., Ocala. Tickets $35 at eventbrite.com and MCAOcala.org. $30 for MCA members.
Queen tribute band
Absolute Queen will perform at 7:30 p.m. March 4 at the Reilly Arts Center, 500 NE Ninth St., Ocala. Tickets from $20. More at reillyartscenter.com
Ninth annual Habitat Ocala Strawberry Festival
This year’s festival will be 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. March 4 at the McPherson Governmental Complex, Southeast 25th Avenue just south of Fort King Street, Ocala. Free admission. Parking is $5. Benefits Habitat for Humanity. Vendors, kid’s zone, strawberry food items, car show, pie eating contest and more. More www.habitatocala.org/strawberry
Concert in the Park
The Kingdom of the Sun Concert Band will perform at 3 p.m. March 5 at the Ocala/Marion County Veterans Memorial Park, 2601 E. Fort King St., Ocala. Free.
"The band will perform Sousa's 'Semper Fidelis March,' Aaron Copland's stirring 'Fanfare For the Common Man,' (and) selections from 'Fiddler on the Roof,' " among other selections, organizers say.
Bring blankets and lawn chairs. Bleacher seating available. More at 352-390-0491 or kingdomofthesunband.org
Cahal Dunne concert
The concert will be at 5 p.m. March 5 at The Congregational Church, 15421 S. U.S. 301, Summerfield. Tickets are $25 and may be purchased at www.thecongregationalchurch.org or at the door. Proceeds benefit the Infant & Toddler Pantry.
COMING SOON
Classic Albums Live: Pink Floyd | Dark Side of the Moon
This performance will be at 7:30 p.m. March 9 at the Reilly Arts Center, 500 NE Ninth St., Ocala. Tickets from $20. More at reillyartscenter.com
The Lords of 52nd Street: Legends of Billy Joel
This Billy Joel tribute band will play at 7 p.m. March 9 at Circle Square Cultural Center, 8395 SW 80th St., Ocala. More at https://www.csculturalcenter.com/
27th Spring Festival
The UF/IFAS Marion County Master Gardener Volunteers presents this annual event 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. March 11 and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. March 12 at the Southeastern Livestock Pavilion, 2232 NE Jacksonville Road, Ocala. Vendors, plant sale, educational seminars, KidsZone and more. Entrance fee is $3, with kids younger than 12 free. More at https://sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/marion/master-gardeners-/
Ocala Youth Symphony
The symphony will perform at 3 p.m. March 12 at Countryside Presbyterian Church, 7768 SW State Road 200, Ocala. “Featured presentations will be a salute to Louie 'Satchmo' Armstrong, Lantana, and Chit Chat Polka by Strauss,” organizers say. More at 352-237-4633.
Live Oak International 2023
What organizers call “Marion County’s largest spectator event” will be March 16-19 at 2215 SW 110th Ave., Ocala. World-class horse riders and drivers, equine competitions, kids zone, food trucks, shopping, vendors, VIP options, free parking and more. The famous Budweiser Clydesdales will be on site, as well. Tickets start at $10. Kids younger than 6 free. For information and to buy tickets, visit www.liveoakinternational.com/shop.
Rainbow Springs Art Festival
The festival will be 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. March 18 at Pennsylvania Avenue and Cedar Street in historic downtown Dunnellon. Nearly 40 artists have signed up so far. Food vendors and live entertainment also will be offered. More at 352-445-8547 and rainbowspringsart.com
Ocala Symphony and 2023 Young Artist Competition Winners
This performance, called “Youthful Renderings,” will be 7:30 p.m. March 18 and 3 p.m. March 19 at the Reilly Arts Center, 500 NE Ninth St., Ocala. Tickets from $15. More at reillyartscenter.com
Cynthia Graham-Wilson presentation
The lecture will be at 2 p.m. March 19 at Green Clover Hall, 319 SE 26th Terrace, Ocala. A reception will follow the program in the nearby Marion County Museum of History & Archaeology. Admission is free for members and $5 for nonmembers. Wilson-Graham is a Marion County author/historian and will speak about early Marion County Black residents and businesses.
