Three-year-old Emerald Allen held a paper smile on a Popsicle stick to her face while her mom, Ruthie Allen, snapped a picture. Allen, of Wildwood, and her daughter were making memories with her parents Roger and Nancy Haun at the second annual Blueberry Festival Friday at Brownwood Paddock Square.

The festival featured live entertainment from local groups, food and market vendors, and plenty of extra blueberries following the overwhelming success of last year's inaugural event.

Nancy said this was the family's first time at a Blueberry Festival, and they wanted to go because they enjoy the events on the square.

"I love the people and the food," said Nancy, of the Village of Bradford. "It always feels good and lively."

Emerald kept her smile as she walked around the square, meeting all the clowns from Clown Alley 179. In her arms she had a balloon from Miss Gabbie the clown.

Miss Gabbie, or Irene McGee when not clowning, said she loves being a clown because of the people she gets to meet.

"I enjoy giving the balloon flowers to the little ones, but also to adult—those who don't move as fast I like to say," said McGee, of the Village of Largo resident. "Everyone likes to smile and have fun. And I always enjoy getting to talk to people and learn about them."

This year's Blueberry Festival was even larger than last years, said Chalsi Cox, special events manager with The Villages Entertainment.

"The crowd (was) already bigger after just an hour or so, and we have more vendors and more blueberries," she said. "Last year the vendors sold out of blueberries in two hours, so they came more prepared this year."

Leo Restrepo, with Fruits of the Villas in Summerfield, was a one-man whirlwind as he filled pints of blueberries and helped people pick the best produce.

"I came this year with 900 pounds of blueberries," Restrepo said. "I love these events—it's always so fun to come and sell to the community."

On the sidewalk behind his tent were boxes of blueberries stacked on top of each other.

The tower of dark navy fruit quickly shrank and Restrepo gave out his berries on pint at a time.

Festival attendees also got to enjoy a lineup of live entertainment.

One of the performing groups, the Sweet & Sassy Line Dance Team filed into the square and performed dance numbers with brand new choreography.

The dancers spun and kicked in sync to songs from ABBA and other bands before taking a bow.

"I'm so proud of them," said co-director Carol Carlyon. "This is a new routine and they learned it all in about six weeks. But since we all love dancing at these festivals, it made it easy to learn."

Carlyon, of the Village of Poinciana, joined the group eight years ago and said the thrill of performing at festivals on the squares never gets old.

Cox said she hopes The Villages Entertainment sees a continued love for and growth of the Blueberry Festival like the other popular events on the squares.

"This year we definitely saw even more success than our first year, in part because we waited a little so the blueberries are more in season," Cox said. "No matter what, I'm always so happy to see people and families walking on the square and having fun. Makes everything worth it."

Staff writer Maddie Cutler can be reached at 352-753-1119, ext. 5386, or maddie.cutler@thevillagesmedia.com.

Chloe Knott - Danehouse / Visionhaus | Getty Images

Arsenal and Chelsea have both confirmed their participation in the stateside pre-season FC Series tournament over the 2022 summer.

The competition will see the two sides battle each other for the Florida Cup and also take part in the 'Clash of Nations' against American sides.

Here's what we know about the pre-season tournament.

What is the FC Series?

The FC Series features teams from around the world. Chelsea and Arsenal are participating as part of the 'Clash of Nations' tour. Arsenal are due to face Orlando City, but Chelsea's two games are yet to be confirmed.

The Blues will headline two matches against unconfirmed international opponents across the US before facing Arsenal in a London derby in Orlando, where the so-called Florida Cup will be up for grabs.

What is the Florida Cup?

The Florida Cup is an annual friendly exhibition tournament held in Florida, United States. It was founded in 2015 and has since hosted top teams from Europe and South America.

The format of the competition often changes to accommodate the participating teams' schedules.

Brazilian teams frequently take part in the tournament, with at least one team from the country playing in six of the seven editions so far.

