Hey there. Make sure you never miss an update, exclusive offer, or surprise from us — add us to your contacts list today. Snap a quick screenshot once you do and send it our way. We love knowing we made it to your inbox. Need instructions? Here you go.
Editor’s Pick
We snapped this shot before Hurricane Milton made landfall last year.
Photo by LALtoday
And just like that, we’ve officially entered hurricane season until the end of November. We have time before the September peak, but “if you stay ready, you don’t have to get ready” — here’s what I would do now to prepare:
Sign up for Alert Polk emergency notifications
Pack your hurricane kit
Pick up a storm shelter map, now available at Publix
Asked
Asked
Which hurricane name will we reach this season?
A. Barry — hoping for only two named storms B. Gabrielle — let’s stop at seven C. Pablo — right in the experts’ forecasted range of 13-19 D. Wendy — I’ll prepare for all 21 names
Monday Fun Day: Space Coast | 10 a.m.-12 p.m. | Larry R. Jackson Branch Library | Free | Kids can have Florida-themed fun with out-of-this-world activities by the Imperial Polk Astronomical Society.
Sip + Sparkle: Necklace Making Workshop | 6 p.m. | Keel Farms, Plant City | $45 | Sit back, socialize, and create a unique piece of jewelry while sipping a glass of locally made wine — we recommend the strawberry sangria.
Tuesday, June 3
Kids Club: Kidchella | 10-11:30 a.m. | Lakeside Village | Free | Kidchella kicks off the Lakeside Kids Club Series on The Lawn, with tinsel hair strands, a hula hoop show, DJ Scuba Steve, a craft station, and festive vibes for kids.*
Sweet & Spicy Book Club | 5:30-6:30 p.m. | Lakeland Public Library | Free | Start the season with a steamy discussion of “It Happened One Summer” by Tessa Bailey.
AGB Thursdays | 4-8 p.m. | The Ashley Gibson Barnett Museum of Art | Free | Explore the museum’s galleries after hours, and don’t miss a director’s tour at 6 p.m.
Friday, June 6
Black Business Expo | Friday, June 6-Sunday, June 8 | Times vary | The Well | $19+ | Community partnerships, business credit, AI — it’s all on the agenda at this weekend of networking, awards, and competition.
First Friday: Family Fun Night | 6-9 p.m. | Downtown Lakeland | Free+ | Bring the whole family to enjoy free kids’ activities, plus shopping and dining under the stars.
Saturday, June 7
Grand Reopening Celebration | 10 a.m.-5 p.m. | Lakeland Antique Mall | Free+ | Celebrate this local legend’s new location with raffles, family activities, and special guest artists + performers.
Watson Clinic is adding two new locations: an 80,000-sqft Medical Office Building and an Ambulatory Surgery Center. Both are now under construction at the future Orlando Health Watson Clinic Lakeland Highlands Hospital campus, which is set to open next summer — see the designs.
Outdoors
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection has detected blue-green algae in Lake Crago. The algae include toxins that could affect humans and pets, so steer clear of the lake until the blooms have cleared and try one of these outdoor spots instead. (Fox 13 News)
Try This
If you want to become an amateur sommelier, wine not join The Wine Garden’s new Wine Club? Members will get three to six hand-picked bottles to enjoy each month, along with bar discounts + access to exclusive events like Pickup Happy Hours.
Mansion Monday
Peaceful porch panoramas — say that five times fast. You’ll have plenty of time to work on tongue-twisters as you relax on the back patio or the second-story porch of this 6-bedroom stunner with serene views of Christina Lake. And don’t get us started on the delightfully deluxe dining room.
Number
80,000. That’s the average annual number of flights at Winter Haven Regional Airport, prompting the airport to introduce a digital remote tower system — the first of its kind in the country. It will be operated ~10 miles away at Bartow Executive Airport to keep up with increased air traffic. (WFTS)
Holiday
Dad can become king of the ‘cue with Whiskey Bent BBQ’s Father’s Day Cooking Class on Saturday, June 14. Seasoned cooks and newbies alike can gather around the grill to learn how to make pork belly popsicles, carnitas-style tacos, grilled corn ribs, and s’mores campfire cones.
Drink
Parlor Doughnuts has added new drinks to its menu, all designed to keep you energized + refreshed this summer. Drop by for a refresher with acai or passionfruit, a watermelon energizer, or a white chocolate blondie iced coffee — and don’t forget the donuts.
Real Estate
Feature your property listing here + reach our thousands of engaged readers. Visit our self-service ad portal to get started. Bonus: It can happen in two business days.
Active
Did you know? Rowing works 86% of your muscles. With Hydrow, it feels like you’re actually rowing on the water. Save $500 on Hydrow Pro or $300 on Hydrow Wave with code NOTES. Train with pros and row from home — shop the sale.*
Stat
27%. That’s how much home insurance rates have risen since 2021 (even more in some states). As natural disasters like wildfires + hurricanes become more intense and frequent, insurance is more expensive and limited. Are you overpaying? Take this two-minute questionnaire to see if you could save.*
The Ashley Gibson Barnett Museum of Art features both world-renowned artists and local students. | Photo by @agbmuseum
School’s out for the summer — but that doesn’t mean education has to stop. Learn something new around Swan City at these world-class museums. Ashley Gibson Barnett Museum of Art | Free
This is the spot to see rotating + permanent exhibits featuring mediums from paintings and photography to quilts and pottery.
Don’t miss: Huge and tiny art in “Matters of Scale: On the Intimate and the Sublime” in the new Kerr Wing Florida Children’s Museum | $16-$20
Kids can explore this museum inside Bonnet Springs Park that’s packed with interactive exhibits. The daily schedule also includes activities like STEM challenges and storytimes.
Don’t miss: The interactive Mobilab in the Black Box Theatre through September
Florida Air Museum | $10-$15
Visitors of all ages will enjoy the collection of airplanes from Florida’s long aviation history, and kids will love the family-friendly Discovery Zone.
Don’t miss: The Howard Hughes Experience, where you can sit behind the billionaire’s desk + explore his and Katharine Hepburn’s flight suits.
An enzyme laundry detergent booster. Unlike in-wash scent boosters, this product’s all-natural + fragrance-free formula utilizes bioactive enzymes to break down smells that linger. Bonus: It’s safe to use on all clothing types and each package lasts for up to 64 loads.
The fun doesn’t have to end here. After reading the newsletter, head over to our games page. Games refresh with new challenges every day at 6 a.m. from crossword puzzle to Sudoku to themed word search.
Last week, we polled our Instagram followers to see how many named storms they’re expecting this hurricane season. The average answer was 10, meaning we would get storms from Andrea to Jerry. With 18 named storms last year, I’m hoping for a quieter season, too.
}})
