☕ The White Swan Freezy | Andrew’s Coffee

🍹 Farmer’s Market In Bloom | Cob & Pen

🥤 Dreamsicle Energy Drink | Purrology Cafe

🍹 Put the Spice in the Coconut | LUGO’s Craft Distillery

• Crave + Hope House Fundraising Event | Wednesday, July 24 | 5-9 p.m. | CRAVE Hot Dogs & BBQ, 2250 Griffin Rd., Lakeland | Price of purchase | A portion of all sales will be donated to Hope House during this Spirit Night.
• Women’s Self-Defense Class | Wednesday, July 24 | 6-7 p.m. | Simpson Park Community Center, 1725 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave., Lakeland | $12-$38 | Enhance personal safety in this class for women ages 15 and up.

• “The Wedding Singer” | Thursday, July 25-Sunday, Aug. 4 | Times vary | Theatre Winter Haven, 210 Cypress Gardens Blvd., Lakeland | $33-$38 | This romantic musical comedy will take you right back to the 1980s.

• The Fancy Flea | Friday, July 26-Saturday, July 27 | 9 a.m.-4 p.m. | RP Funding Center, 701 W. Lime St., Lakeland | $7 | Shop vintage + antique vendors spanning furniture, art, decor, clothes, and more — parking is free.
• Sunset Dance Series: Swing | Friday, July 26 | 7-10 p.m. | Bonnet Springs Park, 400 Bonnet Springs Blvd., Lakeland | Free | LKLD Lindy Hop will lead you through decades of instruction and a social dance.
• Just Laughs Comedy Showcase | Friday, July 26 | 8 p.m. | The Stage Room, 310 E. Lemon St., Lakeland | $15 | Enjoy an evening of laughter with local underground comics.

• $500 Visa gift card to spend at local shops + restaurants
• $250 gift card for fine dining at Nineteen61 (seafood paella, anyone?)
• $25 dollar gift card to Black & Brew (two iced lattes, please)
• Two-night stay at one of Welcome Canary’s luxury apartment units within its brand new wellness-focused living community

1. Follow @liveatwelcomecanary
2. Follow @theLALtoday
3. Comment on the giveaway post, tagging the lucky guest you’d bring along (one comment = one entry)

• Fasten your seatbelts. Lakeland Linder International Airport is sharing a big announcement about new routes at 11:30 a.m. today — so big, it’s being called the largest expansion in Avelo’s history. Keep an eye on our Instagram to get the scoop first. (The Ledger)

• $28,993,354. That’s how much Mulberry commissioners approved to build a new municipal complex, double the size of its current one. With hopes to open next year, the complex will include a city hall, PCSO substation, civic center, museum, and cultural center. (The Ledger)

• Davenport commissioners are hoping to bring a bit of old Florida to eastern Polk by purchasing 50 acres of farmland to create a new park. City officials envision the park being similar to Bonnet Springs, with amenities like playgrounds, a dog park, walking trails, and treehouses. (The Ledger)

• Since opening in 2022, The Well has helped nearly 100 Lakelanders start or grow their businesses. Located in midtown off of East Parker Street, the workspace led by Dr. Sallie Stone puts an emphasis on empowering people of color, women, and veterans. (WFTS)

• ICYMI, in addition to Drink Up Week and Polk County Burger Week, it’s also Arts and Health Week in Lakeland. What can we say, we like to stay busy. Looking for a way to get involved? Destress with this coloring sheet from the Ashley Gibson Barnett Museum of Art.

• Now through Aug. 8, the Florida FFA Foundation is accepting proposals for new uses of its 114-acre Leadership Training Facility in Haines City. According to the listing, the property boasts amenities such as villas, an outdoor pavilion, and boat dock. (The Ledger)

• Polk State College’s Computer Numeric Control Machining Program is ready to rock after receiving $5,000 in grant funding from All Within My Hands, a nonprofit started by rock group Metallica. This is the fifth year Polk has received funding from the organization.

• Polk County Tax Collector has announced that the Winter Haven Tag Agency has closed. While the Tax Collector determines future service options, Winter Haven-ites can visit the agency’s other locations countywide for vehicle registration and title needs.

• Take a look, it’s in a book. United Way of Central Florida is seeking 143 more volunteers to assist with its ReadingPals program. Aimed at helping kindergarten students improve reading and literacy skills, the program currently serves 504 students across 15 Polk schools.

• If you can’t get enough of Polk’s beverage culture, get your tickets for Obscure Wine Company’s Wine Festival, this Saturday, July 27 at The Ritz in Winter Haven. More than 100 wines from 20 countries will be available to sample, along with international small bites.

• Have a sporty kiddo on your hands? Polk State College’s softball coaching staff will host their first-ever camp for kids ages 8-12 this fall. Tuition is $150 — snag a spot. (Tampa Free Press)

• If you’ve been thinking about a career in human services, you’ve got a top ranked program right in your own backyard. Southeastern University has been named one of Forbes Advisor Education’s Best Online MA in Human Services Programs (one of only 10 in the nation). See possible careers + learn why.*