Weekend entertainment: New exhibit opens at Discovery Center
THIS WEEKEND
'Attack of the Bloodsuckers!'
This new exhibit at the Discovery Center opens May 25 and will be on display through Aug. 31. The center is at 701 NE Sanchez Ave. and is open Tuesdays through Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The center will be closed to the public May 13-24 for exhibit change.
"Discover the science behind bloodsucking creatures. Dive into the world of mosquitos, fleas, ticks, leeches, and other parasites. Guests will explore their characteristics, habitats, the reasons they bite and the role they play in the ecosystem. Visitors will understand how they are attracted to heat and the carbon dioxide in your breath, while learning to identify them," organizers say.
General admission is $8 per person or $28 for a family of four. More at 352-401-3900 or www.mydiscoverycenter.org
COMING SOON
'Canvassing Florida Springs'
This talk will be at 11 a.m. June 1 at the Appleton Museum of Art. Admission is free on this day, as it is on all first Saturdays. Delivering the talk will be artist Margaret Ross Tolbert, and it will highlight the work that is on display in her solo exhibition, “Water’s Margins.” The exhibition closes Sunday, June 2. Free First Saturday hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m. No reservations needed. The Donut Express and Brick & Ember food trucks will be on site from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. The museum is at 4333 E. Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala. More at 352-291-4455 or AppletonMuseum.org
'Lost Springs'
This 40-minute documentary film will be screened at 2 p.m. June 1 in the Appleton Museum of Art auditorium. Before the screening, filmmaker Matt Keene will make brief remarks. His film "follows Margaret Ross Tolbert and others as they explore and discuss a grouping of springs that have been temporarily exposed during a drawdown of the Kirkpatrick/Rodman Reservoir," according to organizers. Admission is free on this day, as it is on all first Saturdays. Free First Saturday hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m. No reservations needed. The Donut Express and Brick & Ember food trucks will be on site from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. The museum is at 4333 E. Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala. More at 352-291-4455 or AppletonMuseum.org
The Barbergators Chorus and Quartets
ACT 4 presents this performance at 2 p.m. June 1 at Ocala Civic Theatre. "As proud members of the Barbershop Harmony Society, The Barbergators Chorus has been entertaining in the Gainesville area since 1973 and at Ocala Civic Theatre since 2019. They sing classic barbershop and dabble in doo-wop, gospel, and pop. It’s a show for the entire family!" organizers say. This performance is a fundraising project of ACT 4 – Ocala Civic Theatre, Inc., with profits going to support scholarships for youth after-school and summer classes. Tickets are $25 for adults and $10 for ages 18 and younger. Tickets at (352) 236-2274, www.ocalacivictheatre.com or at the OCT box office.
Deana Carter Acoustic Show
This show will be onstage at 7:30 p.m. June 7 at the Reilly Arts Center, 500 NE Ninth St., Ocala. Tickets at reillyartscenter.com or the box office, (352) 351-1606.
ONGOING
'Grafted Roots: Artists Flourishing in the Sunshine State'
The College of Central Florida Webber Gallery presents this exhibition, described as "a vibrant collection of artworks that highlight the talent and diverse styles of artists from Ocala and beyond," May 20 through July 18. An opening reception will be held 6-8:30 p.m. May 31. Admission to the exhibition and the opening reception is free. The Webber Gallery is open Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free. More at CF.edu/Webber or 352-854-2322, ext. 1664.
'The Great Outdoors'
This exhibition from the Ocala Camera Club and Friends is up through Dec. 16 at the Recreation and Parks Administration building, 828 NE Eighth Ave., and the Eighth Avenue Adult Activity Center, 830 NE Eighth Ave. The buildings are open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday. Free and open to the public.
"Ocala Camera Club was a photography club that provided social, cultural and educational opportunities to all experience levels of photographers, from beginner to advanced amateur to professional," organizers say. "Although the club closed in December 2023, the photography friendships and lessons remain. The Great Outdoors celebrates Ocala Camera Club’s final group exhibition while including some non-member photographers. This exhibition features photographs that display the different aspects of the natural world’s flora and fauna."
