Gainesville Country Club Annual Neighborhood Yard Sale
2025-10-25 09:00 - 12:00 (America/New_York) | FL
The Gainesville Country Club Annual Neighborhood Yard Sale will be held on October 25 from 9 a.m. to noon. The sale will be community-wide, with a map posted at the link below. The neighborhood is near the intersection of I-75 and Williston Road.

See gcchoa.com for more information and updates.

Advanced Chakra Consciousness
2025-11-01 13:00 - 17:00 | Unity of Gainesville, 8801 NW 39th Avenue, Gainesville, FL, 32606, United States
Unity of Gainesville, Florida will host Advanced Chakra Consciousness Part 2 on Saturday, November 1, from 1-5 PM.

This transformative workshop, led by Rev. Marcy Neumann, The HeartShift Coach, will explore how to navigate, shift, and create from the highest frequencies of love through deep awareness of the chakras.

Attendees will dive into the mysteries of each chakra, learning how they communicate and interact, and discover how to align with their unique language of love. The event will be held in person at Unity of Gainesville (8801 NW 39th Ave) and live-streamed online for remote participants.

The cost is $55, and registration can be completed by scanning the QR code on the flyer or by using the registration link below. A replay of Part 1 and a companion workbook are also available for those who wish to review or catch up, and both Part 1 and Part 2 are available for $88.

All are welcome to attend and experience this empowering opportunity for energetic alignment and heart-centered transformation.

To register: https://www.marcyneumann.com/advancedchakralandingpage

1st UMC Holiday Marketplace 2025
2025-11-07 17:00 - 20:00, 2025-11-08 09:00 - 17:00, 2025-11-09 11:30 - 14:00 | First United Methodist Church, 419 NE 1st St, Gainesville, FL, 32601, United States
The 2025 Holiday Marketplace at First United Methodist Church of Gainesville is coming up! Holiday Marketplace features eight shops with something for everyone! Cash and credit cards are accepted. There is a $5 entry fee on Friday night for those 12 and older; free appetizers and beverages will be served this evening.

Endowed Scholarship Brunch
2025-11-08 10:00 - 13:00 | First Missionary Baptist Church, 1515 SE 15th Street, Gainesville, FL, 32641, United States
Save the date! November 8, 2025! This is the date we invite you to come munch at our endowed scholarship fundraiser
brunch. It will be held from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. at First Missionary Baptist Church. In addition to great food, there will be
amazing entertainment, recognition awards, prizes, and an inspiring message delivered by Comm. Charles “Chuck”
Chestnut. This event is presented by Tee Foundation Assistance Network, Inc., The Ruth and Walter Jenkins family, and
Minnie and Samuel Wheeler family. It raises funds for the Tiawana Michele Wheeler Memorial Endowed Scholarship
Fund at Bethune Cookman University (B-CU). In addition to the surprising fact that Tiawana attended the same
elementary school as Amazon Founder Jeff Bezos, River Oaks Elementary in Houston, TX, you will learn other interesting
information about this phenomenal young woman who came into this life Nov. 9, 1969, and departed July 12, 1991.

Call or text Pat 352.459.8331 or email tfanserves@gmail.com for ticket, Cash App, Zelle, and
Sponsor information. Can also mail to P O Box 357685 Gainesville, FL 32635. Thank you.

Wolf's Message (movie)
2025-11-08 18:00 - 21:00 | Unity of Gainesville, 8801 NW 39th Avenue, Gainesville, FL, 32606, United States
Unity of Gainesville, Florida will host an in-person screening of the award-winning film Wolf’s Message on Saturday, November 8 at 6:00 PM. This thought-provoking documentary explores the connection between life and afterlife through the true story of a young man and his extraordinary communication from the other side.

