Culture
Festivals
In Marion County festivals are always in
season. Throughout the year more than 250 civic clubs and organizations
 promote festivals
celebrating the cultural variety of Marion County. Major annual events
include: "God and Country Day"; the Chamber of Commerce’s Christmas
Parade; Ocali-Fest; Light-Up Ocala; Brick City Days commemorating the
city’s rebirth in red brick following a devastating fire; the McIntosh
1890 Festival; Boomtown Days in Dunnellon; Belleview Founder’s Day and
other smaller festivals and events. The importance of agriculture is
recognized through other events such as the Southeastern Youth Fair;
Florida Equestrian Classic; the Shriners’ Rodeo, the Professional Pro
Rodeo and many breed-specific horse shows annually. To learn more about
the Equestrian Events check the link Horses above.
Ocala is home to many special events such as
the Ocala Scottish games & Iris Feis which brings local and international
visitors to watch, listen and participate in performances of Celtic music
and dancing. The event offers a gathering of the Clans; a grand parade;
athletic events; Scottish Highland Dancing; Irish Step Dancing; piping and
drumming competitions; Clydesdale draft horses and much more.
The Ocala Civic Theatre
Since 1950, Ocala has had its own community
theatre which is the second largest in the state. The Ocala Civic Theatre
offers live, professional-quality musical and dramatic productions. Each
year 44,000 people attended at least one Civic Theatre show. The theatre
also has a youth program, a program for seniors, and shows by professional
touring companies. They are supported by a enthusiastic volunteer group.
The Appleton
Museum of Art
The crowning jewel in Marion County's
multi-faceted cultural scene is The Appleton Museum of Art, jointly owned
by the Florida State University Foundation, and the Central Florida
Community College Foundation. Located on East
Silver Springs Boulevard and housed in an elegant neo-classical-style
building, the museum is a regional landmark and one of the southeast's
finest cultural assets. The vast permanent collection includes 18th and
19th century academic art from Europe, Canada and the U.S., Pre-Columbian
art, African art, Asian art, and Antiquities. The permanent collection is
complemented by three seasons of important traveling exhibitions each
year. In 1996 the Edith-Marie Appleton wing added a 22,000 square foot
gallery to house traveling exhibitions, making The Appleton one of the
largest art museums in Florida.
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