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👟 Seeing Swan City, step by step
The sun is shining, the birds are chirping, and we’re pounding the pavement. | Photo by LALtoday
4,774. That’s the average number of steps an adult in the US walks per day — but what if we multiplied that by 20?
Editor Connor here. After seeing creator Hope Henchey max out a pedometer by walking 100,000 steps around St. Petersburg, TBAYtoday editor Bailey LeFever and I agreed to a challenge: walking as many steps as possible around our respective cities. Come along with me to walk ‘til I drop around Lakeland.
There were only a few dozen shoppers out right when the market opened for the morning.
Photo by LALtoday
Downtown
I started bright and early on a Saturday at the Lakeland Downtown Farmers Curb Market. After popping into Pressed for a Hemingway mocha + coconut latte, I took a brisk walk down Kentucky Avenue.
Vendors were still setting up their booths around 8:15 a.m., and if you prefer to avoid crowds, this is the time to go. With fewer people around, I also noticed new sculptures on Lemon Street — I sense a story coming soon.
Festival proceeds support scholarships for AGB Museum summer program students, and free museum admission. | Photos provided by the Ashley Gibson Barnett Museum of Art
Lakeland’s most colorful Mother’s Day tradition, Mayfaire-by-the-Lake®, returns to the shores of Lake Morton in just a few weeks.
Since 1971, the Ashley Gibson Barnett Museum of Art’s annual fine arts festival has brought 150+ artists to Central Florida. Festival entry is free, making the arts accessible to all.
Visit the festival Saturday, May 9-Sunday, May 10 for:
Artist booths | Explore paintings, sculptures, ceramics, glasswork, photography, fiber arts + more
Marketplace | Shop handcrafted goods, unique jewelry, and artisan products
Kids Zone | The Kids Zone returns this year with hands-on activities like hand-print cacti and ice cream dot paintings, plus a Kids Collect tent for budding art connoisseurs to shop
May-Fare | Refuel with local food vendors from Polk County and Tampa Bay
Keep an eye out for the Mayfaire 2026 official poster, “Art Lovers,” designed by Kate Carney, this year’s distinguished artist.
Polk County’s burn ban has been repealed after nearly five months. Due to recent rains, the average Keetch-Byram Drought Index, which measures soil dryness, is now below the benchmark for a burn ban across 93% of the county. Extreme water shortage restrictions are still in effect.
Traffic
City crews began resurfacing portions of Lake Hollingsworth Drive yesterday, with work expected to last through Friday, April 24. Expect detours + delays near Florida Southern College.
Development
Talbot House Ministries was due for a new hearing on its proposed move to Memorial Boulevard yesterday, but it withdrew from the process before the city commission could hear it. Read what commissioners said about the decision. (LkldNow)
Drink
Vampire Penguin has unveiled Bat Brew Coffee, which will soon be available in the morning before the dessert shop opens. Peek at the menu while we await an opening date — we see sponge cake lattes and Victorian trifle cappuccinos in our future.
Real Estate
If you’re in the 77% of readers who said they’d enter HGTV’s Smart Home sweepstakes, your chance is coming today at 9 a.m. The home is in Apopka, ~1.5 hours away from Lakeland, meaning you could still pop into town for your favorite shops + restaurants.
Community
Parker Street Ministries will raise money for its local programs with a 24-hour telethon starting at 6 p.m. on Thursday, May 7. The livestream will feature trivia with Lakeland mayors, cooking with Chef Marcos Fernandez, a ribbon-cutting of the new George W. Jenkins Gathering Place, and more.
Closing
Dessert shop Kichi Taiyaki closed its doors on South Florida Avenue. You can find its original location in Brandon, but if you’re looking for its signature fluffy Japanese pancakes closer to home, head to Hakucho’s new Sunday brunch.
Ready, set, grill: Pitmasters in Paradise, the third + final leg of the Triple Crown of BBQ competition, is this weekend, Friday, April 24-Saturday, April 25. Head to Camp Margaritaville Auburndale for BBQ from top pitmasters, live music, local vendors, lawn games, and finger-lickin’ fun.*
Edu
SEU Kinesiology alumni have become NCAA coaches, gym owners, physical therapists, athletic directors, and even MLB scouts. With all that success, we had to see the program for ourselves. View our Reel from our recent campus visit and see how you could kickstart a career in health, wellness, or sports.*
Editor’s Pick
Look for these AstroKnights by Christian Stanley when driving north on South Florida Avenue.
Photo by Tom Hagerty
Could your social media feed use a little more color? Take on the Lakeland Community Redevelopment Agency’s new Mural Passport challenge. Here’s how it works:
Pick up a passport at locations like the Lakeland Public Library or The Bookish Flower.
Make your way to your favorite murals around town.
Post photos featuring participating paintings on your social media accounts + tag the City of Lakeland.
Show 15 mural posts at City Hall to earn a free tote bag.
My favorite part: learning the actual names behind more of my favorite murals.
Three can’t-live-without products we wish we knew about sooner:
🧼 Designed with pet owners in mind, these washing machine cleaning tablets remove built up odor and hair.
🍖 Perfect for grilling season, this silicone basting brush makes it easy to add oil, butter, or your favorite sauce to items while they’re cooking.
👚 Coined as an iron in a bottle, Downy’s wrinkle release spray is the easiest way to ensure you never leave the house looking less than polished.
Did you click through to see the anticlimactic finish to my day of walking? I’m already planning to try again to reach more steps. Follow along with TBAYtoday to learn if Bailey will outdo me (and to stay in the loop about what’s happening over in Tampa Bay).
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