ONGOING
‘Plantastic’
The Discovery Center’s newest exhibit, “Plantastic,” is up through May 6 at the center, 701 NE Sanchez Ave., Ocala.
“Follow Bobbi the Botanist on an adventure to see all the ways that plants power our world. Check out the mini hedge maze and be the insect in the larger-than-life flower garden,” the City of Ocala said in a news release.
Hours: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. General admission to the center is $8 per person/$28 for a family of four. More at 352-401-3900 or the Discovery Center page at www.ocalafl.org.
'It's Colored Pencil'
“It’s Colored Pencil,” presented in partnership with the Colored Pencil Society of America, is up through March 9 at the CF Webber Gallery on the College of Central Florida campus, 3001 SW College Road, Ocala. The Webber Gallery is open 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Thursday. Admission is free. More at 352-854-2322, ext. 1664.
'Focus on the Essence: The Photography of Anne Noggle'
This exhibit is up at the Appleton Museum of Art through April 9. “Selected from more than 100 photographs donated to the museum by the Anne Noggle Foundation, this exhibition highlights self-portraits and portraits of friends and family, and displays her incredible eye for composition and lighting,” organizers say. The museum, 4333 E. Silver Springs Blvd., is open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday and noon-5 p.m. Sunday. Admission is free on the first Saturday of each month. More at www.appletonmuseum.org
'The Shape of Things: Op Art and Geometric Abstraction'
This exhibit is up at the Appleton Museum of Art through April 9. “Drawn from the permanent collection, this exhibition includes vibrant and visually fun paintings and prints,” organizers say. "Op" is short for "optical." The museum, 4333 E. Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala, is open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday and noon-5 p.m. Sunday. Admission is free on the first Saturday of each month. More at www.appletonmuseum.org
'Revolutionized Textile & Fiber: The Art of Ingrid Humphrey'
An art exhibit, “Revolutionized Textile & Fiber: The Art of Ingrid Humphrey,” is up through May 25 at the Mary Sue Rich Community Center, 1821 NW 21st Ave., Ocala. It is free and open to the public. More at 352-629-8447, artinfo@ocalafl.org or www.ocalafl.org/artincityspaces
‘Long Legs & Fragility’
This exhibit from artist Cara Van Leuven is up through March 31 at Ocala City Hall, 110 SE Watula Ave. It is free and open to the public. City Hall hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday-Friday.
Van Leuven “grew up in Fort Wayne, Indiana, where she developed a love of horses,” the city says in a news release. “She moved around the country working as a graphic designer until settling in St. Louis, Missouri. In 2008, her job as a carriage driver helped refocus her career around horses. Currently, she paints horses full-time and splits her time between her small farm in Highland, Illinois and her restored ranch in Williston, Florida.”
More at www.caravl.com, 352-629-8447, artinfo@ocalafl.org or www.ocalafl.org/artincityspaces
'Blessed be the Birds'
An art exhibit, "Blessed be the Birds,"by Courtney Kravig-McGuire, is on display at the Clerk's Office at Ocala City Hall, 110 SE Watula Ave., through June 9. The office is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. This exhibit is free and open to the public. Kravig-McGuire lives and works in Ocala and holds a bachelor of fine art degree in printmaking from the Herron School of Art + Design in Indianapolis. "Kravig-McGuire utilizes printmaking techniques to explore connections between nature and spirituality in her work," city organizers say. Learn more at www.direct.me/theinkyibis, 352-629-8447, artinfo@ocalafl.org or www.ocalafl.org/artincityspaces
'Big and Bold'
This exhibit is on view in the Edith-Marie Gallery at the Appleton Museum of Art through May 21. All works are modern and contemporary art, many of which have never been on display at the Appleton.
This article originally appeared on Ocala Star-Banner: OCT's new show, First Friday Art Walk and more: Weekend fun in Ocala
