LKLD February 2022 by HAVEN & LKLD Magazines

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February

LKLD

RELIEVING PAIN • CHANGING LIVES

havenmagazines.com

Letter From the Editor

Join us as we Walk for Animals for the final year. There will be fun for the entire family with games, K-9 demonstrations, food and specialty vendors, and a dog costume contest!

Saturday April 9 9 AM to 12 PM

Lake Mirror Promenade 121 S. Lake Ave in Lakeland, FL $35, Register Today!

www.spcaflorida.org/walk

Hello! We’ve got a packed issue this month! The February issue is for a person, couple, group, or family looking for something fun to do in Polk County! Tara has put together 50 things to do not just on Valentine’s Day, but any day. Whether it’s your first date or your millionth date, there are so many things to do. Let us know where you go. Tag us on your FB and IG posts with #lkldhaven, and we might just share it in the next issue of LKLD. This month, we talk with Eddie Jackson, a teacher, and musician here in Polk County. Find out what inspires him and how he tries to inspire his students every day. You can catch him playing at The Poor Porker every so often, more details later in this issue. Our restaurant for the month is Bay Street Bistro. We talk with James Rawlins about how the pandemic is still affecting the restaurant industry. We also talk about food, lots of food! Thank you to the Lakeland Public Library for the February book selections. If you’re looking for some romance, in the pages of a book, they’ve got you covered. February is a very busy month for events. Check out our Top Ten lists and plan ahead, there’s so much to do! Have a great month & I hope to see you around town. Amy Sexson Editor/Partner Haven & LKLD Magazine amy@destroyermedia.com

F E B R U A R Y

CONTENTS

FROM THE EDITOR....................................................... 7 LOCAL NEWS................................................................ 10 TOP 10................................................................................12 BE MY VALENTINE....................................................... 18 EDDIE ‘SMOKE’ JACKSON �� 26 BAY STREET BISTRO..................................................30

34...................................................................... COCKTAIL 36......................................................CHECK ME OUT ;) 38.....................................................................CALENDAR 51 ...............................................................SOLD HOMES 57................................................................#LKLDHAVEN

havenmagazines.com

FEBRUARY 2022 VOLUME 5 ISSUE 5 Publisher Chris Sexson chris@destroyermedia.com Ad Director Christine Campbell christine@destroyermedia.com Editor & Photographer Amy Sexson amy@destroyermedia.com Managing Editor & Writer Tara Crutchfield tara@destroyermedia.com Art & Production Manager Steven Maynard steven@destroyermedia.com Events Coordinator Angela Rosado angela@destroyermedia.com Account Representative Jessica Parker jessica@destroyermedia.com Graphic Designer Ella Sexson ella@destroyermedia.com Media Specialist Nate Schaller nate@destroyermedia.com Organizer of Destruction Nicole Nikdel nicole@destroyermedia.com LKLD HAVEN is published twelve times a year by Destroyer Media & Marketing. LKLD distributes 13,500 copies a month with 7,700 mailed to homes and 5,800 copies available at select locations throughout Lakeland.

For advertising information please contact: christine@destroyermedia.com To submit to our calendar: amy@destroyermedia.com Office: PO Box 1607, Winter Haven, Florida 33881 863-225-8658

2017 Best Digital: Social Media 2018 Best Design: Cover Best Redesign 2019 Best Writing: Feature Best Advertisement: For a Client Best Photography: Cover 2020 Best Writing: Humor Best Digital: Social Media 2021 Best Writing: Humor Best Digital: Social Media Best Special Theme Issue Best Writing 9

LOCAL NEWS WORDS Barry Friedman/LkldNow.com

ALDI AND FRESH KITCHEN ARE COMING TO SOUTH FLORIDA AVENUE

AMY WIGGINS RETURNING TO THE LAKELAND CHAMBER AS PRESIDENT, CEO

CITY PUSHES FOR BOARDWALKS ALONG THE WESTERN SIDE OF LAKE HUNTER

LKLD LIVE SHUTS DOWN FOLLOWING PANDEMIC SETBACKS, LEASE LOSS

LAKELAND AIRPORT HAS TO START OVER ON ITS NOISE REDUCTION PLAN

Food fanciers in south Lakeland have a double shot of tasty news. An Aldi supermarket and a Fresh Kitchen restaurant will be built on side-byside lots on South Florida Avenue near Alamo Drive. Aldi, known for epicurean house brands and lowfrills shopping, will replace a Golden Corral restaurant that’s slated for demolition. Planned for next door: the 14th store in the Tampa-based Fresh Kitchen chain of healthy-oriented restaurants where diners build their own bowls from a menu of bases, vegetables, proteins and sauces.

