Happy Friday, Ocala. In today’s edition: Golden Girls tribute show, the Ocala holiday market and food festival, targeted pet aid reducing shelter crowding, and more. Let’s get to it!

— Cait Baker

📰 In the news

Targeted aid reduces litters: Marion County said grants to the Humane Society, Sheltering Hands, and VOCAL funded thousands of spay neuter surgeries, vaccines, and TNR, easing shelter crowding and advancing responsible pet ownership — see what the grants achieved.

Planning for future flows: Marion County commissioners received a Dec. 2 update on southwest wastewater services, as consultants warned the treatment plant is nearing capacity and will require expansion soon amid rapid growth — see what’s planned.

Buyback timeline under review: Ocala City Council members met to discuss the Marion Hotel renovation, including a proposed six-year reverter clause and transfer of city Lot 6, with incentives totaling about $2.89 million — read the full story.

Compare rates for free: The national average for car insurance is around $175 per month. Paying more than that? Same, so I did some shopping around and ended up cutting my premium in half. If you haven’t checked in a while, you’re probably overpaying too — here’s the comparison tool I used.

Identity theft is up 25%: Last year, Americans lost $12.5 billion to ID theft & fraud, and the stories behind those numbers are brutal. My friend just told me his dad’s on his fourth replacement credit card. Other folks have woken up to empty bank accounts or their personal info dumped online after a breach. Aura catches these kinds of attacks early by monitoring for new accounts, weird money movements, leaked data, and other red flags so you’re alerted before things blow up — learn more about it here.

Highlights this week

• Tee off to build homes
• Hunter-jumper thrills at Ocala Holiday Classic
• Celebrate wellness at 55+ holiday expo
• Network, dine, and dance at holiday party
• Celebrate 70 years at Ocala Christmas Parade
• See why December’s the best time to try new hearing aids
• This pet insurance plan reimburses up to 90%

🫶 We got your back

New public safety investment: Marion County Fire Rescue will break ground Tuesday, December 9 at 10 a.m. on MCFR Lowell Station #11 at the Florida State Fire College campus (11655 NW Gainesville Rd.). Built by Ocala-based Dinkins Construction, the station will bolster fire and EMS coverage for Lowell, following Citra Station #2’s opening earlier this year. Get all the details.

New spots to explore: Across Ocala, Gainesville, and Marion County, the 352 added a mix of eats and retail in November. Highlights include a new Lululemon in Gainesville, a French patisserie at Celebration Pointe, and a popular Philly bagel shop near UF. Expect more openings as growth hums along. See the full openings list.

Make it a beer night: Whether you’re craving a Belgian-style sipper or an offbeat brew, Infinite Ale Works keeps the taproom relaxed and the list curated. Born in Ocala in 2014, it champions a “Traditionally Inspired, Infinitely Creative” approach…meaning classic techniques meet playful experimentation, pint after pint.

Thinning hair? Same: I’ve been shedding a lot, and recently noticed my ponytail feeling thinner. After way too much panic-Googling, I decided to take Hers’ online quiz. They recommended a Biotin + Minoxidil green-apple gummy that targets regrowth and overall hair health. The whole thing was surprisingly easy: just verify your identity and a licensed provider signs off. Here’s the quiz if you want to check it out.

Makeup that actually works: My sister and I were talking the other day about how the makeup we used in our 20s… just doesn’t work now that we’re in our 30s and 40s. Laura Geller’s entire makeup line addresses this shift, with formulas that smooth, brighten, and actually stay put. If you’re in the same boat, their curated kits are worth a look.

📆 Around town this weekend

All events are subject to change without notice. This is entirely outside our control. Please check official event pages and social media for the most up to date information.

Today

🕵️ The Dinner Detective True Crime Murder Mystery Dinner Show @ Ocala Golf Club | Friday (12/5) at 7:00pm – Feel like solving a true crime between bites? North America’s biggest interactive murder mystery lands in Ocala, with actors hiding in plain sight, suspects at every table, and your plated dinner, gratuity, and bragging rights included. It’s the Silver Springs rumor mill, only with dessert.

🎨 First Friday Art Walk @ Mutiny Bar | Friday (12/5) at 8:00pm – Make First Friday count and wander the Art Walk, then duck in for a no-cover live set from Thunky Nershal and Field Trip. Good tunes, local vibes, and the satisfying feeling of supporting the scene without opening your wallet.

