Spotlight: Ocala Downtown Market

The Ocala Downtown Market is the only reason I’ll wake up early on a weekend. With fresh coffee, peach muffins (complete with a crumble top) and pups at every turn, what’s not to love?

The Ocala Downtown Market is one of my favorite spots in Ocala. Every Saturday I make my way to the farmers market to choose fresh produce for my meal prep and support local businesses.

I’ve been craving zipper peas for months and I finally arrived early enough to snag a bag before the sold out – seriously, they are a hot commodity at the market! While there I also bought fresh alligator meat and fried it up for a true southern meal that made my husband glad he wifed me up.

The Ocala Downtown Market doesn’t just have ingredients though, vendors also sell home goods, live plants, pet treats and my favorite mango salsa that is to die for!

This local farmers market has opened me up to so many unique flavors. For example, when my husband’s friend was visiting we tried a raspberry vinegar paired with strawberries and WOW! Our friends poked fun of us for being bougie with this treat at game night but with flavors this amazing, we’re the real winners here.

If you haven’t visited the Ocala Downtown Market I highly suggest you check it out this weekend! It’s open every Saturday 9 AM – 2 PM rain or shine and if you come early it’s likely I’ll see you there.

Have you checked out our local farmers market? What unique finds did you discover?

Explore Your Hometown: How To Find Events In Ocala

One of my favorite things about living in Ocala is how my calendar stays full with community events. When I first moved here I was at a networking event and commented on how hard it was to find things to do. The response I received was shock and awe – and rightfully so! It wasn’t that there weren’t things to do, I just didn’t know how to find them!

Photo by Brittany Bishop Photography

Now that I’ve learned how to find events I’m constantly asked, “How did you hear about that?” Here’s how I hunt out events and find adventure in my city:

Find Your Favorite Venue

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The Reilly Arts Center is a beautiful venue that always brings great events to Ocala!

There are so many great venues in Ocala that have a wide variety of shows and events! Between concerts, festivals, art exhibits and plays there’s no shortage of entertainment. I’d recommend following them on social media, checking their website, and joining their email newsletters so you always know about upcoming events.

By paying attention to what’s happening at The Reilly, I learned about Couch Sessions which has become one of my favorite ways to support local artists. These are a few of my favorite venues:

Read Local Publications and Blogs

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Kendrick and I modeled for our friend Brittany Bishop Photography at the Appleton Museum.

As a graduate of the University of Florida’s College of Journalism, I love supporting local publications. They’re also some of the best ways to find events I never would have heard of, because they have great connections with local nonprofits. Nearly every newspaper, magazine and blog has an “Events” section that’s always filled with out-of-the-box events like the “After Dark In The Park Movie Series,” which I found in Family Times Magazine.

Luckily for Ocala residents, a lot of these publications also have a strong social media presence. It’s not uncommon for me to watch Instagram stories and see Ocala Style or Ocala Magazine to post about an event for the coming weekend.

Support Local Nonprofits

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Kendrick, Winslow and I love packing a picnic for the Levitt Amp Ocala Music Series!

If I had to list all of our amazing nonprofits this would be a 6-part series. Ocala has a strong nonprofit presence that always supplies exciting community events, and Marion Cultural Alliance is where I find a lot of them.

My all time favorite is the Levitt Amp Ocala Music Series, a free concert series that supplies our community with live music. This is the second year Ocala has been awarded a grant to host the series, and I pray it continues to receive support. With food trucks, amazing touring musicians and a pet friendly atmosphere, what’s not to love?

Make Your Own Events

Winslow’s first birthday party at Letty Towles Dog Park.

Sometimes you have to be the leader! The best times are spent with friends and it doesn’t always have to have large costs associated. Try a fitness class with friends, throw a potluck Taco Tuesday (or any day, tacos are never a bad idea), or a dog party!

I hope this helps you experience more of Ocala’s culture, meet new people and feel more connected to your community! What ways do you find events and what are some of your favorite places, publications or nonprofits that I missed?