Dream Megafest is almost here

A sign featuring Martin Luther King Jr. hangs on a fire truck during a parade

Celebrate Dr. King’s legacy at the MLK Parade on Saturday, Jan. 20. | Photo by the City of Lakeland

Monday, Jan. 16 marks Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a federal holiday honoring the civil rights activist’s legacy. Lakeland will commemorate Dr. King’s impact with the 2023 Dream Megafest, a community-wide series of events. Here are seven to mark on your calendar:

Leadership Forum: “Living, Learning and Leading Lakeland” | Friday, Jan. 13 | 2-5 p.m. | Lake Crago Park, 525 Lake Crago Dr., Lakeland | Free | Local business leaders will discuss equity, inclusion, recruiting, and more — arrive early for a free swag bag.
School Daze: A Divine 9 & HBCU Alumni Mixer | Saturday, Jan. 14 | 7-11 p.m. | Lake Mirror Center, 121 S. Lake Ave., Lakeland | Free | Mingle with other Florida HBCU alumni and Greek life members with music by a live DJ — attendees must be 21 or older.
Day of Caring Children’s Festival | Saturday, Jan. 14 | 10 a.m.-3 p.m. | Florida Children’s Museum, 600 Bonnet Springs Blvd., Lakeland | Free | Enjoy free museum admission, live performances, and arts and crafts.
MLK Digital Business Challenge 2023 | Tuesday, Jan. 17 | 5-7 p.m. | Catapult, 502 E. Main St., Lakeland | Free | Young entrepreneurs ages 13-18 will pitch their businesses for a chance at $1,000.
Swan City Jazz Fest | Friday, Jan. 20-Saturday, Jan. 21 | 3-9 p.m. | Munn Park | Free | Hear music from local acts, high school bands, and headliners Paula Atherton and Jazmin Ghent.
Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Parade | Saturday, Jan. 21 | 1–3 p.m. | Providence Road and 14th Street | Free | Take to the street with a parade down Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue — see the route here.
MLK Car Showcase | Sunday, Jan. 22 | 12-6 p.m. | Coleman Bush Building, 1104 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave., Lakeland | Free | Browse cars competing for best interior, best stereo, and more top honors.

Digital map showing event points in Lakeland — Mark your calendar — and your map.

Keep track of all these events with our interactive map. And that’s not all — see the full schedule for seven more can’t-miss events.

EVENTS

Click here to have your event featured.

Tuesday, Jan. 10

Alzheimer Association’s in-person Caregiver Support Group | Tuesday, Jan. 10 | 12-1 p.m. | Hawthorne Inn, 6150 Lakeland Highlands Rd., Lakeland | Free | Connect with other caregivers at this group that meets on the second Tuesday of each month.
Green Hat & White Gloves Tour | Tuesday, Jan. 10 | 6-7:30 p.m. | Lake Mirror, Lakeland | Free | Delve into Lakeland’s history and stories while strolling around Lake Mirror — the tour meets at the swan statue at the end of Main Street.

Wednesday, Jan. 11

Yoga for Beginners | Wednesday, Jan. 11-Wednesday, March 8 | 10-11 a.m. | Simpson Park Community Center, 1725 Martin L. King Jr. Ave., Lakeland | $5 | Bring your mat and some water to this yoga class for all levels focusing on breath, alignment, balance, and strength — must be 16 or older.
Line Dancing & Karaoke | Wednesday, Jan. 11 | 5 p.m. | Union Hall, 1023 Florida Ave. S., Lakeland | Free | Learn new moves, enjoy drink specials from 5-8 p.m., and sing your heart out at karaoke starting at 8:30 p.m.

Thursday, Jan. 12

T-R-I-V-I-A | Thursday, Jan. 12-Thursday, Feb. 23 | 6:30-8:30 p.m. | The Joinery, 640 E. Main St., Lakeland | Free | Show what you know and enjoy an extra long happy hour.
Greg Redding w/ Smokin’ Chanchos | Thursday, Jan. 12 | 7-10 p.m. | Swan Brewing, 115 W. Pine St., Lakeland | Free | If you’re looking for live music and something to eat, look no further than Swan Brewing for music with Greg Redding and food by Smokin’ Chanchos.

Friday, Jan. 13

Unity Luncheon | Friday, Jan. 13 | 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. | Nora Mayo Hall, 500 3rd St. NW, Winter Haven | $5 | Enjoy a catered lunch and hear musicians and speakers at this luncheon to honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Lakeland Magic vs. Greensboro Swarm | Friday, Jan. 13 | 7 p.m. | RP Funding Center, 701 W. Lime St., Lakeland | $12-$158 | Watch the Lakeland Magic tip off against the Greensboro Swarm at Orlando Magic Night — the first 1,000 fans will receive a free Lakeland Magic lunchbox.

Saturday, Jan. 14

Lakeland Downtown Farmers Curb Market | Saturday, Jan. 14-Saturday, May 27 | Downtown Lakeland | Free | Find fresh produce, plants, and locally handcrafted items at this outdoor farmers market.
Antique Fair Along Main Street | Saturday, Jan. 14, Saturday, Feb. 11, Saturday, Mar. 11 | 8 a.m.-2 p.m. | All along Main Street, Bartow | Free | Search for a treasure among antiques, collectibles, and vintage items.

We have a calendar filled with events and 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

SEASONAL

What’s your best pickup line?

