Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Commission directs staff to pursue funding and site options for Hogtown Medieval Fair after two-year search
Summary
After a staff presentation on site, infrastructure and budget constraints, the City Commission voted unanimously to ask the city manager to return with funding recommendations for fiscal year 2026 and to fully explore alternative sites and partnerships for the Hogtown Medieval Fair.
City of Gainesville parks and cultural-affairs staff told the General Policy Committee that the Hogtown Medieval Fair cannot return to its pre-pandemic scale without a large site and additional funding, and commissioners directed staff to pursue funding and site options.
Assistant Director Leslie Leidenorf, Cultural Affairs Manager Carol Velasquez Richardson and event coordinator Sunshine ("Sunny") Andre reviewed the fair’s history, the size and infrastructure the event requires and the constraints staff encountered searching for a long-term site since the Alachua County Fairgrounds sale. "Before the pandemic and all of the location changes, the Hogtown Medieval Fair featured 150 merchants in the marketplace, entertained guests on 11 stages and welcomed more than 2,000 students for a low-cost…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
