Arts & Entertainment

The popular "Santa on the Square' returns to downtown Ocala beginning this week. Santa and Mrs. Claus will be available for socially-distanced photos on Tuesdays and Thursdays throughout December.

The Festival at Fort King is bringing Ocala back to the 1800s this weekend. The event will offer cast iron cooking, axe throwing, a kids’ area, home brewed beer, craft vendors, and more.

Brick City Center for the Arts is hosting a free festive event with refreshments, photo ops with Santa and Mrs. Claus, and live music featuring two members of the Ocala Symphony Orchestra.

After being postponed earlier this month due to rain, the Monster Truck Nitro Tour comes to Ocala in January. The event features eight distinct monster trucks competing in races and wheelie contests, and freestyle motocross riders will show off their aerial tricks.

After several delays, the final design for the Croskey Mural is set to be unveiled at the Public Art Gathering being held during the upcoming week. The mural was inspired by the community and will be featured on the west and south-facing walls of the E.D. Croskey Recreation Center in Ocala.

Piano, voice, and instrumental students between the ages of 12 and 25 will be competing for a chance to perform with the Ocala Symphony Orchestra. Finalists will perform at Reilly Arts Center in January, and two winners will be chosen to perform with the orchestra during a March subscription concert.

A winter camp full of activities for children ages 8 to 14 is coming to Ocala and Ocklawaha next month, and includes activities such as M2 Battlesports, a Reindeer Games Field Day, Wonderworks, and Top Golf.  

A yoga class is being held at the Fort King National Historic Landmark this weekend, and it is open to residents of all fitness levels and body types.

The First Friday Art Walk returns next week, featuring local artists selling their works, live music throughout the downtown area, hands-on art activities and demonstrations for all ages, and more.

Local non-profit organization Kut Different is hosting a Community Fun Day in northeast Ocala this weekend, and on-site entertainment will include games, raffles, free food and food trucks, a bounce house, face painting, vendors, a game of kickball, and more.

The Christmas Train makes its festive return to Kirby Family Farm in Williston this week, and will take visitors through thousands of Christmas lights on select dates in November and December.

Frank DeLuca YMCA is offering Thanksgiving Day races, exercise classes, and on-site entertainment including post-race food and drinks, snacks from vendors, family-friendly activities, and prize giveaways.

The popular 'Santa on the Square' returns to Ocala in December, giving children a chance to meet Santa and Mrs. Claus.

The holiday season kicked off with a variety of lights, vendors, and live entertainment as thousands of visitors packed the downtown streets for Light Up Ocala.

A local arts and crafts market returns to southeast Ocala for its third installment this weekend, and will feature over 40 local arts and craft vendors, a live DJ, a classic car show, and more.

An anime and cosplay event arrives at the World Equestrian Center in February and will include meet-and-greets, guests from popular television shows and movies, a gaming area, and more.

The Festival at Fort King brings Ocala back to the 1800s next month with home brewed beer, cast iron cooking, axe throwing, and full-scale historical re-enactments.

The Christmas classic 'It's a Wonderful Life' is being retold as a 1940s radio play on the Civic Theatre stage beginning next week.