This weekend

🎉 Festival @ Fort King National Historic Landmark | Saturday (12/6) at 10:00am – Trade your weekend errands for the 1800s at Fort King, where cannon fire passes for live music, and archaeology is the treasure hunt you can actually tell the kids about. Crafts, reenactments, animal programs, artists, authors, the whole shebang. Free admission, plenty of bragging rights.

🎨 Crushed Glass Art Class @ Village Art Workshops | Saturday (12/6) at 10:00am – This hands-on crushed glass workshop lets you play with colorful shards, handpicked shells, and real beach sand to make holiday-worthy pieces. Choose ornaments, framed art, LED plug-in nightlights, free-standing nightlights, or a glowing glass block, then pretend you planned your gifting weeks ago.

💛 Golden Girls The Tribute Show @ Marion Theatre | Saturday (12/6) at 12:00pm – Grab your cheesecake-loving besties for an afternoon of live scenes, big laughs, and all the sass you’d expect from a Golden Girls parody. You’ll play bingo and trivia for prizes, belt out sing-alongs, and snap a few fabulous photos along the way.

🍽️ Ocala Holiday Market & Food Festival @ Southeastern Livestock Pavilion | Sunday (12/7) at 11:00am – Holiday shopping without the mall meltdown. Hit the Ocala Holiday Market for 150+ vendors, arts and crafts, jewelry, real-deal eats, Santa, a kids zone, and door prizes. Knock out gifts, gather remodel ideas, and earn your cocoa, no assembly required.

🎧 A Christmas Extravaganza Market @ Ocala Downtown Market | Sunday (12/7) at 11:00am – Nothing says Ocala Christmas like flurries in 70-degree weather and a free Santa photo, delivered digitally, first come first served. Hit the Downtown Market for 60+ gift vendors, food trucks, and plenty of carols. Free admission, free parking, rain or shine, real cheer.

🎅 A Deaf-Friendly Holiday Event @ Appleton Museum of Art | Sunday (12/7) at 12:00pm – Appleton Museum is going full holiday spirit with an ASL-friendly visit from Signing Santa and Mrs. Claus, free admission, and downloadable photos you will actually print. Bring the kids, or your inner child, then wander the Dickens exhibit, the Community Tree Display, and more.

Next week

⛳ Charity Gold Tournament @ Golden Ocala Golf and Country Club | Monday (12/8) at 7:30am – Swing for good at Golden Ocala, a best ball scramble supporting Pepine Gives and Alachua Habitat to build a home each year. Hole-in-one dreams, longest drive bragging rights, lunch, two drink tickets, and swag, plus the rare mulligan that actually helps the neighborhood.

🚂 Polar Express Dinner & Movie Night @ HearthStone at Wildwood | Tuesday (12/9) at 5:00pm – All aboard for a proper dinner and a movie at HearthStone at Wildwood, with The Polar Express, elegant dishes, and festive décor. Seats are limited, so RSVP before the train leaves the station, then enjoy warm hospitality, neighbors you actually like, and cozy holiday glow.

🎁 Holiday Gift Wrapping Party & Food Drive @ Belleview Community Center | Tuesday (12/9) at 5:00pm – Skip the glitter explosion at home and bring your unwrapped gifts to the Belleview Community Center for free supplies, friendly helpers, and hot cocoa. For each present, toss in a non-perishable to stock the Everyday Church pantry. Low stress, high cheer, very Belleview.

Wanna see more? Browse our full events calendar →

🎶 Live music & entertainment

• 12/5 The Brother’s Jukebox @ Lake Sumter Landing – 5 pm
• 12/5 The Dinner Detective True Crime Murder Mystery Dinner Show @ Ocala Golf Club – 7 pm
• 12/6 The Burial Ground CD @ Mutiny Bar – 8:30 pm
• 12/7 Krista Joy @ Old Mill Playhouse Epic Theatres – 6:30 pm
• 12/13 The Buzzcatz Holly Jolly Christmas @ Orange Blossom Opry – 7 pm
• 12/14 Menagerie: Holidazed and Confused @ Mutiny Bar – 7:30 pm