It’s the holiday season...already! I don’t

know where the fall season went. This

month, enjoy all the holiday lights,

Christmas concerts and shows, and

most of all have fun with your family!

Kathy Stewart

Holiday Events, Santa Photos, Holiday Lights and More!

December

2011

Contact Info For advertising inquiries:

advertising@fun4gatorkids.com

To submit information about events:

kathy@fun4gatorkids.com

Please send comments or questions to:

kathy@fun4gatorkids.com

For more fun ideas on things to do with kids around Gainesville, read Kathy ‘s

articles on Examiner.com

INSIDE THIS ISSUE Kids Events in Alachua County 4

Holiday Events in Alachua County 6

Places to See Santa 8

Holiday Shows 10

Lights, Decorations & Parades 12

Holiday Concerts 14

Kids Events Near Alachua County 16

Winter Break Camps 18

Donations 20

Programs and Classes 22

Library Programs 24

Story Times 25

Fun Around Town 26

Giveaways 28

Restaurant Fun 30

Kids Eat Cheap 31

At the Movies 32

http://www.suncountrysports.com/sunnydaycamp.html

December 2011

Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun

1 JBF Sale

2 JBF Sale

Polar Express Train Show

Soup R Sweet Social

3 Dudley Farm Cane Day

GC Therapy Horses Tea Party

JBF Sale

Minority Health Fair

Polar Express Train Show

4 FLMNH Drums and Dance

JBF Sale

Polar Express Train Show

UF Baseball Winter Camp

This page features all the NON-HOLIDAY EVENTS in December. Turn the

page to see all the holiday related events

5

6 7 8

9 Newberry Rodeo

10 Danscompany’s Cinderella

Doxa Dance Company

Sleeping Beauty

Gainesville-Divine Makeover Project

Newberry Rodeo

UF Volleyball Youth Clinic

11

12 13 14

15

16

17 EARS Family Tour

Once Upon a Giraffe Book Signing

UF Softball Winter Camp

18 UF Softball Winter Camp

19 20 21 22 23 24 25

26 27 28 29 30 EARS Children’s Tour

31 Madonna’s Equestrian Academy

New Year’s Eve Camp

Skate Station’s New Year’s Eve All

Night Skate

Sprout’s Hollywood Red Carpet

New Year’s Eve Party

Kids Events in Alachua County

Giveaways

www.fun4gatorkids.com/deals/giveaways

December 2011

Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun

1

2 First Friday, Toys for Tots

Gainesville Christmas

Festival

GCJB Holiday Concert

Light Up the Village Night

NFRMC Holiday Pond

Lighting

City of Alachua Tree

Lighting

3 Best Christmas Pageant Ever

Breakfast with Santa at Sprout

Breakfast with Santa at CFA

Breakfast with Santa at

Piccadilly Cafeteria

A Children’s Holiday

Gainesville Christmas Festival

GYC Holiday Concert

Holiday Craft Festival

Holiday Tree Lighting

Toys R Us Christmas Kickoff

4 Best Christmas Pageant Ever

Gainesville Christmas Festival

GCB Christmas Concert

Haile Homestead Holidays

Holiday Craft Festival

Sounds of the Season

A Christmas Story at GCP Playing through 12/18

A Christmas Carol at The Hippodrome Playing through 12/17

This Wonderful Life at The Hippodrome Playing through 12/21

It’s a Wonderful Life at High Springs Community Theater

5 SFC Winds’ Holiday

Concert

6 7 8 Archer Tree

Lighting

GCO Holiday

Concert

Singing Into the Holidays

Concert

9 Best Christmas Pageant

Ever

Boar’s Head Festival

Gainesville Christmas

Festival

Haile Homestead

Candlelight Tours

Illumination Celebration

