Wood you try this? 🌳

Explore the City of Lakeland’s Urban Forest

A path through Hollis Garden with trees on either side

Did you know about this free tour of Lakeland’s trees? | Photo by LALtoday

56,000. That’s how many trees the City of Lakeland’s Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Arts Department manages throughout Lakeland. Known as the Urban Forest, the trees add to our quality of life by reducing energy use, increasing property values, and improving air quality. Because of this, the trees provide the city with a net annual benefit of more than $2 million.

Want to learn more about the 300+ species of trees around Lakeland’s accredited arboretum? Take a GPS-enabled tour of one of Swan City’s tree collections. There are currently tours of Lake Morton + Hollis Garden, with a tour of Lake Wire’s palm trees in the works. Come along with us as we make fronds with our local flora.

A screenshot of the Hollis Garden Fruit Tree Collection map with a photo of a papaya tree from below — The papaya tree is stop 26 on the Hollis Garden tour.

Hollis Garden Fruit Tree Collection
There are 93 trees listed in this collection. Following the map, you can see a photo of each tree and its location around the garden — we like to think of it as a tree-sure hunt.

Once you’ve found the tree, you can read fun facts about its species, like its country of origin and how high it grows. Our favorite was the papaya tree, where we saw a few of its football-sized fruits hanging high up in its branches.

A screenshot of the Lake Morton Flowering Tree tour map and a photo of a Pride of Bolivia tree from below — The Pride of Bolivia tree is stop 18 on the Lake Morton tour.

Lake Morton Flowering Tree Collection
Just a short walk away are 69 flowering trees lining the shore of Lake Morton. The swans were our guide as we followed the map again to find trees like the Pride of Bolivia, which blooms with apricot-colored flowers in early summer.

Looking for a free local activity? Take your own tour to learn something new about Lakeland. Make it a contest to see who can spot them first, or just enjoy a relaxing stroll through the shrubs.

Stumped on what to do next in Lakeland? Invite your friends on a tree tour with a button below.

Click here to have your event featured.

Today

Fun Run, Music Bingo w/ Smokin’ Chanchos | Tues., Sept. 20 | 6:30 p.m. | Swan Brewing | Free | Get moving with a fun run at 5:30 before grabbing a bite + playing music bingo. 🏃
Active Living Every Day | Tues., Sept. 20 | 2-3 p.m. | United Methodist Temple, 2700 S. Florida Ave. | Free | Build a step-by-step plan to improve your health at this 12-week workshop.
Yoga for a Better Life | Tues., Sept. 20 | 10:15-11:15 a.m. | Winter Haven Public Library, 325 Ave. A NW | Free | Bring your own mat for a relaxing yoga practice — space is limited. 🧘

Wednesday

Director’s Tour | Wed., Sept. 21 | 6-7 p.m. | Polk Museum of Art | Free | Join the museum’s director + curator for an in-depth gallery tour.
Open Mic at The Pink Piano | Wed., Sept. 21 | 8-11:30 p.m. | The Pink Piano | Free | Support local singers or perform onstage yourself at this open mic night. 🎹

Thursday

Classic Albums Live: U2 - “The Joshua Tree” | Thurs., Sept. 22 | 7:30 p.m. | RP Funding Center | $84+ | Musicians from across the country will perform U2’s album “The Joshua Tree” exactly as you remember hearing it — note for note, cut for cut. 🎸
Jon Lehrer Dance Company | Thurs., Sept. 22 | 7:30 p.m. | Florida Southern College | $10+ | Enjoy a fun fusion of modern + jazz dance from this professional dance company.

Friday

Glow Night | Fri., Sept. 23 | 8 p.m.-12 a.m. | Union Hall | $10 | Get your glow on as you dance under the neon lights to electronic music with live drums.

Saturday

An Evening With the Stars | Sat., Sept. 24 | 6 p.m. | Lone Palm Country Club, 800 Lone Palm Dr. | $75+ | Join K9s for Cops at this memorial banquet featuring speaker Retired Staff Sgt. Keni Thomas. ⭐️

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

Celebrate the opening of Bonnet Springs Park 🎉

We’re just 32 days away from strolling through trails, visiting the Blanton Family Lagoon, and more. | Photo provided by Bonnet Springs Park

Let the celebration begin, Lakeland. Bonnet Springs Park is hosting a free Grand Opening celebration Sat., Oct. 22-Sun., Oct. 23.

