Over 1000 listings of kids activities around Gainesville
Inside This Edition Winter Break Camp Giveaway Family Events Holiday Shows Holiday Concerts Places to See Santa Holiday Lights Christmas Tree Farms Winter Break Camps Library Programs Story Times Ongoing Programs and Classes Restaurant Fun Kids Eat Cheap/ Free Nights At the Movies
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December 2012 Family Events M Tue Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
Sun
Gainesville Plaza Ice Palace 12/3—1/13 Winter Wonderland 11/23—1/6
30 4H Holiday Gift Workshop Agbedidi Dance Alachua Tree Lighting Gainesville Community Nativity Festival Riders in the Sky Starry Night Stellar Madrigals Tioga Town Center Holidays
1 A.C.E.S. Winter Carnival Agbedidi Dance Chiefland Christmas Festival Christmas on the Square Dudley Farm Cane Day Gainesville Community Nativity Festival Gainesville EcoTour Hike Gainesville Holiday Tree Lighting Literacy Carnival Paynes Prairie Family Birding Program Synchro Gainesville Breakfast Williston Christmas Parade
2 Special Olympics Culminating Event Gainesville Community Nativity Festival Gainesville EcoTour Hike Haile Homestead Holidays
3
4
5 UF Robotics Demos
6 Harn Homeschool Program Kids Night at the Attic Just Between Friends Sale
7 Christmas on Main Street in Trenton Haile Homestead Candlelight Tours Just Between Friends Sale Light the Village Night NFRMC Pond Lighting
8 Alachua Christmas Parade Christmas in the Park Christmas Party at the Learning Path Dudley Kids Hawthorne Christmas Festival High Springs Christmas Parade Holiday Cruz-In Just Between Friends Sale Lake City Winter Family Fun Day Merry Melrose Parade /Craft Fest UF Gator Baseball Camp
9 Just Between Friends Sale Magnolia Farms Family Day
10
11
12 Mommy and Me on stage Winter in the Wild Anna Moo Program
13 Harn Museum Night Winter in the Wild
14 Coon Hollo Christmas Lake City Holiday Crafts Bazaar Sun Country Family Fun Night
15 Coon Hollo Christmas Lake City Holiday Crafts Bazaar Christmas for Kids Gainesville EcoTour Hike LifeSouth’s Operation Santa Delivery Newberry Festival of Lights Reindeer Run Santa Dash Shakerag Family Christmas Sugar Plum Tea UF Gator Softball Winter Camps Yoga Workshop for ADHD kids
16 Coon Hollo Christmas Gainesville EcoTour Hike Lake City Holiday Crafts Bazaar Faith Presbyterian Living Nativity
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22 EARS Animal Sanctuary Tour Gainesville EcoTour Hike
23 Gainesville EcoTour Hike Trinity UMC Living Nativity
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29 EARS Animal Sanctuary Tour
30
31
Holiday Shows— page 8 | Holiday Concerts— page 10 | Places to see Santa—page 12 | Holiday Lights— page 14
Holiday Shows
A Tuna Christmas playing at the Hippodrome: 11/23—12/23 A Christmas Carol playing at the Hippodrome: 11/24 – 12/22 White Christmas playing at the Gainesville Community Playhouse: 11/23 - 12/23 Peter Pan and Wendy playing at P.K. Yonge Performing Arts Center: 11/29 - 12/2 Black Nativity: A Gospel Play playing at the Actor’s Warehouse 11/30—12/9 Christmas Belles playing at High Springs Community Theater: 11/30 – 12/16 Gainesville Christmas Festival playing at Westside Baptist Church: 11/30 – 12/9 How to Eat Like a Child presented by Musical Me Theater playing at GHS 11/30 – 12/2 A Children’s Holiday playing at Santa Fe College Fine Arts Hall: 12/1 Boar’s Head Festival playing at First Lutheran of Gainesville: 12/7 and 12/9 Christmas Circus Spectacular playing at the Equestrian Complex in Ocala 12/8 and 12/9 Cinderella performed by Danscompany playing at the Phillips Center: 12/8 Sleeping Beauty and the Saving Prince performed by Doxa Dance Company 12/8 The Nutcracker performed by Dance Alive playing at the Phillips Center: 12/14—12/31 The Little Match Girl performed by the Gainesville Ballet Theatre 12/19—12/22