It will be a homecoming next month for Amy Wiggins when she takes over as president and CEO of the Lakeland Chamber of Commerce. Wiggins, 43, was a vice president at the organization that represents local businesses before becoming executive director of the Lakeland Symphony Orchestra seven years ago. She replaces Cory Skeates, who resigned suddenly in October after seven years with the chamber. Wiggins, who grew up in Plant City, is a graduate of Florida Southern College. She is a certified chamber executive and on the boards of Lakeland Vision and Polk Vision.

Imagine a wide recreation path along the western side of Lake Hunter giving walkers, joggers and bicyclists a scenic route to downtown and Bonnet Springs Park. State transportation planners have been working on such a plan and wanted the city of Lakeland’s endorsement. City commissioners said they like the idea, but they really want the recreational trail to follow a boardwalk over the water rather than alongside busy Sikes Boulevard, as the state proposed. Mayor Bill Mutz acknowledged the city may have to supplement the state funds that would otherwise pay for the trail but said there may be state recreation funds available for a boardwalk.

Lkld Live, a scrappy nonprofit that offered alternative music and arts performances in a downtown black box theater, folded at the end of the year. The organization didn’t see a way forward after it suffered pandemic setbacks and then lost the lease on their spot next to Rec Room, a popular arcade bar. Over the summer, Lkld Live had hired a new executive director, Kat Agner, who brought new energy and bigger audiences to the venue. After Lkld Live folded, she moved to The Polk Theatre as sales manager. Ironically, Lkld Live’s first director, Shane Lawlor, had been hired away from the Polk Theatre.

After Lakeland Linder Airport officials began getting complaints about noise from Amazon cargo jets, they devised a plan to reduce the roar over many neighborhoods. But just as they thought their plan was about to take off, they learned that they had to go back to the drawing board. The Federal Aviation Authority insisted that the airport use an instrument approach for incoming traffic instead of a visual landing path. That will delay a solution by about a year, but airport Director Gene Conrad said there will be advantages: An instrument approach can be used in more kinds of weather, and an instrument-based departure plan using set corridors should allow jets to gain altitude more quickly than they can now, reducing noise over Grasslands.

BAR MANAGER GETS A $1,000 TIP AND HIS BOSS PAYS IT FORWARD

CITIZENS RAISE CONCERNS ABOUT FIRE DEPARTMENT RESPONSE TIMES

CITY HALL LOSING TWO HIGH-PROFILE LEADERS: NICOLE TRAVIS, JOEL IVY

LAKELAND RENTS HAVE LEVELED OFF AFTER HUGE SPIKES, BUT MORE INCREASES EXPECTED

OMICRON DROVE RECORD COVID CASES, BUT NUMBERS HAVE RECEDED

The general manager of downtown Lakeland’s Dissent Brewing got a $1,000 “welcome-to-the neighborhood” tip courtesy of the local Big Fat Tip non-profit. So the brewery’s owner decided to pay it forward; he donated $1,000 to the organization, which surprised a Mister Fish employee with a one-grand gratuity. The employee was especially grateful because she had been praying for help paying her mother’s medical bills. Big Fat Tip has provided cheer through large gratuities more than 30 times in the past few years, all of them funded through donations.

When Lakeland’s city commissioners hold their strategic retreat Feb. 23 and 24, one of the issues they’ll be looking at is Fire Department response times. Commissioners have been approached recently by groups from both ends of town concerned about response times. First, residents of Carillon Lakes expressed apprehension that ongoing development and increased traffic in southwest Lakeland strains the ability of Fire Station 7 at the airport. Then a delegation from Foxwood Lake Estates pushed for a new fire station north of I-4 but requested that the city abandon plans to possibly close Station 3 at North Florida Avenue and Bella Vista St. City Manager Shawn Sherrouse told the commissioners that efforts to find land north of I-4 for a fire station have been stymied by high property costs.

Two of the most visible leaders in Lakeland’s municipal government have announced their departures. Nicole Travis, who rose through the ranks from project manager to deputy city manager, started a new job with the city of Tampa on Jan. 24. She now works for Mayor Jane Castor as Administrator of Development and Economic Opportunity. At Lakeland Electric, General Manager Joel Ivy will be leaving in April to become director of Lubbock Power and Light. Ivy, 62, came to Lakeland in 2012 as Lakeland Electric’s top administrator. His decision to leave is “significantly based on being closer to my family, kids and grandchildren who all live in Texas,” he said.

People looking for rental housing in Lakeland have seen prices escalating rapidly in the last couple of years. Rents finally stabilized over the last few months after rising 25.3% since the start of the pandemic, according to apartmentlist.com. However, the organization’s senior economist, Chris Salviati, said trends tell him that summer could see “skyrocketing rent growth … It is hard to say (by how much). Lakeland is poised to be a market that will see above-average rental growth, continued fast rent growth, but I assume at a lower rate” than since March 2020.