The organisers of the competition say its TV broadcasts reached over five million unique viewers in 2021.

Florida Cup winners

Florida Cup 2022 participating teams

Premier League rivals Arsenal and Chelsea will participate in the 2022 edition of the Florida Cup. That derby will be the final of a weeklong 'FC Series' expansion with international matches across the USA.

With the club's future still uncertain, Chelsea have confirmed they will only travel to participate in the competition if its sale has been completed and are no longer subject to United Kingdom government sanctions.

FC Series 2022 fixtures & schedule

FC Series 2022 tickets

Supporters are able to view Ticketmaster's page for FC Series ticket sales here. General public sale for Orlando City vs Arsenal will start at 15:00 (BST) on Tuesday 3 May.

Florida offers a myriad of new accommodation options – for both fly-in and road-tripping visitors – at all price points, including Outdoorsy RV experiences, the Oasis Collection subscription rental service, SLS beach and city hotels and an all-inclusive Florida Keys stay.

All-inclusive: Bungalows Key Largo

Travelers who want it all can check into Bungalows Key Largo, the only all-inclusive property in the Florida Keys.

This peaceful, adults-only resort sitting in a botanical garden on the edge of the Gulf of Mexico caters primarily to couples who indulge in wellness programs, water sports and sunset cruises as they reconnect with nature.

The 135 individual bungalows (garden and waterfront) include private verandas complete with outdoor rain showers, large soaking tubs and two cruiser bikes to explore the 11.5-acre property.

Interiors feature a spa bathroom with rainfall shower and plush robes, a mini fridge stocked with non-alcoholic beverages and a 60” BeyondTV. Natural materials in tropical colors create a relaxed and romantic vibe. All include daily housekeeping and turn-down services.

Along with three distinct restaurants and a sunset bar, notable shared amenities include two cabana pools and a private beach, daily yoga classes, Zen Garden Spa treatments, a relaxation area for sipping spa-inspired cocktails and five outdoor treatment cabanas near the tranquil Zen Pool. The bayside waterfront tiki offers massages with a view of Florida Bay.

Watercrafts include stand-up paddleboards, kayaks and water trikes, while Tiki and Duffy electric boats offer new ways to experience the sunset cocktail hour. Daily excursions explore the surrounding waters and islands and offer Everglades eco-tours, sunset cruises and swimming and snorkeling trips.

RV-ing: Outdoorsy and Harvest Hosts

For the ultimate private escape, would-be RV-ers without a rig can rent a camping van, full-size trailer or everything in between from Outdoorsy (the Airbnb of RVs) and park it on Harvest Hosts properties at over 3,000 farms, churches, museums, wineries, distilleries, golf courses, bars and "Boondockers Welcome" community host sites across North America.

The reliable and trusted Outdoorsy provides insurance and excellent customer service for the community of 600,000+ travelers and RV owners. Thirty-foot "Eugene" (above) named for the father of RV owner, Ken Munoz, of Bradenton includes a comfortable queen ensuite.

A yearly membership to Harvest Hosts ($99 or $139 – the extra $38 includes access to the highly recommended golf course camping) provides one free night at all member venues, including those on favorite Florida routes. Additional nights are available at the discretion of property owners with a modest fee.

The Harvest Hosts membership is a great way to experience peaceful, private camping while supporting small businesses. Favorite Florida sites include Ferg's Sports Bar and Grill (home of the pizza ATM) on trendy Central Avenue in St. Petersburg and golf clubs Summerfield Crossings and Lansbrook around Tampa Bay.

City or beach stays: SLS and Hyde

Visitors to Miami can choose city or beach stays – or mix it up for the best of both worlds at SLS Hotels in Miami Beach, Midtown Miami and the Brickell area.

