Greater Gator Beer Festival

Photo from Website

Some use it as an excuse to binge-drink and overeat. For others, simply getting together with friends is enough. We, however, came for the sightseeing: drunken old men stumbling about, hitting on drunken young women. Nothing gets more comical than that. Whatever the motivation, though, there’s no feeling guilty. It’s Gainesville tradition.

On Saturday, March 27, for the 14th annual Greater Gator Beer Festival about 2,500 townies and students packed inside Magnolia Parke on Northwest 39th Avenue. From 1 to 5pm, attendees tasted as many of the more than 100 beers to sample as they could while schlepping around, munching on endless supplies of food. Local restaurants, including Beef ‘O’ Brady’s, Texas Roadhouse, Hungry Howie’s Pizza and Kazbor’s Sports Grille, catered for the festival.

An obvious hit for a town defined by Gator mania and mass tailgates, the beer festival can be described as tailgate meets backyard barbeque, meets chili cook-off. Jose Ramon, 34, a first-year attendee, says he came for “the beer, the pretty women, the nice day and the food.” To attend, patrons had to be at least 21 and pay $25 in advance at one of the participating restaurants, $30 online or $35 at the entrance.

Event coordinator Ricki Black says she keeps the festival thriving with new additions each year. This year new games (polish horseshoes), restaurants (Calico Jack’s Oyster Bar and Texas Roadhouse) and free samples (bottled lime-flavored salt called Twang) were featured.

Feeling thirsty? We just found this recent addition to the Gainesville beer establishment family: Tipple's Brews. Located on Tower Road, the locale offers a nice range of international beer, wine and cheeses. And as always visit Stubbies & Steins or Gator Spirits and Fine Wines for extensive beer selections.

- Cindy Taveras

Vintage Christmas Special at the Hipp

What better way to spend the holiday season than by watching a free Christmas movie marathon at the Hippodrome Theatre? On Saturday, Dec, 19th, at 12pm, the Hippodrome is having a repeat showing of its Christmas Triple Feature. An entire afternoon devoted to Christmas nostalgia, the triple feature will showcase the original Babes in Toyland, the camp classic Santa Claus Conquers the Martians, and the heart-warming It Happened on Fifth Avenue. While the screening is free, the Hippodrome is asking for a small donation of five to ten dollars.

The Hippodrome hosted one screening of the Christmas Triple Feature last Saturday. Shown in the main cinema, the triple feature presented an opportunity for the Hippodrome to show off some impressive new equipment. “All these films are digital that are being shown on our brand new digital projector,” says cinema manager Robert Matrone. “It’s very, very beautiful. It’s worth it so you can see these films in essentially the highest quality you can find.”

The Christmas Triple Feature offers something for every taste. Kicking off the movie marathon at noon is the original 1934 version of Babes in Toyland, starring the famous comedy team Laurel and Hardy. “A lot of people know this film from the later version, which stars Drew Barrymore and Keanu Reeves,” Robert says.

Known as one of the worst films ever made, the 1964 science fiction film Santa Claus Conquers the Martians blasts its way on screen at 1:30pm. In the film, the Martian children become so enthralled by the Santa-themed television that the Martian king launches an expedition to Earth to kidnap Santa Claus and bring him back to the Red Planet. “Sometimes we show movies because they’re really good,” Robert says. “In this case, we’re showing it because it’s really, really bad. But it’s as entertaining as any good film.”

Finally, at 3:30pm, the Academy Award winning comedy It Happened on Fifth Avenue tells the story of a New York City homeless man who squats in the empty mansion of a vacationing millionaire during the winter. “This is a feel-good film, more in the classical tradition of It’s a Wonderful Life,” Robert says.

For those looking for a little nostalgia, classic news reels and old-fashioned holiday cartoons from the forties and fifties will be shown in between the features.

—Allison Griner

Gainesville Date: All that Glitters

December is a time of reunion with family, but often a time of parting for couples. Before you bid farewell, spend some time around a glowing tree of your own—or a whole park full of them—at the Christmas Festival of Lights at the Stephen Foster Folk State Park in White Springs. The festival kicks off Dec. 12 with the Annual Christmas Parade, live music and refreshments. Even if you miss the opening day, other month-long activities like craft demonstrations and cuddle-worthy marshmallow roasts will make the goodbyes sweeter and the post-season’s greetings all the merrier.

The park lights up 5-9pm daily, Dec. 12 to Dec. 31. If you plan to attend Dec. 12, be sure to bring canned goods, new toys or a donation.

You can find the park 52 miles north of Gainesville, off of I-75 North at exit 439. Then, travel east on S.R. 136 for three miles and make a left onto U.S. 41. The park entrance will be on the left. Call 386-397-4331 or visit the Web site for more.