The omicron variant of COVID-19 brought record numbers of infections to Polk County, but the rising caseload peaked in mid-January. For the most part, infections were not as severe or long-lasting as previous strains, especially among people who had received vaccines. Still, Lakeland Regional Health saw its patient load escalate to levels higher than the January 2021 spike but far lower than the summer 2021 delta peak. In part to relieve pressure on its emergency room, the hospital opened a temporary COVID-19 clinic across Parkview Place from the ER to treat patients with mild, cold-like symptoms.

havenmagazines.com

THE PERFECT SPOT FOR POST GAME BEERS 2 MILES SOUTH OF JOKER MARCHANT STADIUM

WWW.SWANBREWING.COM/EVENTS 115 W Pine St, Lakeland | 863.703.0472 11

LAKELAND TOP 10 SMOKE ON THE WATER

SWAN CITY IMPROV Every Thursday in February at 8 pm at the Laugh Out Lounge comedy club in downtown Winter Haven. What began in February of 2017 has quickly become a staple in Polk County. Join them for a hilarious night of improvisational comedy in the style of “Whose Line is it Anyway?” Every moment is original, based on audience suggestions. Purchase tickets in advance at winterhavenlol.com.

GONE COUNTRY FOR KIDSPACK Feb. 12, 6 - 10 pm at White Horse Ranch. This is the annual fundraiser for kidsPACK including raffles, auction items, music, and more. KidsPACK is a non-profit organization supported by community leaders, corporate sponsors, and volunteers dedicated to feeding disadvantaged children; giving them a backpack of nutritious food each Friday to sustain them on weekends when they don’t have access to subsidized school meals. kidspack.org/gone-country

FLIPPING FOR CHARITIES

THE ART OF THE HIGHWAYMEN

VALENTINE’S BLOCK PARTY

Feb. 4, 5-10 pm, Feb. 5, 10 am - 10 pm at 2400 Havendale Blvd. NW in Winter Haven. This is an FBA sanctioned annual competition raising funds for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Polk County. With over 80 teams from across the country competing for cash and prizes. Please come hungry, as many of these Pro Teams will be selling their BBQ! The day’s entertainment includes acoustic performances representing Gospel, Bossa Nova, Blues, Jazz, Americana, Country, Folk, Blue Grass, Rock & Roll, and Southern Soul music. bgcpolk.org/SOTW2022

Feb. 12, 7:30 am - 1:30 pm at Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium. The 63rd Annual Kiwanis Pancake Festival! Enjoy pancakes, sausage, coffee, OJ, music, games, and more. Admission is $10 for adults and $5 for children ages 2 through 12, or the Family Pack is available for $25 which will provide 2 adult and 2 child tickets. Help them make this longest-running event in Lakeland a great success. ALL net proceeds go directly to charitable organizations in Lakeland. Citruscenterkiwanis.org

Polk Museum of Art from Feb. 12 through May 22. Starting in the 1950s, a group of twentysix African-American artists painted Florida’s landscapes. The Highwaymen discovered success in simplicity, producing more than 200,000 works, and achieving incredible widespread popularity in the process. Finally, Florida art that was once deemed lowbrow and rejected from museums and galleries but celebrated widely by eager consumers receives its moment in the sun. Polkmuseumofart.org

Feb. 12, 5 - 9 pm in downtown Lakeland. Bring your valentine, galentine, or art lover to Kentucky Ave! Buena Market and the LDDA are back with a Valentine’s Block Party and art walk. Shop from an expanded night market with 50 makers and creatives from all over Central Florida PLUS an art walk & auction to benefit Lakeland Art Guild. Live DJ set by T. Couture, and the freedom to roam the block with a beverage from Kentucky Ave. establishments. Free to attend and open to all. linktr.ee/buenamarket

SLOW ROLL & SKI SHOW

PEPPA PIG THEME PARK

PLANTOPIA GARDEN FESTIVAL

ABSTRACT - ART OF RECOVERY

Feb. 19, 3:30 pm - 5:30 pm in downtown Winter Haven. Slow Roll is a FREE community gathering of bicycling, urban art, craft beer, a little bit of exercise, and an amazing ski show! Bring your bike and meet at The Bike Shop of Winter Haven, where you “slow roll” through downtown Winter Haven and stop mid-roll to take in the Cypress Gardens Ski Team show. At 5:00 prior to show end, slooowly roll back through town and end at Grove Roots for drinks and a bite to eat. (Food & drink purchased by you.) More info on FB @slowrollskishow.

Opening day Feb. 24! Step into the playful World of Peppa Pig for the ultimate day of adventure! Snort, giggle & play in a theme park, exclusively designed for “little piggies” with multiple interactive rides & attractions, themed play areas complete with “muddy puddles” water play and fun live shows! Meet Peppa and her family on your child’s best day ever as you make your first theme park memories together! Reserve tickets at peppapigthemepark.com/florida.

