Strawberry season is our favorite season. | Photo by @corrieintheh0use
Just like a scarecrow, these U-pick farms are outstanding in their field. Take a trip just outside Lakeland to get your fill of sweet, seasonal produce.
Ridge Island Groves, Haines City
Visit Monday-Saturday from 9 a.m. 4 p.m. to take your pick of oranges — plus sweet, seedless pineapple-oranges — and don’t forget to grab a jug of orange juice to bring home.
Berry Sweet Acres, Plant City
If you can’t get enough of Parkesdale Market’s strawberry shortcake, visit its go-to U-pick farm right down the road to try making your own at home. It’s open Wednesday-Sunday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and this year Motivational Mug is on site to fuel your farming.
Southern Hill Farms, Clermont
February is strawberry U-pick season here, but you can also harvest sunflowers and winter vegetables. Fields are open on select days throughout the month, and the Kid Zone is open on weekends with plenty of family attractions.
Access Art: Special Needs | 2-3:30 p.m. | The Ashley Gibson Barnett Museum of Art | Free | Art enthusiasts with disabilities can take a museum tour and join an art activity in the education classrooms.
Galentine’s Party | 4-7 p.m. | Blown Beautiful Dry Bar | Price of purchase | RSVP with your bestie and head to this beauty salon for deals on blowouts, ear piercings, botox, and more.
Friday, Feb. 7
First Friday | 6-9 p.m. | Downtown Lakeland | Free+ | This month’s theme is “Romancing the Arts,” so come ready to celebrate 50 years of the RP Funding Center with a makers market + car show.
Local Music Showcase | 7 p.m. | Mitchell’s Coffee House | Free+ | Stop into this coffee shop during First Friday for a performance by Sound House Studios artists.
Saturday, Feb. 8
EmpowerHer Heart: A Women’s Wellness Affair | 9-11 a.m. | Bonnet Springs Park | Free+ | Get free screenings + join a line dancing class at this event all about women’s heart health.
L.B. Brown Heritage Festival | Saturday, Feb. 8-Sunday, Feb. 9 | 10 a.m.-5 p.m. | L.B. Brown House Museum, Bartow | Free+ | Celebrate Brown’s legacy with community entertainment at the home he built in 1892.
Anne Jenkins Memorial Symphony Series: Fire and Water | 7 p.m. | Florida Southern College, Branscomb Auditorium | $29+ | The Lakeland Symphony Orchestra will perform “Water Concerto,” “The Firebird” Suite,” and more.
The City of Lakeland agreed to pay $1.85 million for the South Florida Avenue road project redesign, which will be mostly funded by the Lakeland Community Redevelopment Agency’s (LCRA) Downtown + Dixieland district budgets. Catch up on who the LCRA is and how the agency impacts local development. (Fox 13 News)
Real Estate
Griffin Lofts is set to open this month on Griffin Road with 30 affordable housing apartment units, plus 30 units for residents who have been experiencing homelessness. These tenants will be referred by the Homeless Coalition of Polk County and the Central Florida Behavioral Health Network. (LkldNow)
Closed
Bye bye, stir fry. BD’s Mongolian Grill has shuttered its Lakeside Village location. In the mood for another create-your-own meal? Check out KPOT just a few steps away, where you can load up on hot pot + Korean barbecue items to cook at your table.
Eat
Get a snack peek at Hakucho during First Friday tomorrow from 6 to 9 p.m. The new restaurant will pop up outside of its future downtown spot on East Main Street with samples of its “Tokyo-inspired pub food” before it officially opens its doors.
Coming Soon
Pressed will begin a new chapter when it reveals an updated menu on Saturday, March 8. Get ready for permanent specialty drinks inspired by authors, housemade bites, and a fresh look at the bar. Pro tip: Don’t wait until March — sneak previews will be available before then.
Edu
Winter Haven High School senior Ana Maria Ruiz Perea was elected governor of Girls State, an annual statewide program that teaches 300 students about civics + government. Ruiz may be the first Polk County representative elected to this top position since the program’s start in 1937. (The Ledger)
Try This
Knittin’ mittens is better with kittens. Botany Cats mobile cat lounge is starting a crochet club on Thursday, Feb. 20, 6-7 p.m., where you can create a cat bed with patterns (and feline friends) provided. If you’re not crafty, stick around for the book club starting at 7:30 p.m.
Health
Your health is your most valuable asset, and having a trusted primary care provider (PCP) is key to protecting it. Enter: Lakeland Regional Health offering convenient locations, skilled providers, and innovative care. Learn more about the benefits of primary care and see your options with LRH.*
Wellness
Weight Loss by Hims & Hers makes hitting your goals simple and personalized. Answer a few questions online, and a medical provider will design a plan just for you — medications, follow-ups, and all. Plus, it’s the least expensive 12-month GLP-1 plan around†. Ready to get started?Take the free assessment.*
Finance
Tackling debt is crucial for many Americans in 2025. This trending card — “worth its weight in gold,” according to experts — offers 0% intro APR on balance transfers into 2026. (Read: More than a year of interest-free payments.) Apply.*
Stat
20%. That’s how much you can save on a bathroom renovation with Remodel Your Home. You deserve a bathroom that’s just as functional as it is beautiful. Request your free quote.*
†Please note: Comparison based on 12-month plan prices for compounded semaglutide from 12 leading competitors as of December 2024.
Category
Seasonal
There are plenty of fish in Lakeland’s sea
Maybe you’ll meet your soul mate on the streets of Swan City. | Photo by @brayleekayphotography
More than 120,000, to be exact — but finding the one for you can be daunting.
Whether you’re looking to make a love connection or find a new friend group before Valentine’s Day, we’re creating the ultimate guide to meeting someone new. But first, we’re turning to our love experts readers to find out where you met your partners, whether romantic or platonic.
Shout out your besties, your significant other, an old flame, or a friend group and let us know how you met so other Lakelanders can follow suit.
It was a moment I (and 83% of respondents) been awaiting for months: my first visit to Chicken Salad Chick. Readers have raved about this spot for years and it did not disappoint, but you were holding out on me — why did no one mention how amazing the free cookies are?
Answered
Answered
How do you feel about the approved Dixieland road reconstruction plans?
We asked readers to score their feelings on a scale of 1 (not excited at all) to 5 (very excited). The average score? 2.1.
Here are two responses from Dixieland residents showcasing differing views:
“I live in Dixieland and am very happy with the design chosen and will be glad to see the project get completed.” — Reader Mike S.
“I live in Dixieland and have not seen any advantages to the changes in Florida Avenue. I believe the whole project is a waste of resources and time.” — Reader Debbie C.
}})