Do you think you have the best local pickup line? | Graphic by 6AM City

With Valentine’s Day around the corner, we’ve got love on the brain.

To usher in the month of love, we want to hear the best pickup lines in the city. The pickup line must include the name of our beloved city, something that our city is known for, or a local landmark. It can be so sweet that it almost gives us a cavity.

We’ll use these pickup lines for something fun soon — keep your (heart) eyes peeled. 😍

So, let’s hear it…

DROP YOUR BEST LINE

NEWS NOTES

Weather

72º | Partly cloudy | 10% chance of rain

Traffic

A resurfacing project covering 31 Lakeland roads will start on Monday, Jan. 23 and continue through early February. Residents on affected streets will receive notice before the project begins. Check to see if your street is on this list of those to be repaved. 🚧

Civic

Florida’s newly created Sixth District Court of Appeal is now operating out of a rented space in downtown Lakeland. Until a new space is found, oral arguments will be heard at Florida Southern College. The court’s nine judges will oversee cases from 10 Central and South Florida counties. ⚖️ (The Ledger)

Number

$250,000. That’s how much Comp360, a local worker’s compensation consulting firm, has pledged to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Polk County. The donation will be used to renovate the gymnasium at the James J. Musso Club (950 Pinewood Ave.).
$27,015,094. That’s how much individual assistance Polk County residents have received from FEMA since Hurricane Ian hit in September 2022. See visuals of how the storm impacted Florida here, including its eye path that traveled south around Lakeland. (The Ledger)

Development

Bartow’s Wind Meadows South Community Development District will be growing by 114 acres due to an ordinance approved by the Bartow City Commission. Now at just over 273 acres, 400+ single-family homes can be added to the Wind Meadows subdivision between EF Griffin Road and Yarborough Lane. 🏘 (The Ledger)

Eat

Keep on truckin’ down to the next Lakeland Food Truck Rally on Thursday, Jan. 12 from 6-9 p.m. around Munn Park. Local favorites like Got Desserts and Monsta Lobsta will be slinging fresh eats while the DJ truck brings the beats.
Adding more veggies to your diet this year? Organic salads, shredded carrots, and tomato medley are all on sale at Publix GreenWise Market now through Wednesday, Jan. 11 so you can put together a tasty salad. Yum. 🥗 *

Arts

The Lakeland Opera Professional Chorus will make its debut at the Lakeland Symphony Orchestra’s performance of “Cavalleria Rusticana” on Saturday, Jan. 21 at 7 p.m. at Florida Southern College. This opera, sung in Italian, tells a story of romance and jealousy in a Sicilian village. Tickets are available now. 🎻

Learn

Spring classes are starting soon at the Polk Museum of Art. Register now to learn subjects like art appreciation, still life oil painting, and digital photography from Jan. 30-March 10. Pro tip: Museum members receive discounts on class fees.

Holiday

Celebrate the Lunar New Year with ATO at The Joinery on Saturday, Jan. 21. Performances start at 2:30 p.m. — featuring drumming and a dragon dance through the food hall — and guests can receive lucky envelopes filled with gift cards, coupons, and more. 🐉

Asked

We’re on the hunt for Lakeland’s best restaurants with gluten-free options. Have one you love? Email us your favorite eatery and menu items for a chance to be featured in an upcoming newsletter.

Community

Got engaged over the holidays? Bonnet Springs Park is hosting its first Bridal Show on Sunday, Feb. 19 from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Check out vendors to start planning the wedding of your dreams. Snag tickets. 💍 *

Biz

Need some New Year’s inspiration to start your new side hustle? Catapult is home to many startups and their inspiring stories. Pro tip: Become the next success story when you sign up for a membership.*

Drink

Recharge from the hustle and bustle of the holiday season with this peach mango smoothie recipe, including real fruit (and a couple of surprises).🥤*

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LEARN

The write stuff 📖

Interior of the Lakeland Public Library main branch with bookshelves

Join the discussion from your computer at the library or at home. | Photo by LALtoday

The Lakeland Public Library is connecting readers and writers through its Author Talk series. These virtual webinars bring in bestselling authors to talk about their latest books over Zoom. Register for these five upcoming talks to hear from the writers and ask them your questions.

Dana K. White | Tuesday, Jan. 17 | 2 p.m. | Virtual, | Free | This author and blogger will discuss her new books, “Organizing for the Rest of Us” and “Decluttering at the Speed of Life.”
Randall Munroe | Tuesday, Jan. 31 | 2 p.m. | Virtual | Free | This author and creator of the webcomic “xkcd” will share his new book “What If? 2: Additional Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions.”
Cassandra Clare | Tuesday, Feb. 28 | 8 p.m. | Virtual | Free | This mega-bestselling author of “The Mortal Instruments” series chats about her latest book, “Chain of Thorns.”

2 MORE AUTHOR TALKS

THE WRAP

Today’s issue was written by Connor.

Editor’s pick: I can’t wait to see the pickup lines our readers come up with for Valentine’s Day. Here’s my best one: You’re the only swan for me. If you can beat that, submit yours here.

Missed yesterday’s newsletter? We went back in time to Booker T. Washington’s visit to Lakeland in 1912, here.

Connect with us.

Editorial: Rilee Delgado, Connor Keith, Emily Shea, Jessalin Heins-Nagamoto, Dayten Rose, Sarah Leonhardt, Katie Smith | 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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