PRCA News

Professional contractors working for GRU will be using an airboat to treat invasive aquatic plants at Sweetwater Wetlands Park on Tuesday, November 29. Targeting invasive plants is important to the functioning of the wetland. The herbicide treatment will also help prevent the spread of invasive species from Sweetwater Wetlands Park to Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park. We apologize for the noise, and for any inconvenience this may cause. The park will be open as scheduled. If you have any questions, please speak to the Ranger on Duty; contact information is posted at the entry pavilion.

The City of Gainesville Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs Department (PRCA) is pleased to offer a free basketball clinic with the coaching staff from the Eastside High School basketball team at the Martin Luther King Jr. Multipurpose (MLK) Center. The clinics are open to everyone, and are a great opportunity for those wishing to participate in PRCA’s Youth Coed Basketball league and hone their skills.

Plan to round out your holiday weekend with a relaxing and enjoyable day at Cane Boil & FiddleFest! The Annual Cane Boil & FiddleFest is presented by the City of Gainesville Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs Department and the Friends of Nature Parks. This year's event is Saturday, Nov. 26, from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at Morningside Nature Center.

The City of Gainesville Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs Department and the Gainesville Chain Hawks Disc Golf Club are pleased to announce the 5th Annual Chain Hawk Open, which is taking place over two weekends in December. The Chain Hawk Open is the annual showcase of disc golf in Gainesville and the public is invited to attend and be a part of this growing tournament!

The 4th Annual Survivors of Suicide Candlelight Vigil will be held Saturday, Nov. 19 at the Survivors of Suicide Memory Garden in Cofrin Nature Park, which is located at 4810 NW Eighth Ave. Activities start at 4 p.m., with the ceremony beginning at 5:45 p.m. This event is free and open to the community, and refreshments will be provided. Those wishing to attend are asked to park at the University City Church of Christ parking lot, due east of Cofrin Nature Park at 4626 NW Eighth Ave. Parking is available at the park for those with a disabled parking placard.

Join the conversation and your City Commission at Gainesville's first Longest Table event! The Longest Table is all about engaging with your community - your neighbors, your peers and new friends - to build and strengthen relationships in our community.

The City of Gainesville Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs Department is pleased to announce the November lineup of Events on the Promenade at Depot Park, which is located at 200 SE Depot Ave., in Gainesville. Each Friday evening features a DJ from 7-9 p.m., Saturday evenings feature live music from 7-9 p.m. and Sundays feature family-friendly, hands-on activities from 2-4 p.m. Attendees are encouraged to bring their lawn chairs and blankets and maybe a picnic to sit and relax.

The City of Gainesville Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs Department (PRCA) is pleased to announce the launch of a pilot program in partnership with the Cade Museum for Creativity +Invention. Students from the Porter’s Community Center will come to the Cade Museum for three sessions over the next three months. Each session will build off the next by teaching basic science concepts from their inception, while more intensive aspects of each topic will be taught as the sessions go on.

Gainesville transforms into a masterful blend of art, music and entertainment during the 35th Annual Downtown Festival & Art Show, one of the nation’s premier outdoor fine arts festivals. Presented by the City of Gainesville Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs Department (PRCA), the festival draws a crowd of more than 100,000 visitors each year. On Saturday, Nov. 5 from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday, Nov. 6 from 10 a.m.-4p.m., visitors can meet the exhibiting artists, enjoy live music and sample international cuisine.

Santa knows good character is the best gift, and he wants to hear what that means to our community’s children! The City of Gainesville Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs Department (PRCA) is collecting letters through Operation Letters to Santa this year for all children in kindergarten through third grade (or any child who still “believes”). This is a free program and is open to all Gainesville residents. Letters must be postmarked or received by Friday, Dec. 9, 2016. The PRCA “elves” will help Santa read and respond to each letter.