News

More people wanted to learn how to kayak in natural settings than state park volunteers expected. In September, Lake Griffin State Park volunteers brought back the park’s Kayak 101 classes for the first time since the start of the pandemic. These classes train people on the basics of kayak o…

In any given week in The Villages, residents can go dancing on the square, see a piano duet and play bingo or trivia, all for free. And they can expect to pay an affordable price when they buy a ticket. Here in The Villages, entertainment venues continue to offer affordable options to put pa…

The Villages’ vision of becoming “America’s Healthiest Hometown” is rocket-fueling forward with a new medical residency program coming to its hometown hospital.

It’s time to tailor your Medicare coverage to your needs. The Annual Enrollment Period opens today, allowing seniors 65 and up to choose new plans for 2022. Experts advise checking prices individually, with a mix of ups and downs expected: Federal officials say Medicare Advantage is expected…

Concerns over church membership and attendance have been growing in recent years. A March 2021 Gallup poll revealed that just 47% of American adults surveyed were members of a house of worship, the first time in the eight-decade history of the poll that the number was below 50%. By compariso…

Italy has a thriving culture and people who speak a romantic language — something you can learn more about here in The Villages.

If you've been looking for new ways to get in shape, The Villages Recreation and Parks Department would like to introduce you to some over the next few months.

An abundance of color met those entering Friday’s  Heritage Festival as the hues of flags from different nations waved over the square.  The second festival was a celebration of cultures through food, music and entertainment and followed last Friday’s Heritage Festival at Spanish Springs Tow…

It isn’t often Floridians hear “oom-pah”-style polka music, watch Spanish folkloric dance, eat traditional German food and shop for Celtic oddities all in one place. This was the scene at Friday’s Heritage Festival in The Villages. Villagers and visitors alike were treated to cultural festiv…

If you’re looking for adventure on Lake Sumter, book soon. After slowing down over the summer, the Recreation and Parks Department’s guided fishing, kayaking and nature pontoon boat tours on the lake are now ramping up their activities for the fall. And space is filling up fast for many of t…

With the summer turning into autumn in the coming weeks, another season isn’t too far behind: festival season on the town squares. “We look forward to being able to see the community out and about and enjoying themselves, creating long-lasting memories with friends and family,” said Chalsi C…

Geralyn Vilar and her granddaughter Trinity stood shoulder to shoulder at the kitchen counter, combining ingredients for cranberry orange scones. Vilar held up the recipe card for Trinity to read, then Trinity began zesting a fresh orange while waiting for the oven to heat, both of them smil…

Even a beginner can create a work of art when guided by a skilled hand.

Delores Lancaster wiped away a tear as she looked at the full trunk of food before her. The Leesburg resident was overwhelmed with relief by the thought that she would have more than enough food for the week.

Hundreds of Villagers sporting team jerseys, face paint and school spirit came out to Spanish Springs Town Square on Friday and celebrated the thousands of dollars raised through another successful College Colors Day event. The top three winners of the annual food drive, which is sponsored b…

For those driving on U.S. Highway 301 in Wildwood earlier this month, it was hard not to notice the sign. “Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to get through this thing called life.” Music fans of all kinds instantly can recognize those words as the start of the 1984 Prince classic “L…

Judy Kohn sat with three other women, enjoying the nice breeze and the light conversation, as they waited for the next donation to come.

The Sharon L. Morse Performing Arts Center is cautiously opening its doors a little wider. The theater will return to full capacity Sept. 5, beginning with The Villages Philharmonic Orchestra Labor Day Celebration Pops concert. Full capacity also means the venue will welcome back touring act…

As The Villages expands, so does the range of houses of worship in the area. Several churches have opened around the community this year. Village Christian Church currently meets every Sunday morning at the Old Mill Playhouse, while the Villages Orthodox Church holds court at the Hampton Inn…

The Villages is America's fastest-growing community over the last decade.

Ask Pastor Steven Speaks what his bosses at Seven Rivers Presbyterian Church in Lecanto think about a Villages-area campus opening its doors this fall, and he smiles. “It’s been 10 years of prayer in Lecanto,” he said. “They are happy that this will be a reality.” Seven Rivers Villages will …