Community Events & Press Releases

Community Calendars & Upcoming Events Articles: Something for Everyone

City of Gainesville Offers Family Fun Naturally! Providing opportunities for family fun comes naturally for the City of Gainesville’s Department of Parks Recreation and Cultural Affairs Nature Operations Division.  Although twelve nature parks throughout Gainesville provide free passive recreation, Morningside Nature Center (MNC), Gainesville’s premier nature park, is the origin of the majority of family-oriented programming. Mark your calendar for the following activities and events at the Center: For more information please contact:  Sally A. Wazny or Ludovica Weaver City of Gainesville Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs Nature Operations Division 3540 E. University Ave. Gainesville, FL 32641 Phone: (352) 334-2009 Fax: (352) 334-2248 For more local events please visit http://www.visitgainesville.net and http://www.gvlculturalaffairs.org.

Press Releases and Calendar of Events:

Barnyard Buddies

Wednesdays and Sundays at the Living History Farm, from September 2nd to May 28th, 2008. Morningside Nature Center has a farm, ee—i—ee—i—oh! On this farm youngsters and their parents can meet and greet animals by helping staff with the afternoon feeding. This FREE program begins at 3:00 pm and lasts about 45 minutes to an hour.

Living History Days

Saturdays 9:00 am–4:30 pm. Every Saturday from September 1st to May 31st, 2008. The Living History Farm comes to life with staff interpreting day-to-day life on a rural Florida farm. Sample biscuits, fresh butter and a slice of life from 1870! Animals are fed twice daily around 9:00 am and 3:00 pm. FREE.

Meet this year's Star Award winners

Mayor Hanrahan was in attendance at last weekend’s Farm and Forest Festival on Saturday, April 26 at Morningside Nature Center to present the Star Volunteer Awards, which are given annually to volunteers, good neighbors to nature parks and to businesses demonstrating “green” ethics and business practices. “The Star Awards provide a small token of the City’s appreciation to these dedicated volunteers,” said Nature Operations Manager Ann Egan. “The work that each of these individuals, groups and businesses do because of their passion for our environment and civic duty helps the City to offer beautiful nature parks and encourages sustainable practices.” At Saturday’s ceremony, the following individuals, and groups were honored with Star Volunteer Awards for their outstanding contributions to nature parks: Anthony Betts Cara Gwalthney Nancy Parkinson Mary Rhodes Emily Rodriguez Mary Rosier Al Runyon Boy Scout Troop #454 and Trinity United Methodist Church The University of Florida's Warrington School of Business Administration. Read more about it...