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Saturday, May 09, 2026

The Avenue

Marta Puyana, the namesake of La Cocina de Abuela, hugs her three grandchildren (left to right) Otis Puyana Darnell, 6, Valentina Peña Rey, 5, and Lucielena Puyana Darnell, 4, at La Cocina de Abuela on Friday, Jan. 21.
The Avenue

Gainesville’s Colombian community celebrates its own Encanto

“Encanto” is Disney’s first musical to represent the Colombian community. The musical’s soundtrack by Lin-Manuel Miranda reached No. 1 Jan. 15 on Billboard 200. The film’s discussion of immigrant family dynamics reached Gainesville, warming the hearts of local Colombians. 


Around 400 attendees, most without masks, partied to Taylor Swift's classics at The Wooly's Swift-themed dance party Saturday night, Jan. 22.
The Avenue

Taylor Swift fans ‘shake it off’ at The Wooly’s sold-out show

A Taylor Swift-themed celebration for those at least 21 years old, was held at Downtown club The Wooly Saturday night. “You Need to Calm Down: A Taylor Swift Dance Party,” jammed on, blasting the entire discography of Taylor Swift’s music from 9 p.m. to 2:30 a.m.  About 400 people purchased tickets to the event, selling out within a few weeks of tickets being up online, said Courtney Gibson, 32-year-old CEO of Le Petite Fete, the touring company who hosted the dance party.


Orlando vendor Brent Palmer directs customers to his racks of vintage clothes at the Florida Vintage Market Jan. 6, 2022.
The Avenue

Despite official cancellation, Florida Vintage Market rocks on

The 20 to 30 mph winds and temperatures that hung around the mid-to-high 50s were not enough to keep dozens of vendors from selling to the Gainesville community Sunday.  The dismal weather couldn’t stop the hundreds of customers from perusing the racks of retro merchandise at the Florida Vintage Market either. 


The Sahnobar Dance Ensemble performs on the gyspy stage at the Hoggetowne Medieval Faire on Sunday, Jan. 16. The festival made its return this year in a new location after a hiatus.
The Avenue

Hoggetowne Medieval Faire brings back the Middle Ages

Rows of colorful tents and stands with shopkeepers lined the massive field in southwest Gainesville. In the distance, the raucous medley of sword-fighting, lively music and laughter rang out from different corners of the transitory village. The mouthwatering scent of turkey legs and fried treats filled the air. 


Photo by Makiya Seminera | The Independent Florida Alligator
The Avenue

Shortened winter break may cause mental burnout for UF students

The reduced break is part of the natural calendar shift for the university, UF spokesperson Steve Orlando wrote in an email. To create a UF calendar, the university developed 13 years worth of calendars ahead of time to ensure that official UF dates can be adjusted accordingly for each term.


Makena Vargo (left) and James Bilderback (right) act out a scene from Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet on the Reitz Union North Lawn during the event hosted by UF Shakespeare in the Park on Sunday, Dec. 5, 2021.
The Avenue

Student actors shake up Shakespeare at Reitz

UF's Shakespeare in the Park Fall Selected Scenes showcase was a celebration of Shakespeare in popular culture. The performance on Dec. 4 and 5 featured notable scenes from adaptations of Shakespeare works alongside corresponding scenes from the original plays.



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