• Summer Movie FunFest: “Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile” | Thursday, June 15 | 10 a.m. | CMX Lakeside Village 18 & IMAX, 1650 Town Center Dr., Lakeland | $1.99 | See a new discounted family movie every week — tickets are only available at the box office.
• Civics 101: Why Should I Vote? | Thursday, June 15 | 6:30-8:30 p.m. | The Well, 114 E. Parker St., Lakeland | Free | Join this voter education forum to learn how local, state, and federal legislation affects you.

• Noche De San Juan | Friday, June 16 | 6-9 p.m. | COhatch Lakeland, 211 E. Main St., Lakeland | $15 | Wear all white to this festive networking event presented by the Puerto Rican/Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Polk County.
• Disney’s “Finding Nemo Jr.” | Friday, June 16-Sunday, June 25 | Times vary | Lakeland Community Theatre, 121 S. Lake Ave., Lakeland | $12-$15 | Just keep swimming to this musical adaptation of the Pixar movie performed by local young actors.

• Polk Pride 2023: Pride in the Park | Saturday, June 17 | 10 a.m.-3 p.m. | Munn Park, 201 E. Main St., Lakeland | Free entry | This family-friendly event will include entertainment and hundreds of vendors.
• Thirty-First Annual Original Juneteenth Community Observance | Saturday, June 17 | 10 a.m.-2 p.m. | Jackson Park, 1130 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave., Lakeland | Free | Head to Jackson Park for free music, food, contests, and more in observance of Juneteenth.

• “Mughal E Azam” — The Musical | Sunday, June 18 | 7 p.m. | RP Funding Center, 701 W. Lime St., Lakeland | $79-$399 | See this Indian play with Broadway-style musical numbers.
• “Search Party” Premiere Watch Party | Sunday, June 18 | 7-10 p.m. | Downtown Bartow, 260 E. Main St., Bartow | Free entry | Watch an outdoor premiere of the new Weather Channel show “Search Party,” starring Bartow’s Brandon Jordan, with food trucks and a boat show.

• Kids Class — Lunar Lit Palms Set | Monday, June 19 | 1:30-3 p.m. | Painting with a Twist, 3670 Harden Blvd., Lakeland | $29 | Bring your blossoming artist to this guided art class — all supplies are included, but you can bring your own refreshments.
• Juneteenth Open Mic | Monday, June 19 | 8-9 p.m. | Virtual | $5-$10 | Support Black artists and businesses at this virtual open mic night — one lucky performer will be crowned the winner using audience votes.

• 20%. That’s Polk County’s expected population growth by 2030. The United Community Needs Assessment study found that it’s the fastest-growing county in Florida and that many new movers are young families. (Fox 13 News)

• 4 Rivers Smokehouse has announced that it will open its Lakeland location sometime this month. While we wait on the exact day to be announced, drop your guesses for the opening date in the comments of our Instagram post.

• Polk County Commissioners voted to reduce the county’s millage rate by 3% in the 2023-2024 budget. The millage rate is used to calculate property taxes based on a home’s value. The county manager will present the budget in July. (The Ledger)

• Scott Lake Road is now open to traffic as crews work to fill in the nearby sinkhole. The 9.73-acre plot where the sinkhole opened is intended for a six-home subdivision. (LkldNow)

• Food + Beer is coming to Merchants Walk at 3615 S. Florida Ave. (the former home of HomeCourt). This will be the eatery’s fifth location in Florida. Check out the food and cocktail menus as we wait for further details.

• No. 3. That’s where the Lakeland-Winter Haven area ranked on MoneyGeek’s list of cities with the worst commutes in the nation. The study found that the average one-way commute takes 31 minutes, and the average rush hour speed is 27 mph. (WFTS)

• Polk County Clerk Stacy Butterfield recently won the Clerk of the Year award from the Florida Court Clerks & Comptrollers (FCCC). The Polk Clerk’s office also took home 10 best practices awards — learn more about what they do.

• Every goal Swan City Soccer Club’s teams score this month could be a donation to Polk Pride. Make a pledge to donate for each goal scored during Pride Month and cheer on the teams at their upcoming games.

• There are still spaces left in the Polk Museum of Art’s summer adult classes. Register online to learn pottery or photography in six-week courses beginning Saturday, July 8.

• Get tips + discover new recipes that highlight the bright flavors of summer at the When Life Gives You Lemons cooking class on Thursday, July 6. On the menu: Grilled lemon-brined chicken thighs, salmon with lemon-basil pecorino almond gremolata, lemon-maple cheesecake, and more. Bonus: Check out this summer veggies cooking class, too.*

• A Banksy painting that gave everyday investors 32% returns? Yep, you read that right. Thousands of investors are smiling all the way to the bank thanks to the fine art investing platform Masterworks. Masterworks investors have benefitted from sales with returns of 13.9%, 35.0%, and 27.3%. Skip the waitlist and join.*

• Meet Kyle Ashcraft. He combined his 12 years of tutoring experience with his expert accounting knowledge to launch Maxwell CPA Review. Kyle got his start at Catapult — like so many Lakeland entrepreneurs. Find out how Catapult can help you launch your business idea.*

• Need a last-minute Father’s Day gift idea? Treat dad to the ultimate smart home upgrade by converting his manual window shades into motorized SmartShades. Easy-to-install, energy savings, and smart sophistication all in one package. RYSE is offering 10% off the entire store. Snag the deal here.*

• It’s time to plan that last summer hurrah for Labor Day weekend. May we suggest a coastal getaway to the Outer Banks? Or maybe your dream destination is a rustic treehouse in the Adirondack Mountains. Wanna splurge? This modern farmhouse in Napa Valley is sure to be unforgettable.*

Psst — this is where you come in

• Creating a specialty drink like Cafe Zuppina did last year with its Blueberry Pancake Cream Cold Brew
• Hosting a happy hour or being included in our local Happy Hour guide
• Offering a deal to our readers like Lugo’s Craft Distillery did
• A Q+A with a local beverage biz owner