Ocala Area – Culture & Events

Some people think of Ocala, Florida as a small town with limited offerings for fun, entertainment and cultural experiences. This could not be further from the truth! Ocala and surrounding cities in Marion County offer so many opportunities that you will find yourself having to choose between several appealing events when making your weekend plans.

Museums
Museums in the Ocala area feature art from local artists, unique collections, travelling exhibits from national museums, guest speakers and more. These museums include The Appleton Museum of Art, The Webber Center at Central Florida Community College, Brick City Center for the Arts, Bank of America Gallery, and Gallery East. In addition to these standing art exhibits which you can visit year-round, the local community also organizes art shows throughout the year, showcasing art from local residents and guest artists.  

Events
The residents of Ocala have a wide range of interests and this is evident in the variety of events offered during any given month. Looking at only a two-week time span in April, over 35 events could be found on the calendar. These events include:

• polo matches and a horse festival at the Florida Horse Park
• an Arbor Day festival, a family Easter outing and a sidewalk chalk festival at Tuscawilla Park
• a spring festival at a local elementary school
• the annual Taste of Ocala at Center at Central Florida Community College
• a stargazing event with the Ocala Astronomy Club
• a Remote Control Airplane fly-in show in Dunnellon
• a storytelling festival
• ghost walk and history tours in downtown Ocala
• an art craft event for children and a Tallahassee trip sponsored by The Appleton Museum
• a cruisin’ car show
• a charity poker run
• the annual amaryllis festival
• “Coffee with the Birds” birding event at Silver River State Park
• the annual autism awareness walk
• farm tours and entertainment at Crone’s Cradle Conserve
• and more

Concerts and Theater
Musical tastes vary, so music of all genres is available in Ocala. From country to classical, pop to spiritual, there is sure to be a concert event you will enjoy seeing.  Oldies but goodies – those songs you grooved to in the ‘50s, ‘60s and ‘70s - can be heard at Circle Square Cultural Center at On Top of the World. Recently performing was Lovin' Spoonful who performed their hits "Summer In The City" and "Do You Believe In Magic."  Silver Springs attraction hosts a concert season each year in an outdoor setting that seats up to 12,000 guests. Admission to the concerts also allows patrons use of the nature park, as an added bonus. The Ocala Symphony Orchestra performs regularly bringing the sound of classical music to the area. An annual Symphony event that draws a crowd is their performance of an outdoor holiday concert under the stars on the square in downtown Ocala. Billy Currington, national country music artist, and Ryan Griffin, a local artist gaining a following in the country music sector, will each be performing locally in upcoming weeks. Other musical events are being hosted by Abigail’s Café, the Florida Sunshine Opry, Veteran’s Serving Verterans, Rainbow Springs State Park, several local churches, and more.
 
You won’t have to look far if you enjoy theatrical performances. Ocalans appreciate a good drama…or comedy, musical, murder mystery or ballet. The Circle Square Cultural Center hosts a dinner theatre twice a year, the performance brought to us by local residents. April’s feature is a favorite: “Arsenic & Old Lace.” Bonkerz Comedy Club hosts different comedians each week, many nationally recognized.  The Ocala Civic Theatre presents a full season of shows all performed by volunteer thespians, including the recent performance of “No Sex Please, We’re British.” The Central Florida Community College presents award-winning poet Paul Allen and the production of “Our Country’s Good” this month. The Marion Ballet Theatre’s recent performance of “Princess Style” offered classical/traditional dance. As a snapshot of just a few of the things happening in Ocala in April, you can see there is so much going on throughout the year.

Ocala is always offering new and exciting activities and bringing back annual events that the community has grown to love. And, being centrally located between Orlando, Tampa and Gainesville, Ocalans only have to travel a short distance for other great performances such as: Jimmy Buffet, Yanni and Garrison Keillor, just to name a few. For a list of upcoming events, click here.