What's Happening: Kliphuis, Family Invention Lab, Summer at The Library, 'Unapologetic'

JUNE 10

TIM KLIPHUIS AND JIMMY GRANT: Award-winning violin legend Tim Kliphuis will return to Gainesville with Jimmy Grant, America’s rising star of gypsy jazz guitar, to celebrate the music of famed musical duo Stéphane Grappelli and Django Reinhardt at 7 p.m. June 10 at Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Gainesville, 4225 NW 34th St. Recreating the 1930s in Paris and drawing inspiration from current-day classical and folk music, they alternate moments of dazzling interplay with melancholy and sheer exhilaration in an inspired musical conversation that is constantly evolving. Kliphuis is a master of the violin and a wizard of sound. From his professorship in the Amsterdam Conservatoire’s classical string department to concert halls around the globe, Kliphuis brings the tradition of improvisation back into the classical world, infusing gypsy jazz and folk themes to inspire students and dazzle audiences with his unique style. Grant grew up with bluegrass, folk, celtic and classical influences, but soon gravitated toward the music of Django Reinhardt, studying with acclaimed jazz guitarists Jim Nichols and Howard Alden. Concert tickets are $25 for general admission and $15 for students. They can be purchased in advance at bit.ly/kliphuisgrant.

JUNE 12

FAMILY INVENTION LAB: Learn basic coding and engineering lessons for the whole family at the Alachua County Library District’s new Family Invention Lab programs this summer. These programs are curated by the MakerSpace team to encourage discovery, experimentation and hands-on learning with beginner-friendly technology. Inventors from ages 5 to adults can learn how to write code and engineer contraptions with pocket-sized computers, STEM kits, building straws and more. The Family Invention Lab series starts with a kick-off program at 2 p.m. June 12 in Meeting Room A at Headquarters Library, 401 E. University Ave. Additional Family Invention Lab programs will be held on the second and fourth Sundays in June, July and August. All programs are held at 2 p.m. in Meeting Room A. Programs are designed for children and their grown-ups to work together using science and engineering skills to become inventors. Children younger than 14 must be accompanied by an adult. Patrons should register online to save a seat at these programs. Register at least 12 hours before an event to guarantee admission. Check-in starts 15 minutes before a program’s start time. If registered attendees are not present five minutes before the start time, seats may be given away on a first-come, first-served basis. A library card is not required to register or attend any program. Learn more at aclib.us/invention. Each month’s Family Invention Lab is centered on a theme, challenging inventors to question their knowledge and create something new while learning together. June's theme is “Animal Engineering,” prompting us to ask what humans can learn from animal adaptations and how we can rebuild these adaptations. July's theme is “Is It Conductive?” Electricity is the cornerstone of electronics and computing, learn to build a game with conductive materials. August's theme is “Storytelling with Color.” Color is a fantastic visual aid — test how you can use color to tell a story, mark a trail and give signals. The rest of the Family Invention Lab Schedule is: Sunday, June 26; Sunday, July 10; Sunday, July 24; Sunday, Aug. 14; and Sunday, Aug. 28.

ONGOING THROUGH JULY 31

SUMMER AT THE LIBRARY: Dive into Summer at the Library: Oceans of Possibilities with the Alachua County Library District through July 31 with programs for all ages and opportunities to win prizes all summer. Participants will receive a free tote bag with a book upon registering while supplies last. Sign up and track your reading and summer fun using our Beanstack website or app for chances to win a tablet from PDQ Restaurant and weekly pizza prizes from Five Star Pizza. Register and kick off the summer at Reader Palooza from 10 a.m.-noon June 4 at Depot Park. After you sign up for Summer at the Library and receive your tote bag, play games with community partners including Santa Fe College Teaching Zoo, Fun 4 Gator Kids, the Harn Museum of Art, Giggle Magazine and more. If you can’t make it to Reader Palooza, register online at aclib.us/summer or any library branch. All 12 library locations will hold special programs throughout the summer for kids, teens and adults, including art classes, STEM activities, craft lessons and story times. Registration is required for some programs; visit aclib.us/events to sign up. Summer highlights include “Ocean Tales,” which will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesdays in June and July, live on Zoom and Facebook. Meet marine animal friends, including manatees, sea turtles and dolphins from Florida zoos, museums and aquariums. In “Battle of the Books,” teens can register and receive three free books for this annual trivia competition. Patrons ages 11 to 17 can sign up now and select which library branch team they’d like to compete with during the “Battle of the Books” at 2 p.m. July 23 on Zoom. Visit aclib.us/summer for the full schedule of programs and reading lists for all ages, including 2022 Summer Picks for elementary and secondary school readers created by the Alachua County Library District and Alachua County Public Schools. All Summer at the Library programs are free and open to everyone.

