Food

Expect out-of-the-box flavor profiles, like the guava cardamom cold brew, once Foxtail Coffee comes to town. | Photo by LALtoday

It’s a good time to be a foodie in Lakeland, Florida. Recently we took to Instagram to share construction updates on three establishments that get Lakelanders abuzz, but that doesn’t even scratch the surface. Here’s what we’re watching (and already hungry for) below.

Fresh Kitchen | 4520 S. Florida Ave.
An exact opening date is TBA, but we recommend trying the lemon garlic broccoli + roasted salmon at your first visit.

Aldi | 4532 S. Florida Ave.
Get your quarters and bags ready — this grocery store is coming soon next door to Fresh Kitchen. Soon you’ll find us shopping for those notorious Aldi deals after filling up on FK bites.

Unfiltered Lakeland | 801 E. Main St.
This upcoming coffee spot will be an expansion of the existing Bartow location, Unfiltered Bartow. Coffee fans will recognize its new home as the former location of The Poor Porker, which closed permanently in the summer of 2022.

A rendering of Black and Brew's third location — Find Black & Brew soon at the former Krispy Kreme (4209 S. Florida Ave.).

Black & Brew Coffee House and Bistro | 4209 S. Florida Ave.
This Lakeland staple’s third location is coming soon to the former home of Krispy Kreme, and it’s bringing a new feature: A drive-thru.

The Back Nine | 124 S. Tennessee Ave.
Fans of simulated sports, American fare, and cold beers rejoice — The Back Nine is bringing a second location to downtown Lakeland at the former home of Federal Bar, which closed in the fall of 2022. An opening date is still to be announced, but we’re already practicing our swing.

4 Rivers Smokehouse | 4747 S. Florida Ave.
If you thought Lakeland loved barbecue before, 4 Rivers Smokehouse is going to solidify its excitement for those classic savory Southern dishes. Construction just began at the future site of 4 Rivers, and we’re already drooling.

Is your most-anticipated eatery not on our list? Tell us what you’re looking forward to — we trust you have good taste.

EVENTS

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Today

Line Dancing Lessons & DJ Steev G | Wed., Oct. 5 | 5-7 p.m. | Union Hall | Free | Kick off your Sunday shoes and take these free line dancing lessons — stay for music by DJ Steev G and drink specials starting at 8 p.m.

Thursday

Hamlet | Thurs., Oct. 6 | 7:30 p.m. | Florida Southern College | $20 | Don’t question “to be or not to be” in the audience as this classic play is performed by Florida Southern College’s students. 🎭
Rodin Touch Tour for the Visually Impaired (Rescheduled from September 28) | Thurs., Oct. 6 | 4-5 p.m. | Polk Museum of Art | Free | Guests who are blind or visually impaired can experience one of the greatest sculptors of the 19th century, Auguste Rodin, through touch.
T-R-I-V-I-A | Thurs., Oct. 6 | 6:30-8:30 p.m. | The Joinery | Free | Show what you know to win prizes while enjoying deals on beer, wine, and cocktails. 💭

Friday

17th Aching Quad Challenge | Fri., Oct. 7-Sat., Oct. 8 | Times vary | Locations vary | $55 | Run, don’t walk, to register for this four-part race around our lakes followed by an award ceremony and meal — spots are limited. 👟

Saturday

Fox Squirrel Corn Maze and Pumpkin Patch | Sat., Oct. 8 - Sun., Oct. 9 | 10 a.m.-5 p.m. | Fox Squirrel Corn Maze, 3002 Charlie Taylor Road N., Plant City | Shop pumpkins in every shape and size, plus don’t miss the corn maze, hay rides, horseback riding, live music, and Southern food. 🌽
Historic Walking Tour | Sat., Oct. 8 | 9-11:30 a.m. | Munn Park | $10 | Historic Lakeland and the LDDA are teaming up to host a walking tour of the Munn Park Historic District, led by local historians.
Moxie Le Femme Presents: Back From the Dead! | Sat., Oct. 8 | 7-11 p.m. | Union Hall | Free | Lakeland’s burlesque and cabaret dance company, Moxie Le Femme, is making its comeback at this “Back From The Dead” Halloween show. 👻

Sunday

Second Sunday Artisan Market | Sun., Oct. 9 | 12-5 p.m. | Lakeside Village | Price of purchase | Shop festive and unique goods from local makers, enjoy games on The Lawn, and more.

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.

100+ MORE EVENTS

Lakelander

How Dating.com can help improve your quality of life

Dating.com-two people talking on a couch.jpg

Dating.com has brought countless happy couples together. (Disclaimer: Models in the ad are for illustrative purposes and are not customers of Dating.com.) | Photo by Dating.com

Did you know? Loneliness has clinical impacts on your health — think: reduced sleep quality, increased blood pressure, and higher rates of depression.

Lasting, meaningful relationships can dramatically increase your quality of life — and Dating.com can help you build them. Their General Dating application helps you connect with like-minded individuals in Lakeland (and maybe even find your soulmate).