Holiday Concerts Tioga Town Center Holidays: 11/30, 12/1, 12/7, 12/8, 12/14, 12/15 Gainesville Youth Chorus Holiday Concert playing at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church 12/1 Jingle Bell Choir at the Oaks Mall 12/1 and 12/15 Sounds of the Season playing at The Phillips Center 12/2 UF Carillon Recital playing downtown Gainesville 12/2 Christmas with the Annie Moses Band playing at Trinity UMC 12/5 Christmas Concert playing at First Baptist Church of Alachua 12/8 and 12/9 Handel’s Messiah Concert playing at UF University Auditorium 12/8 Winter Solstice Concert playing at UU Fellowship 12/8 Alachua County Youth Orchestra Holiday Concert playing at the Phillips Center 12/9 Holiday Traditions: A Musical Celebration playing at the Phillips Center 12/9 Lessons and Carols playing at United Church of Gainesville 12/9 Christmas Cantata playing at Trinity UMC 12/12 Gainesville Pops Holiday Concert playing at First United Methodist Church 12/15 Holiday Harmonies playing at Santa Fe College Fine Arts Hall 12/15 Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols playing at First Presbyterian Church 12/16 Gainesville Community Band Bright Christmas Concert playing at SFC Fine Arts Hall 12/16
Places to See Santa Operation Letters to Santa through 12/13 Santa at the Oaks Mall through—12/24 Festival of Lights at Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center 11/30—12/30 Winter Wonderland in St. Augustine through 1/6 City of Alachua Tree Lighting 11/30 Tioga Town Center Holidays: 11/30 Gainesville Christmas Festival playing at Westside Baptist Church: 11/30 – 12/9 Christmas on the Square in Live Oak 12/1 Holiday Tree Lighting at the Thomas Center 12/1 Suwannee Lights at Suwannee Music Park 12/1—12/24 Light Up the Village Night at Haile Plantation Village Center 12/7 Pond Lighting at North Florida Regional Medical Center 12/7 Alachua Christmas Parade 12/8 Bouncin’ Big Cookies and Cocoa with Santa 12/8 Chick-fil-A Breakfast with Santa 12/8 Christmas Circus Spectacular 12/8 and 12/9 Christmas in the Park 12/8 Christmas Party at the Learning Path 12/8 Hawthorne Christmas Festival 12/8 Holiday Cruz-In and Food Drive 12/8 Lake City Winter Family Fun Day 12/8 Merry Melrose Parade and Craft Festival 12/8 Photos with Santa at Saint Leo University 12/8 High Springs Branch Library Santa Extravanganza 12/11 Millhopper Branch Library Meet Santa Event 12/12 Coon Hollo Christmas 12/13—12/16 Lake City Holiday Crafts and Bazaar 12/14—12/16 Silver Springs Festival of Lights 12/14—12/31 LifeSouth’s Operation Santa Delivery 12/15 Newberry Festival of Lights 12/15 Santa Dash 12/15 Shakerag Family Christmas 12/15
Holiday Lights Festival of Lights at Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center 11/30—12/30 Cedar Key Christmas 11/23—12/24 Winter Wonderland in St. Augustine through 1/6 City of Alachua Tree Lighting 11/30 Tioga Town Center Holidays: 11/30 Chiefland Christmas Festival 12/1 Holiday Tree Lighting at the Thomas Center 12/1 Suwannee Lights at Suwannee Music Park 12/1—12/24 Christmas on Main Street in Trenton 12/7 Light Up the Village Night at Haile Plantation Village Center 12/7 Pond Lighting at North Florida Regional Medical Center 12/7 Alachua Christmas Parade 12/8 Christmas at Coon Hollo 12/13—12/16 Silver Springs Festival of Lights 12/14—12/31 Newberry Festival of Lights 12/15
Christmas Tree Farms BK Cedars in Alachua Gibbs Christmas Tree Farm in Citra Kandy Kane Christmas Treeland in Anthony Neilson’s Christmas Tree Farm in Trenton Unicorn Hill Christmas Tree Farm in Gainesville
Winter Break Camps December 20th & 21st
December 26th—28th
Camp Good News
X
X
City of Gainesville Dreamstone Farm
X
X
X
x
X
X
X
x
Elite Pro Ball
December 31st & January 2nd
Half Day
Full Day
x
X + 29th
x X
X
X
X
Florida Museum of Natural History
X
French, Fun Food and Foreign Languages
X
X
Girl’s Place
X
X
Harn Museum Madonna’s Equestrian Academy
X X
X
X (+3rd and 4th)
x
O2BKids
X X
X X
X (2nd only) X
x x
Star Martial Arts
X
X
X
Sun Country Sports Center
X
X
X (2nd only
YMCA
X
X
X
Skate Station Funworks
x x
X
X X
X x
December 2012 Mon
Tue
Library Programs Wed
Thu
Fri
Color Code Guide: Alachua
