The Avenue - The Independent Florida Alligator

Birdie Box pictured on Sunday, April 14, 2024.

THE AVENUE | FOOD

Gainesville mourns closure of gourmet chicken shop Birdie Box Sando

By Alexandra Burns | Apr. 15, 2024

The opportunity to eat a dripping hot chicken sandwich in a light pink double-decker bus has come to an end. After three years in Gainesville, Birdie Box Sando, located at 2216 SW 13th St., announced April 2 it is permanently closing its doors in Gainesville. The closure was effective immediately following the announcement.

Hundreds of Muslim community members gather for Eid al-Fitr morning prayers

THE AVENUE | LIFESTYLE

Hundreds of Florida Muslims gather in Gainesville to celebrate Eid al-Fitr

By Molly Seghi | Apr. 11, 2024

Hundreds of Muslim community members prayed and feasted at the Eid al-Fitr celebration at Skate Station Funworks.

Visitors to the Gainesville Oddities Market explore the unusual items sold at the booths on April 7, 2023.

THE AVENUE | LIFESTYLE

First Gainesville Oddities Market offers unusual items

By Bea Lunardini | Apr. 8, 2024

The market, the first of its kind in Gainesville, hosted more than 60 vendors offering jewelry, decorations and animal products. The items were unusual, falling outside the normal range of goods sold at markets.

Farmers meet with community organizers to promote their recent harvest to the public at Cypress & Grove Brewing Company on Monday, May 8, 2023.

THE AVENUE | LIFESTYLE

From fields to fork: A list of local farmers markets

By Molly Seghi | Apr. 8, 2024

As temperatures rise and flowers burst into bloom, farmers markets grow in product and patron size. This guide lists seven bustling markets in Gainesville and High Springs that invite springtime with open arms.

THE AVENUE | LITERARY CORNER

Gainesville author Lauren Groff responds to statewide book bans by opening bookstore, The Lynx

By Bonny Matejowsky | Apr. 8, 2024

On April 28, The Lynx will become Gainesville’s latest independent bookstore. It’s the creation of New York Times bestselling author Lauren Groff and her husband Clay Kallman.

A photo of Dance Alive National Ballet's plans for its new arts building hanging in the studio on Monday, April 1, 2024.

THE AVENUE | LIFESTYLE

Gainesville ‘Dancing With The Stars’ raises money for new local arts building

By Madilyn Gemme | Apr. 2, 2024

Some of Gainesville’s most accomplished residents danced, flipped and raised money at a “Dancing With The Stars” competition Sunday.

Gaby Albo and Samuel Garnica as Gloria and Emilio Esteban at the Philips Center on Saturday, March 30, 2024.

THE AVENUE | ART AND THEATER

‘The conga you didn’t know you needed’: ‘On Your Feet!’ premieres at the Curtis M. Phillips Center

By Tanya Fedak | Apr. 1, 2024

From the electrifying rhythms to the show-stopping choreography, “On Your Feet!” captivated audiences with an emotional retelling of the stories of Gloria Estefan and Emilio Estefan, Grammy-award winning Latin-American musical artists.

THE AVENUE | MUSIC

Uplift GNV: Benefit concert raises funds for free therapy to local musicians

By Emilia Cardenas-Perez | Apr. 1, 2024

Uplift GNV’s aim is to raise funds for Upbeat’s Musicians Therapy Scholarship, which covers mental health counseling costs for musicians. Recipients of the scholarship can use the funds to cover eight private therapy sessions at Gainesville Community Counseling Center, Klausner said.

THE AVENUE | ART AND THEATER

ArtWalk in downtown Gainesville features mural artists from around Florida

By Bea Lunardini | Apr. 1, 2024

Visitors at the ArtWalk venue at 714 S Main St. were greeted with the thick smell of spray paint and bold visuals across the concrete walls surrounding the lot. It featured shapes and colors central to the work of Erbriyon Barrett, a 30-year-old artist better known as ‘Cloud.’

THE AVENUE | LIFESTYLE

‘Easter Bunny dump season’: Why this time of year poses a threat to rabbits

By Bonny Matejowsky | Apr. 1, 2024

Easter is a holiday known for sweet marshmallow chicks, pastel-woven baskets and, of course, the ever-mysterious Easter Bunny. But the impacts of this floppy-eared icon stretch beyond childhood memories of early morning egg hunts to a much more consequential extent — one that is particularly dangerous for domestic rabbits.

The Lost Safari Drummers perform at Kanapaha Gardens during the Spring Garden Festival on Sunday, March 24, 2024.

THE AVENUE

Kanapaha Botanical Gardens Spring Festival offers vendors and music

By Bea Lunardini | Mar. 25, 2024

Typically, visitors at the Kanapaha Botanical Gardens pay their admission fee and stroll through the Summer House into 68 acres of lush greenery. From March 23 to 24, though, they were greeted by more than 175 vendors from around Florida there for the annual Spring Festival.