—Mead Bowen

Get GLAM-ed Up

(pictured above: Gainesville's craftiest blogger The Sassy Crafter, Kim Taylor.)

Eager to purchase holiday gifts for a tiny price? Look no further than GLAM. The Gainesville Local Art Mart, GLAM, is preparing for its second Annual Handmade Holiday Bazaar arts and crafts show, dated for Sunday, Nov. 22, from 2 to 6pm.

“My co-organizer and I wanted to provide an alternative to the traditional holiday shopping venues and at the same time, help give a leg up to budding local artists,” says GLAM co-organizer Kim Taylor.

Local artists, jewelers and designers will congregate at the Thelma Boltin Center, 516 NE 2nd Ave., to sell their individual handmade crafts. Customers will be able to shop 'til they drop with a variety of unusual items to choose from at bargain prices. Local bands and food vendors will be on site providing snacks and entertainment.

“We have an incredible array of vendors who'll be selling everything from handmade baby bibs to bicycle wheel chandeliers,” Kim says.

Other items include jewelry, screen printed T-shirts, reusable lunch bags and sandwich wraps, handbags, and fitness hoops.

Some of the vendors to be featured this year's event include: Michala Designs, Joffe Creations, Waldo Wildlife Collective and Sandhill Arts.

Aside from being an excellent, early holiday shopping opportunity, GLAM is also an opportunity to help those in need - a portion of the money raised will be donated to charity. “We'd like to have some of the proceeds go to a non-profit like we did last year when we donated part of the proceeds of the Handmade Holiday Bazaar to Peaceful Paths,“ Kim says.

Admission to the one-day event is free and open to the community.

--Alisha Kinman

Diwali Dance Festival

Last Friday (Nov. 13), we were invited to attend a Diwali Dance Festival at the Indian Culture and Education Center (SW 13th Street), put on by the Hindu Cultural Society, and we're so glad! We didn't know much about the history of the festival, also called the "festival of lights" (you can learn more here) other than what we learned from Kelly on The Office, but it turned out to be a fun celebration with bright clothes, great food and—perhaps the best part—beautiful music, dancing and song.

With only a $3 entrance fee and tons of Indian food to sample, this was the ticket to have. (Proceeds benefitted Indian education, flood victims and the ICEC, according to the web site.) After sampling one of each of the dishes (the samosas were our favorite—sort of reminded us of an empanada, in a stuffed-triangular-pastry way), we enjoyed a dance performance and were thrilled when the floor was opened up to the crowd. With the sounds of Raas, Bhangra and Bollywood, we did our best to keep up.

Then, of course, we made our way to the cupcake-decorating table and bought a bunch of sparklers and firecracker things, being, as this was, the festival of light. After being entertained by an incredible beat-box performance, we followed the excited children outside to light our sparklers.

Look for us next year!

Photos by Sean Kelly

Bear Creek Music and Art Festival

The Bear Creek Music and Art Festival was a three-day celebration of sight and sound at the Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park in Live Oak, Fla. INsite was there to capture some of the most memorable moments. Check out our photo slideshow on our Web site!

—Photo by Sarah Hsu

Downtown Festival and Art Show a success

About 100,000 people attended this weekend’s Downtown Festival and Art Show in Gainesville. People, pets and children wandered through the packed roads, from city hall to the Hippodrome Theater, perusing the many white tents filled with various types of artwork.

Though each of the booths had beautiful pieces on display, the more eccentric artwork was the most fun to look through. The “silverwearable” jewelry, made entirely from the handles of old cutlery was cute, and the ceramic birdbaths looked too pretty to put in a yard.

Parents and kids took breaks from the heat and watched the music and dance performances in the shade by the Bo Diddley Community Plaza. The Gainesville Suzuki Players and dancers from the Gainesville Ballet Theater had great performances, and the Celtic harp and bamboo flute players were a big hit as well.

Ana Varela, a ceramic artist at the festival, says she saw a lot of interesting people of all ages in the crowd. This was her 20th year participating in the festival. “It’s a very predictable festival. The crowds always come out, and I see lot of friends because I’m local,” Ana says.

UF freshman Lynzee Marmor was a volunteer at the Imagination Station, where kids got to practice their creativity, and said she really enjoyed the fun and relaxed atmosphere of the event. “It’s fun to browse and they don’t make you feel obligated to buy, so it’s not uncomfortable,” she says.

—Elizabeth Behrman

28th Downtown Art Festvial

The pungent festival aromas of funnel cakes and popcorn waft through the streets, which are so packed with people it’s almost difficult to peek inside the white-tent booths lining the cobblestone streets. Kids play at the Imagination Station, where they make books, crazy hats and get their faces painted.