All are welcome – We hope you’ll join us. Tickets are $15 and can be purchased here: https://tinyurl.com/knxb2wta
Click on the link to learn more about the film and view the trailer: https://www.wolfsmessage.com/about/

Readings by WAG Members
2025-11-09 14:30 - 16:30 | Millhopper Library, 3145 NW 43rd St, Gainesville, 32606, United States
Join the Writers Alliance of Gainesville for readings, fellowship, and refreshments at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, November 9, 2025, at the Millhopper Library.

Since this event comes just before Thanksgiving, we are likely to hear some stories about Thanksgiving celebrations or expressions of gratitude.

In previous years, we held the Bacopa debut in November and readings in December, but this year these events are being switched. Both events are being held at the Millhopper Library.​

This program is free and open to the public. Join us!
2:30-4:30 PM
November 9

Millhopper Branch, Alachua County Library

Trinkets & Treasures Rummage Sale
2025-11-15 08:00 - 12:00 | First United Methodist Church, 419 NE 1st St, Gainesville, FL, 32601, United States
Rummage sale conducted by United Women in Faith of First United Methodist Church. All funds raised support UWF missions impacting women, children and youth. Cash and credit cards accepted.

CONTRA DANCE featuring music played by Contra Fusion and calling by Joe DePaolo
2025-11-21 19:00 - 21:00 | United Church of Gainesville, 1624 NW 5th Avenue, Gainesville, FL, 32601, United States
Contra is a dance done with a lively, walking step. You simply walk in time to the music – one step for each beat of music. There is no fancy footwork required. There is a caller for every dance who walks the dancers through the moves before the music begins and continues to call until the dancers are confidently moving through the dance. If you can walk, you can contra dance!
7 PM Friday November 21
United Church of Gainesville
1624 NW 5th AVE
Gainesville, FL 32601
Organized by Gainesville Oldtime Dance Society www.godsdance.org
Suggested Donation:$10 (ages 26+), $5 (ages 16-25), Dancers ages 15 & under get in FREE when accompanied by an adult.
• Please bring your own non-alcoholic beverage.
• This is a friendly welcoming recreational activity and all are welcome.
• No partner or experience is necessary.
Contra dancing is fun and we’ll teach you how.
• No special dress is required.
Wear comfortable, casual attire & soft-soled non-marking shoes.

Capella Nova Chorus of Gainesville presents “Ideas of Winter”
2025-12-07 15:00 - 17:00 | Abiding Savior Lutheran Church, 9700 W. University Avenue, Gainesville, FL, 32606, United States
Capella Nova Chorus of Gainesville is a community chorus dedicated to presenting a diverse choral repertoire spanning from medieval to contemporary works. Our upcoming winter performance, Ideas of Winter, invites listeners to explore the beauty and reflection of the season through music both timeless and new.

Date & Time: Sunday, December 7, 2025, at 3:00 PM
Location: Abiding Savior Lutheran Church, 9700 W. University Ave., Gainesville, FL
Admission: Free and open to the public

The Annasemble Community Orchestra Annual Holiday Concert
2025-12-12 19:00 - 21:00 | Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 4225 NW 34th Street, Gainesville, FL, 32605, United States
We are delighted to invite you to the Annasemble Community Orchestra’s annual Holiday Concert! This year’s program will take you on a musical journey around the world as we celebrate the season with a message of peace.
The Annasemble Community Orchestra of Gainesville, Inc. is a non-competitive, intergenerational community of musicians of all skill levels—beginner to accomplished—who are dedicated to music enrichment, education, and performance through a variety of orchestras and ensembles.
Each year, Annasemble celebrates the holidays with a joyful and inspiring musical performance, and we would be honored to have you join us. The program includes familiar holiday favorites as well as beautiful selections from around the world, all reminding us of the peace and hope the season brings.
We hope you will gather your friends and family and join us for this special celebration of music and community.

Holiday Harmonies Twelve... days before Christmas
2025-12-13 15:00 - 17:00, 2025-12-13 18:00 - 20:00 | Grace Presbyterian Church, 3146 NW 13th St, Gainesville, FL, 32609, United States
The Barbergators Chorus and the Gainesville Harmony Show Chorus are producing their 12th annual holiday concert “Holiday Harmonies Twelve …days before Christmas” on Saturday Dec 13 at Grace Presbyterian Church, 3146 NW 13th St, Gainesville, FL 32609. There will be two shows at 3:00pm and 6:00pm.

