🖼 For the artistic

Photo by LALtoday

🌳 For nature lovers

💭 For smarty-pants

Photo by @scoutandtag

🍽 For foodies

💍 For couples ready to tie the knot

• B-I-N-G-O | Tuesday, Feb. 7 | 6:30-8 p.m. | The Joinery, 640 E. Main St., Lakeland | Free | Play free games of BINGO to win prizes and enjoy an extra-long happy hour.
• Bridge Lessons | Tuesday, Feb. 7 | 6:30-8:30 p.m. | Peggy Brown Building, 215 S. Lake Ave., Lakeland | $40 | Learn how to play the card game bridge with an expert in just six lessons.

• Yoga for Beginners | Wednesday, Feb. 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.
• General Knowledge Trivia w/ Nick and Top Dog Concessions | Wednesday, Feb. 8 | 6:30 p.m. | Swan Brewing, 115 W. Pine St., Lakeland | Free | Bring your most trivia-savvy teammates and put your knowledge to the test — prizes are on the line.

• Gallery Concert Series: Edward Hopper and Guy Pène du Bois | Thursday, Feb. 9 | 6-8 p.m. | Polk Museum of Art, 800 E. Palmetto St., Lakeland | $49 | The Lakeland Symphony Orchestra will perform pieces inspired by the museum’s “Painting the Real” exhibit inside the gallery.
• Author Talk with Lana Harper | Thursday, Feb. 9 | 7 p.m. | Virtual | Free | This bestselling author will discuss the next book in the “Witches of Thistle Grove” series, “Back in a Spell,” with the Lakeland Public Library.

• Romantic Night Out Wine and Dine | Friday, Feb. 10 | 6:30 p.m. | Publix Aprons Cooking School, 4730 S. Florida Ave., Lakeland | $130 | Treat your sweetheart to a culinary adventure — each course is expertly paired with wine.
• Cosmic Tangled Love — Date Nite | Friday, Feb. 10 | 7-9 p.m. | Painting with a Twist, 3670 Harden Blvd., Lakeland | $39 | Bring your date to this guided painting class and see how your artistic skills fare.

• Flipping for Charities — Annual Kiwanis Pancake Festival | Saturday, Feb. 11 | 7:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. | Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium, 2301 Lakeland Hills Blvd., Lakeland | $5-$25 | Support local organizations at this all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast.
• Antique Fair Along Main Street | Saturday, Feb. 11 | 8 a.m.-2 p.m. | Along Main Street, Bartow | Free | Search for a treasure among antiques, collectibles, and vintage items.

• 80º | Sunny | 10% chance of rain
• Polk County Emergency Management will participate in the National Weather Service’s statewide tornado drill on Wednesday, Feb. 8. To follow along with the drill, tune into NOAA Alert Radio at 10 a.m. 🌪 (The Ledger)

• City Commissioners unanimously approved reducing Lakeland Electric’s monthly fuel charge by two cents in yesterday’s meeting. That means the charge for 1,000 kWh of power will decrease from $75 to $55 when changes go into effect in March. ⚡️ (LkldNow)

• Developers could break ground on Oak Street’s new $50 million+ multi-use apartment complex as early as this summer. Updated plans have been released, including amenities and parking details. The complex will offer studio, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom apartments. (The Ledger)

• Would you be interested in a SunRail stop in Polk County? A survey from the Florida Department of Transportation is now available on extending SunRail train stops from Poinciana as far as Lakeland. Take the short survey to share your thoughts.

• Little Bus Books’ newly opened storefront at 1047 E. Main St. will be closed from Thursday-Saturday for renovations. Need a new read? You can find the mobile bookshop on Saturday, Feb. 11 at both the Lakeland Downtown Farmers Curb Market and the Valentine Night Market.

• We recently shared the story of the Washington Park Community, one of Lakeland’s first Black communities. Did you know that Washington Park High School — later renamed Rochelle High School — was home to championship-winning basketball teams? See photos of the teams from 1950 and earlier, here. 🏀

• Lakeland attorney Kristie Hatcher-Bolin of GrayRobinson, PA was honored at The Florida Bar’s Pro Bono Service Awards. Kristie received the award for her volunteer work as part of the Defending Best Interests Project. (The Ledger)

• The Bucs are giving away big bucks. Female high school students hoping for a career in sports and currently playing touch, flag, or tackle football can apply for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Girls in Football Scholarship. Selected students will receive up to $5,000 for college. 🏈 (WTSP)

• The holiday season has come and gone, and while you can’t put a price tag on the memories, you might feel the burden of the debt accrued from making those memories. If you’re a bit anxious about paying back your holiday debt (it’s me, hi) there’s a relatively easy solution: Debt consolidation.*

• Registration is officially open for the Lakeland Regional Health Hollis Cancer Center Promise Run. The annual 5K/10K — which will be hosted at the Lake Mirror Promenade on Saturday, March 4 — allows the community to help conquer cancer and celebrate loved ones impacted by the disease. Learn more + register. 👟*

• It’s almost time for the 76th Annual Tiger BBQ. The community is invited to Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium on Wednesday, Feb. 22 from 6-8 p.m. for BBQ + baseball. Learn more and grab tickets.*

• What’s getting us through February: Our humidifiers. We love the Levoit Blue Cool Humidifier for its quiet design, multiple mist levels, and how easy it is to clean. Do your skin (not to mention, your houseplants) a favor and up your home hydration.*

• Convenient hours. The market’s hours are tentatively scheduled to be Monday-Saturday from 7 a.m.-7 p.m.
• Flexible shopping. The spot will offer both curbside pickup and delivery options.
• Variety. The spot will offer everything from food to toiletries to OTC medications. We can also expect organic and gourmet goods.
• Increased sustainability. For the 1,200 residents living downtown, a local bodega will increase walkability.