Westfest set for April 26; Newberry community groups announce events and outreach meeting for Old West End golf course

Crystal Rushing, the city’s newly appointed special events coordinator, presented details about Westfest 2025 at the April 14 commission meeting. Westfest will be held April 26 at Lewis Fort Park with gates opening at 3:30 p.m. Rushing named four featured musical acts — TJ Brown, Andrea Kaye, the duo Harbour Wind, and headliner Emma Forgette — and said returning family attractions include a bounce house and kid activities from Greenfield. Title sponsor Visit Gainesville/Alachua County and several other sponsors were listed, and food trucks scheduled include Donut Envy, Back Porch Burgers, Rolling Sliders, Charlie’s Snow Shack, Lazy Days Lemonade and local taco vendors. Rushing said the event Facebook page and westfest.rocks include performer lists and a chance to enter for a free T‑shirt; she said roughly 1,800 people had marked interest on the event page.

During the public‑announcements segment, Joy Glanzer introduced Newberry Proud, a newly formed volunteer group dedicated to recognizing youth achievements; the group’s first event is May 23 at the high‑school football field and will feature a movie night, athlete recognitions and free popcorn. Glanzer listed the organization’s board and said Congresswoman Kat Kamik provided commemorative coins for student athletes.

A county‑led public engagement meeting on the Old West End Golf Course property was announced for Tuesday, April 29, 6:30–8:30 p.m. at the Ag Extension Auditorium; the presenter said the top three options under consideration from earlier community input were a nine‑hole golf course, a driving range and walking trails, plus playground/splash‑pad amenities. The speaker urged Newberry residents, athletic coaches and parents to attend to voice support if they want the site to include golf facilities.

Staff also presented the geographic map used for the city’s CDBG neighborhood revitalization application and explained the HUD eligibility rules (project area must be at least 51% low‑to‑moderate income under HUD’s Gainesville/Gilchrist area limits). Staff said the state’s CDBG pot this cycle was more flexible because of recent storms and that the normally capped $700,000 limit might instead allow projects up to the project cost in this emergency round. A public hearing and a commission motion authorized staff to proceed with the application.

Why it matters These events and outreach items affect community engagement, local tourism and neighborhood infrastructure planning. Westfest is a large community event that draws regional attendance; the Old West End Golf Course meeting is a final public engagement opportunity shaping future recreational uses for county‑owned land; the CDBG application could fund street, drainage or water improvements in an eligible neighborhood.

What’s next Westfest will proceed April 26; residents may consult westfest.rocks and the city event page for details. Newberry Proud’s event is scheduled for May 23. The county meeting on the Old West End Golf Course is April 29, and staff will submit the CDBG application in May per the commission motion.