Gainesville’s color and culture burst into life on South Main Street Sunday for the fourth annual Active Streets Gainesville celebration.
About 5,000 people wandered up and down the breezy Depot Park, located at 200 SE Depot Ave., to enjoy live music from 14 bands and participate in activities from about 70 local organizations, said Active Streets Alliance executive director Joseph Floyd. The event was part of the weekend-long Chimera Fest, a festival which celebrates creativity and innovation.
“We’re trying to build community in and around our streets,” he said.
The event, which has been held on the streets of West University Avenue in past years, moved to South Main Street this year to include a wider umbrella of Gainesville’s culture, Floyd said. The new location also meant the organization didn’t have to spend at least $15,000 blocking off part of the road with police and barricades. Local vendors and sports clubs set up tents along the park’s lakefront to share their passions with those who passed by.
“Here, people have a space and reason to come together,” Floyd said.
With the band Passersby playing music behind them, Louis Searcy, 27, holds Corey Souza, 33, the owner of S-Connection Aerial Arts, in the air to demonstrate acroyoga on Sunday.
Following the Friday and Saturday events like Menagerie in Motion and Heartwood Music Festival, Active Streets Gainesville topped off a weekend full of Gainesville cultural celebrations, he said.
Bianca Maesa lugged her tuba to the park to perform with her band, the Sonic Realm Brass Band. Maesa grew up in Gainesville and felt excited to perform in front of the community, she said.
“It’s important for us to spread the word about playing live music,” the 19-year-old UF music freshman said. “I’m glad we can expand local music into the community.”
The 14 bands were selected to perform by Future Music Makers, a youth music education nonprofit organization, said Dean Spaniol, a director of the organization. In the face of funding for music education being cut nationwide, the nonprofit made its goal to support as much local music as they can.
“It means so much to see kids enjoying the music and the sunshine,” Spaniol said.
While some people stopped to listen, others hopped from tent to tent to learn more about local businesses.
Members of the musical group Bears and Lions pose with two dogs at Active Streets Gainesville.
Samantha Jones, a 35-year-old manager at Searchlight Yoga, led free yoga classes every hour for anyone interested.
“It’s great exposure, especially if people are unfamiliar with yoga,” Jones said. “This has been a fun way for people to get involved.”
Ara Tolar, a 22-year-old UF communication sciences and disorders graduate student, sat on a grassy hill that overlooked the band Stereo Vudu performing in front of an audience of about 75.
“I had never been to Depot Park until today, but I’ll definitely be back,” Tolar said. “It’s been fun to hear this kind of music live.”
Contact Max Chesnes at mchesnes@alligator.org and follow him on Twitter at @chesnesmax
Killian Pennell, 3, plays with a Wiffle ball at the YMCA booth during Active Streets Gainesville at Depot Park on Sunday. Killian's dad, Kyle Pennell, said this is Killian's second time coming to Active Streets Gainesville.
