Plus, teacher + student must-dos.
 
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Today’s Forecast

91º | 50% chance of precipitation
Sunrise 6:45 a.m. | Sunset 8:22 p.m.
 

🍻 Tap into the local suds scene

Local libations: A round-up of Lakeland-centric craft beers
A glass of beer on a wooden bar at Swan Brewing. In the background are beer taps and customers.
Try the Straight Outta Lakeland for a taste of home. | Photo by @swanbrewing
Lakeland makes a lot of great craft beer. In honor of Drink Up Week, let’s raise a glass to seven Lakeland and Polk County-centric brews with names that draw inspiration from our local history, communities, and culture.

Straight Outta Lakeland, Swan Brewing

The local pride is bursting in this brew’s name — an ode to being a local from the brewery named after Swan City.

Style + flavor: This hoppy, full-flavored 7% ABV West Coast-style IPA has a slight caramel color and no haze. Its aroma has notes of pine, citrus, and tropical fruit and its bold flavor is bitter, juicy, and fruity.

A light colored beer in a pint glass with a Dissent Craft Brewing logo, overflowing with foam onto a wooden table

Allow us to be the architect of your evening and point you toward this beer.

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Photo by @dissentlakeland

Frank Lloyd Light, Dissent Craft Brewing Company

The name of this brew is a playful nod to famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright. He designed 18 buildings at Florida Southern College over the course of 20 years, making it the largest collection of his architecture in the US.

Style + flavor: Beer enthusiasts say this light-bodied, 4.2% ABV beer is crisp, biscuit-y, and toasty.

Rome City IPA, Brew Hub

This award-winning beer gets its moniker from one of the proposed options for our city’s name. The mysterious “Rome City” was on the shortlist for the town, but “Lakeland” won out (rightfully so, if you ask us).

Style + flavor: Juicy, hazy, and citrus forward, this 5.8% ABV brew finds the inspiration for its flavor profile in the city itself.

A pint glass of a light colored beer on a bar next to a can of beer with a Front Page Brewing Co. label.

This hazy IPA will have you shooting for the stars.

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Photo by @frontpagebrewingco

Moon Soup Hazy IPA, Front Page Brewing Co.

This beer is named after the famous Soup Romaine from Chalet Suzanne in Lake Wales. The soup was such a hit with guests that it was included on NASA’s Apollo 15 mission to the moon in 1971.

Style + flavor: This 6.2% ABV brew is packed with tropical, juicy flavors like pineapple + citrus, but it’s still crisp and refreshing.
3 more fun brews
Asked

I visit a local brewery…
A. Once a week
B. Once a month
C. Once in a while
D. Never
We hop you'll answer
 
