“Wide Open Spaces” 🎶

Head outside with a guide to Lakeland’s parks

The brick and iron entrance to Munn Park frames a group of people walking beneath a tree with a bright pink trunk.

DYK Munn Park is WiFi accessible? | Photo by LALtoday

Whether you’re looking for a place to play with your kiddos or to decompress with off-screen time, Lakeland features more than 70 parks and recreational spots for you to enjoy.

Ready to plan your trip to the park? Grab your shades and Stanley Tumbler — here are some of Lakeland’s best:

Family Parks

Common Ground Playground, 1000 E. Edgewood Dr.
Celebrated as the county’s “first inclusive play experience,” this park offers a variety of activities and structures that are disability-friendly and fun for everyone.

Munn Park, 210 E. Main St.
Get to know the charm of Lakeland’s local businesses as you peruse this historic square. From First Fridays and weekend farmers markets to monthly food truck rallies, you’ll get a snapshot of what makes the city’s community so unique.

LALtoday: Bicycle at sunset — FYI, nature trails make the perfect spot for bike riding dates.
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Photo via: @lyy_corpse

Nature Parks

Bonnet Springs Park, 400 Bonnet Springs Blvd.
This brand-new 180-acre adventure park has nearly two miles of boardwalks and 30+ acres of wetlands. It also features an exhibition gallery and a roof garden terrace.

Circle B Bar Reserve, 4399 Winter Lake Rd.
Immerse yourself in this nature reserve featuring untouched natural spaces and trails. Find a spot to take in wildlife and waterfront views.

Canoe on Lake Parker, the largest lake in Lakeland.
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Photo by @lakelandparkrec

Sports Parks

Lakeland Skate Park, 800 US Hwy. 98 S.
Ride your way through four main skating areas at Lakeland’s 24,000-sqft skate park dedicated to creating open spaces for skaters.

Lake Parker Park, 910 E. Granada St.
Picnics, play dates, soccer games, fishing — you name it, Lake Parker Park has got it. Spend the day using the soccer fields or surrounding recreational amenities to stay active.

Ready to visit these local parks but don’t know where to start? We’ve created this handy map so you can find all of these featured parks.

DISCOVER 10 MORE PARKS

🤔 POLL 🤔

What is your favorite park activity to do in our city?

A. Walking my dog
B. Spending time with the kiddos
C. Having a picnic
D. Jogging or working out

LET US KNOW

🗓️ EVENTS 🗓️

Tuesday, March 7

Music of Italy Classical Concert | Tuesday, Mar. 7 | 7:30-8:30 p.m. | St. Paul Lutheran Church, 4450 Harden Blvd., Lakeland | Free | The Florida Philharmonia Orchestra is performing classical music including songs like “The God Father,” “William Tell,” and more.
CeCe Winans | Tuesday, Mar. 7 | 7:30 p.m. | Florida Strawberry Festival Grounds, 303 N. Lemon St., Plant City | $25 | Sing along with award-winning gospel artist CeCe Winans.

Wednesday, March 8

The Beat Goes On Starring Lisa McClowry as Cher | Wednesday, Mar. 8 | 7:30-9:30 p.m. | RP Funding Center, 701 W. Lime St., Lakeland | $40-$67 | Hear Cher tribute artist Lisa McClowry pay homage to the “Goddess of Pop” with humor, costume changes, and the artist’s most iconic songs.
Movie Trivia Night w/ Nick and Gin Khao Food Truck | Wednesday, Mar. 8 | 6:30 p.m. | Swan Brewing, 115 W. Pine St., Lakeland | Free | Calling all movie buffs — put your general movie knowledge to the test at this free-to-play trivia night with your team.

Thursday, March 9

Bill Haley Jr. and the Comets | Thursday, Mar. 9 | 10:30 a.m. | Florida Strawberry Festival Grounds, 303 N. Lemon St., Plant City | Free | “Rock Around the Clock” with this concert by the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer — tickets are free with your gate admission.
Yoga for Wellness - Weekly Classes | Thursday, Mar. 9 | 5:30-6:30 p.m. | The Cloven Hoof Farm, 6170 Robbins Rd., Lakeland | Free | This donation-based yoga class focuses on the holistic well-being of the mind, body, and spirit.

