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Tuesday, June 17, 2025

City names downtown plaza for Bo Diddley

Famed rock 'n' roll musician Bo Diddley has left an official mark on Gainesville.

City commissioners voted unanimously at their meeting Thursday to name the Downtown Community Plaza in honor of Diddley, an Alachua County resident who died in June.

A dedication ceremony will be held Oct. 24, when the city will officially unveil new signs reading "Bo Diddley Community Plaza," Commissioner Jeanna Mastrodicasa said.

The plaza has hosted several performances by Diddley, who held numerous benefit concerts in Alachua County after he moved to Archer in the late 1970s, according to city staff.

Diddley's family was present to receive the honor, which Mastrodicasa called "a fitting tribute."

"It was just really nice seeing a lot of his family here," she said.

New signs for the plaza are expected to cost between $1,500 and $5,000, which will come from the city's Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs.

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