Feb. 26, 10 am - 2:30 pm at Hollis Garden. The event is free and there will be a number of vendors selling Orchids, Bromeliads, Tillandsias, Aroids, Caudiciforms, Tropical Plants, Bamboo, Grasses, Exotic Fruit Trees, Native Plants, Succulents, Carnivorous Plants, Butterfly Attractants, Spices, Herbs and much more! Hollis Garden is a botanical display garden set in a neo-classical architectural environment complete with patterned flower beds, public art, and ornamental fountains. Hollis Garden is a formal garden, on a 1.2-acre site located within historic Lake Mirror Park.

Feb. 26, 6:30 - 9 pm at ART/ifact. This is a performing and visual arts pop-up exhibition, a culmination of and fundraiser for Abstract Art of Recovery, a documentary series, featuring artists and their stories, from ache to art. $15 online, in advance, $20 at the door, day of. NOTE: This live event will be filmed, by Reel Moments Media, for use in a final episode of Abstract - Art of Recovery, a documentary series. Tickets available at eventbrite.com.

*Due to the uncertainty of COVID, please double check that the event you’re interested in has not been canceled or rescheduled prior to leaving your house. havenmagazines.com

Ashley Marston Croley 863-676-2718

OOD AF

C O M PA MICHELE OUELLETTE

ORLANDO TOP 10 DRAGONS: HIDDEN TREASURES QUEST Throughout February at Leu Gardens. Join in the fun of a mythical journey through the 50acre botanical gardens to find the dragons’ hidden treasure. Each guest, a “seeker,” will receive a special map with information on finding artifacts and clues. Each clue will help guide the “seeker” to decipher the meaning and find the location of the hidden treasure, just beware of the dragons! Included with your daytime garden admission. Leugardens.org

HEROES & MONSTERS: JEAN-MICHEL BASQUIAT Feb. 12 - June 30 at the Orlando Museum of Art. Shown for the first time at the OMA, the 26 works were created in 1982 while the artist was living temporarily in Los Angeles, California. Basquiat first achieved fame in the late 1970s as a graffiti artist in the Lower East Side of Manhattan. During the early 1980s, his paintings were exhibited in galleries and museums internationally and today he is regarded as one of the most important and influential artists of the 20th century. omart.org

TRAV’LIN: A 1930S HARLEM MUSICAL ROMANCE Through Feb. 19 at the Winter Park Playhouse. This funny, heartfelt musical looks at love during the 1930s Jazz Age. Three couples at different stages in life navigate past romantic games to finally embrace true love. The score rediscovers Harlem Renaissance composer J.C. Johnson whose songs were recorded by legends Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, and Duke Ellington. Winterparkplayhouse.org

PAWS IN THE PARK Feb. 12, 10 am at Lake Eola. Support Pet Alliance of Greater Orlando, the region’s oldest and largest animal welfare agency. Paws in the Park festivities include a costume contest, doggie fun zone, photo stations, food trucks, a parade, and more! More than 5,200 homeless dogs and cats will turn to the Pet Alliance of Greater Orlando for caring, compassion, and hope this year. You must register in advance for the contests and fundraising opportunities at petallianceorlando.org.

EPCOT INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF ARTS

UNIVERSAL ORLANDO MARDI GRAS

Through Feb. 21 at Epcot. Browse carefully curated collections from up-and-coming and established artists. Step into iconic artwork from around the world at unique art installations around the World Showcase including an homage to Frida Kahlo. Enjoy a feast for the eyes as well as the palate, where food imitates art. Live entertainment throughout. Reserve your day at the park online, in advance. disneyworld.disney.go.com

Feb. 5 - April 24. The parades and beads are back! The concerts are back with incredible performers including Khalid, Marshmello, Jason Derulo, and more. Catch beads thrown from actual Mardi Gras floats direct from New Orleans. Grab a taste of New Orleans with delicious food prepared authentically. Days and times of parades and performers vary, please visit universalorlando.com for schedule and cancellations.

ALTON BROWN LIVE: BEYOND THE EATS

CENTRAL FLORIDA CHILI COOKOFF

Feb. 12, 8 pm at the Dr. Phillips Center. Audiences can expect more comedy, more music, more highly unusual cooking demos, and more potentially dangerous sciencey stuff. If he calls for volunteers… think twice. Brown has a knack for mixing together science, music, and food into two hours of pure entertainment. Brown says you’ll see things he’s never been allowed to do on TV. Purchase tickets in advance at drphillipscenter.org.

Feb. 19, 12 - 5 pm at 14111 Shoreside Way, Winter Garden. Help raise funds to support local students and teachers while sampling 60+ chilis provided by local restaurants and chefs of all varieties. Enjoy a bite from food trucks and dessert vendors while enjoying live music, adult and family-friendly refreshments as well as a Kids Zone play area. You can also take part in a blind draw doubles cornhole tournament. Purchase tickets at centralfloridachilicookoff.com.