Friday, March 10

District Title | Friday, Mar. 10 | 7 p.m. | Union Hall, 1023 S. Florida Ave., Lakeland | $10-$13 | Local band District Title will take the stage along with Take Lead, Dames, and Bucoda.
Polk Wellness Professionals Annual Showcase | Friday, Mar. 10 | 8:30-10 a.m. | Heartland for Children, 1239 E. Main St., Bartow | Free | Learn more about Polk Wellness Professionals and network with others in your field.
PACA Pick of the Month: Florida Dance Theatre’s “The Wizard of Oz” | Friday, Mar. 10-Saturday, Mar. 11 | 7:30 p.m. | Branscomb Auditorium at Florida Southern College, 1100 Johnson Ave., Lakeland | $15-$25 | Join FDT for a fun-filled adventure along the yellow brick road and journey with Dorothy, Tin Man, Scarecrow, and Cowardly Lion to the Emerald City.*

Saturday, March 11

Spring Obsession | Saturday, Mar. 11 | 8 a.m.-3 p.m. | Munn Park, 201 E. Main St., Lakeland | Free | Celebrate the start of spring with 60+ plant and garden art vendors and family activities to benefit The Lakeland Rotary.

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.

Click here to have your event featured.

100+ MORE EVENTS

✏️NEWS NOTES✏️

Weather

86º | Partly cloudy | 10% chance of rain

Traffic

Part of North Florida Avenue between the CSX railroad tracks and Main Street will close tonight at 7 p.m. through the end of the week for a sewer repair. The closure will now require the road to fully close, diverting traffic to Sikes Boulevard — see detours here. 🚧

Edu

Get updates on Polk County Schools, ask questions, and give your feedback during Community Conversations with Superintendent Heid. This conversation series starts Monday, March 20 at 6 p.m. at the Dream Center of Lakeland and continues across the community through May. Get the full schedule. 🍎

Watch

Here comes the boom. Total Wrecking & Environmental imploded a Lakeland Electric boiler unit on Saturday, March 4 — and exceeded its $6,500 fundraising goal for veterans by selling live stream access. In case you missed it, you can watch a video of the implosion. (The Ledger)

Family

Florida Children’s Museum is celebrating the sweetness of childhood with the Watermelon Festival on Saturday, May 6. Pay what you can to enter the museum and enjoy activities and vendors outside on Bonnet Springs Park’s great lawn. Interested in being a vendor? Email Claudine Humber for more info. 🍉

Sports

Polk students came out on top at this weekend’s wrestling state championships. Lake Gibson High School took home its fourth team championship, with four wrestlers earning state championships. Auburndale High School junior Nate Gabriel won the individual heavyweight title. (The Ledger)

Learn

Central Florida SCORE is hosting a Turn Your Passion into Profit workshop on Friday, March 24 from 8 a.m.-12 p.m. at The Well. This $25 workshop will include talks by women business owners, plus an evening networking event from 6-8 p.m.

Drink

Brush off your Hydroflask for Quinteassence Kava Bar’s DSCO VSCO night on Saturday, March 11 at 8 p.m. Try the new Citrus Sunrise drink (an orange tea blend with coconut and vegan foam), compete for prizes in a dance competition, and bring your own denim to add patches. 🕺

Holiday

With St. Patrick’s Day coming up, Lakeland establishments are ready to party. Molly McHugh’s Irish Pub will be serving shepherd’s pie, corned beef, and more on Friday, March 17 and Saturday, March 18. To make your own feast, pick up Turmeric Peppercorn Kraut from the Krazy Kombucha taproom. 🍀

Community

Celebrate the return of Flight to Honor’s Mission 8 with a Welcome Home Celebration on Tuesday, April 25 at 6:45 p.m. Veterans on the flight will be returning to Lakeland Linder International Airport after visiting veteran memorials in their honor in Washington, DC.

