The First Friday Art Walk returns to downtown Ocala on Friday, October 2, 2026, from 6 to 9 PM. Illustrative image.
Things to Do
2026-09-265 min readThings to Do in Ocala This Weekend: October 2-4, 2026
This is a things to do news article published on 2026-09-26 covering local Marion County, Florida news. First Friday Art Walk returns for its new season, the Appleton opens a Kronsnoble retrospective on Free First Saturday, and the county's free fall carnival headlines a packed Ocala weekend.
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Only In Ocala Editorial TeamLocal Content Specialists · 8+ years in Marion County
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The first weekend of October is when the Ocala arts season starts up again. The City of Ocala's First Friday Art Walk returns downtown on Friday, October 2, for the first time since May. The next morning, the Appleton Museum opens a major new retrospective with free admission for Free First Saturday. In between are a charity walk at Tuscawilla Park, a Halloween-themed trail race, the county's free fall carnival, and eight ticketed shows at three venues.
The First Friday Art Walk kicks off its 2026-2027 season on Friday from 6 to 9 PM around the Downtown Square on SE Broadway Street. The City of Ocala's Cultural Arts division lists more than 40 artist displays, live entertainment, free art activities for families from local arts groups, and extended hours at downtown shops and restaurants. Admission is free and leashed pets are welcome. The Art Walk runs the first Friday of every month from October through May. Background on the series is in our First Friday Art Walk guide.
An hour before the Art Walk starts, the Marion Cultural Alliance opens The Power of the ARTS, its 8th annual Best of the Best juried exhibition, at the Brick City Center for the Arts, 23 SW Broadway Street. Awards are presented at 5:30 PM. Member artists made works about the arts themselves: music, dance, theater, books and film. The show also marks MCA's 25th anniversary. It is free and stays up through October 31. The gallery is a block from the Square, so it is an easy first stop before the Art Walk.
The Reilly Arts Center's monthly jazz series, Reilly Noir, brings JK & the Contraband to the NOMA Black Box at 500 NE 9th Street at 7:30 PM. The group mixes jazz, funk and improvisation with 1990s alternative rock. Tickets run $33 to $45. See the rest of the season on our Reilly Arts Center page.
The Ocala Civic Theatre, 4337 E Silver Springs Blvd, has two very different shows on Friday. KPOP Warriors is a family show with K-pop dance routines, sing-alongs and a meet-and-greet at intermission, from 5 to 7 PM. Tickets are $25 for ages 13 and up and $20 for ages 1 to 12. Later, Fear Circus is a horror-themed circus for ages 13 and up at 8:30 PM, with doors at 7:30 PM. Tickets are $30.
Saturday runs from an 8 AM race to a 9 PM piano show. Most of the daytime options are free.
US Road Running's Haunted 5K, 10K and Half Marathon starts at 8 AM from the Baseline Road Trailhead, 4255 SE 58th Avenue, on the paved Cross Florida Greenway trail. Every finisher gets a medal. Registration is $30 for the 5K, $45 for the 10K and $65 for the half, with a $5 rate for ages 1 to 15. Organizers say there is no EMS on site and water only at the finish.
The Alzheimer's Association holds Ocala's Walk to End Alzheimer's at Tuscawilla Park, 829 NE Sanchez Avenue. The event opens at 9 AM, the ceremony starts at 10 AM, and the one-mile walk follows. There is no registration fee, but everyone who walks, children included, has to register. Walkers who raise $100 get the official T-shirt. Leashed dogs are welcome, and the walk goes on rain or shine.
The Ocala Downtown Market is open Saturday from 9 AM to 2 PM at the covered pavilion, 310 SE 3rd Street. Admission is free, and more than 80 vendors set up every week with produce, meats, baked goods and crafts. More markets are in our Ocala farmers market guide.
The Appleton Museum of Art, 4333 E Silver Springs Blvd, is free all day for Free First Saturday, and it is the opening day of Jeffrey Kronsnoble: Master of Allusion, A Life of Art. The retrospective gathers more than 80 works from the artist's 60-year career, including his hyperrealistic shadowbox collages, and runs through March 21, 2027. The museum's auditorium also screens The Yearling (1946) at 11 AM and 2 PM. The Best Picture nominee is based on Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings' Pulitzer Prize-winning novel about a Florida farm family. Seating is free and first-come, first-served, with 250 seats per showing.
Marion County Parks & Recreation's annual fall Carnival starts at 5 PM at the Southeastern Livestock Pavilion, 2232 NE Jacksonville Road. It has bounce houses, food trucks, costume contests, hay rides and a petting zoo. General admission is free. Youth activity armbands are $5 per child or five non-perishable food items, which are donated to Bring the Harvest Home. Wearing costumes is encouraged, and it is the first of many Halloween events on our Halloween in Ocala 2026 list.
- Ocala Grindhouse X (6 PM, doors 5 PM, Marion Theatre, $13, 18+): a double feature of "Mermaid in a Manhole" and Lucio Fulci's "The Beyond." The first 50 guests get souvenir barf bags.