Bonus: Because Dating.com connects people from all over the world, there are lots of exciting new people to meet.*

YOUR SOULMATE IS WAITING

NEWS NOTES

Weather

85º | Mostly sunny | 10% chance of rain 🌤️

Stat

100%. That’s how many Lakeland Electric customers have had their power restored. On Thurs., Sept. 29, 63,500 customers were without power, but after six days of efforts all were restored on Tuesday evening at 9 p.m. ⚡
50%. That’s how much citrus was lost to Hurricane Ian for some farmers in southern Polk County. Thankfully, Polk (which is the state’s leader in citrus production) fared better than counties like DeSoto and Charlotte in the Arcadia area, which are reporting up to 80% losses. (The Ledger)

Number

150,000. That’s how many gallons of clean water Winter Haven-based Indian River Transport Company delivered to hospitals, shelters, and businesses in Lee County. According to one driver, Len Miller, the drivers are willing to continue transporting for as long as it takes. 🚰 (Fox 13 News)

Civic

Lakeland City Commissioners compiled 16 questions for the eight interim commissioner candidates. Now, each candidate will answer the questions in writing ahead of the meeting on Mon., Oct. 10, where they can choose which questions to address in person before the commission. Read the questions + candidate bios here. (LkldNow)

Opening

We’re ready to do some shopping. Monkee’s of Lakeland is opening on Fri., Oct. 21 on South Florida Avenue, across from the Southgate Shopping Center and next door to Pelican’s Snoballs. The boutique store sells clothing, shoes, and accessories, and you can find other locations in Winter Park and South Tampa. 👠

Biz

Silver Ring Cafe’s relocation to Crispers has been canceled. The biz previously had plans to share a building and parking lot with Crispers at 217 N. Kentucky Ave. Following the change of plans, Silver Ring’s owners are still weighing options for the popular Swan City cafe.

Edu

Southeastern University has appointed Rev. Jeanette Salguero as executive director of the Carrión Hispanic Leadership Center. Rev. Salguero is a pastor and consultant for government agencies. The Carrión Center’s distinguished fellow will be her husband, Rev. Dr. Gabriel Salguero. (The Ledger)

Listen

Head to Union Hall on Thurs., Oct. 27 for local artist Chase Wagner’s album release party. Tickets are $15 online or $18 at the door to hear Chase’s debut album, titled “Suddenly I Saw You Clearly,” and you can listen to the album singles on Apple Music or other streaming platforms. 🎵

Try This

Calling all readers. Inklings Book Shoppe (2120 S. Combee Rd.) is hosting an Indie Author event on Sat., Oct. 29. Stop by to meet local independent authors (including the folks from HP Comics) and discuss your favorite books. 📚

Seasonal

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas... at least, it is at Take Heart’s Kentucky Avenue storefront. Stop by the nonprofit organization to get a jumpstart on your seasonal shopping with fair trade goods from this local retailer. 🎄

Drink

Reserve your spot for Red Door Lakeland’s 2022 Spanish Wine Dinner by Sun., Oct. 9. Tickets are $120 per person and include five courses of expertly paired Spanish dishes and wines, explained by a professional chef and sommelier. The event takes place on Wed., Oct. 19 at 6:15 p.m. 🍷

Film

Did you notice any stars in Plant City last month? Cast members from “Stranger Things,” “Ghostbusters: Afterlife,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Where the Crawdads Sing,” and “The Revenant” filmed on location in the town for an upcoming film titled “Spider and Jessie.” Who’s ready to see Plant City on the silver screen? 🎞️ (Tampa Bay Times)

List

Wondering what to do about flood damage in your home? The Ledger put together this list of steps you can take if your home was flooded during Hurricane Ian. From safety measures to caring for your belongings, learn about drying off and moving on. (The Ledger)

Feel Good

Children in the pediatric unit of Lakeland Regional Health recently got a special visit from Lakeland Dreadnaught football players, brightening the day of the young patients + their families. (Way to win our hearts, Dreadnaughts.) 🏈 *

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Culture

Don’t Blinky, you might miss it

A rendering of Florida Children's Museum

Play on Blinky in The Harrell Family Charities Front Yard. | Rendering via Florida Children’s Museum

The opening of Florida Children’s Museum is coming up on Fri., Nov. 4. Get excited with this interview with the museum’s CEO, Kerry Falwell.

Q: Tell me about the new programs that the museum is offering.

We heard everyone loud and clear – they wanted safe educational outdoor play, and so just under 8,000 sqft is the Harrell Family Charities Front Yard, an enclosed outdoor play space for kids. ...We’re going to talk about everything from horticulture to environmental engineering outdoor play and risk-taking.

Q: What’s one thing you want every Lakeland parent or grandparent to know about the new museum?

A: Every child will guide their experience differently. There’s no intended outcome, just enjoy the process.

Q: How was the museum designed with inclusivity in mind?

A: We worked with national experts in autism education and local leaders in various disabilities rights.

12 MORE QUESTIONS WITH KERRY

THE WRAP

Today’s issue was written by Rilee.

Editor’s pick: Between Lakeland’s new developments and everything happening at Bonnet Springs Park and The Florida Children’s Museum, I’d say it’s a great time to be a Swan City citizen. Tell me what you’re most excited about here.

Missed yesterday’s newsletter? We broke down the area’s Hispanic Heritage Month events, 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.

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