Can’t wait to get a head start on your Fall social calendar? We’ll make it easy for you with this month’s events blog featuring a full line up of live music, local brews and on stage performance at The Reilly Arts Center. Need a little fresh air? We’ve found the best of the best outdoorsy outings for you and your friends at the Florida Horse Park, Silver Springs State Park, Depot Park and so much more!
October 2nd
Grog & Dog | Infinite Ale Works | 6:45PM
Do you Love Beer 
?? Do you Love Hot Dogs 
? 2 Beers, 2 Hot Dogs, 2 Miles – Grog and Dog 2; The beer drinking is 21+, but we will have a Root Beer alternative. Register for the event!!
*Your fee covers a t-shirt , 2 hot dogs, and 2 beers. The event is run at your own risk!*
October 3rd
Is Your Water Well | Marion County Extension Classroom | 6:00 PM
UF/IFAS Marion County Extension Service is offering FREE well water classes and testing. Learn from experts about well water management and protection. Complimentary tests check for coliform bacteria and e.coli. Seats are limited so sign up soon!
Call 352-671-8400 for details.
October 4th
October Art Walk | Downtown Ocala | 6 – 9 PM
The highly anticipated First Friday Art Walk season is back! This FREE community event takes place the first Friday of each month from September through May. Located within Ocala’s historic downtown, event festivities include artist displays, live entertainment, free family art activities and extended shopping hours. Check the event page for a full lineup of activities. Additional activities and events will be happening simultaneously all throughout downtown at some of our participating businesses.
Florida Thoroughbred Charities Golf Tournament | Golden Ocala | 10:00 AM – 9:00 PM
The 39th annual event is a four-man scramble a noon shotgun start. NEW this year is a dinner reception and live band with live and silent auctions. Resort wear casual. The event draws the horse industry, community and business leaders, and legislators and serves as a fundraiser, a networking opportunity, and an enjoyable day out on a premiere golf course. We raise funds for Florida thoroughbred retirement – The Second Chances Farm that gives lifelong homes to retired thoroughbreds and new opportunities for the female inmates. Not a golfer? Join us for dinner – only $50 – RSVP/pre-pay 352-629-2160.
Learn How to Grow Your Own – Hydroponics Workshop | Southeastern Livestock Pavilion | 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Join us for a half-day workshop on how to grow your own food using hydroponic technology. This course is taught by several University of Florida Extension experts and will include presentations on:
Pest identification and control for indoor crops
How to build a simple but effective home system
Basics of aquaponics (raising fish with your vegetables)
How to set up and use your FREE tabletop hydroponics system to grow your own lettuce at home
The fee is $45.00 per person.
October 5th
Hunt Country Horse Show | The Grand Oaks Resort | Oct 5 – Oct 6
FREE ADMISSION — spectators are welcome! Come see hunters & jumpers as they soar over fences and other obstacles! Events from 9 am to 5 pm each day at our Covered Arena, Fiber Arena & Racetrack Arena. No admission price, spectators welcome!
Ocala Downtown Market | Downtown Ocala | 9 AM – 2 PM
Come out to enjoy a celebration of local produce, crafts, and food trucks! Just around the corner from the square, the open-air market pavilion hosts a wide variety of local and regional vendors offering unique and quality products. The market is open weekly, Saturdays 9am-2pm Rain or Shine
Oktoberfest | Tuscawilla Park | 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Oktoberfest is back and better than ever! Presented by the Reilly, come on out for Ocala’s 4th Annual Oktoberfest including awesome music, traditional and non-traditional foods, AXE THROWING, specially brewed beer from Infinite Ale Works and an all around great time. Good for families. Good for everyone.
Bigger, stronger, faster, better! This year we’re doing it right. The giant beer hall tent is returning to Tuscawilla Park to take advantage of the beautiful views while not letting any stinkin’ hurricanes or other weather get the jump on us. We have an awesome and eclectic line-up of bands complete with 2 sets of great German music from the King Guys’ Oktoberfest Brass Band and Swing Theory!