More at 352-629-8383, artinfo@ocalafl.gov or www.ocalafl.gov/artincityspaces.
Artistry in Motion (AIM) Artist Showcase
This exhibition is presented by the Marion Cultural Alliance in collaboration with WUFT Media and PNC Bank. Organizers describe it as "a unique display that will showcase the creative works of 40 local and regional artists, representing a diverse range of mediums." The exhibition is up at the Brick City Center, 23 SW Broadway St., Ocala, through May 31. Free. The gallery is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday-Friday and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays.
'Every Fiber of My Being'
This exhibition, featuring abstract fiber art by Charlita Rae Whitehead, will be up at the Appleton Museum of Art April 13-Sept. 8. "The history of making rugs goes back thousands of years and has been an important part of many cultures and traditions around the globe," the Appleton says. "Through the artist’s lens, the lineage of rug making is both celebrated and reinterpreted, honoring the resilience and ingenuity of generations past."
The Appleton, 4333 E. Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala, is open Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., and Sunday, noon-5 p.m. More at 352-291-4455 or appletonMuseum.org
'Karen Glaser: Swamps and Springs' and 'Across the Threshold of India: Photographs by Martha Strawn'
These two photography exhibits are up through July 7 at the Appleton Museum of Art. The Glaser show includes photos "from the magnificent Everglades to the pristine rivers and springs of north central Florida," the museum says, while the Strawn show "takes us on a visual journey farther from home. The High Springs-based artist shares her travels throughout India to document one of the world’s longest and least-known religious practices — the art of sanctifying space through the creation of threshold diagrams."
The Appleton, 4333 E. Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala, is open Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., and Sunday, noon-5 p.m. More at 352-291-4455 or appletonMuseum.org
'Outsider Aviary: Robert W. Smeltzer’s Birds of America'
This exhibit, from the permanent collection of the Appleton Museum of Art, "features a selection of hand-carved birds by Robert W. Smeltzer (1906-1997), all inspired by John James Audubon’s (1785-1851) 'Birds of America,' " the Appleton says in a news release. The exhibit is up through Aug. 4. The Appleton is open Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., and Sunday, noon-5 p.m. It is located at 4333 E. Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala. More at 352-291-4455 or appletonMuseum.org
'Water’s Margins: Paintings of Florida’s Springs by Margaret Ross Tolbert'
This exhibit is up through June 2 at the Appleton Museum of Art. Tolbert is a Gainesville-based multimedia artist. The Appleton is at 4333 E. Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala. More at www.appletonmuseum.org or (352) 291-4455.
'Wanderlust'
This exhibit from Maven Photo + Film is up through July 2 at the Ocala International Airport, 1770 SW 60th Ave., Ocala. " 'Wanderlust' features Maven Photo + Film’s artistic, landscape photography highlighting Florida’s natural beauty," organizers say. Free and open to the public. More at the city of Ocala Cultural Arts Division at 352-629-8447 or artinfo@ocalafl.gov; or visit www.ocalafl.gov/artincityspaces
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'Bodies of Water'
This exhibit from Rebecca Pujals-Jones is on display through June 11 at the clerk’s office, Ocala City Hall, 110 SE Watula Ave. The office is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday. The exhibit is free and open to the public. " 'Bodies of Water' is a long-term project and traveling exhibition focusing on the urgent need for water preservation and protection across Florida," organizers say. Pujals-Jones is a fine art and commercial photographer based in Central Florida. More at www.pujalsjones.com, the city of Ocala Cultural Arts Division at 352-629-8447 or artinfo@ocalafl.gov, or www.ocalafl.gov/artincityspaces
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This article originally appeared on Ocala Star-Banner: Best Bets: Fun things to do this weekend in Ocala