"I wouldn't stay here if I were looking for peace and quiet," says Simon Sorpresi, the General Manager of the Philippe Starck-designed SLS South Beach hotel. It's the scene of all the beach action with two happening bar/restaurants on site: Bazaar and Katsuya South Beach. From Sunday to Thursday, chef Hiro Asano offers an omakase food and sake pairing experience for private groups (6-10 persons) in the SLS South Beach South Tower Penthouse designed by Lenny Kravitz.

The Hyde Midtown Miami hotel features a perfect setting near the Design District, complete with a pleasing contemporary art-filled lobby, gorgeous rooftop pool, putting green, gardens, tennis courts, a hip and tasty Japanese fusion restaurant and superb rooftop and balcony views of the lively midtown area.

SLS Brickell also features a contemporary art collection along with Philippe Starck designs amidst an excellent bar and restaurant scene in bustling downtown Miami.

Short-term stays: Oasis Passport

For longer-term globe-trotters, the worldwide Oasis Passport offers a flat-rate monthly subscription service at three price points (depending on the city) that allows unlimited luxury stays of four days to a month, including several Miami locations.

The flexible Oasis Passport covers seven U.S. and 16 international cities. Subscribers pay a fixed monthly "rent" depending on the property type and the three tiers of cities starting at $1,750 including furnishings and utilities. A three-month commitment allows renters to move between all properties worldwide on a month-by-month basis. Subscribers could stay a month in Miami and then move onto Mexico City or Barcelona, for example. The Oasis Passport allows free movement between tiers and floorplans, too.

For the Star-Banner

Don't forget to hang a bag of non-perishable food donations on your mailbox on Saturday (May 14) to help the needy in the community.

That’s the date of the 30th annual National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive. Local donations remain here and go to those in need in Marion County.

The nationwide food drive – which by 2010 had “surpassed one billion pounds” of food, according to the NALC – hasn’t been held since 2019 due to the COVID 19 pandemic.

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The Interfaith Emergency Services (IES) warehouse in downtown Ocala serves as a collection and redistribution point for the drive. With food levels critically low at the facility, the massive amounts gathered in the drive are sorely needed, according to IES CEO Karla Grimsley-Greenway.

"Right now, we need (the donations) desperately," Grimsley-Greenway said.

IES warehouse volunteer Francis Martin highlighted the acute need for food donations.

"I've been a volunteer here six years and I've never seen the warehouse this low," Martin said.

The Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive is always a blessing for area food banks

Steve Clem, IES food distribution manager, said the warehouse received 127,838 pounds of food from the last Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive, held in 2019.

IES has spent perhaps as much as $200,000 over the last two years to replace the missed donations, Grimsley-Greenway indicated.

The Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive in May helps IES in the summer, when donations tend to go down. Experts worry about summer, when children aren't in school and able to get school-provided meals.

IES officials said the number of families with six or more verified members seeking help from the agency has increased from 23 in February to 109 now.

Here is how the food drive works

Letter carriers from three Ocala-area post offices will gather the donations on their routes on May 14 and deliver the donated food at the end of the day to the Interfaith warehouse in downtown Ocala.

Clem said IES provides food to local agencies including the Salvation Army, HELP Agency of the Forest, Brother's Keeper Ministry of Blessed Trinity Catholic Church and His Compassion Food Bank.

IES itself also serves as a food pantry, providing food to individuals and families at the warehouse.

Timothy Legge, a retired local letter carrier, is helping organize the local Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive. He said having the drive was optional this year, and planning had to be done quickly.

Legge encouraged all residents to “put out one can,” and said the results would be very impactful on local need.

A look at the shelves is all you need to realize how badly supplies are needed

A recent visit to the IES warehouse revealed some empty shelves and a lack of staple foods – but a lot of candy.

IES warehouse staffer Maxi Rodriguez emphasized the need for more food while IES driver Bruce Reed went through boxes of Mombo candy bars and marshmallow treats.

Chaston Liming likes working in the IES warehouse to "help families."

The IES warehouse has been operating on donations from individuals and local churches. Several donors came in on May 3.

