Dungeons & Dragons | 4-6 p.m. | Kitty Cat Lounge | Free | New players will get to know the game and their characters with an experienced dungeon master — RSVP required.
Spring Into Cybersecurity | 5:30-7:30 p.m. | COhatch | Free | Business owners can get a device security assessment from the founder of Martell CyberTech.
Wednesday, March 26
Magician Terry Ward | 6:30 p.m. | Historic Ritz Theatre, Winter Haven | $35 | Expect the unexpected from this comedic magician who’s entertained companies from Disney to Coca-Cola.
Swing Dance Social | 7:30 p.m. | Union Hall | Free+ | Drop in for a beginner lesson, then grab a partner and get swingin’ on the dance floor.
Thursday, March 27
Brain Bus Stop | 9 a.m.-1 p.m. | Harmony Baptist Church | Free | The Alzheimer’s Association will bring resources and activities to the Advent Home Care Alliance Mobile Health Fair.
Piano Spark: SEU Piano Faculty | 7 p.m. | Southeastern University | Free | SEU piano faculty will tickle the ivories with works by Chopin + Debussy.
Friday, March 28
Sunset Sangria Launch Party | 5-10 p.m. | Keel Farms, Plant City | Free+ | Celebrate this local winery’s newest line of sangrias with music, dancing, food, and flights of fresh flavors.
Swan City Improv 8th Anniversary Show | Times vary | Union Hall | $10 | There are two chances to celebrate this comedy team’s eight years in Lakeland at adults-only shows.
Tuesday, April 1
Tyler Hubbard featuring Uncle Kracker | 6-9 p.m. | SUN ‘n FUN Aerospace Expo | $45+ | SUN ‘n FUN Aerospace Expo 2025 will launch its 51st Fly-In with acclaimed country music stars, Tyler Hubbard featuring Uncle Kracker, on the renowned SUN ‘n FUN Warbird Ramp.*
Polk County will not raise warehouse impact fees any higher for 2026 and 2027. A proposed measure failed to gain a supermajority vote by county commissioners, with some believing it would compromise job growth. Commissioners are continuing to explore options for generating funds to improve roads + congestion around Polk’s warehouses. (The Ledger)
Ranked
No. 4. That’s where Lakeland ranks on Stacker’s list of most expensive cities to buy a home in Polk County, with a median value of $313,493. The median price came in $40,000+ less than homes in Davenport, which ranked as the No. 1 most expensive city.
Opening
All aboard. Depot 303, the long-awaited food hall in downtown Mulberry, will soft open Saturday, April 5-Sunday, April 6. Stop by 11 a.m.-5 p.m. to get a first taste of the food hall’s vendors, plus Gravity Rally will be revving things up with a car show all weekend.
Job
Here’s the scoop — Bright Ice will open its doors this Friday, March 28 at 1 p.m. The new Dixieland ice cream shop is now hiring, and applications are available for both leadership + team member positions. Guess it’s time to start working on those bicep curls.
Number
15,000. That’s how many baseball players — from more than 400 teams — will descend upon Polk County for the RussMatt Baseball Central Florida Invitational. More than 1,300 games will be played across 33 venues during the invitational, which runs through the end of April. See the full schedule. (WFTS)
Seasonal
Easter is less than one month away. Hopover to Lakeland Mom for a full list of upcoming egg hunts + photo ops around Polk County. Spoiler alert: There are 13 in Lakeland alone.
Eat
Speaking of Easter, reservations are now available for Nineteen61’s Easter Brunch. Snag a spot to feast on a buffet featuring dishes ranging from Pullman bread French toast to salmon piccata. Tickets are $75 for adults, $35 for kids ages 4-12, and free for kids under three.
Number
One. Just one step — that’s all it takes to advertise your next event, biz announcement, or real estate listing with us through our self-service ad portal. The best part? You can get it up and running in just two days.
The Joinery’s shady back patio is only one of its three seating areas. | Photo via @thewanderingconk
In our opinion, one of the best things about living in Lakeland is the gorgeous weather — at least until summertime... or hurricane season... or... whatever, you get the point.
If you’re looking to enjoy the good weather as much as possible while it lasts, check out one of these outdoor spaces where you can get some vitamin D while working on your deliverables.
The Joinery | Settle in on the large lakefront patio facing Lake Mirror, or head to the back patio for a more secluded vibe (just remember trains pass back here, so you may need to mute those microphones if you have a call).
Hillcrest Coffee | Stop in for a morning quiche or an afternoon pick-me-up + grab a seat on this Lakeland staple’s quaint wrap-around porch.
Lake Crago Park | Connect to the outdoor wifi + sit under the shade of the recreation center building, or get some sun out in the amphitheater (just make sure you stay hydrated and BYO snacks).
Amazon’s Big Spring Sale may last until Monday, March 31, but some of the best discounts are for one-day only. These are some of today’s best Lightning Deals:
One of my favorite perks of remote work is getting to spend time out in my community, so you’ll almost always find me working at one of Lakeland’s coffee shops — especially Black & Brew’s Lake Morton location. Consider this newsletter powered by their iced caramel macchiato.
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