Features

A bar has a few people around it with fairy lights hanging above, shops in the background and tables scattered around the area. In the background are trees and powerlines. In the foreground is a graphic that reads, "Light-Up Homestead | Holiday Train | Brooklyn Boys | Black Dress. WEEKEND TOP PICKS. Events Coming this Weekend." Christmas lights hang from the top of the graphic with a woman in a black dress on the right and a small train on the left.

1 day ago

352 WEEKEND TOP PICKS DEC. 26-28: Seasonal Celebrations, Concerts and Post-Christmas Cheer

As Homestead Park and Kirby Family Farms finish final Christmas celebrations, Brooklyn Boys performs a pre-New Year's concert and Bella Vita Italian Steakhouse hosts Little Black Dress Night.

In the foreground is a light pole with autumn-colored leave and a sideways sign reading, "Ocala. Find your place." In the background are trees, buildings and multiple poles with similar leaves and signs reading rules. There are also tables with umbrellas and walking paths for public use.

3 days ago

Dining Out in the 352: Eat at These Downtown Ocala Restaurants (Part 2)

Our series on dining destinations in the 352 continues. From casual patio bars and craft beverages to upscale cuisine, these local eateries highlight the variety of flavors and atmospheres available to diners looking for their next meal out.

A wooden case displays small trinkets stored in clear boxes.

4 days ago

Winter Wonderland Holiday Market Brought Festive Flavors to Downtown Ocala

The Winter Wonderland Market turned the Ocala Downtown Market space into, well, a winter wonderland for weekend shoppers and foodies.

6 days ago

Dining Out in the 352: Restaurant Options on Ocala Downtown Square

The Ocala Downtown Square is full of fine dining options for those looking for a break from shopping.

Vintage promotional image advertising Weeki Wachee Springs Park.

6 days ago

Defunct Ocala: Weeki Wachee Springs’ Fin-tastic Past

While the former version of the park may have moved on, the enchanting history of Weeki Wachee Springs ab-shell-utely lives on.

Front view of the in-progress Paddock Market at Paddock Mall in Ocala, featuring a modern dark brown exterior, large entrance doors, two white artificial trees, and two silver rearing horse sculptures on either side of the entrance.

1 week ago

New-School Retail Space Paddock Market Begins Limited Operations at Paddock Mall in Ocala

Paddock Market has quietly opened with limited operations inside Ocala’s Paddock Mall, offering early access to a handful of vendors while many others prepare to open as the long-planned marketplace continues to take shape.

A light pole has green decorations wrapped around it with a sparkling red bow at the top. In the background are trees and powerlines. In the foreground is a graphic that reads, "The Nutcracker | Holiday Market | Photos with Santa | Trains. WEEKEND TOP PICKS. Events Coming this Weekend." Christmas lights hang from the top of the graphic with Santa on the right and a small train on the left.

1 week ago

352 WEEKEND TOP PICKS DEC. 19-21: Unique Holiday Crafts and Events

Festive Christmas celebrations are filling this weekend for jolly holiday cheer.

Five people with numbered papers on their arms stand in a line with Chinook dogs. An audience watches from behind.

1 week ago

Dog Days: World Equestrian Center Ocala Hosts Chinook Specialty 2025

The World Equestrian Center Ocala hosted the annual Chinook Specialty competition, celebrating the American sled dog breed, on Dec. 15 & 16, 2025.

A ghostly figure in the background of a dark lit forest setting.

1 week ago

Debunked Ocala: Examining Ocala’s Dark Man Legend

Long shared through local folklore, the Dark Man of the Ocala National Forest remains an enduring legend--despite the absence of any verified proof.

Employees in a pizzeria serve fires, chicken and pizza during a celebration event.

1 week ago

#1 New York Pizza: Serving the Marion Oaks Community for 20 Years

#1 New York Pizza in Marion Oaks Shopping Plaza celebrates serving pizza to the community for 20 years.

Color postcard-style image of Glen Springs showing the bright blue spring pool, surrounding greenery, and walkways leading toward the water.

2 weeks ago

Defunct Ocala: How Glen Springs Slipped From Gainesville Icon to Hidden Ruin

Once one of Gainesville's most popular swimming spots, Glen Springs has spent more than 50 years closed to the public as time, algae and property disputes have slowly obscured its past.

A group of kids pose for a picture next to a golf cart decorated to look like a gingerbread house.

2 weeks ago

Golf Cart Parade Brings Holiday Cheer to Downtown Ocala

The annual Christmas Golf Cart Parade brought festive fun to Historic Downtown Ocala.

2 weeks ago

How to watch one of the year’s best meteor showers, the Geminids

It's time for one of the strongest meteor showers of the year. The Geminids peak this weekend and are visible through mid-December, according to the American Meteor Society.