HIGH TEA WITH THE KITTIES Feb. 6, 2-4 pm at the Orlando Cat Cafe. Choose from 2 different experiences – enjoy your tea in the Cat Play Room or choose to enjoy it in the Minch Coffeeshop and then visit with the kitties afterward. This is a relaxing 2-hour experience and includes soft music, purring cats (if you choose to dine in the Cat Play Room), and a selection of sweet and savory items, including your choice of scones, and several tea choices. Seating is limited due to COVID restrictions, reserve in advance. Orlandocatcafe.com

MLK CONCERT Feb. 27, 6 pm at the Dr. Phillips Center - Steinmetz Hall. The 7th Annual MLK Concert, presented by the Orlando Mayor’s Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Commission, is produced and directed by Grammy Award Winner, Dr. Jeffery Redding, with Dr. Kelly Miller and Dr. Terrance Lane. Please bring non-perishable food donations for Second Harvest Food Bank. Reservations required, please visit drphillipscenter.org.

*Due to the uncertainty of COVID, please double check that the event you’re interested in has not been canceled or rescheduled prior to leaving your house. havenmagazines.com

Upcoming Shows Classics & Cocktails-Chocolat Feb. 4 Perfect movie night with friends or a date! Themed cocktails and concessions available as well.

Them Sweeny Boys Feb. 4

Doobie Brothers Feb. 11 One of the best Doobie Brothers tribute bands in the country!

Taste of Winter Haven Feb. 17

The boys have a new act that will have you rolling on the floor laughing!

Symphonic Chocolates Feb. 5 The Lakeland Symphony Orchestra String Quartet is performing for a perfect date night.

The Wedding Game Feb. 10 Watch as 5 couples compete for a prize! This night is sure to be filled with lots of laughs.

An oppurtunity to taste local cuisine, beer, and wine while enjoying music.

Do the Right Thing Feb. 18 Join us in celebration of this wonderful film. Concessions and drinks available for purchase.

Forever Johnny Cash Tribute Feb. 19 Celebrating Johnny Cash’s birthday with a special tribute performance.

Havana Nights Feb. 25

Dueling Pianos Feb. 11 This concert is an all-request format and is apporotriate for all ages.

Join us for a cuban style party hosted by Frankie Negrón.

TAMPA TOP 10 DIGITAL CONCERTS With your free registration, you get access to all of The Florida Orchestra’s digital concerts and videos, available to stream on your favorite device. These free digital concerts rely on the support of viewers, please consider a donation of any amount if possible. Choose from Beethoven, Rachmaninoff, Mozart, Ragtime, Tchaikovsky, Vivaldi, and more. Thefloridaorchestra.vhx.tv

THE PROM Feb. 15 - 20 at The Straz Center. Winner of the 2019 Drama Desk Award, “The Prom” is a new musical comedy about big Broadway stars on a mission to change the world and a love that unites them all. This is a musical comedy show full of happiness and love. The theater will be operating at full capacity for this show, masks are required indoors. Purchase tickets in advance. Strazcenter.org

BIG LEAGUE FUN Throughout February at the Glazer Children’s Museum. The Museum and the Tampa Bay Rays are teaming up! This traveling exhibit will have you and your kids exploring the fundamentals of baseball including pitching, batting, and scoring while emphasizing the science and math behind the game. Glazermuseum.org

RIDES BY THE RIVER CAR SHOW Feb. 19, 8 am - 11 am. Bring your favorite collector car, hot rod, import, or exotic to Armature Works! Hundreds of Tampa Bays’ greatest vehicles will be on display. This event is open to the public and fun for all ages. The Buddy Brew & Craving Donuts Trucks will be onsite so be sure to stop by for some coffee and donuts! More participation info at armatureworks.com.

GLADYS KNIGHT Feb. 6, 8 pm at Ruth Eckerd Hall in Clearwater. Multi-GRAMMY® Award-winner Gladys Knight returns for one night only! Very few singers over the last 50 years have matched her artistry. Gladys has No. 1 hits in Pop, Gospel, R&B, and Adult Contemporary, and has triumphed in film, television, and live performances. She is a seven-time GRAMMY® winner. rutheckerdhall.com

GASPARILLA MUSIC FESTIVAL Feb. 25 - 27 at Curtis Hixon Park. This music festival features musical acts from a wide variety of genres on several stages along with food available for purchase from the region’s top restaurants. Along with national recording acts, you can also check out Lakeland’s own Van Plating on Saturday and MrENC on Sunday. Purchase tickets in advance, VIP available. gasparillamusic.com

GALENTINE’S BUILD YOUR OWN BOUQUET

BARK IN THE PARK Feb. 12, 11 am - 4 pm at Curtis Hixon Park. Join the Humane Society of Tampa Bay for the most popular pet and family-friendly festival & fundraiser in Tampa Bay! The 35th Annual Bark in the Park features music, food trucks, drinks, adoptable dogs, vendors, pet and family-friendly activities, and a one-mile walk along the Riverwalk. Humanesocietytampa.org

GASPARILLA DISTANCE CLASSIC Feb. 26 & 27 along Bayshore Boulevard. ARRRRGH you ready to run? This racing weekend offers a 5K, 8K, 15K, and Half Marathon. You can also sign up for adult or child stroller races or separate challenges which involve running multiple races during this 2-day event. You must register in advance for all races. rungasparilla.com

Feb. 14, 6 - 8 pm at Armature Works. Grab your Galentine and join the Roaming Petal to build your own beautiful bouquet. Sip some wine, have a few laughs, and enjoy a fun DIY night out! Stay for dinner at one of the many restaurants located inside Armature Works. Purchase tickets online at armatureworks.com.