October 8th
YPO Pop-Up Social: Fish Hawk Spirits Taste & Tour | Fish Hawk Spirits | 5:30 PM – 8:00 PM
Join Young Professionals Ocala as we visit Fish Hawk Spirits in their Ocala Distillery for a tour of their operations and a tasting of their spirits!
Tuesday, October 8 | 5:30 PM
Meeting at the Ocala/Marion County Chamber and Economic Partnership
Cost: $20 for transportation and tour
We will meet at the CEP at 5:30pm. We will depart from the CEP promptly at 5:35pm. We anticipate returning to the CEP before 8:00pm.
October 10th
Beyond Skin Open House | Beyond Skin | Noon – 7:00 PM
With a unique approach to skincare renewal, Beyond Skin Ocala strives to stay at the forefront of the newest skincare technologies and advanced protocols. Our combined 20+ year aesthetic expedition has taught us that education is not a destination, but a life-long journey.join us for Live demonstrations of a variety of facial treatments at our annual open house event. Raffles, Refreshments & lite fare. Member- exclusive discounts. FREE swag-bag for the first 10 clients!
Get ready for a major Clash of the BBQ Titans! We’ve invited some of the nation’s top BBQ Rib Competitors from all around the country to compete in an epic battle for the top spot as the Lakeridge Winery “Rib Champion”.
While you’re feasting on delicious BBQ, you can enjoy LIVE music on our outdoor stage with some of the area’s top Blues bands, plus some great solo acts inside at our Wine & Cheese Bar. We’ll have a large assortment of Arts & Craft vendors set up offering a wide variety of art and hand-crafted items. As always, you’ll be able to enjoy a free winery tour & tasting, plus your favorite Lakeridge wines, cold beer, ice cream, and a variety of other tasty treats available for purchase.
October 12th
Brick City Carnival | Brick City Park | 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM
The Friends of Marion County Parks & Recreation proudly announces the 2nd Annual Brick City Carnival! Come one! Come all! This is a FREE community event offering a safe trick-or-treat experience, old fashioned carnival games, face painting, costume contests, hay maze, silent auction, 50/50 raffle, family friendly entertainment and of course CANDY!! Food trucks, carnival themed food and drink will also be available for purchase. We invite everyone to dress up, but ask that costumes not be gruesome or adult themed. Come out and enjoy a fun filled evening for the whole family. This event is hosted by the non-profit organization Friends of Marion County Parks and Recreation Foundation, Inc. For more information, please contact the Marion County Parks & Recreation main office at 352-671-8560.
Fall Plant Sale & Orchid Show | Kanapaha Botanical Gardens | Oct 12 – Oct 13
Each October, Kanapaha Botanical Gardens holds an Open House & Fall Plant Sale, in conjunction with the Gainesville Orchid Society, inviting visitors to see the facility, this is event is FREE and open to the public. In addition to viewing the botanical gardens, approximately 50 booths will be set up selling a wide variety of plants. The American Orchid Society will have their annual American Orchid Society’s judged show that will coincide with the Fall Plant Sale and will take place inside Kanapaha’s entrance building.
ButterflyFest | Florida Museum of Natural History | 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Explore the lives of bats, bees, birds and butterflies at the 14th Annual ButterflyFest! Learn about butterfly gardening, native pollinators, conservation, backyard wildlife and more during this FREE, fun-for-all-ages event. Enjoy the ButterflyFest plant sale beginning Friday, Oct. 11 to Oct.13, one of the museum’s largest sales of the year with more than 150 species available. Experience butterfly releases and come dressed in your favorite pollinator attire for the pollinator parade!
Visit the #ButterflyFest webpage for more information. Food and merchandise vendors available!
While the “Butterfly Rainforest” and “CROCS” exhibits require an admission price, the festival and ButterflyFest activities are FREE!