- Dueling Pianos (6 PM) and Dueling Pianos Uncensored (9 PM, adults only) in the Reilly's NOMA Black Box. Tickets are $33 to $43.
- Backtrack Blues Band (7:30 PM, Ocala Civic Theatre, $26.71 plus fees). The group has played Chicago-style electric blues since 1980.
The Florida Horse Park hosts the Ocala Fall Horse Trials at its West Entrance, 11851 SW 16th Avenue, on Saturday and Sunday. Horse-and-rider teams compete in dressage, cross-country and show jumping, from Beginner Novice through Advanced.
The Reilly Arts Center's Main Theater closes the weekend with a 3 PM matinee of Late Nite Catechism: 'Til Death Do Us Part, the latest in the long-running interactive comedy series in which the audience plays the class. Tickets are $40 to $70.
A lot of this weekend costs nothing:
- Friday: the First Friday Art Walk and the MCA reception.
- Saturday: Free First Saturday at the Appleton (including The Yearling screenings), admission to the Downtown Market, and general admission to the county carnival.
- The Walk to End Alzheimer's has no registration fee.
More ideas are on our free things to do in Ocala page.
Early October in Marion County is still warm, with afternoon highs usually in the mid to upper 80s. The Art Walk, carnival, market and horse trials are all outdoors, so bring water and check the forecast.
For the rest of the month, see Things to Do This Weekend in Ocala, the full Ocala events calendar, and our Halloween events guide for trunk or treats and haunted trails.
At a Glance: Ocala Events, October 2-4, 2026
| Event | When | Where |
|---|---|---|
| KPOP Warriors (family show) | Fri, Oct 2 · 5:00 PM | Ocala Civic Theatre, 4337 E Silver Springs Blvd |
| MCA Best of the Best opening reception | Fri, Oct 2 · 5:00-7:00 PM | Brick City Center for the Arts, 23 SW Broadway St |
| First Friday Art Walk (season opener) | Fri, Oct 2 · 6:00-9:00 PM | Downtown Ocala Square |
| Reilly Noir: JK & the Contraband | Fri, Oct 2 · 7:30 PM | Reilly Arts Center, 500 NE 9th St |
| Fear Circus (ages 13+) | Fri, Oct 2 · 8:30 PM | Ocala Civic Theatre |
| Haunted 5K, 10K & Half Marathon | Sat, Oct 3 · 8:00 AM | Baseline Road Trailhead, 4255 SE 58th Ave |
| Walk to End Alzheimer's | Sat, Oct 3 · 9:00 AM | Tuscawilla Park, 829 NE Sanchez Ave |
| Ocala Downtown Market | Sat, Oct 3 · 9:00 AM-2:00 PM | 310 SE 3rd St |
| Free First Saturday + The Yearling | Sat, Oct 3 · 10:00 AM-5:00 PM | Appleton Museum, 4333 E Silver Springs Blvd |
| Marion County Parks Fall Carnival | Sat, Oct 3 · from 5:00 PM | Southeastern Livestock Pavilion, 2232 NE Jacksonville Rd |
| Ocala Grindhouse X (18+) | Sat, Oct 3 · 6:00 PM | Marion Theatre, 50 S Magnolia Ave |
| Dueling Pianos | Sat, Oct 3 · 6:00 PM and 9:00 PM (18+ late show) | Reilly Arts Center |
| Backtrack Blues Band | Sat, Oct 3 · 7:30 PM | Ocala Civic Theatre |
| Late Nite Catechism: 'Til Death Do Us Part | Sun, Oct 4 · 3:00 PM | Reilly Arts Center |
Friday, October 2
First Friday Art Walk Season Opener, 6:00 to 9:00 PM
The First Friday Art Walk kicks off its 2026-2027 season on Friday from 6 to 9 PM around the Downtown Square on SE Broadway Street. The City of Ocala's Cultural Arts division lists more than 40 artist displays, live entertainment, free art activities for families from local arts groups, and extended hours at downtown shops and restaurants. Admission is free and leashed pets are welcome. The Art Walk runs the first Friday of every month from October through May. Background on the series is in our First Friday Art Walk guide.
MCA Best of the Best Opening Reception, 5:00 to 7:00 PM
An hour before the Art Walk starts, the Marion Cultural Alliance opens The Power of the ARTS, its 8th annual Best of the Best juried exhibition, at the Brick City Center for the Arts, 23 SW Broadway Street. Awards are presented at 5:30 PM. Member artists made works about the arts themselves: music, dance, theater, books and film. The show also marks MCA's 25th anniversary. It is free and stays up through October 31. The gallery is a block from the Square, so it is an easy first stop before the Art Walk.
Reilly Noir: JK & the Contraband, 7:30 PM
The Reilly Arts Center's monthly jazz series, Reilly Noir, brings JK & the Contraband to the NOMA Black Box at 500 NE 9th Street at 7:30 PM. The group mixes jazz, funk and improvisation with 1990s alternative rock. Tickets run $33 to $45. See the rest of the season on our Reilly Arts Center page.