A white sign with blue accents reads, "294 Marion Oaks Community Center." In the background, bushes create a line separating a sidewalk and the community Center. Christmas decorations can be seen in front of the building.

3 weeks ago

Light Up Marion Oaks: A Bright Event for a Small Community (SLIDESHOW)

The Marion Oaks Community Center illuminated the area in vibrant lights at Light Up Marion Oaks for a festive season.

A man dressed as a Seminole plays flute on a bench in front of a garden.

3 weeks ago

Festival at Fort King: The History of the Seminole War

The Fort King National Historic Landmark was host to Festival at Fort King where visitors could learn about the Seminole Wars and the fort's significance.

A white gazebo with a green-gray roof is decorated with a white wreath, garlands covered in Christmas bulbs and white icicle lights strung from the edges. In the foreground is a graphic with white and green text that reads, "Christmas Parades | Holiday Celebrations | ASL Santa Greeting. WEEKEND TOP PICKS. Events Coming this Weekend."

3 weeks ago

WEEKEND TOP PICKS: December Kicks off with a Bazaar, Boat Parade and More Holiday Fun

The first week of December is packed with family-friendly and free events for a festive start to the season.

Outdoor seating at Le Macaron French Pastries in Gainesville, with pink umbrellas and a 352 Eats sign near the entrance.

3 weeks ago

352Eats: Le Macaron Brightens Gainesville Treat Scene with French-Style Sweets

Le Macaron French Pastries at Celebration Pointe brings a taste of Paris to Gainesville with colorful macarons, classic French treats and a bright, inviting café atmosphere.

A beige storefront has white overhangs with gray tops. The storefront has Christmas decorations and a white sign above it that reads, "Agapanthus."

4 weeks ago

Shop Local for Early Christmas Gifts This Year at Shops and Markets like These

As stores begin prepping for the holidays, locals can get their holiday fix at these Ocala area locations perfect for Christmas gift shopping.

A white logo on a glass door has a fountain in the center with words in a circle around it reading, "Midtown Station Ocala."

4 weeks ago

Midtown Station: Ocala’s One-Stop Dining Spot

Midtown Station Ocala opened their doors just over a year ago, offering a unique dining experience and lasting impressions.

A Christmas train decoration carrying tree and gift decorations stands in a large plaza with other Christmas decorations in the background. In the foreground is a graphic with a green border that reads, "Winter Wonderland | Holiday Train | Tree Lighting | Movie Night. WEEKEND TOP PICKS. Events Coming this Weekend."

4 weeks ago

352 WEEKEND TOP PICKS: Christmas Concerts, Holiday Movies and Lights, Lights, Lights

This weekend is full of seasonal festivities with holiday light shows, a Christmas concert, a tree lighting ceremony and more.

News

4 days ago in Sports, Trending

Jalen Hurts and the Eagles win their second NFC East title in a row by beating the Commanders 29-18

As the percussive horns of Stevie Wonder's "Sir Duke" filled the air, Philadelphia Eagles coach Nick Sirianni — wearing a black T-shirt bearing the words, "Been there, won that" — made the rounds in the locker room, offering hand clasps and back slaps to his players after they accomplished something that hadn't happened in two decades: win a second consecutive NFC East title.

4 days ago in Entertainment

‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’ launches with $88M domestically, $345M worldwide

"Avatar: Fire and Ash" opened with $345 million in worldwide sales, according to studio estimates Sunday, notching the second-best global debut of the year and potentially putting James Cameron on course to set yet more blockbuster records.

4 days ago in Entertainment, Trending

Pop culture in 2025: A ring for Taylor, an ill-timed KissCam … and whatever ‘6-7’ means

From the inexplicable to the familiar, here's our annual, highly selective journey down pop culture memory lane.

4 days ago in National

Hundreds mourn Brown University sophomore Ella Cook, killed in campus shooting

A Brown University sophomore who was killed in an attack at the Rhode Island university was remembered Monday as "smart, confident, curious, kind, principled, brave," at a funeral in her home state of Alabama.

1 week ago in Sports

Los Angeles Angels settles lawsuit with family of pitcher Tyler Skaggs over fatal overdose

The Los Angeles Angels reached a confidential settlement Friday in a lawsuit over the drug overdose death of pitcher Tyler Skaggs.

1 week ago in Entertainment, Music

Judge nixes conviction of one of two men found guilty of killing Run-DMC’s Jam Master Jay

A judge Friday voided the conviction of one of the two men found guilty of the 2002 killing of Run-D.M.C. star Jam Master Jay, ruling that there wasn't enough evidence that the man had a motive to kill the hip-hop luminary.

1 week ago in National

Justice Department begins releasing long-awaited files tied to Epstein sex trafficking investigation

The Justice Department on Friday began releasing its files on Jeffrey Epstein, a convicted sex offender and wealthy financier known for his connections to some of the world's most influential people, including Donald Trump, who as president had tried to keep the files sealed.