Journey to the Manger

Watch Rudolph with Santa

10 Alachua Christmas Parade

Best Christmas Pageant Ever

Breakfast with Santa at little shop

Gainesville Christmas Festival

Gainesville Pops Concert

Hawthorne Christmas Festival

Holiday Homes Tour

Lessons and Carols

Madrigal

Santa Dash

Santa Photos at Learning Path

Gingerbread House at CFA

Twilight Christmas Parade

11 FBC Live Nativity

Gainesville Christmas Festival

Holiday Traditions Concert

12 13 14 Mommy and

Me Onstage

15 Nutcracker

School Show

16 The Nutcracker

17 Christmas for Kids

Messiah Sing Along

Newberry Christmas Parade

The Nutcracker

Operation Santa Delivery

Sugar Plum Tea

18 Festival of 9 Lessons & Carols

Music for Flutes Concert

The Nutcracker

19 20 21 22 23 TUMC Live Nativity

24 25

26 27 28 29 30

31

Holiday Events in Alachua County

http://www.gcplayhouse.org/

Places to See Santa Oaks Mall through 12/24

Santa’s Village at Sprout Learning Resources through 12/23

Santa on the Square Tu/Th through 12/22

Silver Springs Festival of Lights 12/16 –12/31

Wild Adventures Christmas through 1/1

Winter Wonderland through 1/1

Gainesville Christmas Festival—12/2-12/4 & 12/9-12/11

City of Alachua Tree Lighting 12/2

Light Up the Village Night 12/2

Holiday Pond Lighting at North Florida Regional Medical Center12/2

Breakfast with Santa at Chick-fil-A Oaks Mall 12/3

Breakfast with Santa at Piccadilly Cafeteria 12/3

Breakfast with Santa at Sprout Learning Resources 12/3

Chiefland Christmas Parade 12/3

A Children’s Holiday 12/3

Holiday Tree Lighting 12/3

St. Augustine Christmas Parade 12/3

Suwannee Lights 12/3

Cookies with Santa at Library Partnership 12/7

Archer Tree Lighting 12/8

Breakfast with Santa at the little shop 12/10

Lake City Winter Family Fun Day 12/10

Alachua Christmas Parade 12/10

Hawthorne Christmas Festival 12/10

Merry Melrose Parade 12/10

Santa Dash 12/10

Santa Photos at The Learning Path 12/10

Twilight Christmas Parade 12/10

Santa Extravaganza at High Springs Library 12/13

Visit with Santa at Millhopper Library 12/13

Life South’s Operation Santa Delivery 12/17

Newberry Christmas Parade 12/17

Holiday Shows A Christmas Story at GCP 11/25 - 12/18

This Wonderful Life at The Hippodrome 11/25—12/21

A Christmas Carol at The Hippodrome 11/26—12/17

Gainesville Christmas Festival at Westside Baptist 12/2—12/11

It’s a Wonderful Life at High Springs Community Theater 12/2—12/18

A Children’s Holiday 12/3

Best Christmas Pageant Ever 12/3, 12/4, 12/9, 12/10

Boar’s Head Festival 12/9 & 12/11

Journey to the Manger 12/9

Danscompany’s Production of Cinderella 12/10

Doxa Dance Company Presents Sleeping Beauty 12/10

Faith Presbyterian Church Living Nativity 12/11

The Nutcracker Ballet 12/15—12/18

Trinity UMC’s Live Nativity 12/23

http://www.sfcollege.edu/finearts/

Holiday Lights & Decorations &

Holiday Parades Cedar Key Christmas through 12/12

Disney’s Osborne Family Spectacle of Lights through January 7th

Festival of Lights at Stephen Foster Cultural Center 12/2—12/31

Suwannee Lights 12/3—12/24

Holiday Pond Lights at North Florida Regional Medical Center through 12/24

Silver Springs Festival of Lights 12/16 –12/31

City of Alachua Tree Lighting 12/2

Light Up the Village Night 12/2

