10.17.2023

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Today’s Forecast

77º | Light thunderstorms and rain | 90% chance of rain | Sunrise 7:20 a.m. | Sunset 5:49 p.m.

Far out fun in the Florida Sun(fest)

Looking back on the Florida Sunfest music festival of 1977

The band Canned Heat performs onstage at a music festival

Canned Heat is pictured here, performing at Woodstock two years after Florida Sunfest. | Photo via Wikimedia Commons

Before there was Coachella, there was the Florida Sunfest. On April 2, 1977, over 90,000 people flocked to Lakeland to hear big names in rock music play throughout the night. It was, at the time, the largest music festival to take place in the state.

The event took place at the Lakeland International Speedway (later known as the USA International Speedway), located off of State Road 33 near I-4. It closed in 2008. Today, you can find an Amazon warehouse in its place.

Jimmy Buffett holding a guitar and singing into a microphone — Jimmy Buffett returned to Lakeland for several shows during his career.
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Photo via Florida Memory

You may recognize many of the 20 artists on the lineup, like Atlanta Rhythm Section, Canned Heat, and Earl Scruggs, but it was Jimmy Buffett who had the crowd in the palm of his hand. He was fresh off the release of his album “Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes,” and he sang hits like “Margaritaville” into the early morning.

The performers drew a much larger crowd than producers anticipated. They estimated only 15,000 attendees, but thanks to effective advertising, they sold six times as many tickets as expected. Over 90,000 attended. That’s more than the ~70,000 that fit inside Raymond James Stadium during a Tampa Bay Buccaneers game.

Richie Havens strums a guitar and sings into a microphone — Richie Havens ended the festival with his set at dawn.
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Photo via Wikimedia Commons

One of those fans in the crowd was LALtoday reader, Mark R., who told us about his experience at Sunfest with friends:

“Jimmy Buffet came on early morning, around 4 a.m., in between Leon Redbone and Pure Prairie League. [In] my recollection, it was amazing and Jimmy may have been drinking!”

Editor’s note: Some of this statement was edited for clarity.

Do you have memories of Florida Sunfest — or, even better, photos? Share them with us so we can reminisce on Lakeland’s musical history.

Events

Tuesday, Oct. 17

Tasty Tuesday | Tuesday, Oct. 17 | 4:30-9 p.m. | Downtown Lakeland, 117 N. Kentucky Ave., Lakeland | $25 | Dine through downtown by purchasing tasting tickets from local restaurants — get 10 samples for $25.
Youth Cycling Team | Tuesday, Oct. 17 | 6-7:30 p.m. | Loyce E. Harpe Park, 300 W. Carter Rd., Mulberry | Free | Kids in grades 6-12 can learn more about joining the Florida Interscholastic Cycling League at this informational session.

Wednesday, Oct. 18

Author Talk with Ruth Ware | Wednesday, Oct. 18 | 2 p.m. | Virtual | Free | Hear about the new book “Zero Days” by bestselling suspense writer Ruth Ware.
Halloween Trivia w/ Pinoy Cravings | Wednesday, Oct. 18 | 6:30-8:30 p.m. | Swan Brewing, 115 W. Pine St., Lakeland | Free entry | Show off your scary smarts and order bites from Pinoy Cravings.

Thursday, Oct. 19

ART Connects ALZ | Thursday, Oct. 19 | 2-3:30 p.m. | Polk Museum of Art, 800 E. Palmetto St., Lakeland | Free | Individuals in the early stages of dementia and their care partners can engage with and create art.
Classic Albums Live: The Police, “Synchronicity” | Thursday, Oct. 19 | 7:30-10 p.m. | RP Funding Center, 701 W. Lime St., Lakeland | $34-$44 | Hear this best-selling album performed “note for note, cut for cut,” just like the original.

Events calendar here

Click here to have your event featured.

Try This

‘Fuel the Fire’ at SEU Preview Days

Try This: ‘Fuel the Fire’ at SEU Preview Days

Presented by a LALtoday Partner

Red lights shine on a chapel screen that says "Welcome SEU Preview September 15"

The Preview Day started with a welcome session in Bush Chapel. | Photo by LALtoday

City Editor Rilee here. When I graduated from Southeastern University in 2019, a lot was different (hello, Welcome Center). One thing that didn’t change? SEU Preview Days, where prospective students and parents get to see what fueling the fire is all about.

Join me as I tour the campus — and see why SEU’s Homecoming Weekend Preview Day on Friday, Oct. 27 is an ideal day to Try This for yourself.

