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Clear Waters Promise A Refreshing Retreat

HIGH SPRINGS – Families in search of a splash this Labor Day holiday need look no further than North Central Florida’s springs, where bubbling waters, sandy riverbanks, and the laughter of swimmers promise a cool retreat from the late-summer sun.

Poe Springs Park, Alachua County’s largest natural spring, is expected to be a top destination this weekend. Pumping about 45 million gallons of crystal-clear water daily into the Santa Fe River, the park offers a mix of swimming, shaded picnic areas, volleyball courts, and trails that make it a reliable holiday favorite.

On holiday weekends, Poe Springs comes alive with families grilling under oak-shaded pavilions, children splashing in the spring basin, and kayakers pushing off from the boat ramp to explore the river. Picnic shelters, sports fields, and a lodge available for event rentals round out the offerings, making the park popular for gatherings large and small.

While Poe Springs will draw plenty of visitors, it is only one of many spring-fed escapes in the region. Just down the road, Ginnie Springs is famous for tubing, scuba diving, and camping along the Santa Fe. Ichetucknee Springs State Park in Columbia County offers a gentler pace, where the six-mile spring run remains one of Florida’s most iconic tubing and kayaking destinations.

Gilchrist Blue Springs State Park, with its shaded hammocks and family-friendly swimming areas, is another local favorite. Further west, Fanning Springs and Manatee Springs State Park welcome campers and snorkelers with expansive boardwalks and wildlife viewing opportunities.

Together, these parks create a corridor of natural attractions that have long defined late-summer recreation in North Florida.

Poe Springs Park charges $6 per vehicle or $1 for walk-in and bicycle visitors, though admission is free from October through April and waived for individuals with disabilities. Other regional springs vary in price, with most state parks charging $6 per vehicle.

Located at 28800 N.W. 182^nd Avenue in High Springs, Poe Springs Park is open seven days a week from 8 a.m. to sunset. County officials encourage visitors to arrive early on holiday weekends, as parking lots at the most popular springs often fill quickly.

For many families, a dip in the region’s cool, aquifer-fed springs is as much a Labor Day tradition as cookouts and backyard games. This year promises no exception, with North Central Florida’s network of springs once again beckoning as a refreshing and affordable way to celebrate summer’s final holiday.

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With just a hint of autumn in the Florida air, farms across the state are preparing to welcome visitors for a season filled with pumpkins, crop mazes, fall festivals and more.

The Florida Agritourism Association (FATA) is highlighting dozens of its member farms that will be opening their gates this fall for family-friendly activities. In addition to traditional fall favorites, many farms also offer hands-on demonstrations and tastings of locally grown products, blending fun with education.

“Supporting a family farm that hosts agritourism events helps ensure that the next generation of Floridians has access to the rural traditions that have been a vital part of the state’s economy for more than 175 years,” the association noted in its seasonal announcement.

Agritourism has grown steadily in Florida, giving visitors a chance to experience life on a working farm while offering farmers an opportunity to diversify and sustain their operations. Events range from corn mazes and pumpkin patches to livestock encounters, cooking workshops and even medieval fairs.

Among this year’s lineup are:

• Braze Ranch, Waldo (Alachua County) – crop maze and fall attractions

• The Bryer Patch, Newberry (Alachua County) – fall family fun

• Thrift Lumber and The Old Mill, Macclenny (Baker County)

• Harris Establishment Farms U-Pick, Palm Bay (Brevard County)

• The Platt’s Patch, Melbourne (Brevard County)

• Amazing Grace Crop Maze, Green Cove Springs (Clay County)

• Padgett Family Fest, Arcadia (Desoto County)

• Diamond D Ranch, Jacksonville (Duval County)

• Eat Your Yard Jax, Jacksonville (Duval County)

• Geiger Pioneer Farm, Jacksonville (Duval County)

• Cow Creek Farm Tours, Plant City (Hillsborough County)

• Painted Sky Farms, Vero Beach (Indian River County)

• Aunt Louise’s Farm, Monticello (Jefferson County)

• Acres of Grace Family Farms, Howey in the Hills (Lake County)

• Amber Brooke Farms, Eustis (Lake County)

• Southern Hill Farms, Clermont (Lake County)

• Santa’s Farm Fall Festival, Eustis (Lake County)

• The Hub at Feather Oaks, Tallahassee (Leon County)

• Ananda Farm Florida, Terra Ceia (Manatee County)

• Sarasota Medieval Fair, Myakka City (Manatee County)

• Cannon Farms, Dunnellon (Marion County)

• Hobe Sound Farmers Market Pumpkin Patch, Hobe Sound (Martin County)

• Conner’s A-maize-ing Acres, Hilliard (Nassau County)

• Hastings Ranch & Farm, St. Cloud (Osceola County)

• Raprager Family Farms, Odessa (Pasco County)

• Bristol Oaks Farm, East Palatka (Putnam County)

• Fruitville Grove, Sarasota (Sarasota County)

• Wesley Wells Farms, St. Augustine (St. Johns County)

• Brown & Brown Farms, Oxford (Sumter County)

• Harvest Fields Corn Maze, DeLand (Volusia County)

A complete listing of farms and events can also be found through the Florida Agritourism Association at VisitFloridaFarms.com. Visitors may also follow the association on Facebook or download its free mobile app for Apple and Android devices.

