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Join the Office of Equal Opportunity for its Dismantling Prejudices & Biases Initiative: Dessert & Dialogue, as attendees continue the discussion with part three (of seven), “Becoming American.”

Downtown Gainesville is in the midst of a colorful transformation and entering a new phase of its cultural renaissance. 352walls/The Gainesville Urban Art Initiative features the work of 13 renowned international muralists and 13 of the region’s best artists as well. The 352walls experience began Friday, Oct. 30 and runs through Wednesday, Nov. 25, and resumes again in January 2016.

The Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs Department (PRCA) is pleased to offer a free basketball clinic with the coaching staff from the Eastside High School basketball team at the Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK) Multipurpose Center. The clinics are open to everyone, and are a great opportunity for those wishing to participate in PRCA’s Youth Coed Basketball league and hone in their skills.

On Saturday, Dec. 5, the City of Gainesville Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs Department is hosting its annual Holiday Tree Lighting Celebration at the Historic Thomas Center. Gainesville Mayor Ed Braddy will be on hand to welcome citizens and call for the giant tree to be lit.

The free program will run from 6-8 p.m., and will feature caroling by the Singers of the Reformation and the Gainesville Harmony Show Chorus, as well as holiday music on the hammered dulcimer and autoharp by Jim and Joyce Lillquist of the Gypsy Guerrilla Band. Santa will also be on hand to visit with the children. Light refreshments will be served.

The heart of the celebration is the holiday decorations on the giant tree and around the building, which are annually provided by the Thomas Center Associates.

The carriage rides traditionally provided by the Duck Pond Neighborhood Association during the event will not be available this year due to the lack of a suitable vendor to provide the service.

For more information on the Holiday Tree Lighting Celebration, or to schedule an interview, please contact David Ballard at 352-393-8746. 

In observance of the Thanksgiving holiday, city offices will be closed Thursday, Nov. 26 and Friday, Nov. 27. Residential curbside collection service for solid waste, recycling and yard trash normally scheduled for Thursday will be delayed until Friday. That is the only collection day that will be affected. All bus and paratransit service will be suspended Thanksgiving Day; however, RTS will provide limited bus service Friday, Nov. 27. Routes 1, 2, 5, 8, 11, 13, 15, 16, 20, 26 and 35 will run between 7:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. All other routes will be suspended.

The "City Manager’s Biweekly Report to the City Commission" provides information about significant upcoming activities, projects, and meetings in the City of Gainesville over the course of the next two to three weeks. In addition to brief descriptions on each of the upcoming activities, you can click on hyperlinks for more information regarding the presented topic. The November 19-December 2 edition is now available.

Santa knows good character is the best gift and he wants to hear what that means to our community’s children! The City of Gainesville Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs (PRCA) is collecting letters through Operation Letters to Santa this year for all children in kindergarten through third grade (or any child that still “believes”). This is a free program and is open to all Gainesville residents. Letters must be postmarked or received by Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2015. The PRCA “elves” will help Santa read and respond to each letter.

The Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs Department and the Friends of Nature Parks present the Annual Cane Boil & FiddleFest at Morningside Nature Center Saturday, Nov. 28, from 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

The Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs (PRCA) Department wishes to honor our veterans and the Veterans Day holiday by offering free admission to all visitors at Sweetwater Wetlands Park Wednesday, Nov. 11. Guests are invited to enjoy the holiday at the park, which contains three miles of trails and boardwalks, and offers spectacular wildlife watching opportunities. Sweetwater Wetlands Park is not only a place to connect with nature; it is also a way to protect our environment.

The City Beautification Board, together with the City of Gainesville Planning and Development Services and Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs Departments, are hosting the annual 2015 Urban Forestry Workshop. The workshop is free and takes place on Wednesday, Dec. 2 from 3-6:30 p.m. at Ironwood Golf Course, which is located at 2100 NE 39th Ave. in Gainesville.