Eat

Is it hot outside or is it just us? Beat the heat with new ice cream flavors from Mimi’s Italian Ice: German chocolate cake with coconut and blue raspberry Starburst. Pro tip: Both flavors are vegan, dairy-free, and gluten-free.
Want to bond with your teen (without letting them know)? Parent-teen pairs are invited to learn how to make Cuban-style snacks at this hands-on cooking class on Thursday, March 16. On the menu: Cuban sandwiches, beef pastries, cheese-stuffed yucca fritters, and more. 🧑‍🍳*

Lakelander

Meet Brittany Bandi. She is the co-founder of Sow Exotics, a Lakeland business that sells rare tropical fruit trees, exotic medicinal herbs + other unique edibles. Brittany got her start at Catapult — like so many Lakeland entrepreneurs. Find out how Catapult can help you launch your business idea.*

Wellness

Our go-to product to relieve tension and decrease under eye puffiness: An ice roller. Not to mention, it’s the perfect way to cool off your face after an intense workout or morning run. These ice globes are also a great skincare addition to help soothe and depuff. *

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

EAT

Best of Lakeland pizza

LALtoday pizza bracket

A graphic that says "Lakeland Pizza Bracket"

Who will win this year’s bracket challenge? | Graphic via 6AM City

With the NCAA Men’s and Women’s Basketball Tournaments underway, we’re joining the fun of bracket competitions with a face-off of our own.

Last year, y’all helped us name the best mural: Gillian Fazio’s Orange Mural. This year, we asked you to share your favorite pizza in Lakeland. Now — thanks to you and the help of a random generator — we have the official lineup for our bracket.

How it works

We will host several voting rounds within our newsletters and social channels to determine Lakeland’s best pizza. Who moves on is up to you. Vote for your favorites, and the pizza place with more votes moves on. Simple as that. We’ll go until we have a champion, which will be announced later this month. You will be able to vote once per round.

Want to fill out a bracket to see if you can guess who will win? Download and print an empty bracket to take the competition up a notch. If your bracket is correct, send us a photo for a shoutout and bragging rights.

Selection Round

Friendly competition, anyone?

With the NCAA Men’s and Women’s Basketball Tournaments just around the corner, we’re joining the fun of bracket competitions with a face-off of our own. Not a sports fan? No worries. Our bracket will focus on a hot topic among locals. Last year, y’all helped us name the best mural: Gillian Fazio’s Orange Mural. Now, we need your help to decide Lakeland’s best pizza.

In order to get our initial lineup of eight contestants, we want to know your favorite pizza around town. Tell us with this survey and stay tuned to learn how to participate in the tournament.

Round 1

A graphic featuring Lakeland pizza spots. — What’s your favorite pizza in Lakeland?
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Graphic by 6AM City

Going head-to-head in the first round are:

Vote for your top four pizza shops in our survey by Monday, March 20, 2023.

Round 2

LALtoday pizza bracket — Vote to see your favorites advance to round 3.
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Graphic via 6AM City

We’ve got some readers who are passionate about pizza. After 1,491 votes, here’s who will advance to round three:

Jet’s Pizza vs. Palace Pizza
Pizzeria Valdiano vs. J. Burns’

Vote for your top two pizza joints using this poll by Monday, March 27, 2023.

Round 3

Palace Pizza and J. Burns' are the final two. — Who will be crowned Lakeland’s pizza champion?
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Graphic via 6AM City

Things are heating up in Swan City. Palace Pizza and J. Burns’ Pizza Shop are going head to head to be crowned the champion of Lakeland’s pizza scene.

See your pick to the finish by voting in our final poll now through Thursday, March 30.

Winner

The votes are in — and boy, were they close. After a heated battle, Palace Pizza has been named the best pizza in Lakeland by our readers.

Celebrate the win by stopping by 114 S. Kentucky Ave. for a slice or a full pie. City Editor Connor always has to get the chicken balsamic pizza, and City Editor Rilee keeps it classic with a slice of pepperoni.

Congrats, Palace.

TELL US YOUR FAVORITE 🍕

👋 THE WRAP 👋

Today’s Edition By:
Connor

From the Editor

LALtoday is written by redheads, so you know we’re looking forward to St. Patrick’s Day. We’re putting together a list of events — let us know where we can celebrate or find some delicious eats on March 17. If you’re lucky, we’ll share your recommendation in an upcoming newsletter.

Send Us A Scoop, Question, or Feedback

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