Happy Friday everyone! Jacksonville State heads into the Swamp Saturday for the Gators last home game. Away from the stadium we see signs of the holiday season across our area.

Tomorrow is the Saturday before Thanksgiving....and that means it's time for Light Up Ocala. This is the 29th year of the holiday event that's had 20,000 plus visitors in years past. This year the event is spreading out some, a bit north and south of the downtown square. There'll be three stages of entertainment. Light Up Ocala starts at 4 Saturday, with a parade at 4:30 and the lighting of the 40 foot tall tree at 7:30. The event goes until 9:30 Saturday night in downtown Ocala.  Website

North of Ocala, the small community of Cross Creek will be busy Saturday. The Cross Creek Festival will make for a good family outing. You can have a sausage pancake sandwich for breakfast. Later in the day you can sample gator bites and other food. There'll be other activities including a horseshoe contest and arts and crafts. The festival is a fundraiser for the local volunteer fire department. It runs from 9 to 4 Saturday at Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings Park in Cross Creek.  Website

Close to the Gulf coast, the Yankeetown Arts and Seafood Festival is this weekend. While the variety of seafood there is the big draw, there will be other food, arts and crafts, games and entertainment. The Lions Club has hosted the event for thirty years in order to raise money for a number of charitable causes. The event goes from 9 to 5 Saturday and Sunday on Riverside Drive, along the banks of the Lower Withlacoochee River in Yankeetown.  Website

The sounds of the blues will fill the air along the river in Palatka this weekend. The St. Johns River Blues Festival is in it's third year. Along St. Johns Avenue between 3rd and 8th Streets, you'll get a chance to hear 14 blues bands competing on two stages. There'll also be food plus rides and games for the kids. The event runs from 10 to 10 Saturday and noon to 8 Sunday in Palatka.  Website

Enjoy your weekend!