Holiday Tree Lighting at the Thomas Center 12/2

Chiefland Christmas and Winter Festival 12/3

St. Augustine Christmas Parade 12/3

Haile Homestead Holidays 12/4

Archer Tree Lighting 12/8

Haile Homestead Candlelight Tours 12/9

Illumination Celebration 12/9

Christmas on Main Street in Trenton 12/9

Alachua Shop, Dine and Stroll 12/9 & 12/16

Light up Williston Christmas Parade 12/9

Alachua Christmas Parade 12/10

Fanning Springs Festival of Lights 12/10

Hawthorne Christmas Festival 12/10

Holiday Homes Tour 12/10

Lake City Christmas Parade 12/10

Merry Melrose Parade 12/10

Twilight Christmas Parade in High Springs 12/10

Newberry Festival of Lights and Christmas Parade 12/17

Holiday Concerts Gainesville Community Jazz Band Holiday Concert 12/2

Gainesville Youth Chorus Holiday Concert 12/3

Gainesville Community Band Holiday Concert 12/4

Nancy Gillespie Harp Concert 12/4

Sounds of the Season 12/4

Santa Fe Winds Holiday Concert 12/5

Anna Moo Holiday Concert 12/6

Harmony for the Holidays with the Gainesville Chamber Orchestra 12/8

Singing into the Holidays Concert 12/8

Gainesville Pops Holiday Concert 12/10

Lessons and Carols Performances 12/10 & 12/11

Madrigal 12/10

Holiday Traditions: A Musical Celebration 12/11

Alachua County Youth Orchestra Concert 12/11

Holiday Concert at the Library 12/16

Messiah Sing Along 12/17

Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols 12/18

Music for Flutes Holiday Concert 12/18

Holiday Events Near Gainesville

ORLANDO Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party through 12/18

Osborne Family Spectacle of Lights through 1/7

Epcot’s Holidays Around the World through 12/30

Sea World’s Christmas Celebration through 12/30

ICE! Featuring Shrek the Halls through 1/2

Kung Fu Panda Awesome SNOW! through 1/2

SOUTH OF ALACHUA COUNTY Silver Springs Festival of Lights In Ocala 12/16 –12/31

Light Up Williston Christmas Parade in Williston 12/9

Fanning Springs Festival of Lights in Fanning Springs 12/10

NORTH OF ALACHUA COUNTY

Wild Adventures Christmas in Valdosta, GA through 1/1

Winter Wonderland in St. Augustine through 1/1

Festival of Lights at Stephen Foster Cultural Center 12/24

Suwannee Lights in Live Oak Through 12/24

Festival of Trees in St. Augustine12/2—12/11

Lake City Winter Family Fun Day in Lake City 12/10

Merry Melrose Parade Arts and Crafts Festival in Melrose 12/10

WEST OF ALACHUA COUNTY

Chiefland Christmas and Winter Festival 12/3

Christmas on Main Street in Trenton 12/9

Cedar Key Christmas through 12/11

http://floridastateparks.org/stephenfoster/events.cfm?viewevent=6594#6594

Winter Break Camps

City of Gainesville Both Weeks

Dreamstone Farm Horseback Riding Camp Both Weeks

Elite Pro Ball Academy Week 1 only

Florida Museum of Natural History Week 2 only

Florida Fencing Academy Both Weeks

French, Fun, Food and Foreign Languages Both Weeks

Gatorball Academy Week 1 only

Girls Place, Inc. Both Weeks

Harn Museum Week 1 only

Jonesville Tennis Center Both Weeks

Madonna’s Equestrian Academy Both Weeks

Skate Station Funworks Both Weeks

Sprout Learning Resources Both Weeks

Sun Country Sports Center Both Weeks

Twin Oaks Stables Both Weeks

World Martial Arts Week 1 Only

YMCA—Northwood Location Both Weeks

YMCA Camp McConnell Both Weeks (Overnight)

