TOP 10

LAKELAND TOP 10

AEROSPACE EXPO

The SUN ‘n FUN Aerospace Expo is Florida’s largest annual convention of any kind, and each year over 200,000 visitors flock to what has become known as “Aviation’s Season Opener,” or “Spring Break for Pilots.” The U.S.A.F. THUNDERBIRDS will perform all week! April 5 - 10, see the full schedule online. Flysnf.org

LAKELAND FLYING TIGERS

The Flying Tigers are the Single-A Affiliate of the Detroit Tigers, our hometown Minor League team. Catch one of nine games played at home at the Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium. Purchase tickets, find the full schedule, team roster, and more info about the Flying Tigers at milb.com/lakeland.

PETER HELLER

April 10, 2 pm. New York Times bestselling author Peter Heller will be speaking at the auditorium at Polk Museum of Art, event by the Lakeland Public Library. Heller is the author of award-winning nonfiction and fiction works such as “Hell or High Water: Surviving Tibet’s Tsangpo River,” and his most recent novel, “The Guide.” For more information, contact Brenda J. Patterson at 863-8344276 or send an email to Brenda.Patterson@lakelandgov.net.

LOFI REVIVAL

April 15, 6 - 10 pm at Gram Parsons Derry Down in downtown Winter Haven. Purchase craft cocktails from Revival Lakeland, small plates by Nutwood, chill beats by Deek Beats, and classic pinball provided by Artcade. Spend the evening listening to chill beats, great friends and some fo the best food and drink in Polk County under one roof. Purchase tickets in advance at centralfloridatix.com.

EGG HUNTS

April 16 all over Polk County. The Easter Bunny will be very busy in April with egg hunts planned for several locations. Please check our calendar to find the one closest to you. Most hunts are for ages 12 and under only, please bring your own basket or bag to collect eggs. Have fun!

JIM STAFFORD

April 16, 7pm at the Ritz Theatre. Winter Haven’s own Jim Stafford will be performing for one night only. Stafford is an American singer-songwriter, musician, and comedian. His biggest hit, “Spiders and Snakes,” peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 14 in the BBC Top 50 in the UK. Purchase tickets in advance. Centralfloridatix.com

SWAN BREWING CELEBRATION

Let’s Party like it’s 2018! Celebrate Swan Brewing’s 4-Year Anniversary with new beer releases, amazing food, and the best live music in Central Florida! Schedule: April 22 at 7 pm Mandala Sky Band; April 23 at 2 pm The Cadillac Cowboys & 7 pm Gary Love & The Moonlighters; April 24 at 2 pm Micah Madore. More info on FB @swanbrewingco.

HARLEM GLOBETROTTERS

April 25 at the RP Funding Center. The Spread Game Tour is a basketball event like no other. Ankle-breaking moves, jaw-dropping swag, and rimrattling dunks are only some of the thrill you can expect from this fully modernized show. Part streetball from the players who defined it, part interactive family entertainment, the new tour will show off the best of the Globetrotters. rpfundingcenter.com

BOOK CRAWL LAKELAND

Six booksellers within Lakeland will be hosting “Book Crawl Lakeland” throughout the week of April 25 - 29, leading up to Independent Bookstore Day on Saturday, April 30, 2022. A Lakeland bookstore will be highlighted each day, with each store hosting its own events, promotions, or discounts. Check our calendar for the locations & times for each day. Follow #bookcrawllakeland on social media for updates.