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The vibrant “Greetings from Newberry, Florida” mural, completed by artist Jesus Martinez, now brightens the west wall of a city-owned building, serving as both public art and a new downtown landmark. / Photo special to Alachua County Today

City’s first mural, blending local history with a splash of color

NEWBERRY –A once-blank wall along West Newberry Road has been transformed into a splash of color that Newberry city leaders hope will capture the spirit of the community and draw new attention to downtown.

Now completed, work began Aug. 4, 2025, on Newberry’s first downtown mural, the opening project of a mural program launched by the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA). The design, created by artist Jesus Martinez, spells out “Newberry, Florida” in bold letters filled with images of local landmarks and themes.

The project reflects months of planning, community engagement and funding partnerships. The CRA Board directed staff to pursue a mural and apply for the Alachua County Art Tag Grant to help cover costs. That application was successful, bringing in a $2,000 matching grant supported by the National Endowment for the Arts, Visit Gainesville and sales of Florida’s “State of the Arts” license plate.

The mural design emerged after input from residents, social media feedback, and review by the CRA Board and the Historic Architectural Review Board. Suggestions included highlighting Newberry’s agricultural history and incorporating Veterans Memorial Park, which was dedicated in 2024. Martinez’s final design weaves these elements into the city’s name, turning the wall into both artwork and a statement of civic pride.

The mural can be seen on the western wall of a city-owned building at 25439 W. Newberry Road. To encourage visitors to stop and enjoy it, the CRA has also funded improvements around the site, including a sidewalk, landscaping and a bench.

The mural program is part of Newberry’s Downtown 5-Year Action Plan, which called for a “selfie wall” to promote the city through social media and boost foot traffic to local businesses. Public art projects like this are increasingly recognized as tools not only for beautification but also for economic development.

By creating a focal point for visitors, city officials believe the mural will strengthen downtown’s role as a gathering place and encourage people to linger at nearby shops and restaurants.

The mural is the first in what city leaders hope will be a series of public art initiatives. Along with other redevelopment programs — such as façade improvement grants, marketing support for businesses, and potential residential paint programs — the mural reflects Newberry’s broader effort to balance historic character with growth.

Public art has been shown in other communities to become informal landmarks and popular social media backdrops, providing free publicity for small cities while fostering civic identity. For Newberry, this mural marks an important step in that direction.

The completed mural has quickly become a focal point, drawing residents and visitors who pause to take photos and admire the bold “Newberry” letters filled with images of the city’s history and character. The artwork now serves as both a visual welcome to the community and a lasting reminder of how creativity and collaboration can transform public spaces into landmarks. From blank wall to bold landmark, the mural now tells Newberry’s story in color.

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THEN — August 2008: Students line up at the bus loop at Mebane Middle School in Alachua on the first day of the 2008-09 school year. The warm afternoon sun and chatter of friends marked the end of the first day — a scene that remains familiar more than a decade later. / Alachua County Today file photo

Familiar Scenes Blend with Fresh Faces

ALACHUA – As buses pulled up outside schools on Aug. 11, the first day of the 2025-26 school year in Alachua County felt both familiar and fresh — a blend of new beginnings and deeply rooted traditions.

NOW — August 2025:  Members of the Alachua Lions Club assist with traffic control at W.W. Irby Elementary School on Aug. 11, 2025, the first day of the 2025-26 school year. This year marks the club’s 33rd consecutive year providing safety support for the school’s youngest students.

In classrooms and hallways, students returned from summer break with new backpacks, sharpened pencils, and the familiar hum of first-day excitement. Teachers greeted children at doorways, parents lingered for quick hugs, and crossing guards in bright vests ushered families safely across busy intersections.

The rhythms of the day echoed a moment from 17 years ago, captured in a 2008 photograph at Mebane Middle School: students lining up at the bus loop in the warm afternoon sun, ready for the ride home after their first day back. Though fashions and technology have changed, the anticipation and energy remain timeless.

Educators say the first day of school is about more than finding classrooms and learning schedules — it’s about setting the tone for the year. In 2008, middle schoolers gathered in small clusters, chatting while waiting for the buses. In 2025, those clusters still form, but cell phones are in hand and buses come equipped with updated safety systems and air conditioning.

The first-day bustle is most visible in neighborhoods surrounding schools, where traffic patterns shift and sidewalks quickly fill before and after the bell. For students, the day marks the start of new academic challenges, sports seasons, and friendships. For parents and educators, it’s a reminder of the responsibility — and privilege — of shaping another year of learning.

The back-to-school season is also a coordinated community effort. Public works crews refresh crosswalk paint and prepare school-zone signals, local police increase patrols near campuses, and volunteers help stock classrooms with supplies.

A long-running first-day tradition is found at W.W. Irby Elementary School in Alachua. This year marked the 33rd consecutive year that the Alachua Lions Club provided traffic control during the first few days of school.

Since 1993, members have donned their gold and purple vests each August to guide parents through the drop-off and pick-up process at the school, which serves kindergarten through second grade. On Monday and Tuesday this year, club members once again lined the sidewalks, helping keep the city’s youngest learners safe and ensuring a smooth start to the year.

A current photo from this week shows Lions Club members on duty — a visual reminder of how civic groups, schools, and families work together to support children.

Whether remembered through a faded photograph from 2008 or experienced firsthand in 2025, the essence of the first day of school remains the same: anticipation, energy and the start of another year in the classroom.

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