Get ready for:

Live, local music on the Wedding Lawn stage
Garden show in the Greenhouse
Strolling magicians, stilt walkers + hula hoopers in the Education Corridor
Train rides, a live mural + face painting in the Heritage Gardens
Food trucks in the Florida Children’s Museum parking lot
Bridal Show with 30 vendors + food samples at the Event Center
A fireworks show

And more.*

CHECK OUT THE DETAILS

Weather

90º | Scattered thunderstorms | 50% chance of rain

Development

The southeast’s only high-speed autonomous vehicle testing site is on track for completion in 2023. SunTrax is being built on 475 acres near Florida Polytechnic University. The $141.2 million project includes several testing environments, a conference center, and classroom space. Here’s hoping we can catch a ride. 🚙 (The St. Pete Catalyst)

Number

~$553.5 million. That’s how much Polk County Public Schools is spending on projects currently in progress around the school district, including construction at Southwest Middle School. Other projects include a $1.7 million plan to connect Combee Academy to the City’s water system + a $9.422 million cafeteria at Medulla Elementary School. 🏗 (LkldNow)

Stat

3.5%. That was Polk County’s August unemployment rate. Thanks to increases in fields like education + health services, the rate decreased from 5.4% in August of 2021. Machinery repair, personal care services, and more “other services” industry jobs also showed a high increase. (The Ledger)
One in five small businesses will fall victim to a cyber attack. Entrepreneurs and side hustlers, check out these six ways to protect your biz. 🖥️ *

Health

Lakeland Volunteers in Medicine is expanding to Bartow. The volunteer healthcare center will temporarily work out of the Bartow Church Service Center (495 E. Summerlin St.) before moving to the Bartow Regional Medical Center in January 2023.

Outdoors

The 42nd Annual Lakeland Swan Roundup will take place on Lake Morton on Tues., Oct. 18 at 7 a.m. The swans will be corralled into pens before their annual health examinations the next day. Want a sneak peek? See our adventures at last year’s Swan Roundup here. 🦢

Biz

Lakeland Linder International Airport has a new director ready for takeoff: Kris Hallstrand, who has served as the airport’s interim director since March. Kris brings 20+ years of airport management experience to the role, five of which she gained here in Lakeland. ✈️

Edu

Polk State College President Dr. Angela Garcia Falconetti has been appointed to the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention State Advisory Group. In this new role, she will help to manage federal funds for delinquency prevention + oversee compliance.

Award

Lakeland-based branding + marketing agency MADE has been recognized as one of the USF Fast 56, which includes the world’s fastest growing USF alumni-owned or led businesses, for the second year in a row. We guess you could say that MADE has it made.

Eat

Head downtown tonight for Tasty Tuesday, featuring 10 small bites from local restaurants for $25. Try tacos from Gallito, pastries from Cake Makers Studio, and more from 4:30-9 p.m. Order tickets online or at the LDDA office (117 N. Kentucky Ave.). 🌮
Don’t just eat better — eat the best. Sunbasket’s meal kit service delivers delicious, healthy meals created by award-winning chefs straight to your front door. Bonus: LALtoday readers can get $100 off their first four deliveries and more when they sign up. *

History

The American Pickers are heading to Florida this December and are on the hunt for large private collections. Think you have some cool stuff? Reach out to the show’s producers to be considered for a chance at showing off your collection on the hit History Channel show.

Travel

The next time you head to Orlando International Airport (MCO), save some time (and money) by parking in Parking Garage C, the garage that reopened in spring (located two miles south of the airport). It’s only a four-minute train ride to the terminal + costs $2 less per day than garages A and B. 🚗 *
Going on vacation this fall and need to learn a new language fast? With Babbel, you could be speaking a new language in as little as three weeks. Bonus: Get 55% off your subscription for a limited time. 🌎*

Content marked with an * is brought to you by our advertising partners and helps make this newsletter free.

The spice of life 🎃

Your favorite pumpkin products

Hand holding a pumpkin cookie from Twisted Sugar in Lakeland, FL

Try Twisted Sugar’s pumpkin chocolate chip cookie with cream cheese frosting. | Photo by LALtoday

Love it or hate it, there’s no hiding from pumpkin spice season. From fall-flavored drinks to spice-scented candles, pumpkin seems to be everywhere.

So we want to know, what’s your favorite pumpkin spice offering from around Lakeland? Is there a scented product you can’t live without or a drink that always signals the arrival of fall?

Let us know what you love and where to get it — we may just feature your gourd-geous suggestions in an upcoming newsletter.

THE WRAP

Today’s issue was written by Connor.

Editor’s pick: Pumpkin spice might have competition for flavor of the season. What is it? It’s corn. Twisted Sugar has baked up a corn cookie with honey butter frosting + Parkesdale Market is offering corn milkshakes.

Missed yesterday’s newsletter? Fly into Orlando International Airport’s new terminal, here.

Connect with us.

Editorial: Rilee Delgado, Connor Keith, Jessalin Heins-Nagamoto, Kaylee Holland, Ashlea Hearn, Emily Shea | Send us a scoop, question, or feedback.

Sales: Kailey Burke | Advertise with us.

Content marked with an * was created in partnership with 6AM City’s advertising partners. Paid content helps keep this newsletter free. 6AM City may also receive a commission on purchases made through affiliate links in this newsletter.

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