Florida Museum on the Go! Science Surprises: Make a Snake Catcher

Alachua County Library District Newberry Branch 110 S Seaboard Dr., Newberry, United States

Step into the shoes of a scientist and make your own research tools at your local library! Out in the field, researchers use special tools to explore the natural world. Learn how to make and use these neat tools yourself. This four-part series consists of four free, 45-minute learning sessions,...

Swamp Head Brewery’s Oktoberfest

Swamp Head Brewery 3650 SW 42nd Ave., Gainesville, FL, United States

Prost to good times: it's Oktoberfest at Swamp Head Brewery! Enjoy German beers, steins, sausages & live tunes. Festivities start at 4 p.m. with food from Stubbies, TommyKnockers and Uppercrust, music by Varsity Tuba Quartet and games like Sausage Toss, Stein-Holding and Oktoberfest Musical Chairs. Check the Swamp Head Brewery...

Chomp for Charity 5K at First Magnitude Brewing Company and Depot Park

First Magnitude Brewing Company 1220 SE Veitch St,, Gainesville,, F, United States

Run with UF Homecoming and Gator Growl in support of the Child Advocacy Center. The course starts at First Magnitude Brewing Company, winds through Depot Park, and ends back at the brewery for an after party with DJ sets, art vendors, craft beer and good vibes. Olympic silver medalist and...

$25

Waldo 3rd Annual Homecoming Festival

Waldo City Park 14705 NE Waldo Rd., Waldo, United States

Celebrate community, connection and small-town charm with big-time fun at Waldo’s 3rd Annual Homecoming Festival. Enjoy a weekend packed with local craft vendors, live music and entertainment, food trucks, family fun with games and kids activities. Saturday features the homecoming parade at 10 a.m. followed by the festival and car...

SKY Happiness Retreat

SKY Happiness Retreat at UF Reitz Union

UF Reitz Union 686 Museum Rd., Gainesville, FL, United States

The SKY Happiness Retreat is a nationally acclaimed, 12-hour, three-session wellness retreat that teaches science-backed breathwork and meditation to reduce stress, improve sleep quality, and increase clarity and energy. SKY at UF is offering the Happiness Retreat on September 26-28 completely free for UF and Santa Fe students, faculty and...

Free

Photographic Creations by Ann Ramsden at Artisans’ Guild Gallery

Artisans' Guild Gallery 224 NW 2nd Ave., Gainesville, FL, United States

View dream-like photographic works by featured artist Ann Ramsden. Browse the art gallery featuring new work by member artists including the new gator t-shirt design by Diana Tonnessen. Enjoy refreshments and live music with Chapter Three. Admission is free.

Gainesville Reads Festival Hosted by The Lynx, September 26-27

Multiple Locations Located in Gainesville, Alachua County, FL, United States

Experience a good read with immersive activities during the month-long reading festival Gainesville Reads. The Lynx Books hosts a range of free events all focused around a single book, encouraging as many people as possible to read and engage with it. This year's selection is "We're Alone" by Haitian-American author...

Free

Sweetwater Print Co-operative 30th Anniversary Exhibition: Sue Jester Retrospective

Sweetwater Print Co-operative 117 S Main St., Gainesville, FL, United States

Celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Sweetwater Print Co-operative at an Artwalk Gainesville reception featuring a retrospective of the work of Sweetwater founder, Sue Jester, a superlative printmaker and an imaginative and prolific artist. The exhibit offers a rare opportunity to enjoy the many printmaking media Jester explored, and to...

Free

Folk and Indie Pop with The Currys and Singer-Songwriter Chelsea Saddler

Heartwood Soundstage 619 Main St., Gainesville, FL, United States

Enjoy an evening of modern folk and indie pop with The Currys, known for their sharp storytelling, rich vocals and signature three-part harmonies. Their latest sound adds a guitar-driven edge while keeping the warmth fans love. St. Augustine singer-songwriter Chelsea Saddler opens the show with a soulful, roots-infused style.

$25 – $30

Opening Artwalk Gainesville Reception for “Next: College and High School Student Exhibition”

Gainesville Fine Arts Association Gallery 1314 S Main St, Gainesville, FL, United States

Start your Artwalk Gainesville tour with a stop at Gainesville Fine Arts Association Gallery for an exhibit celebrating the work of local high school and college students. Browse the new and improved gift shop for additional local art for sale. This exhibition is on view through Friday, October 24. Additional...

