Visit Central Florida

Pool day, anyone?

Have the perfect pool day in Lakeland, Florida
Florida Southern College's pool
There’s something about watching the sun rise over a crystal blue pool. | Photo by @fsc_swimming
Sometimes picking a coast + making the long-haul isn’t feasible; for those days when you’ve got sunshine on the mind but can’t commit to an I-4 excursion, we’ve assembled a list of local must-haves for the perfect day at one of Lakeland’s public pools.

There’s so much more to a proper beach uniform than a swimsuit. Check out our local recommendations for the perfect poolside outfit.
  • Sunglasses — Stop by Eyes on Lakeland (1400 S. Florida Ave.) for a fresh set of lenses to properly protect those baby blues (or hazels, greens, or browns… you get the point).
  • Sunblock — Sunburns are out, UV protection is in. Rafa Natural (244 N. Kentucky Ave.) offers a full line of sun care products, from sunscreen to post-sun soothing mist.
  • Towels + hats — Whether you’re looking for a trucker, bucket, or good old-fashioned baseball hat, check out these caps, beach towels, and tote bags to accessorize your perfect pool day.
Your poolside snack can make or break your experience. Beat the heat with one of these local options.

Six scoops of icecream from Mayday Icecream

There’s nothing like a few scoops of ice cream on a hot day.

Photo by @tamparecs

  • Something sweet — Head to Mayday Ice Cream at The Joinery (640 E. Main St.) and order a flight of ice cream — that’s six mini scoops — to share (or keep for yourself, we won’t judge).
  • Something savory — Order a green juice and a bowl from The Juice Box (4295 S. Florida Ave.). We recommend the Celery Duff or the Alkaline Trio and the Kalehouse Rock, featuring kale, spinach, sweet potato, avocado, and more.
  • Something caffeinated — You can’t go wrong ordering from any of Lakeland’s tried-and-true coffee spots. Pro tip: Skip the 2% and go with coconut milk for a tremendously tropical flavor in your favorite latte.
Is your favorite pool day staple not on our list? Tell us about it so we can try it for ourselves.
Encourage your poolside pal to take advantage of the last days of summer using an icon below.

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Today
  • Ciro’s Sweet Tooth Dessert Tour | Tues., Sept. 13 | 10:30 a.m. | Downtown Winter Haven | $45+ | Explore the sweeter side of Winter Haven + try muffins, cupcakes, pies, and more from local establishments. 🧁
  • Molly’s Musicians Showcase |Tues., Sept. 13 | 9 p.m.-1 a.m. | Molly McHugh’s Irish Pub | Free | Grab a drink + enjoy live music from Lakeland’s local artists.
Wednesday
  • Open Mic at The Pink Piano | Wed., Sept. 14 | 8-11:30 p.m. | The Pink Piano | Free | Support local singers — or perform onstage yourself — at this open mic night. 🎹
  • Line Dancing Lessons & DJ Steev G | Wed., Sept. 14 | 5-7 p.m. | Union Hall | Free | Learn new line dances + enjoy drink deals — stay for DJ Steev G’s live music from 8 p.m.-12 a.m.
Thursday
Friday
  • Women In Business Symposium | Fri., Sept. 16 | 8 a.m.-12 p.m. | Catapult Lakeland | $40 | Professional women can get inspired to recognize their potential at this symposium — tickets include breakfast + a discussion panel.
Saturday
  • 5th Annual Teal Gone Mad Tea Party | Sat., Sept. 17 | 12-3 p.m. | Lakeland Country Club, 929 Lake Hollingsworth Dr. | $38+ | Support the Ovarian Cancer Support Group of Polk, FL. Inc. at this event featuring tea, lunch, a silent auction + fashion show — seating is limited.
  • Documentary Screening - Rodin: The Gates of Hell | Sat., Sept. 17 | 12-1 p.m. | Polk Museum of Art | Free | Attend this free screening of the documentary “Rodin: The Gates of Hell.” 🎞️
  • POWer in Pink 5K Race | Sat., Sep. 17 | 8 a.m. | Joker Marchant Stadium, 2301 Lakeland Hills Blvd. | $40+ | The Breast Cancer Foundation of Central Florida is hosting this 5K run/walk to kick off Breast Cancer Awareness Month. 👟

We have a monthly guide filled with events + activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.