BUFFALO SOLDIERS Feb. 26 at the Tampa Bay History Center. In 1866 the country entered the Reconstruction Era after the Civil War. Congress passed legislation to create six African-American Army units, coined Buffalo Soldiers by Native Americans. The 9th and 10th cavalry, and the 38th, 39th, 40th, and 41st infantry regiments comprised formerly enslaved men and Civil War veterans. Learn more during Living History Saturday from noon - 3 pm. tampabayhistorycenter.org

*Due to the uncertainty of COVID, please double check that the event you’re interested in has not been canceled or rescheduled prior to leaving your house. havenmagazines.com

Wednesday, February 23rd at 6 PM | Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium 2301 Lakeland Hills Boulevard, Lakeland, Florida 33805 Adults $40 | Children (12 and under) $20 Enjoy our exceptional menu including a 2022 souvenir mug No Take-out orders | No Autographs To Purchase tickets Call: 863.686.8075 Only During Box Office Hours: Mon-Fri: 9am-5pm / Sat: 10am-4pm

BE MY VALENTINE XO

Hi there, love birds. Valentine’s Day is upon us, bringing with it the pressure to find a swoon-worthy date idea. Flip through the pages that follow for 50 dates to sweep your partner off their feet. Some are fun and adventurous, others are relaxing or romantic – there’s a little something for everyone. If you don’t have a Valentine this year, no worries! Take advantage of these outings for a little ‘me time.’ Hold onto this issue long after those tiny candy hearts leave store shelves for neat activities to try year-round. We can’t wait to hear about your adventures. Happy Valentine’s Day!

havenmagazines.com

DRIVE-IN Silver Moon Drive-In has been an under-the-stars silver screen date night destination for over seventy years. Grab a Coke, candy, and some popcorn and settle in the front seat for your flick. I write it every time I mention Silver Moon, and you can’t stop me now… “Sandy, you just can’t walk out of a drive-in!”

PADDLEBOARD For a date idea that’s sure to make a splash, take a paddleboard adventure on The Chain of Lakes! Paddleboard Winter Haven has certified instructors to get you comfortable on the water, no matter your skill level. They offer beginner tours, private paddleboard parties, corporate “board” meetings, yoga on the water, and Paddlefit workouts.

BOK TOWER GARDENS

SLOW ROLL & SKI SHOW

MARKET MEET-UP

Bring your babe or your buds to The Bike Shop of Winter Haven for the quarterly Slow Roll & Ski Show. This “slow roll” begins at The Bike Shop and rolls through downtown Winter Haven with other cyclists. The group takes a go-with-theflow pace through town, stopping at Lake Silver to watch the Cypress Gardens Water Ski Team. They finish with a peddle over to Grove Roots Brewing Co. for a fresh pint.

There is always something cool going on around the community. You’ll have a good time sipping and socializing your way through First Friday in Lakeland and the many Main Street and Chamber of Commerce events in each city. Enjoy crave-worthy food and drinks, and shop for gifts by a curated lineup of local makers at the Grove Roots Moonlight Market, Lake Wales Third Thursday Market, The Punk Rock Flea, Bandit Market, or Buena Market. Check out their social media pages for information on the time and place of the next event so you can mark your calendar!

Explore the blooming flowers and foliage at Bok Tower Gardens. Pack a picnic or grab lunch at the Blue Palmetto Cafe. Visit their website to plan your visit and learn more about Bok Tower, the surrounding gardens, Pinewood Estate, Hammock Hollow, and the natural trails. They even offer itinerary ideas depending on how much time you plan to spend in the gardens. March marks the beginning of Bok Tower Gardens co-production with the Lake Wales Arts Council with a series called Concerts Under the Stars. Four concerts will take place on the Oval Lawn adjacent to the Visitor Center. Attend one or purchase a series pass. Don’t forget to visit the gift shop for a memento before you leave!

IT’S SHOWTIME

AN AX-CITING DATE

ADMIRE ART

Lakeland’s Polk Theatre is ‘Where historic meets cutting edge.’ Visit their website for a list of events, including Virtual Cinema. Later this month, catch the immersive, multi-media laser and light show featuring the Original Master Recordings of Pink Floyd, Pink Floyd Laser Spectacular.

