Villages/Lady Lake
LADY
LAKE — The Lady Lake Library is preparing to deck the halls, and the community is invited to be part of the holiday magic! The fourth annual Festival of Trees returns this November, offering families, businesses, schools, nonprofit organizations and individuals an opportunity to showcase their creativity and spread holiday cheer.
The Festival of Trees transforms the library into a festive showcase of beautifully decorated Christmas trees, each reflecting the personality, creativity and holiday spirit of its sponsor. From traditional holiday themes to imaginative designs, the displays will be enjoyed by hundreds of library visitors throughout the season. Trees will be on display at the Lady Lake Library from Nov. 23, 2026, through Jan. 2, 2027.
“Festival of Trees has become a wonderful holiday tradition that brings our community together in such a creative and meaningful way,” said Library Director Aly Herman. “One of my favorite things is seeing how each tree tells a different story, whether it represents a local business, a family tradition or an organization that makes Lady Lake special. Our library is a gathering place for the community all year long, and this event makes it even more welcoming during the holidays. We can’t wait to see what everyone dreams up this year!” Continue reading
October’s Ambassador of the Month is Bonnie Sue Field. Bonnie has been an ambassador for a year. She enjoys visiting new members and connecting at events. Chamber Ambassadors are the heartbeat of our organization.
Marion County, Fla. — The Florida Department of Health in Marion County (DOH-Marion) will host the 3D Mobile Mammography bus to provide free mammograms to women in the community on Friday, November 6, 2026, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the following location:
Silver Springs Shores Community Center
590 Silver Road
Ocala, FL 34472
Eligibility for Free Mammogram Screenings
Must meet each of the four criteria below:
1 Women ages 40-64
2 Have a household income that is less than or equal to 200% of the poverty level
3 Have no health insurance and no symptoms
4 Primary residence is in Florida
To schedule an appointment, visit mammolink.com. Continue reading
By Renée A. La Forest
Just before sunset on a Sunday evening in The Villages, I put a cardboard box on my front porch before heading through the garage to take it to the street for trash pickup. The box couldn’t have been there for more than a minute. When I came around from the garage, it was occupied. Sitting quietly inside was a young bird, fully feathered, with wide, dark eyes and soft brown-gray markings.
In Florida, I suppose I should be grateful my surprise passenger had feathers.
One minute there was an empty box. The next, there was a bird sitting in it. I would eventually give him an appropriate name: Houdini. He did not appear injured, but he wasn’t exactly flying either. He hopped, ran and made short, determined jumps.
More importantly, the sun was going down. Had this happened earlier, I could have backed away and watched. Instead, darkness was approaching, and I had to decide whether leaving him there was safest. I coaxed him, without touching him, into a larger box and placed it on my screened lanai for the night, protected from predators and my dogs. I didn’t give him food or water. Mostly, I left him alone. Continue reading
Oct 02 City of Leesburg’s Home Run Flicks
7:00 PM – 9:30 PM Pat Thomas Stadium in Leesburg
Grab your blankets, pack up your chairs, and bring the whole family for an unforgettable movie night at Pat Thomas Stadium!
Oct 02 First Friday – Historic Downtown Eustis
6:00 PM – 9:00 PM Downtown Eustis – Eustis Street and Magnolia Avenue in Eustis
Join us every First Friday in Downtown Eustis for an evening of live music, more than 80 vendors, local shopping, and great food and drinks!
Oct 03 Fall in the Field Show
9:00 AM – 5:00 PM Renninger’s Antique Center in Mount Dora
Antique Center, Consignment, Street of Shops, The Stables, Pavilions, and Outdoors. Fall is here! Come shop a selection of vendors
CISA aims to enhance active shooter preparedness through a “whole community” approach.
Overview
According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, “active shooter” is defined as “one or more individuals actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in a populated area.” Active shooter incidents are often unpredictable and evolve quickly. Amid the chaos, anyone can play an integral role in mitigating the impacts of an active shooter incident.
In many cases, there is no pattern or method to the selection of victims by an active shooter, and these situations are by their very nature unpredictable and evolve quickly. Because active shooter situations are often over within 10 to 15 minutes – before law enforcement arrives on the scene – individuals must be prepared both mentally and physically to deal with an active shooter situation. Continue reading
• Coffee with a Cop
Wednesday, October 7, 2026, from a morning schedule at Target.
Target, Lady Lake, FL.
An informal meet-and-greet giving residents a chance to chat with local law enforcement officers over coffee.
Cost: Free.
• Lady Lake Farmers and Crafts Market: Master Gardeners
Tuesday, October 13, 2026, at 9:00 AM.
260 Rolling Acres Road, Lady Lake, FL.
Local market featuring fresh produce, crafts, live music, and special guidance from extension master gardeners.
Free admission.
• Not Too Scary Halloween Boo Bash
Saturday, October 24, 2026, from 5:30 PM – 8:00 PM.
Guava Street Athletic Complex, 221 W. Guava Street, Lady Lake, FL.
Family-friendly Halloween celebration with safe trick-or-treating, festive activities, and local community booths.
Free.
LADY LAKE — A community favorite is returning bigger than ever this fall. The Lady Lake Farmers and Crafts Market will celebrate its grand reopening Tuesday, Oct. 6, and continue every Tuesday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Rolling Acres Sports Complex, 260 Rolling Acres Road.
Opening day will set the tone for the season with live music by Tyler Glynn and an exciting lineup of vendors offering fresh fruits and vegetables, cheeses, breads, local honey, ice cream, coffee, handmade arts and crafts, specialty goods and more.
This season, shoppers can look forward to several enhancements designed to make each Tuesday worth a return trip:
- 60 regular vendors — giving shoppers plenty of variety while making it easy to find their favorite vendors week after week.
- Market Bucks — with multiple opportunities to win money to spend with market vendors.
- Special market events — returning favorites such as the Strawberry Festival and Valentine’s Market, along with new events including Pet Costume Contest and Wheel of Fortune Day.
- More live music — adding entertainment and atmosphere throughout the market season.
Chamber president Jason Pittman swore in new board member Mary Beth Dunn. Mary Beth is feeling a vacancy from a board member who had to resign.
Ask Our Expert Anything
Have a cybersecurity question you’ve always wanted to ask? Now’s your chance!
Join Howard Davis, the Town of Lady Lake’s IT cybersecurity expert, for the next program in our cybersecurity awareness series. This interactive session puts your questions at the center of the conversation.
Wondering how to spot a scam? Concerned about online banking or shopping? Not sure whether a suspicious email or text is legitimate? Curious about passwords, social media security, smartphones or safe internet browsing? Bring your questions and get practical, easy-to-understand guidance to help you stay safer online.
