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There are all sorts of swans to be found on Lake Morton. | Photo by LALtoday
You may recognize the ~60 iconic swan statues found around Lakeland — but do you know where they came from? While our real local swans arrived 100+ years ago, their fiberglass counterparts flocked to Swan City back in 2002.
The statues first landed during Swansation, a public arts project held to raise funds for Explorations V Children’s Museum, now known as Florida Children’s Museum.
Businesses originally paid $3,000-$20,000 for the swans, then had artists and students decorate each one in a unique style. They were displayed downtown before being auctioned off and relocated in 2003.
Readers have submitted swans all the way from Lakeland Regional Health to SPCA Florida, and even one in Winter Haven.
Today, you can find them all over town, and we’ve even created a map to help you track them down — but there are only 40 entries so far. Do you know where any others are? Snap a photo and add it in. Good luck, Swan City.
Life Writing | Thursday, Feb. 20-Thursday, March 27 | 1-2 p.m. | Rath Senior ConNEXTions Center | $60 | Older adults will learn how to articulate life’s experiences through journaling in this informative series.
Made @ the Library | 5:30-6:50 p.m. | Larry R. Jackson Branch Library | Free | All the supplies will be provided to make drink sleeves for your coffee cup that are sew cute.
Revitalizing 92 Public Meeting | 6-8 p.m. | Coleman-Bush Building | Free | Share your feedback on the future of Memorial Boulevard with city planners and project consultants.
Field of Dreams: A Story of Lakeland | 6:30-8 p.m. | Heritage Park | Free | Thomas A. Cloud will present a historical lecture detailing the lives of three Lakelanders.
Friday, Feb. 21
Artful Bowl | 6:30-10 p.m. | 400 Lake Hollingsworth Dr. | $150+ | Join this party hosted by Platform Art to raise funds for public art projects throughout Lakeland.
Open Mic Night | 6:30 p.m. | Kitty Cat Lounge | Free | Sign up to share your creative work, or sit in the audience to support the performers.
Saturday, Feb. 22
Wildlife Photography Guided Hike | 8-11 a.m. | Se7en Wetlands, Mulberry | Free | Register to join this 3.2-mile trek around the wetlands and take photos of native wildlife.
27th Annual Mustang & Mustangs: Havin’ Fun! | 8 a.m.-4 p.m. | Lakeside Village | Free+ | Classic and modern cars will be on display for the public to browse — enter your own Ford vehicle for $35.
Yoga with a Farm Time Twist: Love & Peace | 9-10:30 a.m. | Hearts of Heaven Farm | $31.50 | Relax with a 45-minute yoga class in a serene landscape, followed by cuddles with farm animals.
Dr. Gomez is currently accepting new patients and ready to provide the care you need. | Photo provided by Lakeland Regional Health
Meet Dr. Florimer Gomez, a dedicated family medicine physician at Lakeland Regional Health Highlands. Fluent in Spanish and English, Dr. Gomez provides expert, compassionate care for patients of all ages.
Whether it’s a routine checkup or managing a chronic condition, she’s committed to keeping families healthy.
Did you know? There are options for what kind of primary care provider you can see — learn the differences.
To set up an appointment, call (863) 284-5000 or schedule online.
Keep on truckin’. The first Central Florida Food Truck Rally is happening Saturday, March 1 at the Auburndale Speedway, featuring 25 local trucks, plus live entertainment. Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for teens, and free for kids.
Biz
The City of Lakeland announced yesterday that downtown service workers will now have access to free parking in the lot at 455 S. Tennessee Ave. Downtown employers must visit the Parking Office at the Main Street Parking Garage to pick up applications.
Coming Soon
If today’s cold snap isn’t quite icy enough for you, you’re in luck: Mootown Scoops plans to open this spring near Lake Morton. Its first day is still TBA, but you can get an inside look at the new ice cream shop now. We can’t get enough of those sprinkle-inspired walls.