Want to look sharp for your partner? Take them for ales and ax-throwing at AX-Caliber Axe Venue & Coffee House in Lakeland. AX-Caliber is Polk County’s first ax venue and coffee house, boasting food, beer & wine, locally-roasted Caliber Coffee, 14 lanes for ax throwing, pool tables, games, and big-screen TVs. Connect over coffee and give boring dates the ax!

An affordable way to admire the arts, Polk Museum of Art at Florida Southern College offers free admission to its many rich and engaging exhibitions. After you’ve taken in the sights, snap a picture to commemorate your date in front of the Polk Museum of Art’s Living Wall in the outdoor sculpture courtyard. If you really want to flex and support the arts, purchase a membership to the museum.

GARDEN GETAWAY Stop and smell the roses (and many other flowers) at Hollis Garden, located in the historic Lake Mirror Park. This Lakeland landmark is a 1.2-acre formal botanical garden with over 10,000 flowers, ornamental shrubs, and native trees. A stroll through the garden’s Neoclassical architecture, public art, fountains, and patterned flower beds is sure to provide a dreamy backdrop for your date. Pack a picnic!

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RECORD-BREAKING Well, hopefully not so much record-breaking as record-collecting. Flip through the vinyls together at Jesse Carl Vinyl or The Wax & The Needle. You can learn a lot about someone by their taste (or lack thereof) in music. Who knows, maybe you’ll make sweet music together.

BREWERY ‘HOP’PING Polk County is home to some unBEERlievable craft breweries and taprooms. Drink in the comfy community feel at Grove Roots Brewing Co., take in the lake views and live music at Swan Brewing, the industrial vibe at The Florida Brewery’s Beer Garden, the newspaper turned tasting room at Front Page Brewing Co. in Bartow, and Lakeland’s newest addition of ‘outspoken ales,’ Dissent Craft Brewing. If you’re on your date thinking, “I’d tap that,” check out what’s on tap at Craft + Kitchen and Brew Hub. Most of these establishments regularly host food trucks, have food offerings, or are within walking distance of some tasty dining destinations. Whatever you do, don’t drink and drive because that is NOT sexy.

February marks the start of 2022 Spring Training for the Detroit Tigers. Catch the Tigers play the Nationals, Braves, Pirates, Blue Jays, Cardinals, Phillies, Rays, Yankees, Orioles, and Twins. Purchase tickets in advance, packages available. All games played at the Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium in Lakeland.

“U-PICK” ME! Here’s an active date that you’ll enjoy berry much. U-pick farms abound in this agricultural area of the state. Whitehead’s Blueberry Farm is a fan-fave, voted Best U-Pick Farm in the 2021 Best of Haven Awards. The blueberry season typically runs from the first Wednesday of April through mid-May. The family farm has over 30,000 blueberry plants across 15 acres. Winning the same category in the 2021 Best of LKLD Awards is Shady Oak Farm, with their 26,000 blueberry plants from which to pick. The family-owned and operated farm, in business for over 16 years, boasts five varieties of blueberries. Don’t skip out on a trip to Ridge Island Groves and Lonesome Oak Blueberry Farms too!

LUV U A LATTE

WHEELIE FUN

A ‘RITZ’Y NIGHT

If you’re a pair of adrenaline junkies, load up your ATVs and take to the 15 trails ranging from novice to advanced twisting through this 200-acre tract of land owned and managed by Polk County. The Bone Valley ATV Park offers open play areas, practice areas, a hill climb for dirt bikes, four-wheelers, and sideby-sides. Bone Valley even has restrooms and picnic areas so that you can make a day of it!

The historic Ritz Theatre has been Winter Haven’s “Downtown Stage” since 1925. A former silent movie and vaudeville venue, today The Ritz regularly hosts movie nights, Classics & Cocktails (classic films paired with craft cocktails), and a lineup of live shows.

GAME NIGHT If sports is a shared passion, snag some tickets for you and a date to one of the upcoming Lakeland Magic or Florida Tropics SC games at the RP Funding Center. The 2021-22 season is heating up! This month at the RP Funding Center the Lakeland Magic take on the Motor City Cruise, Wisconsin Herd, Greensboro Swarm, and Fort Wayne Mad Ants. On March 13 the Florida Tropics SC will go head to head with the Tacoma Stars, and they’ll take on the Baltimore Blast March 20. Visit their website for a full season schedule or to purchase tickets.

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PLAYING THE FIELD

Meet up for a cup of coffee at one of our many locally-owned coffee houses around the county. Black & Brew, Concord Coffee, Hillcrest Coffee, and Mitchell’s Coffee House are a few of our Lakeland favorites. A few east-side cafes that your date is sure to like a latte are Richard’s Fine Coffees, N+1 Coffee, Honeycomb, and Haven Coffee Roasters.

UNDER THE STARS

BIKE BUDDIES

Have a moonlit meal at a local restaurant. Each eatery offers something different from a communal vibe and downtown sidewalk dining to a twinkly lightlined courtyard or upscale patio. A few Winter Haven favorites for outdoor dining (according to our 2021 Best of Haven voters) are Tempo 1930 and Nutwood. In Lakeland, make reservations for Patio850 or Red Door Lakeland.