What we tried

Speaking of Fueling the Fire, my first stop was Portico Coffeehouse (of course) to order my fave iced oat milk vanilla latte — a long day of learning + exploring calls for caffeine after all.

Coffee in hand, I stepped into the bright and newly-built Welcome Center. The air was thick with excitement while potential students signed in.

The group soon headed to Bush Chapel for a student-led chapel service complete with music, a message from a student speaker, and a quick Preview Day rundown from the team.

Keep reading to continue the tour and to learn about the upcoming Homecoming Weekend Preview Day.

Get Homecoming Weekend details

News Notes

Number

22,667. That’s how many education, healthcare, and social assistance jobs the Tampa Bay area (including the Lakeland-Winter Haven metro area) added from 2021-2022. See which industries and companies continue to grow in Lakeland. (Tampa Bay Business Journal)

Ranked

No. 6. That’s what Florida Polytechnic University ranked on WalletHub’s list of top colleges and universities in Florida. Florida Southern College came in at No. 9 on the list. Schools were ranked based on 30 measures, including costs and graduation rates. (WalletHub)

Community

The Polk County Tax Collector’s office is offering a limited number of road tests on Saturday, Oct. 28 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at its Lake Alfred service center location. Make an appointment online for one of 50 openings.

Closed

See you soon, seafood. Harry’s Seafood Bar & Grille has temporarily closed for interior renovations. The restaurant said that it will reopen in a few weeks with a fresh look.

Lakelander

Powerlifter Ayecia Bryant will represent the US in the World Powerlifting Championship in Manchester, UK later this month. In April 2024, she will vie for a Guinness World Record for the most weight deadlifted in one minute by a female in her hometown of Lakeland.

Kids

Bonnet Springs Park will host its first Sensory Friendly Exploration Station event on Friday, Oct. 20, 2-4 p.m. Families can learn about the life cycle of butterflies with sensory bins, low lighting, and other accessible features.

Travel

The Mission to Mars vacation home at Fantasy Island Resort in Davenport is almost ready for launch. Guests can use a rover to explore the resort and enjoy simulated rocket launches when it opens at the end of the year. (The Ledger)

Arts

Tickets are now available for “Nam — A Musical Drama Of The Vietnam War,” taking place Nov. 3-5 at Stage Room Lakeland. This jukebox musical will feature a story of two brothers’ views on the war and songs of the 1960s.

Learn

The Polk County History Center will be closed Thursday, Oct. 19-Monday, Oct. 23. When it reopens, the Genealogy Speaker Series will continue with “Probate Gems: A Case Study.” Join the free talk on Saturday, Oct. 28 at 10 a.m. to learn about using probate files in research.

Featured Home

Experience luxury living in a tranquil environment with Grasslands West, a high-end single family gated rental community that caters to your every need. The community is pet-friendly, and boasts lawn maintenance, pest control + internet services all included. Take your pick from three different floor plans.*

Wellness

You’ve heard of collagen — but have you heard of collagen loading? Here’s how to use NativePath’s Grass-Fed Collagen to do it while it’s over 50% off.*

Outdoors

🥾 Take a hike

Hiking guide for Lakeland

Tall trees sprout out of the dry Florida landscape.

Hit the trails in Central Florida. | Photo by @keithcurrypochy

Annual passes to Florida’s 175+ State Parks are 50% off through Jan. 13, 2024. The discount also applies to FWC hunting and fishing licenses. Grab an individual or family pass online and plan a hiking trip in a nearby state park.

Colt Creek State Park, 16000 SR 471, Lakeland

Length: 15+ combined miles
Wheelchair accessible: Portions
Pet-friendly: Yes, leash required

This grassy, padded hike boasts cool breeze and shade if you catch it at the right time. The land was once home to rock mining, timber harvesting, citrus production, and even turpentining.

Lake Kissimmee State Park, 14248 Camp Mack Rd., Lake Wales

Length: 13+ combined miles
Wheelchair accessible: Yes — see details
Pet-friendly: Yes, leash required

Home to Florida’s third largest lake, this state park has excellent wildlife viewing opportunities, nature trails for hiking, biking, and horseback, and a genuine 1876 “Cow Camp.”

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The Wrap

Today’s edition by:
Connor

From the editor

I loved learning about Florida Sunfest, especially with the help of Reader Mark R. I’ve also been learning more about big artists that performed in Lakeland over the years. If you’ve seen your favorite artists here, let me know about the show.

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