Sat
Sun
Archer Cone Park Hawthorne Headquarters High Springs Library Partnership Micanopy Millhopper Newberry Tower Road Waldo
1 Musikgarten 11AM
2 Kidding Around Yoga 2PM
3 Decorate the Tree 3:30PM Yu-Gi-Oh 4PM Wii Gaming 4:30PM
4 Homework Help 3:30PM Beading w/Avalon 3:30PM Penguin Craft 3:30PM Wii Fun 3:30PM Lego Club 4PM
5 6 Jack and the Beanstalk Puppet Show 11AM Tonewood Family Music 1:30PM PreTeen Book / Craft Club 2PM Internet Safety 3PM Wii Gaming 3:30PM
7
8 ContARTE 10:30AM The Hobbit Movie Marathon All Day
9 Holiday Craft 2PM
10 Yu-Gi-Oh 4PM Winter Wonderland Crafts 4PM
11 Santa Extravanganza 2:30PM Homework Help 3:30PM Lego Club 4PM
12 Literacy Tutoring 1PM PreTeen Book / Craft Club 2PM Wii Gaming 3:30PM Girls Tea Party 3:30PM Meet Santa 6:30PM
14 Monkey Day 3:30PM
15 Baby & Toddler Yoga 11AM Game Day 2PM
16
17 Yu-Gi-Oh 4PM
18 Homework Help 3:30PM Beading w/Avalon 3:30PM Lego Club 4PM Holiday Origami 4PM
19 20 Gingerbread House Contest 1PM Literacy Tutoring 1PM Tonewood Family Music 1:30PM PreTeen Book / Craft Club 2PM Wii Game Day 3:15 Wii Gaming 3:30PM
21 22 BINGO Puppet Man and 3:30PM Storybook Lady 11AM
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26 Harry Potter Movie Marathon 12PM - 5PM Literacy Tutoring 1PM PreTeen Book and Craft Club 2PM Wii Gaming 3:30PM
28 29 Harry Harry Potter Movie Potter Marathon 12PM - 5PM Movie Marathon 12PM 5PM
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31 Miss Mallory’s Favorite Books of 2012 10:30AM
CLOSED
13 Arts & Crafts 4PM
27 Harry Potter Movie Marathon 12PM 5PM
Click HERE to go straight to the Events Calendar on the Alachua County Library website. Movies at the Library: page 24
Story Times Tuesdays
Wednesdays
Thursdays
Fridays
Library Partnership
Cone Park
Hawthorne
PJ Tot Shabbat
9:30AM
10AM
10AM
9:30AM
High Springs
Learning Path
Milhopper
11AM
10:30 (RSVP PLEASE)
10:30AM
Tower Road
Headquarters
Headquarters
10:30 9/19 (Bilingual)
10:30AM
Millhopper
Alachua
11AM— 12/5 & 12/19
11AM
10:30AM & 7:00PM 12/11
Chick-Fil A Archer Rd. 5:30PM 2nd Tuesdays
Sundays Contadores de Estorias 3:30PM—once a mnonth
Newberry 11AM
Micanopy 11:30AM
On-Going Programs & Classes Mondays
Thursdays
Saturdays
Every Monday
Every Thursday
Every Saturday
Homeschoolers Park Day Yopp Creative Kids Mornings
O2BKids Morning Magic Bilingual Enrichment for Preschoolers Yopp Creative Kids Mornings
O2BKids Morning Magic Corks N Colors Family Art Class French Club Living History Days Planetarium Kids Matinee Michael’s Kids Craft Events Mill Creek Farm Retirement Home for Horses Skate Station Skating Lessons
Every other Monday Art Classes with Jane Gravois
Second Thursday Harn Museum Night
First and Third Thursday Skate Station Roller Skating Playdate
Tuesdays
Home Depot Kids Workshop Kanapaha Botanical Gardens Guided Tour
Every Tuesday O2BKids Morning Magic Sun Country Stay and Play Bilingual Enrichment for Preschoolers Chick-fil-A Family Night Yopp Creative Kids Mornings
Last Tuesday Tot Time at the Harn
Fridays Every Friday O2BKids Parents Night Out PJ Library Tot Shabbat Sun Country Stay and Play Yopp Creative Kids Mornings
First Friday
Wednesdays Every Wednesday Barnyard Buddies (Sept—May only) Eco Tour Environmental Hike O2BKids Morning Magic Yopp Creative Kids Mornings Dudley Farm Craft Workshop (Oct-July)
Third Wednesday Loga Springs Play Therapy Seminar
First Saturday
Second Saturday Hogtown Reptile Shop Children’s Program Lowe’s Build and Grow Clinic Dudley Kids
Third Saturday Family Fishing Day Old Time Dance at O’Leno Park
Fourth Saturday Lowe’s Build and Grow Clinic
Feed-a-Frog Friday (Sept—May only) Sun Country Little Lunchers Tot Time at the Harn
Second Friday Sun Country Family Night Movies on the Square
Sundays Every Sunday Family Fun Shoot
Third Friday Trinity UMC Parents Night Out
Second Sunday
Fourth Friday
Gainesville Hoola Hoop Jam Lowe’s Build and Grow Clinic
YMCA FridayFun Night
Fourth Sunday Lowe’s Build and Grow Clinic
Click HERE to go to the Ongoing Programs page on the website.
