The City of Gainesville Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs Department, in cooperation with the University of Florida (UF) Center for Arts in Medicine and We the People Theatre, and with the support from UF’s Center for the Humanities and the Public Sphere's Rothman Endowment, is pleased to announce Pop-Up Theatre Summer Camp’s Romeo and Juliet. This new program began Monday, July 25 and culminates with a final 30-minute performance, an edited version of William Shakespeare’s immortal Romeo and Juliet, featuring the talent of 24 middle school students. The performance is Friday, Aug. 5, starting at 5 p.m. at the Historic Thomas Center’s outdoor theatre, and is free and open to the public.

Batter up - it’s time for adult softball! Registration for the City of Gainesville Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs Department’s Adult Softball League is open until Thursday, Sept. 1. Teams can play on a Monday Men’s League or Tuesday and Friday Coed Leagues. Joining a softball league is a great opportunity for office workers, church groups and other organizations to network, have fun and meet new friends!

The Hard Luck Society plays at the “Free Fridays” Friday, Aug. 5 from 8-10 p.m. The Hard Luck Society features Dan Stepp on guitar and vocals, Matt Shaffer on upright bass, Andrew Cook on violin and David Cook on pedal steel, dobro, piano and accordion. In 2014, they released their first album, titled “Please Break My Heart One More Time,” that features all original material and draws inspiration from classic country, early jazz, western swing, rockabilly, Bob Dylan, Tom Waits and others.

Roots reggae band The Irie Ones (formerly Iration) plays at “Free Fridays” Friday, July 29 from 8-10 p.m. at the Bo Diddley Plaza.

The “Free Fridays” concert series features the jazz band R&E’s Army Friday, July 22 at 8 p.m. at the Bo Diddley Plaza. R&E’s Army is a local jazz quartet that includes Richy Stano (electric guitar), Elio Piedra (drums/percussion), Delorean Fullington (bass guitar) and Zach Chester (keyboards).

The City of Gainesville Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs Department, in cooperation with Shakerag Culture Center, Inc., is pleased to announce the final Jewel Box Summer Concert at the Historic Thomas Center. The summer series concludes Friday, July 22 at 7:30 p.m. featuring the Lonesome River Band. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., and the concert starts at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $20 at the door the day of the show (cash or check only).

Want to test your personal best? Stride your way to new athletic goals with the 2016 Gainesville Biathlon Challenge. The fourth race of the 2016 Gainesville Biathlon Challenge is Saturday, July 16 at the Dwight H. Hunter (Northeast) Pool, located at 1100 NE 14th St.

Want to test your personal best? Stride your way to new athletic goals with the 2016 Gainesville Biathlon Challenge. The fourth race of the 2016 Gainesville Biathlon Challenge is Saturday, July 16 at the Dwight H. Hunter (Northeast) Pool, located at 1100 NE 14th St.

The Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs Department, in cooperation with Shakerag Culture Center, Inc., is pleased to announce the next Jewel Box Summer Concerts at the Historic Thomas Center. The next concert in the series is Friday, July 15 at 7:30 p.m. featuring the Claire Lynch Band. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., and the concert starts at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $20 at the door the day of the show (cash or check only).

As part of the City of Gainesville, Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs Department, Nature Operation’s routine land management practices, a prescribed burn is scheduled for today, weather and site conditions permitting, at Morningside Nature Center, 3540 East University Avenue, beginning at 10:00 AM and ending before 5:00 P.M. This is an ecological fuel reduction burn, which will be conducted with support from the Florida Forest Service. All public access to the park and living history farm will be prohibited during the burn.