The City of Gainesville Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs Department (PRCA), in partnership with the Neighborhood Housing & Development Corporation (NHDC) and Lowe’s Home Improvement, and with the help of many eager volunteers, will participate in a park cleanup and makeover in celebration of NeighborWorks Week.

A celebration of African-American Music Appreciation Month occurs every Friday night in June at the Bo Diddley Plaza as part of the “Free Fridays” concert series. Inspired by the dream of late local musicians Richard Baxter and Roland Burns, African-American Music Appreciation Month has been celebrated in Gainesville since 1998.

The Living History Farm at Morningside Nature Center is closed to due hazardous conditions. The Barnyard Buddies for May 24 is cancelled. The farm will reopen as soon as the conditions are cleared. We apologize for any inconvenience to our visitors. The rest of the park remains open to the public. Please check back for details or call (352)334-3326 for more information.

The Thomas Center Galleries, in partnership with the National Institute of Urban Art, announce the opening of UNCONTAINABLE | Urban Art from Vandalism to Movement, on Friday, June 9, from 5 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. The exhibit features a collection of work of twenty-six globally recognized urban artists, some of which has never been exhibited previously, and will run from June 9 through September 9, 2017.

The City of Gainesville Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs Department is advising residents and visitors to be especially cautious when visiting local nature parks due to the extremely warm and dry conditions and increased wildfire risk in our region. The danger of wildfires is considered “extreme,” prompting a ban on using grills in city nature parks. Those using grills at recreation parks should be vigilant and watch for any stray sparks or embers.

The Martin Luther King Jr. Recreation Center, located on 1028 NE 14th Street, will remain closed as part of annual maintenance from today, May 11 until Friday, May 26, 2017. The center will reopen on Saturday, May 27, 2017.

The Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs Department is providing an opportunity for interested citizens to give their feedback on future plans for the Kiwanis/Girls Scout Park, which is located at Northwest Eighth Street and Eighth Place. Interested citizens are invited to complete the survey through Monday, May 28, 2017. It may be viewed online at www.surveymonkey.com/r/KiwanisGirlsScout.