Two Shows at the Ocala Civic Theatre
The Ocala Civic Theatre, 4337 E Silver Springs Blvd, has two very different shows on Friday. KPOP Warriors is a family show with K-pop dance routines, sing-alongs and a meet-and-greet at intermission, from 5 to 7 PM. Tickets are $25 for ages 13 and up and $20 for ages 1 to 12. Later, Fear Circus is a horror-themed circus for ages 13 and up at 8:30 PM, with doors at 7:30 PM. Tickets are $30.
Saturday, October 3
Saturday runs from an 8 AM race to a 9 PM piano show. Most of the daytime options are free.
Haunted 5K, 10K and Half Marathon, 8:00 AM
US Road Running's Haunted 5K, 10K and Half Marathon starts at 8 AM from the Baseline Road Trailhead, 4255 SE 58th Avenue, on the paved Cross Florida Greenway trail. Every finisher gets a medal. Registration is $30 for the 5K, $45 for the 10K and $65 for the half, with a $5 rate for ages 1 to 15. Organizers say there is no EMS on site and water only at the finish.
Walk to End Alzheimer's, 9:00 AM
The Alzheimer's Association holds Ocala's Walk to End Alzheimer's at Tuscawilla Park, 829 NE Sanchez Avenue. The event opens at 9 AM, the ceremony starts at 10 AM, and the one-mile walk follows. There is no registration fee, but everyone who walks, children included, has to register. Walkers who raise $100 get the official T-shirt. Leashed dogs are welcome, and the walk goes on rain or shine.
Ocala Downtown Market, 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM
The Ocala Downtown Market is open Saturday from 9 AM to 2 PM at the covered pavilion, 310 SE 3rd Street. Admission is free, and more than 80 vendors set up every week with produce, meats, baked goods and crafts. More markets are in our Ocala farmers market guide.
Free First Saturday at the Appleton, 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM
The Appleton Museum of Art, 4333 E Silver Springs Blvd, is free all day for Free First Saturday, and it is the opening day of Jeffrey Kronsnoble: Master of Allusion, A Life of Art. The retrospective gathers more than 80 works from the artist's 60-year career, including his hyperrealistic shadowbox collages, and runs through March 21, 2027. The museum's auditorium also screens The Yearling (1946) at 11 AM and 2 PM. The Best Picture nominee is based on Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings' Pulitzer Prize-winning novel about a Florida farm family. Seating is free and first-come, first-served, with 250 seats per showing.
Marion County Parks & Recreation Fall Carnival, from 5:00 PM
Marion County Parks & Recreation's annual fall Carnival starts at 5 PM at the Southeastern Livestock Pavilion, 2232 NE Jacksonville Road. It has bounce houses, food trucks, costume contests, hay rides and a petting zoo. General admission is free. Youth activity armbands are $5 per child or five non-perishable food items, which are donated to Bring the Harvest Home. Wearing costumes is encouraged, and it is the first of many Halloween events on our Halloween in Ocala 2026 list.
Saturday Night Shows
- Ocala Grindhouse X (6 PM, doors 5 PM, Marion Theatre, $13, 18+): a double feature of "Mermaid in a Manhole" and Lucio Fulci's "The Beyond." The first 50 guests get souvenir barf bags.
- Dueling Pianos (6 PM) and Dueling Pianos Uncensored (9 PM, adults only) in the Reilly's NOMA Black Box. Tickets are $33 to $43.
- Backtrack Blues Band (7:30 PM, Ocala Civic Theatre, $26.71 plus fees). The group has played Chicago-style electric blues since 1980.
Ocala Fall Horse Trials (Saturday and Sunday)
The Florida Horse Park hosts the Ocala Fall Horse Trials at its West Entrance, 11851 SW 16th Avenue, on Saturday and Sunday. Horse-and-rider teams compete in dressage, cross-country and show jumping, from Beginner Novice through Advanced.
Sunday, October 4
Late Nite Catechism: 'Til Death Do Us Part, 3:00 PM
The Reilly Arts Center's Main Theater closes the weekend with a 3 PM matinee of Late Nite Catechism: 'Til Death Do Us Part, the latest in the long-running interactive comedy series in which the audience plays the class. Tickets are $40 to $70.
The Free Options
A lot of this weekend costs nothing:
- Friday: the First Friday Art Walk and the MCA reception.
- Saturday: Free First Saturday at the Appleton (including The Yearling screenings), admission to the Downtown Market, and general admission to the county carnival.
- The Walk to End Alzheimer's has no registration fee.
More ideas are on our free things to do in Ocala page.
Planning Notes
Early October in Marion County is still warm, with afternoon highs usually in the mid to upper 80s. The Art Walk, carnival, market and horse trials are all outdoors, so bring water and check the forecast.
For the rest of the month, see Things to Do This Weekend in Ocala, the full Ocala events calendar, and our Halloween events guide for trunk or treats and haunted trails.
Weekend Guide
Things to Do
Ocala Events
Marion County
First Friday Art Walk
Appleton Museum
Free First Saturday
Reilly Arts Center
Ocala Civic Theatre
Ocala Downtown Market
Walk to End Alzheimer's
October 2026
Related Ocala Guides
More context and planning resources from Only In Ocala.