Halloween Speed Events & Costume Contest | Williston Horseman’s Association | 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
The WHA is going to try something new with a speed jackpot to coincide with our annual Halloween Costume Contest. Show format will be very similar to our Summer Speed Buckle Series with a jackpot cash payout. Please join us on October 12th!
Ocala Fall Horse Trials | Florida Horse Park | Oct 12 – Oct 13
USEA Recognized Event!
Dressage and Show Jumping Saturday with Cross Country running Sunday morning (highest level to lowest level). Possibly some Show Jumping on Sunday.
Running Intermediate-BN
Enter online. All information will be posted on www.flhorsepark.com > Events > Ocala Eventing Series
Ocala Health’s 2nd Annual Harvest Fest: A Free, Family-Friendly Community event. The event will take place in the field across from West Marion Community Hospital. Please follow signs upon entry to campus for free event parking. There will be bouncy houses, pumpkin patch & decorating, games, petting zoo and pony rides, slides and train rides, & food trucks!
October 13th
Free Admission Celebrating Arthur I. Appleton | Appleton Museum | Noon – 5:00 PM
Visit the permanent collection and special exhibitions: “Urban Chatter: Sharon Kerry-Harlan,” “Do Not Bleach: Stephanie Brown,” and in the Balcony Gallery, “Florida Impressions: Relief Prints by Leslie Peebles.” We encourage you to visit our new permanent exhibition in the auditorium, “Artistic Legacy: The Story of Arthur I. Appleton and the Appleton Museum of Art.” We have several new works of art on view in the second-floor galleries, including a Picasso and two Warhol prints.
Guests can also visit the Artspace, full of activity stations and art projects for the whole family — there is even an area for toddlers with art books and soft blocks. This is also a great opportunity to take a stroll on the museum grounds and check out our outdoor sculpture collection.
October 16th
Yaymaker – Plant Nite | First Magnitude | 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Dig, drink and be merry. Cultivate your creativity, naturally. Our gifted growers will guide you step-by-step as you make a mini Zen garden, succulent arrangement, or tiny terrarium. Dig in for two lively hours of planting, creating, and laughing with the group. Register Today!!
October 17th
12th Annual Applaud the Arts | Appleton Museum of Art | 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Enjoy an evening of delicious tapas, cocktails, interactive art experiences and music by DJ Big Bert and help us honor our 2019-2020 Cultural Grant and Arts Awards Recipients.
To date, we have given over $310,000 to local arts organizations in Marion County. Your support of this event will help raise that amount, enabling us to do even more for our community, and we thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
Cocktail attire is requested.
Tickets are available online or at Brick City Center for the Arts, 23 SW Broadway Street, Ocala
Ticket prices:
$50 MCA Member
$60 Non-Members
$25 Member Artists & Arts Organizations
October 19th
Tom Petty Birthday Bash | Depot Park | Oct 19 – Oct 20
The Tom Petty Birthday Bash, presented by Columbia Care, is a music festival celebrating the life and legacy of Tom Petty through music, art and community engagement in his hometown of Gainesville, FL.
Join over 20 local and national bands and thousands of people just like you! This is a FREE festival where everyone is welcome to celebrate. In addition to the free ticket, you can upgrade your experience to benefit the UF Health Shands Arts in Medicine, and receive merchandise, luxury perks, special access to private bars and restrooms, and an invitation to the Friday night Kick-Off Party. Because of your support and contributions, we are able to keep our festival free where everyone is able to come celebrate and to give to a good cause.
Join us for spooky stories! The darker it gets, the spookier the tales! Hear master storytellers and tell a tale of your own. Partnered with the Marion County Public Library System – FL, this program is free and open to the public. Seating will be limited, we strongly encourage you to bring your own chairs and/or blankets.
October 20th
Fun at the Park – Let’s Get Buggy 2! | Sholom Park | 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Plan for a fun family day of FREE live entertainment, educational experiences and interactive play. Pack your own picnic or enjoy some Bug Bites from local food trucks. All are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets to relax and enjoy the many festivities.