Library
Cade Museum
Turn to page 20 for library programs
Click HERE to see this month’s programs
Restaurant Fun Magic Mike Beef O’Brady’s on 43rd St: Tuesdays 5:30-8:30 Sonny’s BBQ on Archer Road: Mondays 5:30-8:30 Moe’s on Newberry Rd: Sundays 12-3
Space Walk of Gainesville Beef O’Brady’s on Archer Road: Tuesdays 5-8PM
Cody’s Roadhouse Monday Nights Magician performs tableside
Chick Fil-A Fun Nights Tuesday Nights: Arts & Crafts, Games and Entertainment
Gator’s Dockside Tuesday Nights Clown / Balloon Artist
Texas Roadhouse Tuesday Nights Arts & Crafts, Entertainment, Games, and Prizes and Andy the Armadillo
Mexico Lindo Tuesday Nights : Mariachi Band
Kids Eat Cheap Sundays
Tuesdays
Wednesdays
Mamma Mia Kids 9 and under eat FREE at buffet w/ adult purchase
Beef O'Brady's - Kids 12 and under eat FREE with adult purchase /Dine In Only from 4 - 8pm
Applebee’s – Kids eat for .99 price w/ adult purchase
Steak and Shake - Kids 12 and under eat FREE with purchase of adult meal Stevi B’s Kids eat for .99 at the buffet after 4 pm
Cody’s Original Steakhouse Kids 10 and under eat FREE with adult purchase
Haile Village Bistro - Kids eat FREE Gainesville Ale House - Kids 12 and under eat FREE with purchase of adult meal
Mondays Bubbaque’s—Kids 8 and under eat FREE with paying adult Cody’s Original Steakhouse -Kids 10 and under eat FREE with adult purchase David's Real Pit BBQ - One FREE kid's meal with one adult meal purchased
Blue Highway Pizzeria—Kids eat for $1 with adult purchase of pizza or pasta 4-7PM
Gator’s Dockside - Kids under 12 years of age, l child per adult eat FREE / 6:00-8:30 PM I Love NY Pizza in Haile—Kids 10 and under eat free with adult purchase Kazbor's Grille - Kids 10 and under eat FREE with adult purchase Texas Roadhouse - Kids 12 and under eat for $.99 with adult purchase / 4 8pm
Newberry’s Backyard BBQ—$1.50 Kids meals with adult purchase Pazza Bistro—.99 Kids meals for kids 10 and under with adult purchase
Mamma Mia Kids 9 and under eat FREE at buffet w/ adult purchase O!O Tapas and Tinis—Kids eat free off the kids menu with adult purchase Sisters—Kids eat free off the kids menu with adult purchase. Zaxby’s - 2 kids meals for $.99 with adult purchase
Thursdays Piccadilly Restaurants - .99 Kid's Meals and $1.99 Big Kids meals / All day Thursdays /11-4 on Saturdays
Fridays Burger King—Kids eat for .99 with adult purchase
Every Day Crispers - Kids 12 and under eat for .99 when wearing Kids Club t-shirt IHOP - Kids 12 and under eat FREE with purchase of adult meal / 4 -10pm
Saturdays Piccadilly Restaurants - .99 Kid's Meals and $1.99 Big Kids meals / All day Thursdays /11-4 on Saturdays Steak and Shake - Kids 12 and under eat FREE with purchase of adult meal
At the Movies Free Movies at the Library Every Monday 4PM / Headquarters Every Wednesday 3PM / Newberry Every Thursday 3:30PM / High Springs December 1st 1PM / Tower Road December 1st 2PM / Millhopper December 4th 3:30PM / High Springs December 16th 2PM / Micanopy
Click HERE for current show times