From the Mayor

from theMAYOR Pancakes and parades: part of Ocala’s traditions

BY MAYOR KENT GUINN

As Ocala is growing at such a rapid pace, one of the things I find so comforting is how our city seems to maintain its small-town charm with its simple, yet beautiful traditions. I’ve written in this space regarding many of the traditions we enjoy here and how those of us as adults today remember them when we were children. In December, some of Ocala’s most wonderful traditions take place, ones that I look forward to more than any other.

For me, Saturday, Dec. 10, will be one of the best days of the year in Ocala. That day is when the annual Kiwanis Club Pancake Day Fundraiser and the Ocala Christmas Parade takes place. Yes, a pancake breakfast may seem like no big deal to many people, but for many years this event has been a great way for Ocalans to gather in a spirit of charity and goodwill.

Going to the Kiwanis Pancake Day, it is inevitable you will run into people you may have not seen in a while and have some catching up to do. Every year I witness people running into each other with loud greetings of, “Hey, how great to see you! It’s been so long!” It’s inevitable that parents of schoolchildren run into each other and discuss the topics of the day and one might overhear discussions of business or even the status of relatives having moved to places far away.

This will be the 59th Kiwanis Pancake Day and I remember going to it in the early 1980s and it still has the same impact and is one of the things that makes Ocala so unique. That a simple charity breakfast can attract the attention of so many locals is one of those elements that keeps our small-town vibe so strong.

The event this year will run from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 10, at Eighth Street Elementary School. Cost for the all-you-can-eat breakfast of pancakes and sausages is $5 per person with all proceeds going to benefit Camp Kiwanis, yet another of the great traditions in Ocala that has connected so many generations of locals.

Then there is the Christmas Parade that same evening. Now in its 66th year, the parade has been a fixture for young and old and embraced by newcomers just the same. Local high school and middle school bands marching, the honoring of youth sports teams and the showcasing of local clubs and organizations that do so much to make this a better place are all in the offing. It’s a great way to cap the day and gear up for the stretch run of the holiday season.

This year’s theme for the parade is “Hometown Country,” and what better complement to that than a Jimmie Allen concert the night before at the World Equestrian Center to benefit the Travis Mills Foundation. The event is part of the “Never Give Up On Country” benefit and features Allen, Colt Ford and Kidd G, all to benefit “recalibrated” veterans and their families.

Allen was named the Country Music Association New Artist of the Year for 2021 and has had two songs hit No.1 on the country charts.

To top off the weekend will be the annual golf cart parade Sunday, Dec. 11. A new tradition that I hope stands the test of time, the golf cart parade is a great visual showcase of carts decked out in lights and Christmas décor in some of the most creative ways. It has even evolved into a downtown block party that only adds to the festive atmosphere.

Yes, it may be my favorite day of the year and it is now surrounded by a concert and a golf cart parade to make it a fantastic weekend. I plan to take all of it in, and you should too!