Tickets and more details are available here: https://HHXII.eventbrite.com.

Unity of Gainesville presents "Return of the Sun" Holiday Concert, December 14
2025-12-14 11:00 - 12:00 | Unity of Gainesville, 8801 NW 39th Avenue, Gainesville, FL, 32606, United States
Unity of Gainesville, Florida presents Kona Harp Ensemble, the magic of Harps, Woodwinds, Voices and Orchestration featuring world music and compositions by J. S. Bach, Pachebel, Turlough O’Carollan, traditional Scottish and Irish compositions on Sunday, December 14 at 11:00 a.m.

Please join us for an unforgettable experience of Sacred Music and Ancient songs.

Performers: Bernice Roberto, Harp, Voices, Synth – Manuel Roberto, Bass, Soprano and Piccolo flutes – Vishaka Devi, Harp – Chris Das, Flute

Tickets available on Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1976217317194?aff=oddtdtcreator

2025 Bacopa Literary Review – Debut
2025-12-14 14:30 - 16:30 | Millhopper Library, 3145 NW 43rd St, Gainesville, 32606, United States
The Writers Alliance of Gainesville will feature debut readings from the 2025 Bacopa Literary Review.

Many of the prize-winning pieces will be read aloud. WAG members with works published in this journal will also be invited to read.

The Bacopa editorial board expects to have physical copies of the journal available (WAG members get a free copy!), and we will celebrate with refreshments.

Reserve this date on your calendar, and closer to the date, check here for more details about the program.

2025 Prize Winners

FICTION
Award: “Downpour” by Terry Sanville
Honorable Mention: “Knot” by Abhishek Sengupta
Best of WAG: “God and His Dog” by Bonnie T. Ogle

CREATIVE NONFICTION
Award: “Footsteps” by Joe Marshall
Honorable Mention: “Never Home in No Man’s Land” by Jenn Yee
Best of WAG: “Mam Exam” by Charlotte M. Porter

FORMAL POETRY
Award: “Real Spanish” by C. J. Grandorff
Hon. Mention: “Ty-Phoo” by Dion O’Reilly

FREE VERSE POETRY
Award: “Blanca” by Ines Bellina
Honorable Mention: “Isabelline and Beige” by Toni Holland
Best of WAG: “At The Gallery & Everywhere, She Talks with Her Hands” by Aliesa Zoecklein

VISUAL POETRY
Award: “The Ruckle” by S.D. Dillon
Honorable Mention: “My Mother’s Music” by J. Nishida
Best of WAG: “My Mother’s Music” by J. Nishida

This program is free and open to the public. Join us!

2:30-4:30 PM
December 14
Millhopper Branch, Alachua County Library

Young Annasemble Orchestra Annual Holiday Concert
2025-12-14 15:00 - 17:00 | Cade Museum, 811 S. Main Street, Gainesville, FL, 32601, United States
Don’t miss a festive afternoon on the Porch at the Cade Museum as the Young Annasemble Orchestra presents their annual Holiday Concert! Join us for a heart-warming celebration of the season, filled with music, joyful moments, and the magic of the holidays. The young people’s orchestra is affiliated with the Annasemble Community Orchestra. They are a group of young musicians, ages between 10-16 year old (and a few adults). The accent of this orchestra lies in having fun with music in a family friendly atmosphere.

Blue Christmas service
2025-12-17 18:30 - 19:30 | St. Joseph’s Episcopal Church, 16921 West Newberry Road, Newberry, FL, 32669, United States
Blue Christmas Service is offered especially for those hurting during the holidays.
The reasons for coming are many.
Some come because they are mourning the death of a loved one. Some are far from home.
Some suffer from illness, addiction, or estrangement. Some are lonely, struggling financially, or in conflict with another.
Some hurt because of the great pain, need, and violence in our nation and world.