Saturday marked the first day of the 28^th annual Gainesville Downtown Festival and Art Show. Spanning from city hall to the Hippodrome Theatre, more than 250 booths displayed all types of local and national artwork, from paintings and sculptures to “silverwearable” jewelry and designer aprons.

“It’s just bigger and better than ever,” says Linda Piper, events coordinator for the city of Gainesville. According to Linda, the Downtown Festival and Art show is ranked the 27th best fine arts festival in the nation.

She says more than 600 artists applied to showcase their art in the festival and ultimately, artists were selected based on originality and technical expertise. In addition to the artwork, the festival showcases several local bands and entertainers on one of three stages set up in the area.

The free festival will continue today, Nov. 15, until 5pm.

—Elizabeth Behrman

Get Down Downtown

Kick off the Downtown Festival & Art Show weekend by checking out the Friday night Downtown Blues Festival tonight, Nov. 13. Performing this year is Janiva Magness, winner of the 2006 and 2007 Blues Music Awards for Best Contemporary Female Artist Of The Year., The free concert is at the Downtown Bo Diddley Community Plaza and will feature performances by local, regional and national musicians.

The next morning, attend the Downtown Festival & Art show—a nationally recognized event that Sunshine Artist magazine ranked the Festival No. 27 on a list of the best outdoor street festivals in the nation. Celebrating its 28th year, the 2009 festival (presented by the City of Gainesville Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs) offers visitors the opportunity to meet exhibiting artists, sample fine cuisine and enjoy live entertainment.

From 10am to 5pm, the streets of downtown Gainesville will be transformed into a celebration of artwork from more than 250 artists showcasing oils and acrylics, watercolors, jewelry, sculptures and photography. Children can spend the day in the children’s area, where they will be immersed in art and creativity in the Imagination Station. Near the Hippodrome Theatre, more than 30 non-profits will have booths providing information about the community. Dozens of vendors will offer food from around the world, including Thai shish-ka-bobs, Greek gyros, Cajun jambalaya and more. See gvlculturalaffairs.org for more.

—Kate Ashby

Bear Creek Music & Art Festival this Weekend + WIN FREE TIX

**WIN FREE TIX TODAY! See below.**

Beautiful. Family. Funk. These wriggle into most informed talks about the upcoming Bear Creek Music & Art Festival, a three-day celebration of stimulation in Northern Florida. Sound, sight, touch—you name it, the festival has it. The three-year-old festival will light up the Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park in Live Oak, Fla., Nov. 13 to Nov. 15, with the energy of a predicted 5,000 to 6,000 people from across the country.

“It’s gonna kick ass,” says Paul Levine, who created the festival with the help of partner Lyle Williams and a group of loyal friends they’ve worked with at other festivals for about six years.

(KEEP READING...)

To win free tickets to the festival, e-mail editor@insitegainesville.com or RT our message on Twitter!

Get Punked

Ready to go wild? Music festival The Fest 8 is back for another three days and nights of debauchery that promises to take over downtown Gainesville. Featuring more than 200 bands from Oct. 30 to Nov. 1 playing in more than seven venues, this year will be the biggest Fest ever.

Notable acts include local favorites Liquid Limbs, Averkiou and ex-Umoja Orchestra member Michael Claytor and his Friends. National acts include Seven Seconds, Strike Anywhere and Dillinger Four. But The Fest 8 is not just for punk rockers anymore—it's for everyone who wants to get loose.

Aside from the 24-hour parties, it will feature a flea market appropriately titled the "Fest Dirt Mall" where you can buy handmade arts and crafts, including even a Steve Urkel stenciled toilet seat.

For all the information you could ever need about the Fest 8, check out thefestfl.com. Don't drag your feet, however, as The Fest has a tendency to sell out. Tickets are $60 in advance and $80 weekend of.

—Jon Silman
PHOTO: John Davisson

Alachua County Fair is back. Bring on the funnel cake.

In its 40th year, the Alachua County Fair is better than ever . With new rides and a sharp increase in vendors (from 10 last year to 40 this year), the fair is offering new opportunities for some old-fashioned fun. An ode to old relics, The Alachua County Fair is lined with carnival food stands offering up elephant ears, kettle corn, candy apples and fresh-squeezed lemonade. Still standing are our favorite childhood rides—the Egyptian boat, the tilt-a-whirl and bumper cars. This year saw an increase in kiddie rides as the staff seeks to make the fair more family friendly.

"We want to have something for everyone," says Jesse Lewis, the president and general manager of the fair. "From the smallest kid to the oldest person." This year, the fair might also be the safest yet. The fair ride inspector rated the rides as being among the safest rides he has inspected. To ensure shenanigans are kept at bay, the fair has security patrolling the grounds at all times.

"Our goal is to stop problems before they even happen," Jesse says. "It really is a family event. We want everyone to feel completely safe here."

