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Piano Party | 5 p.m. | Historic Ritz Theatre, Winter Haven | $35 | Sing, clap, and dance along as dueling pianos perform your song requests.
Living Well Through Interior Design | 5:30 p.m. | Curated Collective | $75 | Learn tips for designing cozy spaces in this interactive class featuring desserts, drinks, an essential oil bar, and a Q+A with Rejuvenation Home.
Felines & Freeform Art | 6:30-8 p.m. | Kitty Cat Lounge | $40 | Professional artist Tricia Kallmeyer will teach the basics of neurographic art while you sip + snack on bevs and bites.
Thursday, Feb. 20
From the Archives: African-American Roots in Florida | 5:30-7 p.m. | Lakeland Public Library | Free | Guest lecturer Shedriek Battle will share about resources on African American history available through Central Florida library systems.
Dog Yoga | 6-6:50 p.m. | Keel Farms, Plant City | $25 | Go into downward dog while surrounded by real service dogs in this yoga class that also includes a complimentary drink from Keel Farms.
Spring Symphony Orchestra Concert | 7 p.m. | Southeastern University | Free | Student musicians will perform the works of various American composers with a live narration by former congressman Dennis Ross.
Friday, Feb. 21
Turn Up and Tone | 7-8 p.m. | Uno Dos Tres Studio | $15 | Blend dance with HIIT, strength training, toning, and active recovery techniques to take your fitness to the next level.
Saturday, Feb. 22
Flipping for Charities | 7:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. | Aerospace Center for Excellence | $5+ | Don’t flip out — local nonprofit leaders will flip flapjacks at Kiwanis’ annual event to raise money for their organizations.
Sunday, Feb. 23
Lakeside Makers Market | 12-5 p.m. | Lakeside Village | Free+ | Take a stroll outdoors while browsing goods from 80+ vendors.
Tuesday, March 4
Lakeland City Commission SUN ‘n FUN Breakfast | 7:30-9 a.m. | Skylight Hangar at SUN ‘n FUN Expo Campus | $30 | Celebrate + learn more about the upcoming SUN ‘n FUN Aerospace Expo, with breakfast provided by Frescos Southern Kitchen & Bar, door prizes, and guest speakers.*
A north Lakeland intersection will be redesigned to improve driver safety. Officials have agreed to reconstruct the intersection of Sleepy Hill Road + Kennedy Boulevard to align with updated standards after an uptick of crashes over the last five years. The project is estimated to cost at least $1 million. (The Ledger)
Civic
Polk County Fire Rescue will add 75 new positions after unanimous approval from county commissioners during yesterday’s meeting. County Manager Bill Beasley shared that the new positions will mitigate mandatory overtime + are estimated to cost the county $9.2 million annually. (The Ledger)
Ranked
No. 8. That’s where Florida ranks on the International Franchise Association’s list of top US states for franchise growth in 2025. The organization projects that around 1,600 new franchises will open in Florida this year — a 2.4% increase from 2024. Stay tuned on what’s coming to Lakeland first. (Business Observer)
Lakelander
The future is Fulbright for Dr. Ajeet Kaushik. The assistant professor of chemistry at Florida Poly is the university’s newest faculty member to earn a spot on the Fulbright Specialist Roster, allowing him to partner with global institutions on innovative nanotechnology + biosensor projects through December 2027.
Award
Winner, winner, burger dinner. The Florida State Fair has announced its New Food Tour champions, and Our Noire Kitchen took home top honors as the Fan Favorite for its Dad Bod Burger. Missed the truck at the fair? Findit at Caribbean Carnival this Saturday, Feb. 22.
Read
Inklings Book Shoppe and Pressed will host a sunrise release party for the next installment of “The Hunger Games” series, “Sunrise on the Reaping.” Join fellow fans on Tuesday, March 18 at 6:30 a.m. for coffee, games, prizes + more — may the odds be ever in your favor.
Talk
The next discussion in the Florida Lecture Series will take place tomorrow, Feb. 20 at 7 p.m. in Florida Southern College’s Branscomb Auditorium. Author Leslie Kemp Poole will share a presentation on various explorers + their travels through Florida. Can’t attend the lecture live? Stream it on YouTube.
Kids
Applications are open for Lakeland Police Department’s 2025 Summer Trades Camp. Running from June 2 to June 13, the free program gives Polk high school students the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in fields from carpentry and plumbing to roofing and architecture. Camps are held in both Lakeland and Winter Haven.
Family
The 78th Annual Tiger BBQ welcomes the Detroit Tigers back to Florida for Spring Training. Head to Publix Field on Thursday, Feb. 20 for a barbecue buffet with all the fixin’s.*
Health
The clarity is insane: That’s what people are saying about this best-selling hearing device. It makes conversation effortless, even amid background noise. Join 540,000+ happy customers with a no-risk trial.*
Category
Feel Good
These are a few of my favorite things
Follow me to a few of my favorite things around Lakeland — no plane required. | Photo by LALtoday
City Editor Amelia here. Today marks my one-year anniversary as a City Editor with LALtoday — time flies when you’re having fun, doesn’t it? To celebrate, I’m sharing my top 12 favorite things in and about the city.
From the friendly staff to the cozy atmosphere, this Cleveland Heights spot always makes me smile — my new go-to order is the Torres sandwich + a cannoli dip to take home for dessert.
I love the nostalgic feel of this spot, and its history is just as rich. My pro tip: Get cozy while you watch by lining your trunk or seats with pillows and blankets.
From big-name stores to local bizzes, I can always find just what I need right here in town. Lately, I’ve loved browsing Scout & Tag, East of These, and Amelia Paige Boutique (I’m just a girl after all).
While we’ve got books on the brain, save the date for the 4th annual Lakeland Book Crawl, happening Thursday, April 24-Saturday, April 26. Stay tuned for our guide to the event where we’ll break down the participating independent bookstores + each day’s unique events and discounts.
Answered
Answered
If Lakeland were a Girl Scout cookie, which one would we be?
Scout’s honor, here’s how you answered this sweet question.
55.2% — Thin Mints (classy and timeless)
24.1% — Samoas (sweet and salty)
13.8% — Tagalongs (nutty and satisfying)
And special shout-out to these honorable mentions from our readers:
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