Donations Needed

Children’s Coat Drive through 12/6

Storm & Chris Warm & Fuzzy Holiday Jammie Drive through 12/10

Angel Tree Holiday Toy Drive through 12/15

Salvation Army Angel Tree through 12/16

Children’s Home Society Holiday Drive through 12/18

Toys for Tots all month

Food 4 Kids Weekend Backpack Program ongoing

Miracle on Main Street 12/3

http://thehipp.org/mainstage/current-shows

Programs & Classes December 2011

Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun

1

Family

Safety Night

2

Tot Time

Feed-a-Frog Friday

Sun Country Little Lunchers

Sun Country Stay and Play

Sun Country Gym Jam

3

Home Depot Kids Workshop

Michael’s Family Events

Lowe’s Build & Grow Clinic

4

Family Fun Shoot

Michael’s Family

Events

EVERY Saturday Dance, Music and Movement

French Club

Living History Days

Planetarium Kids Matinee

Retirement Home for Horses

Skate Station Skating Lessons

5 6

Sun Country Stay

and Play

Zumba Kids

Class

7

Barnyard Buddies

Cooking Studio

8

Harn

Museum

Night

9

Sun Country Family Fun Night

Sun Country Gym Jam

10

Dudley Kids

Hogtown Reptile Shop Kids

Program

Lowe’s Build & Grow Clinic

Michael’s Family Events

11

Family Fun Shoot

Michael’s Family

Events

12

Art Classes

With Jane

Gravois

13

Sun Country Stay

and Play

Zumba Kids

Class

Mommy and

Baby Get

Together

14

Barnyard Buddies

Cooking Studio

15

16

Family Jam Night

Sun Country Stay and Play

Sun Country Gym Jam

17

Lowe’s Build & Grow Clinic

Corks N Colors Family Class

18

Family Fun Shoot

19

Michael’s Fam-

ily Events

20

Sun Country Stay

and Play

Zumba Kids

Class

21

Barnyard Buddies

Cooking Studio

22

23

Sun Country Stay and Play

Sun Country Gym Jam

Michael’s Family Events

24

25

26

Art Classes

With Jane

Gravois

Michael’s Fam-

ily Events

27

Tot Time

Sun Country Stay

and Play

Zumba Kids

Class

28

Barnyard Buddies

Cooking Studio

29 31

30

Sun Country Stay and Play

Sun Country Gym Jam

Library Programs December 2011

Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun

1 Gaming 2PM

2 3 Musikgarten 11AM

4 Afternoon Music 2PM

See the next page for library story times Turn to page 16 for movie times at the library 5 6

Anna Moo Concert 10:30AM Crafty Kids 3:30PM Homework Help 3:30PM Junior Panther Den 3:30PM Wii Fun 3:30PM

7 Cookies with Santa 11AM Tonewood Music 1:30PM

8 Gaming 2PM Arts & Crafts: 4PM

9 10 Puppet Man & Storybook Lady 11AM

11

12

Scenes from Dicken’s A Christmas Carol 10:30AM

13 Santa Extravaganza 2:30PM Homework Help 3:30PM Junior Panther Den 3:30PM Visit with Santa 6:30PM

14 Girls Tea Party 4:00PM

15 Gaming 2PM

16 Holiday Concert 3-7PM Holiday Signing Time 4PM

17 Game Day 2PM

18

19 20 Tonewood Tuesdays 1:30PM Holiday Crafts 2PM Junior Panther Den 3:30PM Wii Fun 3:30PM

21 Gingerbread House Contest 1PM

22 Holiday Pro-gram 11AM Gaming 2PM Arts & Crafts: 4PM

23

CLOSED

24

CLOSED 25

CLOSED

26

CLOSED 27 Junior Panther Den 3:30PM

28

29 Gaming 2PM

30 31

Color Code Guide: Alachua Archer Cone Park Hawthorne Headquarters High Springs Library Partnership Micanopy Millhopper Newberry Tower Road Click HERE to go directly to the Alachua County Library Event Calendar

Tuesdays

Library Partnership

9:30AM

Sprout Learning Resources

10:00AM

High Springs Library

11AM

Tower Road Library

10:30AM & 7:00PM

2nd & 4th Tuesdays

Chick-Fil A

5:30PM

2nd Tuesdays

Story Times Thursdays

Headquarters Library

10:30AM 1st & 2nd Thurs.

Milhopper Library

10:30AM

Alachua Library

11AM

Saturdays

Books a Million

10:AM

Millhopper Library

10:30 12/3

Mondays

the little shop

9:30AM

November 14th & 28th

Millhopper Library

6:30PM on 12/19

Wednesdays

Learning Path

10:30 (RSVP PLEASE)

Millhopper Library

11AM—1st & 3rd Wednesdays

Micanopy Library

11AM 1st & 2nd Wednesdays

Newberry Library

11AM

Family Fun Days/ Nights Game Night at Wild Iris Books

Mondays at 6:30PM

Chick-fil-A Family Fun Night

Tuesdays 5:30-7:30PM

Sun Country Sports Stay & Play

Tuesdays and Fridays 9-11

Beef O’Brady’s on 43rd Family Safety Night

1st Thursday Night 5:30-7:30PM

Family Jam Night at Studio Percussion

Night TBA 6:00-8:00 PM

Sun Country Sports Family Fun Nights

2nd Friday night 6:30-8:30PM

Skate Station Funworks Family Fun Nights

Friday nights

Mommy And Me Lunch at the little shop

Tuesdays 11:30-1:30PM

Kids Drop Off Programs O2BKids Parents Night Out

Fridays 6:00-10:30 PM

Friday Fun Night at the YMCA

4th Friday night of the month 6-11PM

Gator Game Day Drop Off Program

Every home game

Mommies Day Out

Monday-Friday

Academy Preschool Parents Day Out

Wednesdays 8-12 or 8-5

Sun Country Little Lunchers

First Friday of the month 11-1

Sun Country Gym Jam

Friday nights 5-7PM

Trinity UMC Parents Night Out

3rd Friday night of the month 5:30 –8:30PM

The little shop Weekend Night Play Studio

Every 3rd Friday and Saturday night 6-8PM

Fun Around Town

Restaurant Fun Space Walk Bounce House Burger King Archer Rd & Newberry Rd—Friday Nights