The Alachua County fair is completely sustained by the 75 to 100 volunteers who staff it, and many of the vendors are local. But it's up to the community to ensure this Gainesville landmark keeps running strong—all you have to do is show up.

"We work on this thing 13 months out of the year," Jesse says. "Our goal is always, come opening day, when everything is all set up and done, to open the gates at 5pm and get people coming in."

Throughout the rest of the week, expect some fun extras, such as adult karaoke tonight (Wed.), the Little Miss and Little Mister Alachua County pageant, nightly entertainment on stage and the ever-popular Midnight Magic Friday, in which fair hours are extended until 3am. On Saturday, the first Oktoberfest will be held at the fair. The festival, a tradition in Germany since 1810, will bring beer, food and Bavarian festivities to the fairgrounds.

Only a $3 (for kids) or $6 (for adults), entrance fee gets you into the park. From there it's just $15 for an armband that gives you access to unlimited enjoyment of the rides. The fair is located at the Alachua County Fairgrounds, 2900 NE 39th Ave. For a full schedule of events visit www.alachuacountyfair.org.

—Stephanie Granada
Photos by Rodney Rogers

Check out a photo slideshow of fairs from past years on our Web site!

Homecoming Weekend: It's Time

T-minus one day until the mother of all pep rallies kicks off. This year promises to be even bigger than last in honor of the stellar graduating seniors from the team. If you haven't run to Lowe's and stocked up on your buckets of orange and blue paints, get there fast.

You won't make it through the weekend bleeding enough O&B to keep up with the rest of the fervent Gator fans otherwise. With Gator Gallop starting at 11:15am, followed by the three-hour Homecoming Parade at noon and Gator Growl at 7pm, tomorrow promises to be a day full of Gator spirit. The festivities don't end there.

Saturday we continue to get warmed up for the Arkansas game with the Homecoming Carnival (starting two hours before kick off) and an alumni barbecue at noon. The game is set for 3:30pm kickoff, after which we expect plenty of partying and downtown rowdiness - sorry GPD.

In the meantime check out what's in store this weekend with our photo recap of last year's festivities.


--Stephanie Granada; Photos by Rodney Rogers

Get Batty at the Florida Annual Bat Festival

Get in the Halloween spirit while exploring the environmental benefits of bats—yes, you read that right. According to Lubee Bat Conservancy curator Brian Pope, bats play an important role in pollination and seed dispersal. However, bats are highly susceptible to extinction, so the Florida Annual Bat Festival, now in its fifth year, provides education and information about conservation.

Among other things, Lubee houses fruit bats with wingspans of five to six feet, and they will be on display at the festival. Food, drinks and merchandise will also be available at this free event that last year drew more than 1,400 people.

Brian says the event connects with the local community to show what Lubee does.

“Our goal is to make it the premier festival of North Central Florida,” he says.

The festival is tomorrow (Saturday, Oct. 10), from 10:30am to 3:30pm at the Conservancy (1309 NW 192nd Ave.).

—Kate Ashby
PHOTO: Susan Mulder

European Film Series Tells Migrant Struggles

While the European film scene tends to evoke the colorful, quirky Amélie and stunning Life is Beautiful in the minds of Americans, a new free film series aims to shed light on some powerful but lesser-told stories.

Last Monday night (9/21) marked the first of the two-part “Migration in Europe” film series at the Hippodrome with screenings of Spare Parts (Slovenia) and Das Fräulein (Germany/Switzerland), two recent internationally acclaimed works brought to Gainesville by UF’s Center for European Studies as part of their year-long “Engaging Migration in Europe” series of events, presented with support from the Commission of the European Union.

The festival continues at the Hippodrome today (9/28) highlighting ethnic and racial tensions in Europe with free screenings of Inch’Allah Dimanche (France) and Hop (Belgium) at 7 and 9pm.

INCH'ALLAH DIMANCHE
Set in the 1970s, Inch'Allah Dimanche is the story of an Algerian woman, Zouina (Fejria Deliba) who emigrates to France to live with her husband, three children and mother-in-law. It was made in 2001 by French-Algerian director Yamina Benguigui.

Though she suffers physical abuse from her husband and verbal abuse of her mother-in-law, she makes friendships in France that carry her through the abuse and the culture shock and leave her more confident.

HOP
An African teenager named Justin must run from the law and struggle against racism in his white surroundings in this Belgian film directed by Dominique Standaert. Shot in black and white, the film follows Justin as he tries to rescue his father from deportation by aligning with Frans, an anarchist who builds bombs in his home.

For more info, visit thehipp.org. For a full list of “Engaging Migration in Europe” films, lectures and workshops, visit the Center for European Studies' Web site.

—Ashley Spencer, Amelia Marty