Diane Roxburgh brought in 418 pounds of food donated by members of The Way Independent Christian Church on Southwest State Road 200, while Ed and Brenda Haffey carried several bags and other food into the warehouse.

Ed Haffey said the couple is aware there are people who "need help” here and the warehouse is "always low” on food.

Dwayne William, pastor of Mount Olive Baptist Church in Summerfield, dropped off a large container of baked good donated by Panera in Ocala.

William regularly makes the pickup and drop off to "help the less fortunate."

Eric Miller was handling food distribution to applicants who came into the IES pantry desk on May 3.

Tennyson Lewin came for a supermarket buggy filed with food. He said his wife, Doreeen, has cancer.

Steve Myers with the IES warehouse offered to pray with a woman who came in for food help but preferred not to give her name.

Letter carriers are happy to see the food drive back in business

Cruz Cintron, head of the local branch of the National Association of Letter Carriers said he's "thrilled" the drive is resuming.

Cintron said the 127,838 pounds of food collected and delivered by the letter carriers of the Ocala Main Post Office and Paddock and Maricamp branches in 2019 was the top poundage amount in the country.

"The Paddock Branch donations filled three semitrailers," he said.

Courtney Salem, permanent supportive housing case manager with IES, said around her home in Paddock Park South the annual drive is a “big deal.”

Legge said Swift Transportation loaned the letter carriers semitrailers for use during the drive.

Letter carrier Gary Smith has been involved in the Stamp Out Hunger Drive since it began. His mail route includes an area of Southeast 17th Street and Lake Weir Avenue.

Smith said on the day of the drive, letter carriers will have a long day, starting by sorting out mail at perhaps 8 a.m., running their routes, and then delivering the donations to IES warehouse, possibly helping up to 8 p.m.

Smith said the hard work, which gets “critical support" from postal authorities and management, is worth it.

"You get to see the good (the drive) does, especially at the IES warehouse," he said.

Medical network University of Florida Health will expand its reach in Marion County with a recent land purchase in the Summerfield community at the southern edge of the county near The Villages.

A deed shows the transaction took place on Oct. 7 between Novia Group, LLC and Shands Teaching Hospital and Clinics, Inc.

UF Health paid around $2.21 million for the property of nearly 27 acres west of U.S. Highway 441 but has not disclosed plans for development.

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“We recently acquired land in the Summerfield area of Marion County,” an email statement from UF Health spokesperson Ken Garcia said. “UF Health currently has primary care and specialty practices located throughout Ocala and in Summerfield, including family medicine, pediatrics, women’s health and orthopaedic services, among others.”

Three separate parcels make up the 26.92 acres of land listed under address 14950 S. Highway 441 on realtor.com.

The vacant property is adjacent to a Kangaroo Express to its north along U.S. 441 and Southeast Sunset Harbor Road. It borders several small buildings to the south, but the property has no development currently.

According to the Marion County Property Appraiser's website, the land is currently zoned as B2, or community business classification, which allows for shops and service providers.

“Residents of Marion County have always sought medical care from UF Health in Gainesville,” the statement said. “Our commitment is to bring UF Health caliber care closer to the residents of the county. This acquisition is a next step in furthering UF Health’s efforts to support that vision.”

UF Health is known for its UF Health Shands Hospital in Gainesville and UF Health hospital in Jacksonville, but it has providers and services across the state. It also has hospitals in Leesburg and The Villages in neighboring Lake and Sumter counties. The Villages hospital is only five miles southeast of the property on U.S. 441.

“While we do not have specific plans for this property, we continue to evaluate how to best align UF Health’s clinical, research and education efforts to best meet the needs of the local community,” the statement said.

In addition to its hospitals, UF Health’s website shows the network includes emergency rooms, labs, pharmacies, primary care, dentistry and specialty care ranging from cancer treatment to plastic surgery.

Contact reporter Danielle Johnson at djohnson@gannett.com.