Spring Festival, concerts and more: Fun things to do this weekend in Ocala/Marion

Ocala Star-Banner
·7 min read

THIS WEEKEND

Ocala Civic Theatre's latest show, 'Outside Mullingar,' held a dress rehearsal on Feb. 27. Shown here are Gina England, playing the part of Rosemary Muldoon, and Scott Fitzgerald, playing the part of Tony Reilly. The show runs March 2-19.
Ocala Civic Theatre's latest show, 'Outside Mullingar,' held a dress rehearsal on Feb. 27. Shown here are Gina England, playing the part of Rosemary Muldoon, and Scott Fitzgerald, playing the part of Tony Reilly. The show runs March 2-19.

‘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

Lisa Ewing: Almost ABBA

This ABBA tribute band will perform at 7:30 p.m. March 10 at the Reilly Arts Center, 500 NE Ninth St., Ocala. Tickets from $20

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.

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COMING SOON

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.

30th annual Southeastern Pro Rodeo

This event will be March 17-18 at the Southeastern Livestock Pavilion, 2200 NE Old Jacksonville Road, Ocala. Gates open at 5:30 p.m. and rodeo action begins at 7:30 p.m. Discounted advance tickets are $22 online or purchased at advance ticket outlets. Tickets are $25 at the gate. Kids 5 and younger free. More at www.OcalaRodeo.com, www.Facebook.com/SoutheasternProRodeo or (352) 421-3199.

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

The Spinners

This concert will begin at 7 p.m. March 18 at the Circle Square Cultural Center, 8395 SW 80th St., Ocala. More at https://www.csculturalcenter.com/ 8395

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.

College of Central Florida Ira Holmes International Film Series

“La Ciénaga” will be screened twice on March 21: 2 p.m. at the Appleton Museum of Art, 4333 E. Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala, and 7 p.m. at the CF Ocala campus, 3001 SW College Road, Building 8, Room 110. Films at the Ocala campus are free and open to the public. Museum screenings are free for museum and film series members but nonmembers must pay museum admission. Films may contain mature content.

Festival Latino Downtown Ocala

PartyMix Productions is hosting the third annual festival, which will be 11 a.m.-6 p.m. March 25 on Ocala Citizens’ Circle, Fort King Street at Osecola Avenue. Live music, food trucks, kiosks, crafts, fund for kids and more. Parking and admission are free. More at Festival Latino Downtown Ocala on Facebook.

2023 CF Student Art Exhibition

This annual show will be up March 27-May 4 at the CF Webber Gallery, located on the CF Ocala campus, 3001 SW College Road. Opening reception and awards ceremony at 12:30 p.m. March 29 at 12:30 p.m. in the Webber Center next to the gallery. The gallery is open 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Thursday and admission is free. More at 352-854-2322, ext. 1664.

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.

'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: Live music, theater, Spring Festival: Fun things to do in Ocala/Marion