CONTRA DANCE featuring music played by the Mystic Gorillas and calling by Alice Raibourn.
2025-12-19 19:00 - 21:00 | United Church of Gainesville, 1624 NW 5th Avenue, Gainesville, FL, 32601, United States
Contra is a dance done with a lively, walking step. You simply walk in time to the music – one step for each beat of music. There is no fancy footwork required. There is a caller for every dance who walks the dancers through the moves before the music begins and continues to call until the dancers are confidently moving through the dance. If you can walk, you can contra dance!
7 PM Friday December 19
United Church of Gainesville
1624 NW 5th AVE
Gainesville, FL 32601
Organized by Gainesville Oldtime Dance Society www.godsdance.org
Suggested Donation:$10 (ages 26+), $5 (ages 16-25), Dancers ages 15 & under get in FREE when accompanied by an adult.
• Please bring your own non-alcoholic beverage.
• This is a friendly welcoming recreational activity and all are welcome.
• No partner or experience is necessary.
Contra dancing is fun and we’ll teach you how.
• No special dress is required.
Wear comfortable, casual attire & soft-soled non-marking shoes.

Unity of Gainesville presents Annual Christmas Concert
2025-12-21 11:00 - 12:00 | Unity of Gainesville, 8801 NW 39th Avenue, Gainesville, FL, 32606, United States
Unity of Gainesville, Florida warmly invites the community to celebrate the season at their Annual Christmas Concert, an inspiring musical event featuring renowned performers. Mark your calendar for Sunday, December 21, and join us for a heartwarming celebration of music, community, and holiday spirit.
This year’s featured performers include:

Penta Rose: A celebrated singer-songwriter known for her soulful melodies and captivating performances. Learn more about her music at https://linktr.ee/pentarosemusic.

Shana Smith is an award-winning singer/songwriter known to family audiences as “Shana Banana,” and she has also garnered rave reviews from Nashville Scene, which called her “a cross between Joan Armatrading and the jazzier excursions of Joni Mitchell.” She is also a Florida Book Award author and a Zen and Yoga/Qigong teacher. More info at www.WildFloridaWoman.com

Event Details:

When: Sunday, December 21
Time: Doors open at 10:30 AM = Concert begins at 11:00 AM
Where: Unity of Gainesville, Florida – 8801 NW 39th Avenue, Gainesville, FL 32606
Cost: Free entry (Donations encouraged)

The Christmas Concert is free to attend, but space is limited. Families and community members are encouraged to reserve their tickets in advance by using the link: https://bit.ly/3KwBbvP to secure a seat.
Please see the attached flyer for additional details about the event. Feel free to share it with your audience to help spread the word!
Don’t miss this incredible opportunity to enjoy live music from talented local artists while celebrating the spirit of the season with your community.

Christmas Eve service
2025-12-24 18:00 - 19:30 | St. Joseph’s Episcopal Church, 16921 West Newberry Road, Newberry, FL, 32669, United States
Carols at 6 p.m., followed by a Christmas Eve service at 6:30 p.m.

Trauma as a Character in Writing
2026-01-11 14:30 - 16:30 | Millhopper Library, 3145 NW 43rd St, Gainesville, 32606, United States
The Writers Alliance of Gainesville will feature teacher, storyteller, and author Kathy Connor Dobronyi as she shares her insights on incorporating trauma as a character in your writing.

Come join us at the Millhopper Library at 2:30 p.m. on the second Sunday in January, when WAG member Kathy Connor Dobronyi will share her personal stories of trauma and the stories of her characters to help you write about trauma.

Trauma is a word we often hear, yet its true nature is frequently misunderstood and underestimated. Trauma has three levels: acute, chronic, and complex, a combination of the aforementioned. No single definition of trauma suffices; it can be different things to different people.

