Food

• Cozy Oaks, 1201 E. Orange St. | This spot came up several times and it’s understandable why. From the homey feel to the vast menu of classic brunch favorites, it’s a 10/10 for us.
• Flavor Nation, 817 N. Massachusetts Ave. | This restaurant has both good food and good hearts. Reader Ryan H. says, “I always get the chicken wings. Delicious, inexpensive, and they feed the homeless whenever they are able to.”

Drink

• Lugo’s Craft Distillery, 2500 Drane Field Rd., Ste. 208 | Family-owned + operated, Lugo’s specializes in handcrafted rums. Several readers mentioned the lounge as having a “relaxed and quieter vibe.”
• The Pink Piano, 1015 S. Florida Ave. | This venue has an assortment of local musicians and comedians that perform live for its patrons Tuesday-Saturday.

Attractions

• Holloway Park, 2402 Holloway Park Dr. | With 362 acres of nature preserve and trails, Holloway has outdoor activities for the whole family, including an 18-hole disc golf course.
• Lake Hunter | This 91-acre lake is described by Reader Mary G. as “a gem for bird watching... The purple gallinules are friendly and outgoing!”

Retail

• Dixieland Relics, 949 S. Florida Ave. | Reader Sarah R. describes this spot as “curated by someone who knows what will trend next… There is something for every price range and budget.”
• Calypso Isles, 839 N. Massachusetts Ave., Ste. 109 | Lakelanders can find a wellness community through this shop’s products, classes, and experiences.

• Focus on Family Search | Monday, March 18 | 5:30-7 p.m. | Lakeland Public Library, Main Branch, 100 Lake Morton Dr., Lakeland | Free | Learn about a free resource for searching your family history records.
• Off The Wall SOUL Line Dancing Class | Monday, March 18 | 6:30-8 p.m. | Coleman-Bush Building, 1104 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave., Lakeland | $5 | Get off the wall and on the dance floor at this weekly movement class.

• Storytime at the Florida Air Museum | Tuesday, March 19 | 10-11 a.m. | Florida Air Museum, 4075 James C. Ray Dr., Lakeland | Free | Children ages 2-5 will enjoy interactive learning experiences that bring stories to life.
• Tacos, Margaritas + BINGO! | Tuesday, March 19 | 7:30-9:30 p.m. | The Back Nine, 124 S. Tennessee Ave., Lakeland | Free entry | Snag deals on tacos and margarita flights while you compete for five in a row.

• March Lunch and Learn | Wednesday, March 20 | 12-1 p.m. | COhatch, 211 E. Main St., Lakeland | Free | Attend this workshop to learn how to enhance your leadership style.
• “Our American Cousin” | Wednesday, March 20-Thursday, March 21 | 7:30 p.m. | Lakeland Community Theatre, 121 S. Lake Ave., Lakeland | $15 | Local actors will perform the final play Abraham Lincoln ever saw.

• Art Connects ALZ | Thursday, March 21 | 2-3:30 p.m. | Polk Museum of Art, 800 E. Palmetto St., Lakeland | Free | Individuals in the early stages of dementia and their loved ones can create art together.
• The Aquarian Market | Thursday, March 21 | 6-9 p.m. | The Yard on Mass, 802 N. Massachusetts Ave., Lakeland | Free entry | Shop vegan food + goods and celebrate the market’s one-year anniversary with giveaways.

• Friday Night Live | Friday, March 22 | 6-8 p.m. | Munn Park, 201 E. Main St., Lakeland | Free entry | Grab dinner and drinks to-go from a downtown restaurant and head to Munn Park for music by Big Chill.
• FSC | Dance: Perpetual Motion | Friday, March 22-Sunday, March 24 | Times vary | Branscomb Auditorium at Florida Southern College, 1100 Johnson Ave., Lakeland | $10-$20 | Catch the spring dance performance featuring students and guest artists.

• Electrical Technician Services
• HVAC Technician Services
• Plumbing Technician Services
• Project Management
• Construction Technology (Associate + Bachelor’s degree options)

• City commissioners will vote today on updating Lakeland Linder’s Airport Layout Plan to include a terminal expansion study. Short-term improvements costing $1.58 million are already in progress to accommodate Avelo’s arrival this summer. (Tampa Bay Business Journal)

• Starting today, the Airside Center Drive + West Pipkin Road intersection will be closed for the next 12 days as part of the West Pipkin Road widening project. Drivers in this area can expect moderate delays as they are detoured through Old Medulla Road while the work is in progress. (LkldNow)

• The five finalists for Catapult’s Launch Pitch Night have been announced. The aspiring entrepreneurs will pitch their businesses + products “Shark Tank” style on Thursday, March 28 at 5:30 p.m for the chance to secure up to $10,000 in microgrants. RSVP to watch the pitches.

• Zarza Latin Food & Grill opened its second location in Winter Haven on Saturday at 6980 Cypress Gardens Blvd. (think: the same plaza as Ovation Bistro). Guests at this location can experience Latin American flavors through a variety of innovative and familiar dishes. (The Ledger)

• Three beer selections from Swan Brewing received 2023 Untappd Community Choice Awards for the state of Florida. Swan’s Cliff Claven captured top honors for Red Ales, while What’s Up Butter Cup? and Downtown (Hazelnut) Brown secured the No. 2 and No. 3 spots in their respective categories.

• Remember when we talked about dog-friendly patios? Downtown eatery Frescos Southern Kitchen & Bar is taking “dog-friendly” to the next level with its new menu specifically for the pups. Furry friends can try paw-some gourmet dishes like the Good Boy Burger and Eggs Rover Easy.

• Join the pros from Cozy Bee Wicks and Bloom Shakalaka for a candle-making and flower-arranging class on Monday, March 25 at 6 p.m. at The Joinery. Tickets are $80 and include all the supplies you need to make a unique candle and flower wrap.

• Sign-ups for Fleet Feet’s eight-week 5K training group are now live. Runners and walkers alike will meet twice weekly starting Tuesday, April 9 to receive professional coaching on achieving their fitness goals.

• Choose your fighter, Lakelanders. The 50th Xtreme Fighting Championships are relaunching MMA at the RP Funding Center on Friday, April 12 at 7 p.m. Tickets are available online and at the box office.

• Spring break is upon us — which means spring travel is, too. Travelers using Orlando International Airport (MCO) are expected to break last year’s record-breaking numbers. MCO’s tip: Make getting through the airport as easy as 1-2-3 by following the 3-2-1 rule.*

• Lakeland, meet St. John’s Thrift Store — the grand prize winner of our second Publix Giveback Giveaway. You never know what you may find on the well-stocked racks, but you can be sure that 100% of the profits go to people in need around the world.*

• Passionate about storytelling + news, and have some serious Orlando pride? ORLtoday (a new daily newsletter celebrating Orlando) is hiring a City Editor to plan, write, edit, and publish the most relevant and engaging daily content about our city. See details + apply.