Events
Tuesday, July 23
  • Bartow Squeeze Q+A | Tuesday, July 23 | 9 a.m.-12 p.m. | Front Page Brewing Co., 190 S. Florida Ave., Bartow | Free | Drop in to get questions answered and learn more about the Bartow Squeeze shuttle service.
  • Freestyle Play Clay Workshop | Tuesday, July 23 | 10 a.m.-12 p.m. | Picassoz Art Cafe, 4636 Cleveland Heights Blvd., Lakeland | $30 | There are no rules in this freestyle pottery session.
  • Summer Film Fest | Tuesday, July 23-Thursday, July 25 | 10 a.m. | CMX Lakeside Village 18, 1650 Town Center Dr., Lakeland | $1.99 | Grab discounted tickets at the box office to see the movie “Sing 2.”
Wednesday, July 24
  • Chair Yoga for Beginners | Wednesday, July 24 | 11 a.m.-12 p.m. | Simpson Park Community Center, 1725 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave., Lakeland | $5 | Take a seat for this flow designed to improve flexibility, balance, and range of motion.
Thursday, July 25
  • Trivia Night | Thursday, July 25 | 6-7:30 p.m. | Bonnet Springs Park, 400 Bonnet Springs Blvd., Lakeland | Free entry | Head to the Rooftop Bar to answer Nickelodeon-themed questions + enjoy happy hour deals — slime not included.
Friday, July 26
  • Breaking In! | Friday, July 26 | 6-10 p.m. | ART/ifact Studios, 820 N. Massachusetts Ave., Ste. 2, Lakeland | $10-$12 | Up-and-coming visual artists and performers will show off their work.
  • “Bye Bye Birdie” | Friday, July 26-Sunday, July 28 | Times vary | Harrison School for the Arts, 750 Hollingsworth Rd., Lakeland | $20 | Get ready to rock ‘n roll at With Love Productions’ version of this classic musical.
Events calendar here
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News Notes
Open
  • Lakeland’s new VA clinic is now open at 2080 Meadowland Park Blvd., with a grand opening ceremony set for this Friday, July 26 at 11 a.m. Veteran patients will have access to primary + mental health care, lab services, and even specialty care like prosthetics. (LkldNow)
Community
  • What goals and policies do you want to see in Polk County’s future through 2050? Share your ideas via the county’s interactive map or through a short survey to help inform updates to the Polk County Comprehensive Plan.
Watch
  • Have you been keeping up with Plates on Deck on “The Great Food Truck Race?” Catch new episodes on the Food Network, Discovery+, or Max to see the local food truck impress customers around the Gulf Coast with dishes like Passa Passa Pasta. (LkldNow)
Closing
  • Charter school Polk Pre-Collegiate Academy in Winter Haven will not reopen this school year. PCPS is helping to relocate the roughly 40 ninth and 10th grade students affected by the closure. (The Ledger)
Ranked
  • No. 29. That’s where Florida Southern College ranked on The Princeton Review’s list of the nation’s top online MBA programs. FSC was the highest-ranking private school in Florida to make the prestigious list.
Biz
  • Fall is coming, bringing several markets + expos for local vendors to gain business exposure (but if you’re just a savvy shopper, mark your calendar too). Apply now for Polk County’s Ultimate Wedding Expo on Oct. 20 and Downtown Lakeland’s Fall Night Market on Oct. 26.
Edu
  • Southeastern University recently welcomed 20 cadets from the US Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps Flight Academy Program. Each cadet graduated from the eight-week program with college credits + their private pilot’s licenses.
Number
  • 64. That’s how many wigs Theatre Winter Haven uses in its production of “The Wedding Singer,” running through Sunday, Aug. 4. Grab tickets for this musical and the other shows happening around town this summer.
Read
  • The Larry R. Jackson Branch Library’s next Lit Flix event takes place this Saturday, July 27 at 1 p.m. Drop in to discuss “A Man Called Ove” by Fredrik Backman before watching Tom Hanks’ movie “A Man Called Otto” based on the novel.
Drink Up
  • Thirsty? Well (or top-shelf), the wait is over — Drink Up Week has arrived. We’re celebrating our city’s vibrant beverage culture through Friday, July 26 with buzzy deals from local businesses including Ax-Caliber’s beer, wine, and margarita discounts. Find a deal + toast to Lakeland’s entrepreneurs, mixologists, venues, and drinks.
Wellness
  • This hearing device is not for everyone… because not everyone wants to talk to other people. (We’re sometimes in our introvert era, too.) But if you do want to have clear conversations, meet the first hearing aid designed with conversation in mind. Bonus: It’s so small, it’s basically unnoticeable.*
 
Edu

✏️ Sharpen those pencils

Get back to school ready at these events for students and teachers
Parents, students, and teachers alike can find fun events coming up. | Photo by @polkcountypublicschools
Sorry to burst your summer bubble, but Polk County Public Schools’ 2024-2025 school year will kick off on Monday, Aug. 12. Thankfully, several local spots are offering events for both students and teachers to stock up on supplies + resources to start strong.

This Saturday, July 27, you can find free school supplies at the Polk County Sheriff’s Office 2024 Back to School Bash or Florida Technical College’s Back To School Giveaway at its Lakeland campus.

Teachers can mingle and learn about Bonnet Springs Park’s educational experiences at its rescheduled Teacher Night on Tuesday, July 30. The next week, check out books for your classroom library at Pressed during Teachers Night Out on Friday, Aug. 9. Your $5 ticket can be used toward the purchase of a new book.

Pro tip: Don’t forget the statewide back-to-school tax holiday happens Monday, July 29-Sunday, Aug. 11.
The Buy

The Buy 7.23.24 (Affiliate)
Ranger Ready’s tick and insect repellent. Rated 4.5 stars, the spray-on repellent comes with one spray to use on clothes monthly and one spray for daily use. Psst — Use code “20JULYREADY” at checkout for 20% off.
More worth The Buy
 
The Wrap
 
Connor Jacobson

Today’s edition by:
Connor
From the editor
Bonnet Springs Park’s Teacher Night isn’t the only event that got rained out last week. The Social Skate has been pushed to some time this fall, so keep an eye out for an update — and cross your fingers for dry weather. If you can’t wait to skate, check out Swan City Roller Derby’s training program.
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