MOCKINGBIRD

Rated MA. April 27 & 28 at the Lakeland Community Theatre. Caitlin is an 11-year-old girl on the autism spectrum. Emotions are mysterious and voices are almost always too loud. Suddenly, a mass shooting has taken her brother away. He was the one person who helped her cope. Adapted by Julie Jensen from the National Book Award-winning novel by Kathryn Erskine. lakelandcommunitytheatre.com 863-603-7529

ORLANDO TOP 10

SPRING FEVER IN THE GARDEN

April 2 from 9 am - 5 pm & April 3 from 11 am - 4 pm in downtown Winter Garden hosted by the Bloom & Grow Garden Society. This family-friendly festival will have a chalk art contest, kid zone, vendor booths selling a wide array of flowers and foliage, nature-related arts and crafts, and live entertainment in this historic downtown setting. Springfeverinthegarden.org

ART’S THE SPARK

April 2, 10:30 am at the Orlando Museum of Art. Through interactive tours of the Museum’s exhibitions, Art’s the Spark gives those living with memory impairment or any other neurological impairment (such as early-stage Alzheimer’s disease or Parkinson’s disease) and their healthy caregivers a fun experience, an expressive outlet, and an opportunity for adult discussions. Space is limited, requires advance registration, call 407-896-4231 ext. 262.

UCF CELEBRATES THE ARTS

April 5 - 16. Every year, the University of Central Florida brings its best and brightest artists to Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts for a large-scale celebration. This year, UCF Celebrates the Arts bigger than ever, with a multi-day production of an award-winning, family-friendly musical, concerts in the new Steinmetz Hall, lectures and discussions, multimedia events, chamber music, an expanded visual arts presence, and more. arts.cah.ucf.edu/celebrates

OCOEE MUSIC FESTIVAL

April 8 & 9 at the Bill Breeze Park. Friday night hosts iconic stars of the 90s including Vanilla Ice, Rob Base, Tag Team, Tone Loc, and Freedom Williams of C&C Music Factory. Saturday includes country music stars Russell Dickerson, Walker Hayes, Matt Stell, and Will Banister. Enjoy carnival games, food trucks, and preferred seating for an additional charge. Ocoeemusicfestival.com

FLORIDA FILM FESTIVAL

April 8 - 17 at Enzian Theater. Ten days of 160+ films, 23 world premieres, and first-class events, film lovers can mingle with the filmmakers and celebrities. Now in its 31st year, the Florida Film Festival is an Oscar®qualifying festival, premiering the best in current, independent, and international cinema. Purchase tickets in advance, several packages available. Floridafilmfestival.com

WINTER PARK WINE & DINE

April 13, 5:30 - 9:30 pm at the Winter Park Farmers Market building. Tickets are all-inclusive and include unlimited tastings from over 30 vendors, craft beers, wine purveyors, specialty cocktails, soda/water, plus live music both inside and outside. VIP experience available for additional charge. More info & purchase tickets on FB @winterparkevents.

DISNEY’S BEAUTY AND THE BEAST

April 22 - May 22 at the Garden Theatre in Winter Garden. Belle becomes the heroine of her own story as she discovers the power in daring to be different and breaks free from the expectations of her quiet village. Filled with dancing teapots, gorgeous costumes, and theatre magic, this international best-selling sensation will be reimagined like never before for the Garden stage. Purchase tickets in advance. gardentheatre.org

WINTER PARK PAINT OUT

April 24 - 30 at The Albin Polasek Museum & Sculpture Gardens. The gallery and sculpture gardens will be free to the public during the week-long event. Twentythree professionally-acclaimed plein air artists will paint at the museum and locations nearby. Art lovers are invited to watch the artists at work, view their recently completed paintings, and attend free painting demonstrations. Artwork created will be available for purchase with a portion of the proceeds to support the Museum. winterparkpaintout.org

ELTON JOHN

April 27, 8 pm at the Amway Center. This is the Elton John: Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour originally scheduled for May 2020. Elton has achieved one diamond, 32 platinum or multi-platinum, 21 gold albums, over 70 Top 40 hits, and he has sold more than 300 million records worldwide. He holds the record for the biggest selling single of all time, Candle In The Wind 1997, which sold over 33 million copies. This is intended to be his final tour. Amwaycenter.com

RUN FOR THE TREES

April 30, 7:30 am at Ward Park Soccer Fields in Winter Park. The City of Winter Park and Track Shack’s Run for the Trees 5k run/ walk is a unique point-to-point event. The last mile is on the treecanopied, wilderness dirt road of Genius Drive. This privately owned glimpse of old Florida is opened to the public only once a year, for this event. All in person finishers receive a young tree. trackshack.com

TAMPA TOP 10

TAMPA BAY TACO WEEK

Through April 10. Take advantage of exclusive dine-in and takeout taco and drink specials at participating restaurants. Go online for the full list. Visit a restaurant on the list, simply ask for the Taco Week Special. Share a photo of you enjoying Taco Week on IG for a chance to win prizes! Find all the information at tampabaytacoweek.com.