Free

CircusPalooza with Swing Theory

Gainesville Circus Center 1925 NW 2nd St., Gainesville, FL, United States

The Gainesville Circus Center presents CircusPalooza with the Swing Theory band. The fourth annual Circus Palooza is a "live music circus show" featuring aerialists, dancers and a whole lot of swing. Tickets and showtimes available at gainesvillecircus.com. Funded in part by Visit Gainesville Alachua County and the City of Gainesville.

$20 – $25

Florida Museum on the Go! Early Bird Gets the Band with the UF Bird Observatory at Prairie Creek Conservation Cemetery

Prairie Creek Conservation Cemetery 7204 Co Rd 234, Micanopy, FL, United States

Learn about all the fascinating work that goes into protecting our feathered friends! See live fieldwork with Florida Museum curator of ornithology Glaucia Del-Rio and the UF Bird Observatory’s Charlie Muise including real demonstrations of bird capturing, data collection and bird banding. Witness wild birds up-close, learn about their migration...

D & S Classic Car Show and Antique Tractor Show at O’Steen’s Barn

The O'Steen's Barn 16811 NW CR 241, Alachua, United States

Cruise into nostalgia at the D&S Classic Car Show and Antique Tractor Show! Vehicle registration runs from 8–10:30 a.m. with a $25 entry fee per vehicle (cash or credit at the gate). Categories include Ford, GM, Mopar, import, truck, special interest, tractor, and motorcycle. Awards begin at 1 p.m. Enjoy...

Walk Trot Canter Show at the Alachua County Agriculture and Equestrian Center

Alachua County Agriculture and Equestrian Center 23100 W Newberry Rd., Newberry, FL, United States

View two shows on the same weekend with an Open Show on Saturday and a Dressage Show on Sunday. The Walk Trot Canter Association was founded in 2023 with a mission to educate the public on equine related activities, and promote and grow friendly competitions with equine related events and...

Saturday Walk or Ride Tour

Saturday Walk or Ride Tour at Carson Springs Wildlife

Carson Springs Wildlife Conservation Foundation 8528 E CR 225, Gainesville, FL, United States

Enjoy the outdoors and meet the animals of Carson Springs Wildlife on walking or riding tours. See 100 rare and endangered animals in natural habitats during the two-hour tours featuring big cat feeding demonstrations and  giraffe feedings. Tours are led by professional zoologists.

Fan Convention with Guest Speakers, Contests and More at Fandomonium

Alachua County Library District Headquarters 401 E University Ave., Gainesville, FL, United States

Celebrate the comic books, games, shows and movies you love at Fandomonium. Enjoy a fan art show, workshops, trivia and cosplay contests and more. Special guests sessions include Emamanuel Payne "Comics Creation Workshop with a Local Illustrator," Margaret Galvan "A Prideful Print History: LGBTQ+ Cartoonists from 1980s to Now" and...

Pop-Up Museum: Butterflies at UF Reitz Union North Lawn

UF Reitz Union 686 Museum Rd., Gainesville, FL, United States

Explore, create, innovate! Check out the Florida Museum's table while you’re visiting STEM on the Lawn to take part in a fun, interactive butterfly launching activity and see specimens from Museum collections. STEM on the Lawn is a free, family-friendly event bringing together students, families, educators and community members to...

Fall Festival at Butler Town Center

Butler Town Center 3217 SW 35th Blvd, Gainesville, FL, United States

Celebrate fall at Butler Town Center's first-ever Fall Festival. This year’s celebration is Peanuts-inspired, bringing the charm of Charlie Brown, Snoopy and friends. Explore Butler Town Center (Sephora, Ford’s Garage, Anthropologie and more) and the Greenspace by P.F. Chang’s for a day full of fall fun including live entertainment and...

Free

Dog and Puppy Adoption Event at Curia on the Drag

Curia on the Drag 2029 NW 6th St, Gainesville, FL, United States

Join the Humane Society of North Central Florida for a dog and puppy Adoption Event at Curia on the Drag and The AUK Market. Come out on Saturday, September 27th, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. to meet some of our sweetest dogs and puppies who are eager to find...

Free

German-Style Brews, Food and Live Music at Oktoberfest at First Magnitude Brewing Company

First Magnitude Brewing Company 1220 SE Veitch St,, Gainesville,, F, United States

Dust off your dirndl, lace up your lederhosen and scrub out your stein because it’s MAGTOBERFEST time! They're going all out with an amazing lineup of traditional German beers including Magtoberfest Märzen, Fest Bear Festbier, Bears in Berlin Hoppy Berliner, Zugspitze Bavarian Cold IPA, Saltwater Intrusion Gose, Wakulla Hefeweizen and...