For tickets to local and regional events, check out our 6AM Tickets resale marketplace.*
100+ MORE EVENTS

Weather
  • 89º | Scattered thunderstorms | 70% chance of rain
  • Polk County has opened sandbag sites in seven locations. following frequent rains. Lakelanders can head to 8970 N. Campbell Rd. to collect up to 10 sandbags today + tomorrow, Wed., Sept. 14. ☔ (Fox 13 News)
Civic
  • City commissioners voted last week to maintain the city’s current millage rate of 5.4323 ($5.43 per $1,000 in assessed property value). An increase (up to 5.7649 mills) was discussed to cover firefighters + other services, but a supermajority of five in favor was not reached. (LkldNow)
Number
  • $236,000. That’s how much The Lakeland Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) has allotted to hire two outside organizations focused on supporting small, minority-owned businesses. Tampa Bay Black Business Investment Corp and Prospera, which exists to help Hispanic entrepreneurs, will begin working in the Lakeland area at the Lakeland Chamber’s request. (The Ledger)
Ranked
  • No. 1. That’s what Florida Polytechnic University ranked on US News and World Report’s 2022-2023 list of Best Colleges for public schools in the southern region. The school also ranked as the No. 1 regional school for veterans and the No. 2 regional school where students graduate with the least debt. 🏆
Arts
  • Attention artists: The City of Lakeland’s Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Arts Department is looking for artists to feature in its new Arts & Rec! program. The first theme is “Nature vs Civilization” and applications are due by Fri., Oct. 2. Read more and apply using this form.
  • Florida Southern College’s 52nd Annual Festival of Fine Arts has 17 events slated for the fall semester. The festival kicks off on Mon., Sept. 19 with the Hispanic Heritage Festival, to be followed by performances like “Hamlet,” “Carrie: The Musical,” and “The Nutcracker.” Community members can find ticketing information online. 🎭
  • The start of fall can be a reset for creating new habits + hobbies — how about exploring your creativity? Polk Museum of Art’s fall classes are open for registration for adults and teens who want to find a new creative challenge (that could lead to a new passion).*
Show
  • Do you believe in life after this show? Lisa McClowry will bring superstar Cher’s greatest hits to Lakeland with her one-woman show, “The Beat Goes On” on Wed., March 8 at the RP Funding Center. Get your tickets when they go on sale Fri., Sept. 16 at 9 a.m. 🎤
Learn
  • Attend Southeastern University’s Hispanic Heritage Month lecture series to learn about the contributions of the Hispanic community to advocacy, ministry, and theological education. The series, featuring multiple distinguished speakers, kicks off on Thurs., Sept. 15 at 9 a.m. with Rev. Dr. Gabriel Salguero in SEU’s Bush Chapel. View the schedule here.
  • Calling all news fans. Get the stories you need to know to understand today’s world with Newser, whose newsletters compile all the headlines that you’ll want to discuss over dinner with friends. Bonus: Every story is designed to be read in 90 seconds or less. Subscribe.*
Outdoors
  • Phillip Rucks Citrus Nursery (1697 Rucks Dairy Rd., Frostproof), which is located near the Avon Park Air Force Range, is now protected from future development and subdivision. Conservation Florida facilitated an agreement between the Department of Defense + the Polk County Parks and Natural Resources Division which resulted in the conservation easement. 🌳 (The Ledger)
Eat
  • Looking for a quick, healthy breakfast idea? GreenWise Organic Instant Oatmeal is two for $5 at Publix GreenWise Market through Wed., Sept. 14.*
Finance
  • Being caught in the paycheck-to-paycheck cycle isn’t pleasant, but it doesn’t have to be permanent. Learn how to break the cycle.*
Home
  • Time for a new AC system? We suggest investing in a new Carrier AC system from Payne Air. Not sold yet? Every purchase also includes 36 months of 0% interest financing. Bonus: Payne Air is NATE certified and a Carrier Factory Authorized Dealer, which means technicians are more knowledgeable on Carrier AC systems for installation + maintenance. 🌬️ *

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Business

A note from our CEO 🤝
Ryan Johnston-CEO-Company retreat-by Ash Photography.png
CEO Ryan Johnston with City Editors and Branded Content Studio Editors during the 2022 6AM City company retreat in Nashville, TN. | Photo by Ash Photography
Good morning, LAL — new voice here. My name is Ryan Johnston and I am the CEO of 6AM City, the parent company and publisher of LALoday. First, thank you for waking up with us every morning and looking to our City Editors, Rilee and Connor, to help you start your day and get excited about everything LAL has to offer.

We launched LALtoday on Aug. 16, 2018 and we couldn’t be more thrilled at how this city has taken to us. We now wake up with 29,330 readers and reach 37,911 people via social media — a big step up from day one.

We built this product based on both reader and advertiser demand. Readers like you were looking for a quick and convenient way to find everything in one place — focused on all things positive and written in a way that is digestible — and (in an effort to keep our product 100% free to readers) we work with advertisers who want to connect with readers like you.

We have a number of different opportunities to advertise directly in this newsletter — find out more by clicking on the link below.
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THE WRAP
Today’s edition was written by Rilee.

Editor’s pick: No pool (or beach) day is complete without a good read. Check out our list of books written by local authors and head to your favorite Lakeland bookstore to pick up your next page-turner.

Missed yesterday’s newsletter? We showed you where to continue your education at 11 local establishments offering art, dance, cooking classes, and more, here.
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Editorial: Rilee Delgado, Connor Keith, Jessalin Heins-Nagamoto, Kaylee Holland, Ashlea Hearn, Emily Shea| Send us a scoop, question, or feedback.

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