Kathy has lived with complex trauma from a childhood of abuse and war. She used the memory of her time in Saigon, where she experienced terrorist bombings at an American theater and other facilities where Americans congregated. She also witnessed human immolation and heard the bombs and gunfire during the overthrow of the South Vietnamese president on November 1, 1963.

Kathy is not a therapist or a clinician. She is a retired high school teacher, a storyteller, and a writer. Drawing on stories from her own life and the lives of her characters, she explores the various facets of trauma and healing.

Although she wrote articles for trade journals and developed lesson plans used by the Folgers Institute, she never considered herself an author until she was asked by a local newspaper editor to write her story: Under the Wings of a Good Luck Phoenix: Memoir of an American Girl in Saigon, June 1963 to March 1964.

This program is free and open to the public. Join us!
2:30-4:30 PM
January 11

Millhopper Branch, Alachua County Library

CONTRA DANCE featuring music played by the Coral Riff and calling by Johnathan King
2026-01-16 19:00 - 21:00 | United Church of Gainesville, 1624 NW 5th Avenue, Gainesville, FL, 32601, United States
Contra is a dance done with a lively, walking step. You simply walk in time to the music – one step for each beat of music. There is no fancy footwork required. There is a caller for every dance who walks the dancers through the moves before the music begins and continues to call until the dancers are confidently moving through the dance. If you can walk, you can contra dance!
7 PM Friday January 16
United Church of Gainesville
1624 NW 5th AVE
Gainesville, FL 32601
Organized by Gainesville Oldtime Dance Society www.godsdance.org
Suggested Donation:$10 (ages 26+), $5 (ages 16-25), Dancers ages 15 & under get in FREE when accompanied by an adult.
• Please bring your own non-alcoholic beverage.
• This is a friendly welcoming recreational activity and all are welcome.
• No partner or experience is necessary.
• Contra dancing is fun and we’ll teach you how.
• No special dress is required.
• Wear comfortable, casual attire & soft-soled non-marking shoes.

Ins & Outs of Getting Your Book in Audio
2026-02-08 14:30 - 16:30 | Millhopper Library, 3145 NW 43rd St, Gainesville, 32606, United States
The Writers Alliance of Gainesville will feature a dynamic presentation by Scott Ellis of Ellis-Audiobooks exploring what writers need to know before creating an audiobook.

Ellis will address the ins and outs of audiobook production—everything from understanding the different platforms and payment lingo to the responsibilities and expectations of narrators and authors. He will provide details to help authors think through all the options of putting their stories in audio.

Ellis is a two-time Audiobook of the Year award-winning narrator with over 100 audiobooks recorded and 250 audiobooks produced. He holds degrees in theatre and education. He spent nearly 30 years teaching middle school literature and serving as an elementary school librarian—perfect training for character voices, managing chaos, and surviving on caffeine and patience. This classroom experience honed his storytelling skills, pacing, and sense of dramatic timing.

Scott owns Ellis-Audiobooks with his wife, Josie. They live in Western Massachusetts, and when not behind the mic and managing the business, they enjoy all things outdoors, especially escaping to Sanibel Island during the winter months.

As co-narrator and producer of Skull’s Vengeance, Scott was awarded the 2024 Audiobook of the Year for Fantasy. As the producer of Magda, Standing, he was awarded the 2024 IBPA Gold Medal Winner for Young Adult Fiction Audiobook of the Year. And in 2021, he received the Young Adult Fiction Audiobook of the Year for his narration of Puck and Minnie: All That Is.

This program is free and open to the public. Join us!
2:30-4:30 PM
February 8

Millhopper Branch, Alachua County Library

17th Annual Stomp the Swamp for Autism Acceptance and Awareness
2026-03-07 14:30 - 17:00 | Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, 157 Gale Lemerand Drive, Gainesville, FL, 32611, United States
The UF CARD Constituency Board is excited to announce the 17th Annual Stomp the Swamp for Autism Acceptance and Awareness event, taking place at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on March 7, 2026. This event aims to raise funds and awareness to support individuals with autism and their families.

