Gainesville’s Best Bets for Weekend Entertainment — January 14-16, 2022

FUNDRAISING DINNER: Join the GFWC High Springs New Century Woman’s Club for a take-out-only spaghetti dinner fundraiser to benefit the High Springs Community School Science Department. Due to COVID-19, this event is being held in place of the annual Real Men Make Soup fundraiser, which is usually held as a session. The spaghetti dinner will come with meat or marinara sauce, Caesar salad, bread and butter, and dessert. It will be served take-out from 5-7 p.m. today at the High Springs Woman’s Club, 23674 WUS 27 in High Springs. Each plate costs $10. Masks are mandatory. For more information, visit gfwchighspringswomansclub.org or call 386-518-3276.

HOGGETOWNE MEDIEVAL FAIR: The annual Hoggetowne Medieval Fair returns to in-person fun after a hiatus due to COVID-19. Get in on the action this weekend from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, January 22 and 23 and January 29 and 30, as well as from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on January 28 for “Friday with the Family.” The event transforms a small part of modern Gainesville into a medieval market filled with hundreds of artisans and artists, and featuring armored jousting knights, kiddie rides powered by men and women instead of machines , troupes of actors, food vendors and acts of magic. Enjoy nine scenes of entertainment where the forgotten skills of midair falconry, thrilling aerial acrobatics and old-world magic come to life. Jugglers, knife throwers and gypsy dancers add to the excitement as they fill the streets of Hoggetowne. The event moved to a new location this year: 9409 SW Archer Road. Tickets for the weekend editions are $20 for general admission, $17 for military and seniors, $10 for ages 5-17, and free for ages 4 and under. Tickets for January 28 are $10 for general admission, $5 for ages 5-17, and free for ages 4 and under. For more information, visit www.hoggetownefaire.com.

Willy Porter: Willy Porter, a contemporary American rock musician and singer-songwriter from Mequon, Wisconsin, is scheduled to perform with special guest Cat Bratten at 7 p.m. Saturday at the Heartwood Soundstage, 619 S. Main St. According to concert organizers, Porter continues on a musical and personal odyssey spanning over two decades, 11 albums and multiple continents. Her journey has been defined by a curious love for humanity and the language that describes what we all hold to be true. Porter’s songs weave a universal perspective on the questions, struggles and triumphs of human existence. His live shows are all about guitar, soul, silence and muscle – at times electrifying, dynamic and unique in the way Porter’s vocals blend and merge with his fret work. All attendees are required to wear masks while in the room. Tickets can be purchased at heartwoodsoundstage.com.

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SUNDAY ASSEMBLY ANNIVERSARY: Sunday Assembly Gainesville will feature guest speaker Heaven Campbell, Florida program director for Solar United Neighbors, a national nonprofit that helps educate people about solar energy. Campbell will talk about “Solar Power 101” and how to stand up for solar rights. A time for discussion will follow his presentation. Music will be provided by musicians from the Sunday Assembly. The group will also hold a short celebration at the rally in honor of its sixth anniversary. Sunday Assembly Gainesville is a secular congregation that celebrates life at 11 a.m. on the third Sunday of each month. The group will meet online via zoom. Sunday Assembly Gainesville is a chapter of the Global Secular Sunday Assembly Movement. For more information, visit sagainesville.weebly.com or email SundayAssembly32601@gmail.com.

GREG TAMBLYN: “A Healthy Dose of Comic Relief” comes to Unity of Gainesville on Sunday featuring multi-award winning singer-songwriter Greg Tamblyn. Get a comedic hangover that lasts all week as Tamblyn helps her audience celebrate the best of themselves and laugh at the rest of themselves. During this unique Sunday service, Tamblyn will serve as a guest speaker as he weaves a sacred lesson experience with funny, award-winning songs and stories, meditation, and powerful group meditation music. The event begins with the free 11 a.m. service, titled “A Brief Mystery of God,” which will explain how the healthiest and most helpful attitude to the unanswered questions and great mysteries of life is what best mystics and scientists have in common: a sense of wonder and a sense of humor. The comedy concert will follow at 1 p.m. with “A Healthy Dose of Comedy Relief,” which is $15 per person at the door. Enjoy an afternoon of hilariously heartfelt musical reflections and conscious mischief. Organizers say Tamblyn’s songs and stories are like WD-40 for our relationships, our moments of confusion, the things we want to accomplish in life, and our connection to the Greater Mystery. They convey uplifting life messages and spiritual insights through the right brain doorway of music and laughter. Take a musical stroll through mystery and joy, the deep and the absurd, the weird and the wonderful, the psychological and the spiritual, the sacred and the silly. It’s “ha ha” with an “aha!” For more information on Tamblyn, including free songs and videos, visit GregTamblyn.com. Unity of Gainesville is located at 8801 NW 39th Ave. For more information about the service and/or the comedy concert, call 373-1030 or visit unitygainesville.org.

This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Best bets of the weekend — 14-16 January 2022