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Hey Gainesville, hope your week’s off to a good start!

In today’s wallet-friendly edition: 10 coffee trucks, Escape to Margaritaville, and free RPG day + lots of fun things to do for free.

Today’s sponsor, American Hartford Gold, is helping folks around Gainesville protect their savings as gold and silver continue to gain momentum. Their free guide explains what’s driving the surge… and what to know before adding precious metals to your portfolio. Grab your free copy here.

📰 In the news

Specialty sips and sweets: From a UF grad’s book-themed Book Nook Cafe to a vintage 1976 Airstream pouring classic Opus recipes, a roundup spotlights 10 coffee trucks fueling Gainesville mornings — check out the full lineup.

Tropical musical fun awaits: Jimmy Buffett fans, get ready. Escape to Margaritaville opens at Gainesville Community Playhouse March 20 to April 12 with favorites like Cheeseburger in Paradise, Margaritaville, and It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere — get all the details.

Expanding hope and opportunity: Gainesville nonprofit Anew received a donation of over 10 acres to expand safe housing for trafficking survivors and launch a Creator’s Space for entrepreneurship, with renovation costs expected around $200,000 — see what’s planned next.

Nothing prepares you for a pet emergency: I learned that the hard way after charging $10k to a credit card for life-saving surgery on my cat, Miss Stache. As soon as we got home, I signed up for Spot. It’s super affordable – and reimburses up to 90% of the bill.

Highlights this week:

• Enjoy free rotating community entertainment
• Navigate San Felasco’s new orienteering courses
• Learn African dance, celebrate world music

🫶 We got your back

Pressed and piled high: At The Paper Bag Deli, stacked Boar’s Head sandwiches and melty Cubanos share the spotlight with a French-Toastwich that shouldn’t work but does. Add a house-made pastry or a slice of Colleen’s cheesecake, and your lunch just earned a serious upgrade.

Easy outdoor win: When the week gets loud, Depot Park is the quick reset, with a playground and splash pad for the kids, plus shady paths and wide lawns for you. Loop the conservation area, linger for an impromptu lawn hang, and let Gainesville feel delightfully small again.

Level up playtime: PunkOuter Games has shelves that make kids and grown-up kids light up, with Magic, Pokémon, Yu‑Gi‑Oh!, and Warhammer bits, plus roomy tables you can reserve for real game nights. When the week needs a low‑tech reset, this spot delivers pure, analog fun.

Why your last diet didn’t work: Sustained weight loss is nearly impossible with diet alone. Your body literally fights back by making you hungrier the moment you start restricting calories. That’s why more doctors are recommending GLP-1s. The best part? Getting them has never been easier. We compared three programs to help you find the right fit. See which ones stood out →

Your data is for sale right now: There are over 400 websites selling your info to marketers, political campaigns, and scammers. They’ve got your phone number, home address, relatives’ names… you name it. That’s how robocallers seem to know everything about you before you pick up. You can remove your info one site at a time, or pay a service to do it for you. Here’s what we recommend →

📆 Free events worth checking out

Have an event to share? BaseLocal Verified Businesses can submit them for free! Learn more about how to submit an event here →

All events are subject to change without notice. Always check official event pages for the most up to date information.

🎭 Community Improv @ Limelight | Tuesday (3/10) at 6:45 PM – Think your quick wit retired when the kids left for college? This free, weekly improv meetup at Limelight Suite 11 welcomes anyone 18 and up to play, meet neighbors, and laugh hard enough to forget email, errands, and the group text that never ends.

🐦 Alachua Audubon Bird Walk @ Sweetwater Wetlands Park | Wednesday (3/11) at 8:30 AM – Think you can tell a limpkin from a heron before coffee? Tag along with Alachua Audubon at Sweetwater Wetlands for a stroll through our premier hotspot, free with $5 park admission, binoculars on loan, all levels welcome, no judgment for pointing, squinting, and bird puns.

🎭 Community Nights @ Heartwood Soundstage | Wednesday (3/11) at 6:00 PM – Wednesday nights at South Main Station are for free community hangouts, with a rotating lineup from live jazz to karaoke to talented teens reminding us we peaked in ’98. Catch up with neighbors, enjoy the show, and still make it home at a respectable hour.

🧠 Pop Culture Trivia @ V Pizza | Wednesday (3/11) at 7:00 PM – Pop culture trivia is taking over V Pizza with free, weekly rounds from Trivia Nation and $100 in prizes. Bring your crew, or join one on arrival, and prove those 80s, 90s, and 2000s memories weren’t wasted while the pies, and maybe your dignity, disappear.

💃 Disco Night—Swing Dance @ Rosa B Williams Center | Thursday (3/12) at 7:30 PM – Dust off those hips and hit Rosa B. Williams Center for free disco swing in an air-conditioned hall. Beginner lessons, no partner needed, funky beats, and forgiving floors for two left feet. Expect an inclusive crowd, smiles, and enough glitter to brighten your week.

🥕 Market on Main @ Skinner Field Park (Alachua) | Saturday (3/14) at 9:00 AM – Swing by Skinner Park for Market on Main, Alachua’s new weekly mix of farm-fresh finds, local makers, and small-town catch-ups. Saturday mornings in cooler months, Friday summer nights with Levitt AMP tunes. Expect fresh veggies, coffee, that inevitable chat with your kid’s teacher, and pastries.

🎲 Free RPG Day! @ PunkOuter Games | Saturday (3/14) at 10:00 AM – Swing by PunkOuter Games for Free RPG Day, a Saturday hangout with one-shot adventures from Pathfinder, D&D Adventurers League, and indie gems. Beginners and veterans 16-plus are welcome, seats are limited and first come, first served, rolling dice with strangers counts as self care.

Wanna see more? Browse our full events calendar →

📻 Gainesville report

Weather forecast

Today – High: 90°F – Low: 63°F – Precip: 6%

Areas of fog before 8am. Mostly sunny, with a high near 90. Southwest wind 0 to 6 mph. Later: Mostly clear. Low around 63, with temperatures rising to around 65 overnight. Southwest wind 1 to 5 mph.

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Tomorrow – High: 91°F – Low: 64°F – Precip: 2%

Mostly sunny. High near 91, with temperatures falling to around 90 in the afternoon. South wind 2 to 9 mph. Later: Mostly cloudy. Low around 64, with temperatures rising to around 66 overnight. Southwest wind 2 to 8 mph.

Are you quietly overpaying for car insurance? 🚗

Premiums have been climbing across Florida but most folks won’t notice until they’re hit with a higher bill when it’s time to renew.

That’s exactly what happened to me. I had the same policy for half a decade. Autopay was on, it was out of sight and out of mind. Turns out I was blindly paying way more than everyone else I knew.

If you haven’t checked in a while, you’re probably overpaying too – here’s the comparison tool I used.

This house is wild

This 4-bed, 3.5-bath estate in gated San Felasco Estates sits on a 1+ acre corner lot. A fenced backyard shines with a pool, spa, covered patio, paver deck, and a striking upright wood-burning fireplace. Inside, a bright great room and chef’s kitchen anchor the plan. A three-car garage with bonus room, two tankless heaters, and 2021 AC add serious convenience.

Take a peek inside →