Event Details:

Date: March 7, 2026

Time: Event starts at 2:30 p.m., with registration opening at 1:30 p.m.

Location: Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, Gate 7, University of Florida

Join us for a day of community, support, and fun! Self-advocates, families, community members, and UF students, faculty, and staff will walk or run together to support the University of Florida Center

"Passion Dey Couldn’t Steal" by Pamela Marshall-Koons
2026-03-08 14:30 - 16:30 | Millhopper Library, 3145 NW 43rd St, Gainesville, 32606, United States
The Writers Alliance of Gainesville will feature Pamela Marshall-Koons’ Passion Dey Couldn’t Steal, a powerful one-woman theatrical work inspired by the life, voice, and legacy of author Zora Neale Hurston.

Hurston was an American writer who portrayed the racial struggles in the early 20th-century American South. Her most popular novel, Their Eyes Were Watching God, published in 1937, is regarded as influential in both African American and women’s literature.

Through story, movement, music, and embodied narration, the play explores Hurston’s unwavering devotion to truth, creativity, and self-definition in the face of racism, sexism, and erasure.

Marshall-Koons’ intimate performance invites audiences into Zora’s world—from Eatonville to Harlem—while reflecting on the enduring power of voice, cultural memory, and spiritual resilience. It is both a tribute and a testimony, reminding us that passion, once claimed, cannot be taken.

Marshall-Koons is a writer, performer, and cultural storyteller whose work centers on healing, forgiveness, and remembrance. Her artistic practice blends history, spirituality, and lived experience, bringing forward voices that have shaped American culture while inviting audiences into reflection and restoration.

Through literature, theater, and community engagement, she creates spaces where truth can be spoken, stories reclaimed, and the human spirit honored with grace and courage.

She is the creator of this acclaimed one-woman performance and the author of When Zora Spoke – I Remembered My Name. She wrote the book while writing the play.

“The book encourages us to Remember Who We Are,” Marshall-Koons said. “That is what Zora inspires in me. I am donating the proceeds from the sale of the book and my performances to help restore Ms. Zora’s last home in Fort Pierce.”

Those who saw this performance at the Sunshine State Book Festival raved about it. Many said they would love to see it again. And if you missed it, here is your chance.

The Writers Alliance is grateful to Pamela Marshall-Koons for her willingness to perform again on March 8, 2026, at 2:30 p.m., at the Millhopper Branch of the Alachua County Library.

The book can be purchased at www.pameladmarshall.com or at the event on March 8. A book signing will follow the program, which is free and open to the public.

Parking: If the library lot is full, you may park in the Florida Credit Union lot at 2831 NW 43rd Street, Gainesville, FL 32606.

Contra Dance featuring music played by Bill Paine and Friends and calling by Kevin Shepherd
2026-03-20 19:00 - 21:45 | United Church of Gainesville, 1624 NW 5th Avenue, Gainesville, FL, 32601, United States
Contra is a dance done with a lively, walking step. You simply walk in time to the music – one step for each beat of music. There is no fancy footwork required. There is a caller for every dance who walks the dancers through the moves before the music begins and continues to call until the dancers are confidently moving through the dance. If you can walk, you can contra dance!
Suggested Donation:
$10 (ages 26+)
$5 (ages 16-25)
Dancers ages 15 & under get in FREE when accompanied by an adult.
• Please bring your own non-alcoholic beverage.
• This is a friendly welcoming recreational activity and all are welcome.
• No partner or experience is necessary.
• Contra dancing is fun and we’ll teach you how.
• No special dress is required.
• Wear comfortable, casual attire and soft-soled non-marking shoes.

Free beginner lesson begins at 6:45 PM. Dance begins at 7 PM sharp and concludes at 9:45 PM.