Development
It’s official — Tampa Bay Pickleball Academy will open Lakeland’s first indoor pickleball facility. Located inside a warehouse on Gateway Boulevard, the facility received unanimous approval from the city’s Planning & Zoning Board on Tuesday. The biz plans to open it in May. (LkldNow)
Number
$630,000. That’s how much it would cost the city annually to heat the Simpson Park Pool and operate it year-round. Some community members have requested the change be made to give north Lakeland residents a swimming option outside of the summer season. (The Ledger)
Arts
Eat, drink, explore, and dance your way through the 54th Annual Lake Wales Arts Festival, happening Friday, Feb. 21 through Sunday, Feb. 23. Head to Lake Wailes Park for tomorrow’s Art-B-Que event, followed by two days of art performances + exhibitions.
Tech
There’s a new robot in town, and it’s helping doctors at Lakeland Regional Health treat lung cancer. The ION robot — the first of its kind in Polk County — drops the biopsy complication rate from 20% to 5%, and it’s already been used five times within one week of being introduced. (Fox 13 News)
Holiday
Registration is open for Polk County Parks and Recreation’s Bunny Mail program where kids will receive a letter + activities sent straight from the Easter Bunny. Hop to it, because registration is limited to 1,000 households.
Festival
The fifth Swan City Piano Festival is set for June 6-8, with free performances at locations around Lakeland. Don’t miss an album release concert, the premiere of a new composition, and recitals by world-renowned pianists that are sure to hit the right note.
Edu
Reminder to students: The next SEU Preview is tomorrow, Feb. 21. This free event is one of the best ways for college hopefuls (and their families) to experience a slice of campus life firsthand. Here’s what that includes.*
Finance
Owe more than $10,000 in debt? You’re not alone — personal debt is on the rise. Freedom Debt Relief could help by offering a personalized debt settlement plan and negotiating with creditors to reduce your amount owed (with one low monthly payment + no upfront fees). Get started.*
Plan Ahead
2025 is your year to put a dent in your credit card debt. Check out these top balance transfer cards offering 0% APR on transfers into 2026. (That’s nearly two years of no interest, plus some sweet rewards.) Learn more + apply.*
Coming Soon
Did this catch your eye? That’s because locals (like you) are excited about new happenings in the city. Spread the word about your business, services, big news, or event coming soon to Lakeland.
Category
Active
🥇 Be a good sport
The Polk Senior Games’ top competitors will take home gold, silver, and bronze medals. | Photo by Polk Senior Games
Move over, Olympics — we’re all about the 32nd Polk Senior Games, happening Saturday, Feb. 22-Saturday, March 8 at locations around Polk County.
The Polk Senior Games draw more than 2,100 participants annually, making it one of the largest events of its kind in Florida. This competition is just for older adults 50+ to shine.
Registration is already closed for this year’s games, but you can still get involved as a volunteer. An event this large takes a lot of volunteers — more than 700, to be exact — so sign up to help market the games or run events.
Another way to get involved is to cheer on competitors. Check the full 2025 schedule to find a competition near you. Lakeland locations include sites like the Estates at Carpenters, Beerman Family Tennis Center, and Lake Parker Park.
Pro tip: Don’t miss the opening ceremony at All Saints Academy on Saturday, Feb. 22, starting at 8:45 a.m.
The Buy
The Buy
ACTIVE Wear laundry detergent. Refresh your gym clothes with this scientifically formulated enzyme blend that removes the lingering smell of sweat and body odor. It’s free from phosphates + each bag can wash up to 90 loads.
Thanks to all of our readers who have donated to support LALtoday, like Mel + Paul who said, “Your readers can tell you love what you do.” Every time a donation comes in, Amelia and I take a writing break to do a little happy dance. Mine looks a little like this.
Answered
Answered
“Tabebuia” is derived from the Tupi words meaning what?
We tree stumped you with this one. The scientific name for the trumpet trees around Lakeland comes from the Tupi words “tacyba,” meaning “ant” + “bebuya,” meaning “wood.” Tupi was spoken by Brazil’s indigenous Tupi people, who named the trees after the ants that often make a home inside the trees’ hollow parts.
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