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EVENTS

Today

• First Friday: Hometown Holiday | Fri., Dec. 3 | 6-9 p.m. | Downtown Lakeland | Free | Experience live music, vendors, and family fun, take pictures with Santa + play in Rudolph’s games,. 🦌
• Christmas Gala Concert | Fri., Dec. 3 | 7:30-9 p.m. | Bush Chapel, SEU Campus | $10 | Come see a Christmas concert put on by the College of Arts & Media and the Department of Music at Southeastern University.

Saturday

• 1969 Live | Sat., Dec. 4 | 8-11 p.m. | LKLD Live, 202 N. Massachusetts Ave. | $10 | You’ll think you’ve gone back in time when you hear the band 1969 play hits from the 60s. 

Sunday

• It’s a Wonderful Life | Sun., Dec. 5 | 2-5 p.m. | Lakeland Community Theatre | $17+ | See the story of George Bailey come to life through a 1940s radio broadcast and ensemble cast. 

Monday

• Glory of Christmas Concert | Mon., Dec. 6 | 7-8:30 p.m. | First Presbyterian Church, 175 Lake Hollingsworth Dr. | Free | Come see the 12th annual Glory of Christmas concert featuring the Chancel Choir and FPC Chamber Orchestra. 🎼

Tuesday

• Trivia Night | Tues., Dec. 7 | 6:30 p.m. | Keel and Curley Winery | Free | Bring a team of friends and practice your trivia skills while enjoying Keel Farms beer, wine, or cider. 🍷

Wednesday

• Top Dog at Manheim Lakeland Auto Auction | Wed., Dec. 8 | 11 a.m.-3 p.m. | Manheim Lakeland, 8025 N. State Rd. 33 | Free | Skip the cooking tonight and order Philly cheesesteaks, Nathan’s dogs, angus burgers + veggie options from Top Dog. 

Thursday

• Book Talk | Thurs., Dec. 9 | 6-7 p.m. | Pressed LKLD | Free | Discuss the book “Tribe” by Sebastian Junger + purchase your copy from Pressed. 

Friday

• Festive Flix: Christmas Edition | Fri., Dec. 10 | 6-8 p.m. | Lake Mirror Amphitheater, 121 S. Lake Ave. | Free | Bring a lawn chair, blanket, and snacks (preferably spaghetti and maple syrup) to the first Festive Flix of the season, “Elf.” 

We have a monthly guide filled with events + activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.

NEWS NOTES

Weather

• 77º | Partly cloudy | 10% chance of rain

Open

• Winter Haven’s newest sandwich joint, BL Sandwich (260 Avenue A SW), is now open. The Winter Haven Chamber of Commerce celebrated with a ribbon-cutting earlier this week for the Vietnamese food destination. Visitors can expect menu items like sandwiches (Bami), boba tea, and lychee jelly, with more snacks to come. 

Outdoors

• January tours are now available for Cow Creek Farm. Visitors touring the farm can pet, meet, take photos with, and feed the animals. The first tour of the new year is on Jan. 8, with tickets starting at $20 for guests 12 and older. Book your tour. 🐮

Holiday

• Want to get into the holiday spirit and support local business? Then SantaCon is for you. Put on your best holiday outfit on Dec. 11 and go to Swan Brewing at 5 p.m. for the kickoff. Then, at 7 p.m., visit local bars and check them off your passport. 🎅 (The Ledger)
• Get your gift wrap on, Lakeland. Haus 820 is hosting a gift wrapping on Dec. 14-15, with proceeds benefiting Parker Street Ministries. Just drop off unwrapped presents that need a facelift — this year’s wraps are black, gold, and white — and a $10 donation per five gifts. 

Number

• $17.2 million. That’s how much money Polk will receive to fight opioid addiction over the next 17 years. Polk plans to put the money towards 15 programs and activities aimed at opioid prevention, treatment + recovery. (The Ledger)

Cause

• FleetForce Truck Driving School in Polk County is enticing student drivers with free tuition. The $6,250 four-week training course will be paid for by the future employer, which is guaranteed upon licensure. This plan is meant to help with the nationwide truck driver shortage. 🚚 (WFLA News Channel 8) 

Listen

• Go to the Poor Porker this weekend to hear music by local artists. Tonight, Brenna Stross performs from 7-10 p.m. Tomorrow, Leah Woods and Proper Wednesday both have shows starting at 5 p.m. Sunday, Adam Whelchel will perform while you enjoy brunch + bottomless mimosas. 🎶  

Asked

• Gearing up for the gift-giving this season? Share your gift ideas with us — especially if they’re from local makers or small business owners so we can share them, too. Spill the details.

Biz

• MIDFLORIDA Credit Union has announced that longtime CEO D. Kevin Jones is retiring after 29 years of service. He will be succeeded by S. Steve Moseley, who has served as MIDFLORIDA’s president for the past four years.*

#LALTODAY

REWARDS

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THE WRAP

Editor’s Pick: Yesterday we put your Polk County knowledge to the test to see if you could spot which nickname does not belong to the Wonder House. If you participated, the correct answer was D, The whimsy house. Did you guess correctly?

 

Missed yesterday’s newsletter? Along with The Wonder House, we also shared the details on funding Florida Poly received, juice deals, and more, here.

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