Turkey Creek Neighborhood Yard Sale
2026-03-28 08:00 - 12:00 | Turkey Creek pickleball parking, 11400 Turkey Creek Blvd, Alachua, FL, 32615, United States
Turkey Creek will be hosting our annual neighborhood-wide yard sale on Saturday, March 28th, from 8:00 am – 12:00 pm. Come on out and find some treasures! Event is rain or shine.
Time and date: Saturday 3/28/26 from 8:00-noon
Location: 11400 Turkey Creek Blvd , Alachua

Unity of Gainesville presents Easter Concert: "Bloom: A Concert of Renewal"
2026-04-05 11:00 - 12:00 | Unity of Gainesville, 8801 NW 39th Avenue, Gainesville, FL, 32606, United States
The community is warmly welcome to join Unity of Gainesville, Florida in celebrating the season at our Easter Concert “Bloom: A Concert of Renewal” being held on Sunday, April 5, featuring praised artists Bernice & Manuel Roberto and Shana Smith who will offer a special musical experience,

Easter honors the deeper metaphysical meaning of resurrection — the awakening of the Divine presence already within us. Through uplifting music and heartfelt expression, this concert will celebrate transformation, hope, renewal, and the emergence of new life within and around us. Come experience a morning that invites reflection, inspiration, and the joy of spiritual rebirth.

Bernice and Manuel Roberto: Lost in the moment, you realize heaven really is on earth in the presence of the remarkable musicians, Bernice and Manuel of Kailua-Kona. Bernice is an accomplished harpist, pianist, and singer; along with her other talents of playing the synthesizer and co-composing songs with Manuel, her husband who is an established poet, composer, flautist, and devoted Interfaith Minister. Discover more at facebook.com/bernice.roberto or on Instagram @berniceroberto

Shana Smith is an award-winning singer/songwriter known to family audiences as “Shana Banana,” and she has also garnered rave reviews from Nashville Scene, which called her “a cross between Joan Armatrading and the jazzier excursions of Joni Mitchell.” She is also a Florida Book Award author and a Zen and Yoga/Qigong teacher. More info at www.WildFloridaWoman.com

Event Details:
When: Sunday, April 5
Time: Doors open at 10:30 AM – Concert begins at 11:00 AM
Where: Unity of Gainesville, Florida – 8801 NW 39th Avenue, Gainesville, FL 32606
Cost: Free entry (Donations encouraged)

The Concert is free to attend, but space is limited. Families and community members are encouraged to reserve their seats in advance by using the link: https://tinyurl.com/bdetsrmr

Poetry Play: The Journey of Finding Surprise by Aliesa Zoecklein
2026-04-12 14:30 - 16:30 | Millhopper Library, 3145 NW 43rd St, Gainesville, 32606, United States
Come join the Writers Alliance of Gainesville on Sunday, April 12, at 2:30 p.m., when local poet and former Santa Fe College writing instructor Aliesa Zoecklein will share her secrets about discovery in writing poetry.
Zoecklein’s poems have been published in New Feathers Anthology, Bacopa Literary Review, Thimble Literary Magazine, River Heron Review, and other journals. Her chapbook At Each Moment, Air won the Peter Meinke Poetry Prize and was published by YellowJacket Press.
“The thrill of writing poems is in the discovery,” Zoecklein says, “so I love to talk about how we can journey ourselves toward that surprise. I’ll share some practices I use when first searching for my poems and then drafting.”
She will offer ideas for keeping our initial attempts playful and wide-ranging. And how, if we’re lucky, these practices can dispel resistance or boredom. She’ll also discuss how shaping the poem—deciding on line breaks, for example—can help open the poem in a generative way.
“I am always learning anew how to trust language to lift me toward what I don’t already know. I look forward to exchanging ideas and taking the group through one or two fun exercises.
Zoecklein taught writing for 25 years at Santa Fe College. Happily retired, she lives with her wife in Gainesville, Florida, where she writes, gardens, and studies Spanish.
The program is free and open to the public.
2:30-4:30 PM
April 12
Millhopper Branch, Alachua County Library
