Good morning, Ocala! In today’s edition: Hidden gems in local parks, grand openings at Paddock Market, a Buck Brannaman horsemanship clinic, and more. Let’s get to it!

— Cait Baker

🏆 Most popular this week

Curated by popular demand — here are this week’s most-clicked events, local spots, and stories.

Hidden gems in local parks: From Brick City Adventure Park to Scott Springs and Sholom Park, Ocala offers family-friendly places to gather, play, and explore, with trails, playgrounds, cave access, and spring overlooks — check out the full lineup.

Furry friends need families: Marion County, Florida highlights adoptable animals, including Tessa, Spaghetti, and Haze, available through a name-and-denied initiative to help them find loving homes, with the public encouraged to adopt — meet the adoptable pets.

Top spots for later life: A recent WorldAtlas.com report named Daytona Beach and Palm Coast among Florida’s best places to retire, citing motorsport culture, beaches and outdoor fun. Ocala, Tampa and more also featured — see which cities made it.

Grand openings kick off: The Paddock Market at Ocala’s Paddock Mall is now open in the former Sears space. Expect clothing and retail shops, restaurants, an Amazon resale store, and a Christian bookstore. Early openings include The Attic and Blue Sky Flooring. BSD Capital plans 20 restaurant-ready spaces and 78 vendor booths. See what’s planned inside.

Breaking barriers on the water: Ocala’s Larry Johnson has been recognized for helping reopen opportunities at Silver Springs for a new generation of Black glass-bottom boat captains, honoring the legacy of longtime captain Oscar Collins — read the full story.

Coffee fans take note: Dutch Bros Coffee soft opened in Ocala, and the Six Gun Plaza shop officially opened Jan. 1. The Oregon-based chain listed hours as 5 a.m. to 10 p.m — get hours and location details.

Are you overpaying? The national average for car insurance is around $175 per month. I was paying over $300 for ONE car until I checked out various quotes, switched providers, and ultimately cut my premium in half. If you haven’t checked in a while, you’re probably losing money too — this free comparison tool makes it easy.

Gold & silver are hot: Gold just had it’s best year since 1979. Silver did even better, climbing nearly 150% in 2025… and analysts expect the momentum to continue. If you’re curious about adding precious metals to your portfolio as a market hedge, American Hartford has a helpful guide that covers everything you need to know. It’s free — and definitely worth a read.

A new haircare solution: My hair’s been thinning and I’ve been quietly ignoring it, hoping it’ll fix itself. Plot twist… it hasn’t. When I finally started looking into what I should do, there were so many options I didn’t know where to start. I stumbled on Keranique, and its simplicity really sold me. One kit, no pills, no choosing products, and no confusion whatsoever. It’s also on sale with a money-back guarantee (although I doubt you’ll need it).

📆 Sneak peek at next week

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.

🏆 2025 Student & Emerging Artist Competition: Reception and Award Ceremony @ Ocala City Hall | Monday (1/12) at 7:00 PM – Swing by for the Student and Emerging Artist Competition reception and award ceremony, where Marion County high schoolers and up-and-comers show off what the future looks like in paint, clay, and pixels. Applause optional, proud parents inevitable, bragging rights guaranteed.

⛰ Cross Florida Greenway Trail Adventure @ Headquarters-Ocala Public Library | Tuesday (1/13) at 3:00 PM – Take a smarter, library-led stroll through the Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway with guides Tom Craig and Max Schulman. Expect hidden overlooks, local lore, and the satisfying smugness of actually knowing your oaks, palmettos, and loops. Low drama, high shade, Ocala proud.

🧵 Snips & Stitches Monthly Meet @ Marion County Public Library System | Wednesday (1/14) at 5:00 PM – Ocala’s monthly stitch circle for the craft-obsessed, from cross-stitch and knitting to hand quilting, embroidery, and paper piecing. Bring your current project, trade tips, and enjoy quiet company. No snacks, only lidded water, which does keep the yarn crumb-free.

🐴 Buck Brannaman Horsemanship Clinic @ Florida Horse Park | Friday (1/16) – Buck Brannaman is back in Ocala, holding Foundation and Horsemanship 1 clinics at Florida Horse Park. Whether you’re polishing your seat or just love watching good hands at work, this is the real deal, no gimmicks, just quiet feel and better horses. Details at BrannamanFlorida.com.

🐎 January Barrel Bash @ Southeastern Livestock Pavilion | Friday (1/16) at 2:00 PM – Whether you grew up timing runs or just appreciate a good left turn, this barrel bash brings Futurity, Derby, and Open classes with a sweet $15,000 added. Expect fast horses, tighter turns than your HOA meetings, and plenty of dust, bragging rights, and small-town glory.

🍽 Friday Foodie Fest @ Lake Lillian | Friday (1/16) at 5:00 PM – Skip the kitchen and stroll Lake Lillian for Friday Foodie Fest, where the food trucks handle dinner and you handle the people-watching. Expect local favorites, easy picnic vibes, and plenty of free fun, because sometimes the best plans are the ones you don’t cook.

🎶 S-N-G-B @ Silver Springs Moose Lodge | Friday (1/16) at 6:00 PM – If you’ve been waiting for a sign to dust off your dancing shoes, S-N-G-B is plugging in at the Silver Springs Moose. Expect songs you actually know, cold drinks, friendly faces, and a perfectly scuffed dance floor.

Wanna see more? Browse our full events calendar →

📣 Own or manage a local business?

Meet BaseLocal Business — a free and easy way to get your business happenings in front of our readers.

How it works:

• Sign up (it takes less than 5 minutes)
• We’ll manually verify your business is legit
• Once verified, you’ll be able to share events, news, and special deals with us any time

Everything you share is reviewed, and approved submissions are automatically considered for future newsletters. AKA… your business has a much higher chance of being featured in front of thousands of Ocala locals who live, shop, eat, and share good things with their friends.

We also regularly spotlight verified businesses just because we think they’re great.

Click here to get started (it’s free) →

📻 Ocala report

Weather forecast

Today – High: 82°F – Low: 58°F – Precip: 0%

Areas of fog before 9am. Mostly sunny, with a high near 82. Southwest wind 2 to 6 mph. Later: Patchy fog after 1am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 58. West wind around 3 mph.

—

Tomorrow – High: 70°F – Low: 41°F – Precip: 15%

Patchy fog before 7am, then patchy fog and a slight chance of rain showers between 7am and 1pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 70. Northwest wind 1 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%. Later: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 41. North wind around 8 mph, with gusts as high as 18 mph.

Most popular house this week

Minutes from the World Equestrian Center, this gated 3 acre estate sits beneath live oaks within perimeter fencing. An entry and drive lead to a custom main home and an entertainment barn. Timeless architecture and quiet surroundings set the tone. Attached to the barn, a guest residence suits high end rental, Airbnb income, or multigenerational living.

The insulated barn showcases polished finishes and modern design, ideal for events, gatherings, or creative pursuits. Flexibility grows with optional additional acreage, including acreage with a 1,719 square foot home. Country calm pairs with quick access to Ocala’s equestrian scene, balancing privacy, practicality, prestige, and income potential.

Take a peek inside →