Beef ‘O’ Brady’s on Archer Road—Tuesday Nights

Magic Mike Beef O’Brady’s on 43rd St: Tuesdays 5:30-8:30

Leonardo’s 706 : Wednesdays 6:00 –9:00

Sonny’s on Archer Road: Fridays 5:30-8:30

Moe’s on Newberry Rd: Sundays 12-3

Cody’s Roadhouse

Monday Nights

The Magic Man performs tableside

Chick Fil-A Fun Nights

Tuesday Nights

Arts & Crafts, Games and Entertainment

Gator’s Dockside Tuesday Nights

Clown / Balloon Artist

Texas Roadhouse Tuesday Nights

Arts & Crafts, Entertainment, Games

and Prizes and Andy the Armadillo

Mexico Lindo

Tuesday Nights

Mariachi Band

Napolatano’s Trivia Night—Monday Nights

Live Bands—Sunday Nights

Kids Eat Cheap

Every Day

Bahn Thai— Kids eat free at the lunch buffet with adult purchase

CiCis PIZZA - Kids under 3 eat free from the buffet w/ adult purchase. (Drink

not included)

Crispers - Kids 12 and under eat for .99 when wearing Kids Club t-shirt

IHOP - Kids 12 and under eat FREE with purchase of adult meal / 4 -10pm

Sundays

Mamma Mia Kids eat FREE at buffet

w/ adult purchase

Steak and Shake - Kids 12 and under

eat FREE with purchase of adult meal

Venice Café—Kids 10 and under eat

free with purchase of adult meal

Tuesdays

Beef O'Brady's - Kids 12 and under

eat FREE with adult purchase /Dine In

Only from 4 - 8pm

Chick-fil-A— Kids eat free with adult

purchase 5:30-7:30PM

CiCi's PIZZA - $1.99 Kids Buffet with

every Adult Buffet purchased

Cody’s Original Steakhouse

Kids 10 and under eat FREE with adult

purchase

Gainesville Ale House - Kids 12 and

under eat FREE with purchase of

adult meal

Gator’s Dockside - Kids under 12

years of age, l child per adult eat

FREE / 6:00-8:30 PM

I Love NY Pizza in Haile—Kids 10 and

under eat free with adult purchase

Kazbor's Grille - Kids 10 and under

eat FREE with adult purchase

Texas Roadhouse - Kids 12 and under

eat for $.99 with adult purchase / 4 -

8pm

Mondays

Bubbaque’s—Kids 8 and under eat

FREE with paying adult

Cody’s Original Steakhouse -Kids 10

and under eat FREE with adult pur-

chase

David's Real Pit BBQ - One FREE kid's

meal with one adult meal purchased

Newberry’s Backyard BBQ—$1.50 Kids

meals with adult purchase

Sonny’s Real Pit Bar-B-Q - Kids 12 and

under eat 1/2 off with adult purchase

Venice Café—Kids 10 and under eat

free with purchase of adult meal

Saturdays

Piccadilly Restaurants - .99 Kid's

Meals and $1.99 Big Kids meals / All

day Thursdays /11-4 on Saturdays

Steak and Shake - Kids 12 and under

eat FREE with purchase of adult meal

Wednesdays

Applebee’s – Kids eat for .99 price w/

adult purchase

Haile Village Bistro - Kids eat FREE

O!O Tapas and Tinis—Kids eat free off

the kids menu with adult purchase

Joe’s Place – Kids 10 and under eat

FREE with each adult meal purchase

Zaxby’s - 2 kids meals for $.99 with

adult purchase

Thursdays

Captain D's - Two FREE kid's meals

with any adult entree purchase /

Dine in only

Piccadilly Restaurants - .99 Kid's

Meals and $1.99 Big Kids meals / All

day Thursdays /11-4 on Saturdays

Fridays

Burger King—Kids eat for .99 with

adult purchase

At the Movies Free Movies at the Library

Every Monday 4PM / Headquarters

Saturday 12/3 2PM / Millhopper

Sunday, 12/18 3:30PM / Micanopy

Click HERE for

current show times