In addition to releasing over 100,000 Ladybugs into Sholom Park, we will be introducing an exciting new feature to this year’s event. Park Attendees will learn about the life cycle of butterflies at our enclosed Butterfly Encounter. Guest will be able to get up close and feed 3 different species of butterflies. At the end of the event, we will be releasing the butterflies into the park for everyone to enjoy for days to come. Wear your best Lil’ Buggy costume (no mask allowed) for chance to take part in our Butterfly Release.
October 23rd
2nd Annual Howl-oween Paw-ty | CenterState Bank | 5:30 PM
FREE for the community with animal food donation to support the Humane Society of Marion County. Trunk or treat for the kids! FREE Refreshments and Games. Costume contest for everyone!
October 26th
53rd Annual Ocala Arts Festival | Downtown Ocala | Oct 26 – Oct 27
Voted to be in the top 200 Arts Festival in the country by Sunshine Artist Magazine, FAFO’s fall event, The Ocala Art Festival, brings outstanding artists, wonderful music, food trucks, beer and wine, artwork from students throughout Marion County and talented young people performing and some hands-on art activities to Downtown Ocala for a fantastic two-day event. The festival will include 156 artists from around the country. Free Admission, Free parking and Free children’s art projects, as well as Free live entertainment with Local Bands, are ALL FREE! A must to be there! Go to FAFO.org for more information.
Join us for the 3rd annual Ocala Airport Fall Festival! All proceeds made from this event will be given to Racing for Cancer, a 501c3 Non-Profit Organization. Come and enjoy aircraft static displays, rescue vehicles, games, food, candy, raffle tickets and prizes! $3 admission charge per guest will be collected at the entrance by Sheltair OCF attendants. Cash and major credit cards will be accepted.
We hope to see you there!
Enjoy a ghoulish night of goons and goblins as you brave the haunted trail. Be met with frightening surprises at every turn. The darker it gets, the spookier – so bring the little ones out early. Costumes welcome. Candy will be provided for children.
Please wear closed toe shoes as this trail winds through the woods. Parking is FREE and located just .4-miles east of the park. A complimentary shuttle service will be provided.
Have no fear….. the shrieks and thrills are FREE!
The Mount Dora Craft Fair made the Sunshine Artist 200 Best Shows in America list for 2019 in the #4 position. Discover why by joining us for two days of amazing outdoor shopping against the backdrop of historic, downtown Mount Dora featuring more than 400 world-class exhibitors complementing our resident retail shops, boutiques and restaurants.
October 28th
4-H Halloween Party & Chili Cook Off | Coon Hollo | 6:00 PM
The annual 4-H halloween party and chili cook off hosted by neighbor county clubs, Micanopy Friendship 4-H and McIntosh Town & Country 4-H. Clubs from Alachua and Marion Counties invited.
Bring your best costume, best chili, and best dance skills!
October 31st
Evil Dead: The Musical | Reilly Arts Center | 7:30 PM
This hilarious show takes all the elements of the cult classic films The Evil Dead, Evil Dead 2 and Army of Darkness and combines them into one of the craziest theatrical experiences of all time. Five college students go to an abandoned cabin in the woods and accidentally unleash an evil force that turns them all into demons. It’s all up to Ash (a housewares employee turned demon-killing hero) and his trusty chainsaw to save the day. Blood flies. Limbs are dismembered. The songs in the show are completely off the wall. Titles like “All the Men in My Life Keep Getting Killed by Candarian Demons” and “What the F**k Was That?” will have audiences rolling in their seats and screaming for more and more blood. It’s the only show with a “Splatter Zone”— a section of the audience that gets covered in fake blood. And with this combination of blood, jokes, cheesy effects and awesome musical numbers, Evil Dead The Musical is unlike any show you’ve ever seen.
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