ONGOING THROUGH AUGUST

“UNAPOLOGETIC!”: The Cotton Club Museum and Cultural Center is featuring artistic works by Gainesville artist Yvonne Ferguson. The show is entitled “Unapologetic!” and features images of cultural and human rights icons as well as notable and groundbreaking musicians. Describing her subject matter, Ferguson said, “My creative passion is fueled by the people of the African Diaspora. I love the culture, creativity and fortitude of its people. I am inspired by our ceaseless adaptability and how the essence of our being always creates something out of anything.” Ferguson displays her work through her online gallery, Diasporic Pigments. Visit the Cotton Club Museum and Cultural Center at 837 SE Seventh Ave. This exhibit will run through August 2022. Admission is free. The museum is open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, and by appointment for schools and other groups. Call 226-8321 or email info@cottonclubmuseum.com for more information. All safety recommendations are being followed with masks required inside. Hand sanitizers and purified air will make the exhibit both safe and enjoyable.

ONGOING THROUGH JAN. 23, 2023

“ANIMATIONLAND”: Join Tracey the pencil dog and her crew — Rooth, Drop, Inky, Uno and Kari — on a fantastically immersive journey to create stories using science and imagination. In Cade Museum’s newest exhibit, attendees can dive into the world of storytelling and channel their creativity to develop their own animated production using storyboarding, sketching, stop-motion movie making and more. The quirky cast of characters and hands-on interactives break down the process step-by-step to reveal how animated features are created. “Animationland” empowers visitors of all ages to experiment, learn and tell their own stories through animation. This exhibition was created by the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry. See it for yourself from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursdays through Sundays at the museum, located at 811 N. Main St. Tickets are $12.50 for general admission, $10 for seniors and college students, $7.50 for ages 5-17 and free for ages 4 and younger. For more information, visit cademuseum.org.

ONGOING

FEED THE HORSES: Enjoy the Florida weather as you take in 335 acres of nature and feed the horses and donkeys of Mill Creek Farm Retirement Home for Horses. The farm, a nonprofit that was established in 1983, has been home to hundreds of horses who endured abuse, starvation and neglect. The sanctuary provides lifelong care for these horses as well as retired police and military equines. Entrance to the farm is free; they ask that you bring carrots, apple slices and/or bananas to share with the animals. It is open to the public Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information about the farm, or to find out how you can help the nonprofit, visit millcreekfarm.org.

ONGOING

HISTORIC HAILE HOMESTEAD TOUR: The Historic Haile Homestead is unique in the nation for its "Talking Walls." For a reason lost to time, the Haile family wrote on the walls of their home — more than 12,500 words in almost every room and closet. Visit the historic site Sunday and see this gem of history that has been frozen in time. Let the walls speak to you of joys and sorrows from more than a century ago. Visitors must wear face coverings while indoors.The venue is open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays and noon to 4 p.m. Sundays. Attendees also can see the videos in the Allen & Ethel Graham Visitors Center: "Beginnings" and "Enslavement to Freedom." The Historic Haile Homestead is located at 8500 Archer Road. Entrance to the site is $5 for ages 13 and older and free for ages 12 and younger. For more information, visit hailehomestead.org.

ONGOING

“WE’RE TIRED OF ASKING”: Researched and curated by University of Florida graduate Alana Gomez, “We're Tired of Asking: Black Thursday and Civil Rights at the University of Florida” follows one slice of African American history in Gainesville, but certainly not all of Gainesville’s Black history. The goal of the Matheson History Museum in this particular exhibition is to show the civil rights movement in Gainesville from the 1960s until the early ’70s and how that affected the University of Florida’s racial atmosphere. The online exhibition is available at mathesonmuseum.org/current-exhibitions and the physical exhibition can be seen at the museum, located at 513 E. University Ave. It wasn’t until the desegregation of the University of Florida in 1957 that Black people began gaining access to public spaces with white people. The issue of civil rights was pushed even further with the partial integration of Alachua County’s public schools in 1964. Even with these seemingly large strides toward equality, however, social status and lifestyle remained largely unchanged for Black people in Gainesville. In a great show of strength on April 15, 1971, Black students decided to take a stand in a protest at Tigert Hall on the UF campus. Their interaction with President Stephen O’Connell would change the course of the University of Florida forever. Gomez is a recent graduate of the University of Florida with a double major in history and English. She first became interested in African American studies when she took a class on race and disability with her advisor, Dr. Steven Noll, during her sophomore year. She is an intern at the Matheson History Museum, where she worked on the “Black Thursday” exhibit. The Matheson History Museum is open 1 to 4 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays, and admission is free.

This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: What's Happening: concert, Family Invention Lab, Summer at The Library