Goodbye and good riddance, 2016! 2017 is here and a new year means exciting new events for Marion County. You can count on Showcase to keep you up-to-date on all the goings-on in our community. Here’s what you don’t want to miss in the opening months of 2017:
February
- Jan. 31st – Feb. 5th – HITS Ocala Premiere – Week III
- Feb. 1st–26th– This month is your last chance to view Appleton’s “Power and Piety” exhibition! This exhibition focuses on Spanish colonial art and is organized in three sections — the House of the Lord (art for the church), Religious Art for Home, and Art for Personal Devotion. “Power and Piety” features 56 works including paintings, sculpture, furniture and silver, as well as Asian luxury objects produced for the Spanish American market.
- Feb. 1st– Crone’s Cradle Conserve will be holding their first bimonthly Word Weavers meeting of the month. Word Weavers is a women’s writing group for the experienced writer, the beginner, and everyone in between. The group meets at 6 PM on every first and third Wednesday of the month starting with a potluck dinner and workshop afterward.
- Feb. 6th– Ocala’s First Friday Artwalk returns, spanning 15 city blocks of the historic downtown area. Grab a bite to eat and afterward enjoy the colorful variety of visual and performing artists featured along the walk! This event is held on the first Friday of every month from September through May.
- Feb. 7th – 12th – HITS Ocala Winter Classic – Week IV
- Feb. 14th – 19th – HITS Ocala Winter Festival – Week V
- Feb. 19th– Silver Springs State Park will host its monthly Pickin’ In the Park event, in which local and visiting musicians put on a lively show for the community. Pickin’ In the Park is held at 1 PM on the third Sunday of every month.
- Feb. 21st – 26th – HITS Ocala Masters – Week VI
- Feb. 28th – Mar. 5th – HITS Ocala Winter Classic – Week VII
March
- Mar. 1st – Ocala Culinary Festival – Friend of the James Beard, Foundation Dinner
- Mar. 2nd – Ocala Culinary Festival – Three Chefs & Maestro Marquee Dinner, Hail to the Ale
- Mar. 3rd – Ocala Culinary Festival –
Grill Clinic with Jose Juarez – 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM
Taste with the Maker – Brice Doan de Champassak – 1:30 PM to 3:00 PM
Italy’s Magnificent Three Wine Seminar – 2:00 PM to 3:30 PM
The Art of Cocktails – 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Chefs at the Museum Marquee Dinner – 6:30 PM
- Mar. 4th – Ocala Culinary Festival –
Grill Clinic with Jose Juarez – 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM
Taste with the Maker – Virgile Joly – 1:30 PM to 3:00 PM
Italy’s Magnificent Three Wine Seminar – 2:00 PM to 3:30 PM
The Art of Cocktails – 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Chefs at the Museum Marquee Dinner – 6:30 PM
- Mar. 4th – The 29th annual Taste of Ocala will be hosted at the College of Central Florida at 6 PM. The event will feature a social hour, live music and samplings from local restaurants vying for the title “Best of Taste.” Proceeds will go toward CCF student scholarships.
- Mar. 5th – Ocala Culinary Festival
Gospel Brunch First Seating – 9:00 AM to 10:30 PM
Gospel Brunch Second Seating – 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM
Grand Tasting Early Access Pass – 2:00 PM
Grand Tasting General Admission – 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM
- Mar. 7th – 12th – HITS Ocala Winter Finals – Week VIII
- Mar. 12th– Reilly Arts Center will be hosting “From Austria With Love,” an evening of Austrian classics such as Strauss’ “Blue Danube” and Mahler’s “Titan”. The show begins at 3 PM.
- Mar. 14th – 19th – HITS Ocala Winter Celebration – Week IX
- Mar. 21st – 26th – HITS Ocala Championship – Week X
- Mar. 24th–25th – Dance Alive in conjunction with the Reilly Arts Center will present Stravinksy’s sensational ballet, The Rite of Spring. The evening performance on the 24th will begin at 7:30 PM and the matinee on the 25th will begin at 3 PM.
April
- Apr. 1st – The Southeastern Livestock Pavillion will be hosting a Horse and Pet Expo featuring obedience demos, discounted vaccinations, pet care classes, live entertainment, and more. This is an all-day event.
- Apr. 2nd – The Reilly Arts Center will host Opera Goes To the Movies, a staged production by the UF Opera Theatre that showcases some of opera’s most exciting scenes. The show begins at 3 PM.
- Apr. 5th – There will be an Art Club For Adults meeting from 9 AM-10:30 AM at the Forest Community Center. For more information call 352-671-8560.
- Apr. 7th – The College of Central Florida Musical Theatre presenst “Evita,” featuring music by Andrew Lloyd Weber and lyrics by Tim Rice. The famous musical follows the life of Argentine political leader Eva Perón, the second wife of Argentine president Juan Perón. It depicts her early life, rise to power and eventual death. The show will be presented in the Dassance Fine Arts Center. Ticket prices are $12 for adults,$6 for non-CF students, and free for CF students, faculty, and staff.
- Apr. 8th – At 7:30 PM the Reilly Arts Center will be hosting Midnight In America. Knoxville Symphony Orchestra Concertmaster Gabriel Lefkowitz will perform American composer Philip Glass’s Violin Concerto No. 1, and Maestro Wardell will take audiences on a tour of American greats Copland, Gershwin, and Bernstein.
- Apr. 14th – The Dassance Art Center at the College of Central Florida will present Jean-Paul Sartre’s classic existentialist play “No Exit” at 7:30 PM.
- Apr. 21st – A variety of food trucks will be available at Belleview City Hall on Abshier Boulevard from 12 PM to 4 PM.