People work tables adorned with the flags of Brazil and Palestine during the Taste the World International Food Festival at First Magnitude Brewing Company on Saturday, March 23, 2024.

THE AVENUE | FOOD

Gainesville celebrates Taste The World International Food Festival

By Alexandra Burns | Mar. 25, 2024

Nestled beneath a canopy of trees and twinkling lights, Gainesville residents came together to indulge in a comforting taste of home from cultures around the world. More than 150 Gainesville residents and food enthusiasts gathered at First Magnitude Brewing Company March 23 to celebrate Taste The World International Food Festival.

Nick Bublitz portrays Gus and Chasity Hart portrays Vanessa in a performance of White.

THE AVENUE | ART AND THEATER

‘It’s a sitcom until it’s not’: ‘White’ approaches debut at Hippodrome

By Bonny Matejowsky | Mar. 25, 2024

Some say art imitates life. For other’s it’s vice versa. But “White,” the Hippodrome’s latest production, looks at it both ways. The 2018 play hits the mainstage at 8 p.m. March 29 and runs until April 14.

Florida Museum of Natural History, at 3215 Hull Road, debuts its first bilingual aquatic exhibit, Water Shapes Florida, on March 23, 2024.

THE AVENUE | LIFESTYLE

Florida Museum of Natural History’s opens first freshwater exhibit

By Tanya Fedak | Mar. 24, 2024

Saturday morning, the Florida Museum of Natural History opened its new permanent exhibit, Water Shapes Florida. The exhibit is centered on Florida freshwater and its shape on human life over time. The exhibit, with interactive projector screens and physical replicas of underwater wildlife, aims to illustrate the evolution of the state's aquifers, rivers and most famous springs just north of the museum’s location in Gainesville.

Quail Hollow performs during Indie Night at High Dive on Saturday, March 23, 2024.

THE AVENUE | MUSIC

Indie Night packs High Dive full of music and music-lovers alike

By Benjamin Miller | Mar. 24, 2024

On Saturday night, local bands Half Gone, Quail Hollow, Rohna and Madwoman energized a colorful crowd of indie music fans in an exhilarating concert as part of the Indie Nights Florida tour. Indie Night, established in 2021 by Rohna bassist Andres Hernandez, seeks to bring local music together all across Florida.

Customers gather at Barnes & Noble at Butler Plaza during its opening day on Wednesday, March 20, 2024.

THE AVENUE | LITERARY CORNER

Barnes & Noble hosts grand opening at Butler Plaza

By Molly Seghi | Mar. 20, 2024

Generations of book enthusiasts lined up down the block outside Barnes & Noble on Wednesday morning, some jumping for joy in anticipation. As the clock struck 9 a.m. and the ribbon was cut, more than 100 people rushed into the brand-new store and got lost in the rows of crisp, colorful books for sale.

A circus performer entertains attendees during the Big Sho at Celebration Catering Warehouse on Saturday, April 15, 2023.

THE AVENUE | MUSIC

Big: Culture & Arts Festival brings creatives across the state to Gainesville

By Benjamin Miller | Mar. 18, 2024

Big: Cultures & Arts Festival is set to take place in an empty lot between Porters Community and South Main Street, breathing life into the venue with Florida’s music, fashion, visual art and film scene. Musical artists based in Gainesville and cities across the state, including Orlando, Jacksonville, Tampa and Miami, are set to appear in numbers April 13.

Comedian Tom Miller works the bar at The Bull on Friday, March 15, 2024.

THE AVENUE | ART AND THEATER

Tom Miller announces retirement from 39-year open mic variety show

By Molly Seghi | Mar. 18, 2024

Tom Miller, a 58-year-old multidisciplinary performance artist and screenwriter, has graced Gainesville with open mic shows since his humble beginnings as a UF theater student. Decades later, he will step down as the king of entertainment in downtown Gainesville, a place he calls “the known center of the universe.”

Dice made by Arnold Schweiner, 75-year-old founder of Dice by Arnold.

THE AVENUE | LIFESTYLE

Jacksonville dice-maker brings handcrafted collections to Gainesville

By Bea Lunardini | Mar. 4, 2024

The time it takes Schweiner to handcraft his own dice amounts to more than 30 hours every week. Each hour is spent in his workshop, a small room in his Jacksonville home. The room has a workbench and table, a 36-square-foot cork board holding his tools and most importantly, around 450 dice.

THE AVENUE | ART AND THEATER

UF Center for Jewish Studies unveils annual film festival

By Molly Seghi | Mar. 4, 2024

The UF Bud Shorstein Center for Jewish Studies, at the Hippodrome State Theatre and Oak Hammock, will present its 13th annual Gainesville Jewish Film Festival throughout March. It will feature 12 film screenings about the Jewish experience and culture around the world.