FOOD AND WINE FESTIVAL

Guests can sip & savor their way through Busch Gardens. With more than 20 new delicious dishes to pair with wines, craft brews, and cocktails, park guests can explore a variety of flavors while enjoying a diverse concert lineup. The Food & Wine Festival runs Fridays through Sundays through May 22 and is included with admission to the park. buschgardens.com/tampa

FIGHT FOR AIR CLIMB

April 2, 8 am at Raymond James Stadium. Whether you’re new to stair-climbing or a veteran climber, you can choose your adventure— how you climb is up to you: climb for the top time, race for your personal best, or take it at your own pace. There are participant options for every type of Climber, including special categories for EMTs, First Responders, and Firefighters. Fundraiser for American Lung Assoc. Lung.org

OUTDOORS EXPO AND BOAT SHOW

April 8. With over 100,000 square feet of boating accessories, fishing gear, apparel, outdoor supplies, high-end luxury vessels, sportfishing boats, pontoon, family, and speed boats. Daily seminars and more. The 31st Annual News Channel 8 Outdoors Expo and Boat Show takes place on April 8 from 12 pm to 6 pm; April 9 from 10 am to 6 p.m. and April 10 from 10 am to 5 pm at Armature Works. More info on FB @WFLANewsChannel8.

TASTE AT THE STRAZ

April 9, 7 pm at the Straz Center. TASTE puts you on Tampa’s beautiful Riverwalk with access to the Bay area’s best food, craft brews, cocktails, and more. With multiple stages of live music, TASTE is an evening of eating, drinking, and indulging in the region’s extraordinary culture. VIP experience available for additional charge. strazcenter.org/taste

AKC MEET THE BREEDS

April 23 & 24 at the Tampa Convention Center. From Affenpinschers to Yorkshire Terriers and everything in between. American Kennel Club Meet the Breeds® is a national tour, giving dog lovers a unique opportunity to meet, play with, and learn about hundreds of dogs. If you have dog questions, they’ve got the answers. Akc.org

ECOFEST

April 23, 10 am - 3 pm at the Museum of Science & Industry. Family-friendly event with live music, workshops, demonstrations, informational booths, green living products, and services. Local artists, green businesses, environmental organizations, alternative health practitioners, renewable energy specialists, organic farms, and gardens with produce will be in attendance. learninggate.org/support-lg/ecofest

ZOOBREWS

April 23, 7 - 10 pm at the Zoo Tampa. This is an all-inclusive night filled with up-close wildlife, endless food, unlimited drinks, live music, games, and more! (Guests must be 21 years of age or older to attend.) VIP ticket available for an additional charge. VIP gets early access to the event, exclusive spaces, and a gift. All proceeds for this event support their conservation, animal care, and community education programs at the zoo. zootampa.org/zoobrews

MY FAIR LADY

April 26 - May 1 at the Straz Center. From the Lincoln Center Theater, My Fair Lady tells the story of Eliza Doolittle, a young Cockney flower seller, and Henry Higgins, a linguistics professor who is determined to transform her into his idea of a “proper lady.” The theater will be operating at full capacity for this show. Strazcenter.org

THE WHO

April 27, 7 pm at Amalie Arena. “The Who Hits Back!” is bringing singer Roger Daltrey and guitarist/ songwriter, Pete Townshend, back to the U.S. The full live band is comprised of guitarist/ backup singer Simon Townshend, keyboardist Loren Gold, second keyboardist Emily Marshall, bassist Jon Button, drummer Zak Starkey. VIP packages available. amaliearena.com

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