Parks, Recreation & Cultural Affairs

There is no fee to visit any of the City's recreation and nature parks. Some of the parks are gated and have different hours of operations. For Nature parks please click here, for Recreation parks, tot lots and facilities please click here.

Historic Days and Medieval Knights

Experience a world of medieval magic, where jousting knights, dancing gypsies and historic heroes mingle with visitors at the 26^th Annual Hoggetowne Medieval Faire. During the last weekend in January and the first weekend in February, on Jan. 28 and 29 and Feb. 4 and 5, the Alachua County Fairgrounds transforms into a medieval marketplace filled with hundreds of artisans and entertainers. A special School Day celebration on Friday, Feb. 3 features half-price ticket sales for all guests.

BUY TICKETS ONLINENOW!
Save time at the gate by purchasing online and enjoy the Faire!
Tickets include a convenience fee and are non-refundable.

May the forest be with you!

Thank you for your interest in the 13^th Annual Air Potato Roundup! Due to overwhelming community response, registration is now closed. However, there are other ways you or your group can help Gainesville’s environment. The Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs offers many other natural resource management volunteer opportunities. Please contact Gary Paul, Volunteer Services Coordinator, at paulga@cityofgainesville.org or (352) 393-8527.

To make a difference in your own yard, please visit http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/node/133 for specific information on the air potato, or visit http://www.fleppc.org to learn about the air potato and other invasive exotics. “Like” us on Facebook: Nature Operations Gainesville, FL.

Catch Spring Fever!! Adult Softball, Gainesville Youth Baseball and Girl's Fast Pitch Softball are now accepting registrations!!

The City of Gainesville Public Recreation and Parks Board plans to recognize those exceptional volunteers who have contributed much of their time and energy to promoting recreational activities throughout Gainesville. Each year, the Board recognizes volunteers with the Albert "Ray" Massey Volunteer Citizen Award. We ask you to help us identify potential nominees for these awards. Click here for details.

Join us in welcoming Mr. Russell Etling as the new Cultural Affairs Programs Coordinator!

On Monday, Nov. 28, the Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs was pleased to welcome the new Cultural Affairs Programs Coordinator, Russell Etling. Etling will supervise the Cultural Affairs staff, and Visual Arts Programs which include the Thomas Center Galleries and the Art in Public Places Trust Programs.
Etling graduated from the Lawrenceville School in N.J., and also with a Fine Arts degree in Theatre Management from the University of Miami, Fla. Etling's early career included work for Walt Disney Productions and the Shaklee Corporation's Incentive Convention Shows. He produced and directed a primetime halftime spectacular for CBS television, promoted stadium concerts, staged numerous major fundraising events and was production manager/lighting director for the legendary singer Perry Como's national concert tours. A member of the Actors' Equity Association since 1980, Etling has produced, stage-managed or appeared in more than 2,500 live performances with many of America's greatest performers.

Etling served as Miami Museum of Science's permanent Executive Director and later as President and CEO (1988-2002). During his tenure, the Museum was accredited by the American Association of Museums (AAM) and grew its budget from $1.8 to $6.5 million. It also became one of the first Affiliates of the Smithsonian Institution, a national leader for training teachers in technology and mentoring low-income, minority youth and a regional resource for threatened and endangered raptor research and rehabilitation of injured birds of prey. Etling has served as an accreditation site review chair and team member for the AAM and as a peer reviewer for the State of Florida's Division of Cultural Affairs and Association of Science-Technology Centers (ASTC). He has been a grant review panelist for the Miami-Dade Department of Cultural Affairs and served on the AAM Subsequent Accreditation Review Advisory Committee.

In the area of institutional advancement, Etling has a long history of fostering partnerships and cultivating support from the public and private sectors. In 2002, he created and managed a major new traveling exhibition featuring a world-class collection of more than 250 artworks and artifacts that had been the personal possession of Napoléon Bonaparte, his family or members of his Imperial Court. The Treasures of NAPOLÉON opened in September 2005 at the prestigious National Geographic Museum in Washington, DC and toured significant venues across the U.S.

Etling has devoted his career to entertaining, educating and inspiring audiences on a variety of platforms and has been active in many professional and civic organizations. He has directed the development and/or presentation of dozens of featured, permanent and traveling exhibitions on art and design, history, archaeology, physical science and natural history. His experiences make him exceptionally qualified to provide leadership to the Cultural Affairs Division.

“Discover Gainesville, Your Daycation Destination!”
Find family-fun in over 60 nature and recreation parks. Explore miles of beautiful hiking trails under the shade of ancient oak trees.
Splash and play in one of three municipal swimming pools that offer open swimming, swimming classes and family-friendly activities.
Have a ball at Ironwood, Gainesville’s newly renovated 18-hole, par-72 championship golf course. Children up to 17 years old play for $5!
Air conditioning and historic architecture await you at the Thomas Center, a former 1920s Mediterranean Revival-style hotel.
As the sun and the outdoor temperature go down, gather the family for a picnic and an evening of free, live music on the Bo Diddley Community Plaza during the Free Fridays Concert Series!

Evergreen Cemetery
"This Wondrous Place" is located at 401 SE 21st Avenue, Gainesville, Florida. Evergreen Cemetery was established in 1856. The City of Gainesville assumed ownership in 1944 and it remains the only municipal cemetery in Gainesville. This historic site also functions as an outdoor museum with stories of local historic developmental importance unfolding at every turn. In addition to the thousands of people to come to Evergreen to attend funerals, the cemetery also attracts visitors with interests in genealogy, tombstone art, photography and native plant material.

The Nature Operations Division develops and conducts environmental education programs for the Alachua County school system, community education classes, nature preschool programs, and weekend and summer programs. Its staff is responsible for the development and operation of the City's Greenways and Greenspace Design including the Hogtown Creek Greenway, nature preserves development, and habitat management.

The Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs maintains a variety of activities that enhance the quality of life in the Gainesville community. The City prides itself on its extensive park system, featuring over 2,600 acres of park land with over 40 active parks, playgrounds, recreation centers, swimming pools, sports facilities, a golf course and more. There is something for all ages and ability in your City Parks. Visit the Recreation Division for more information.

The City of Gainesville greatly prides itself on its cultural and historical roots. The Thomas Center is considered Gainesville’s cultural center. The center is housed in a beautifully restored Mediterranean Revival-style hotel and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It contains art galleries, 1920's period rooms, local history exhibits, performance space, banquet rooms, and meeting rooms. And we host magnificent and exciting special events! Visit our Cultural Affairs Division for more information.

The City of Gainesville's Ironwood Golf Course has a new face, newly redesigned greens focus on making the game more fun for all levels of players, with emphasis on women, juniors and seniors! Last summer, the golf course underwent major renovations and the course now features new tees, greens, fairway drainage, a new driving range and a state-of-the-art irrigation system which helps to conserve water. Ironwood offers four sets of tees for all levels of golfers from novice to expert. Come meet some of the friendly staff and see all that Ironwood has to offer!

Our Mission is to meet the community's need for diverse recreational, cultural, and environmental educational opportunities through professionally managed programs and services, stewardship of natural resources, and maintenance of public landscape. Let us know how we’re doing.

There's something for everyone in your parks. Download the Parks Matrix

The Aquatics Division encourages participation through our swimming programs, special events and activities.