On June 29, downtown Gainesville became a vibrant gathering spot for the LGBTQ+ community with the third annual Pride Street Party at The Bull. The event, which took place from 6 to 11 p.m. and was free of charge, featured a variety of performances for all audiences.
Throughout the tranquil greenery of Cynthia Moore Chestnut Park and Clark Butler Nature Preserve, laughter and camaraderie echoed through the trees as Gainesville locals gathered for "Tha Cookout," a vibrant celebration organized by Ashlei and Malcom Askew. The June 16 afternoon event marked not only a celebration of Juneteenth but also a tribute to fatherhood and community spirit.
In the heart of Gainesville, Estefanía Pinto Ruiz, a Colombian passionate about culture, has transformed her love for podcasts into a community movement. In January 2023, she founded Club de Escucha+, a place where Spanish speakers can practice Spanish, share experiences and discuss episodes of NPR's Radio Ambulante podcast.
Horses and humans have always been connected, and this special bond has given rise to equine therapy, an alternative therapy that uses horses to treat various disabilities, improving the physical, mental and emotional health of children.
Though the first week of Pride Month flew by, Gainesville is still jam-packed with festive activities throughout the rest of June. Here’s a guide to five events throughout the city to celebrate Pride Month.
Through engaging displays, colorful visuals and one-on-one interactions with scientists, visitors of The Florida Museum of Natural History can dive into the realm of insects and discover their impact on human culture, the environment and health and wellness.
With Japanese martial arts demonstrations and musical performances, authentic Asian cuisine and local vendors, UF students and Alachua County residents alike gathered at Bo Diddley Plaza May 18 to commemorate the City of Gainesville’s first annual Asian festival.
Donning a winged helmet, a lightning-decorated fanny pack and a toy hammer, Eggleston embarks on a weekly run every Thursday — or as he calls it, “Thorsday.”
Coterie Market announced the closure of its brick-and-mortar store on its Instagram, adding to the list of small businesses Gainesville will lose this month. However, unlike other closures, this is a happy announcement, Coterie said.
The Florida Museum of Natural History hosted its 12th spring plant sale April 19-21. The Earth Day weekend celebration welcomed local gardeners and plant enthusiasts to peruse and purchase from more than 250 exotic and native species of plants.
Hundreds of Muslim community members prayed and feasted at the Eid al-Fitr celebration at Skate Station Funworks.
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.
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.
Some of Gainesville’s most accomplished residents danced, flipped and raised money at a “Dancing With The Stars” competition Sunday.
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.
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.
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.
Jazzlyn Harrell eagerly punched her number into the keypad in her elementary school lunch line over 20 years ago. More satisfying than the lunch she was served, she savored the ‘Happy birthday’ message that lit up on the screen. Unlike her classmates, she would have to wait another four years to see it again. Harrell, now a 31-year-old Alachua County elementary school counselor, is a ‘leapling,’ a person born Feb. 29. For her, the date brings memories of both small delights and mild frustrations.
Saturday’s Anthropologie Community Pop-up Market in Butler Town Center at 3217 SW 35th Blvd occurred from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m., with six vendors in attendance.
The growing Black Queer community in Gainesville addresses struggles of intersectionality.
Solutions by The State News
