Experience

Arts

• Polk Museum of Art | 800 E. Palmetto St., Lakeland | Take a six-week adult class in topics like photography, oil painting, sculpting + more. They also offer workshops, coffee with artists, and panel lectures.
• Piano/Keyboard Class | Coleman-Bush Building, 1104 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave., Lakeland | Wednesday, 5:30-7 p.m. | $30/month | Learn piano theory and skills ranging from classical to modern music.

History

• Lakeland Stamp Club | Locations vary | Days + times vary | Free | Meet other adults interested in philatelic items — pro tip: Verify meeting details with event contacts prior to attending a meeting.
• Lake Mirror Historic Tour | Lake Mirror Complex, 121 S. Lake Ave., Lakeland | Monthly on the fourth Tuesday, October-March, times vary | Free | Join Lakeland guide Stacy Smith on this walking tour of historic Lake Mirror — register early, spaces are limited.

Water-based exercise

• Aqua Spin | Gandy Pool, 404 Imperial Blvd., Lakeland | Monday-Saturday, times vary | $5 | Get a workout on the partially-submerged Hydrorider spin bikes.
• Splashersize | Gandy Pool, 404 Imperial Blvd., Lakeland | Monday-Friday, 11 a.m.-12 p.m. | $2.50 | Grab some water weights and participate in this low-impact water aerobic workout.

Education and enrichment

• The Rath Senior ConNEXTions Center | 934 South Blvd., Lakeland | Days and times vary | $60/course | Take classes in conversational Italian, computer education, Broadway history, and other topics.
• Polk Education Pathways | Four locations | Days and times vary | $30 per semester | This program offers assistance in improving English, certification in trade, General Educational Development (GED), and more through technical colleges + adult schools.

Sports teams and workout classes

• Senior Fitness | Kelly Recreation Complex, 404 Imperial Blvd., Lakeland | Tuesday + Thursday, 9-10 a.m. | $5/class | Build strength, cardio endurance, and flexibility at this low-impact fitness class.
• Super Senior Dance Classes | Magnolia Building, 702 E. Orange St., Lakeland | Thursday, 10 a.m.-12 p.m. | $3 | Learn ballroom, Latin, swing, and party dances — check out the group’s Facebook page.

• Summer Movie FunFest: “The Bad Guys” | Tuesday, July 18-Thursday, July 20 | 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.
• Author Spotlight Night | Tuesday, July 18 | 6:30 p.m. | Pressed Lakeland, 213 E. Bay St., Lakeland | Free entry | Local authors Kayla Tirrell, Gianna Rahmani, and Sofia Simpson will speak, sign books, and meet readers.

• Yoga for Beginners | Wednesday, July 19 | 10 a.m.-12 p.m. | Coleman Bush Building, 1104 Martin L. King Jr. Ave., Lakeland | $5 | Bring your mat and water to this class for all levels of yogis 16 or older — class meets in a temporary location from June 12-July 26.
• Line Dancing & Karaoke | Wednesday, July 19 | 5-10 p.m. | Union Hall, 1023 S. Florida Ave., Lakeland | Free entry | Boot scoot boogie on down to Union Hall for free line dancing lessons followed by karaoke at 8 p.m.

• The Aquarian Market | Thursday, July 20 | 6-10 p.m. | The Yard on Mass, 802 N. Massachusetts Ave., Lakeland | Free entry | Visit this monthly, pet and family-friendly night market for vegan food and drinks.
• Trivia Thursdays! | Thursday, July 20 | 7:30-10 p.m. | The Back Nine, 124 S. Tennessee Ave., Lakeland | Free entry | Join for food and drink, and play themed or general trivia to win prizes.

• Summer Day of Caring | Friday, July 21 | 9 a.m. | Jesse Keen Elementary School, 815 Plateau Ave., Lakeland | Free | Volunteers of all ages can work with United Way to spruce up a local school, and then enjoy a luncheon at Barnett Family Park.
• BSP Power Packs | Friday, July 21 | 4-6 p.m. | Bonnet Springs Park, 400 Bonnet Springs Blvd., Lakeland | Free | Kids and teens can pick up free grab-and-go snacks at the park’s main entrance.

• Polk’s priciest home sale in June was a Lake Wales historic home. For $1.5 million, the buyers scored a 6,250-sqft, six-bedroom, seven-bathroom Mediterranean Revival-style home on 2.56 acres. Check out the next four most expensive homes. (The Ledger)

• Members of the public can speak for up to five minutes at the city commission’s meeting on Monday, Aug. 7 before commissioners vote on Lakeland Electric’s new proposed base rate. The utility requested a rise of 3.5% — the average customer’s bill would go up $2.73. (LkldNow)

• Woof Gang Bakery opens next week in Lakeside Village at 1544 Town Center Dr. The full-service grooming spa and pet store offers raw and frozen food, designer cookies, dog toys + apparel, and more. Hours of operation are Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Sunday, 12-5 p.m.

• Plant City will see 150+ families move into a new, 1,940-home development this year. Farm at Varrea sits on 1,008 acres off of Midway Road, just down the road from I-4. Currently, 130 of the homes are under construction. Homes will start at $200,000. (Business Observer)

• View the student-driven exhibition “New Eyes on the Permanent Collection” at Polk Museum of Art through Sunday, Sept. 3. The exhibit was curated by Florida Southern College students who took an interdisciplinary art curation course. In the course, students learned curation theory and practiced curating their own exhibits.

• Bring donated school supplies to Bonnet Springs Park through Tuesday, Aug. 8 for Stuff The Bus, a school supply drive for local kids. Head to the Welcome Center or The Depot with backpacks, pencils, notebooks, and other supplies during the park’s hours of operation.

• Cupping. That’s the word for a professional coffee tasting, like the ones Ethos Roasters will be hosting in September and October. Sign up to learn more about coffee, experience professional coffee tasting, and walk away with a bag of roasted coffee beans + a free drink voucher for a future date.

• With Central Florida being one of the top travel destinations in the world, students at Southeastern University are just minutes away from countless tourism and hospitality job opportunities — plus a good dose of travel expertise. See how to kick-start your new career in tourism (with an advantage).*

• #TerraceTabletop: Purchase a $100 gift card from The Terrace Grille for only $75, and use your extra $25 on a bottle of wine, appetizer, or dessert. Savor this sizzlin’ summer deal for yourself or surprise someone special. Must be purchased in person and only available for a limited time.*

• Towering castles and Highland cows? Yes, please. Orlando International Airport (MCO) has resumed direct flights to Edinburgh, Scotland via Virgin Atlantic. Plan your trip (and don’t forget to pack your kilt).*

• Our new must-have for concerts and baseball games this summer: This clear, stadium-approved backpack. Psst — it’s also great for football games in the fall.*