SWEETHEART SKATE Be a kid again! Skate World in Lakeland offers all the neon, music, pizza, and roller skating good times you could ask for. For a chillier pastime, go for a public skate at the Lakeland Ice Arena. P.S. Falling on your butt is embarrassing, inevitable, and great for date sympathy points. If you have your own skates, try out one of the paved lake trails like Lake Hollingsworth in Lakeland or Lake Howard in Winter Haven (there’s even a skate park off Lake Silver if you’re feeling brave).

WHAT A POSER To say this is a fun date idea isn’t a stretch. Strike a pose at Inside Out Yoga in Winter Haven or try some cat-cow action at The Balance Culture or Yoga Pointe in Lakeland. There are quite a few yoga studios around, so your options are flexible.

Talk and take in the sights on a bike cruise down the Van Fleet Trail. The General James A. Van Fleet State Trail is a 29.2 mile, 8-foot wide path that will take you through pine flatwoods, cattle ranches, former citrus lands, swamps, and bottomland forest. A few more trails to hit include Circle B Bar Reserve and the TECO Auburndale Trail. Bonnet Springs Park is slated to open later this year, offering even more outdoor date options.

SWEET GESTURE

MS. TO YOUR PAC-MAN

For a nostalgic sugar rush of citrus candies, jellies, jams, and marmalades, visit Davidson of Dundee, where you can watch them make the candy! Webb’s Candy Shop in Davenport is renowned for its citrus candy and goat’s milk fudge. Our favorite cosmic candy store is Confection in downtown Winter Haven – complete with a giant robot, imported candies, and craft chocolates. Rocket Fizz in Lakeland has an out-ofthis-world sweets selection too.

It’s all fun and games until someone beats you at air hockey. Have a few drinks and some friendly competition at Lakeland barcades Rec Room and Galaxy Bar. Playing Kung Fu Master is just better with a few Ferris Mule-er’s in you. Galaxy Bar is an 80’s & 90’s retro arcade bar with classic games and retro-themed cocktails. Rec Room also offers a mix of old, new, and activity games made better with adult beverages.

THRIFT YOUR HEART OUT

PUPPY LOVE

Make a day of thrifting with your Valentine. Pick out a gift for each other or enjoy your time perusing the second-hand selection at a local thrift store. You never know what funky, fun, or functional items you’ll find! Stop in a local Goodwill, Salvation Army, or Habitat ReStore for some treasures. Also, check out Saint Matthews Thrift Shop, St. John’s Thrift Store for Missions in Winter Haven, Peace River Center Thrift Shoppe in Lakeland, and Top Buttons in Winter Haven, Lakeland, and Bartow.

If you’re a pet owner, have a doggy date with your Valentine. Many local restaurants have outdoor areas where they allow pets. Or, you could go for a walk or to a dog park. Animals can sense evil, so you’ll know if you have a keeper or not. I’m only partially kidding.

JAM OUT Cheer on musicians who regularly perform at local coffee shops, breweries, bars, restaurants, and event venues (I’m looking at you, Dan Pepin). The Derry Down in Winter Haven and Union Hall in Lakeland host a lineup of talent from around the country and gifted local musicians.

TAKE A CHILL PILL Relax and unwind with a couples massage (you don’t just deserve it, you knead it), skincare treatments, or mani-pedis. Voters in the 2021 Best of Haven awards raved about Spa Haven. This respite offers nail, facial, and skincare services for men and women. Bella Visage Medical & Aesthetic Rejuvenation took the top spa spot in the 2021 Best of LKLD awards. This Swan City spa offers services from health and wellness, body contouring, medical rejuvenation, and laser tattoo removal, to laser hair removal, feminine health, aesthetician services, and massage therapy.

MARKET MEET CUTE The Winter Haven Farmers Market takes place every Saturday from 8 am to 11 am June through August, and 9 am to 1 pm September through May, rain or shine in the BB&T Bank lot across from Grove Roots. Bring the pups and make it a double date! This market has live music, unique, high-quality ‘ready to eat’ food, local farmers and producers, and tables to eat at and socialize. On the other side of the county check out the Lakeland Downtown Farmers Curb Market open 11 months out of the year and closed in August. The LDFCM hosts local artisans and growers, offering fresh produce, plants, and locally made handcrafted items.

A SOLID FOUNDATION What better way to build your love than with an architecture tour? Take the Leedy Lifetime Works tour, a self-guided tour best done by car, to admire Leedy’s work from downtown Winter Haven into the neighboring residential areas. Pick up a self-guided tour map from the Tourism and Education Center at Florida Southern College and wander amongst the marks that Frank Lloyd Wright left on the college.

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HEAD IN THE CLOUDS You know that ticklish butterflies-inyour-stomach feeling you get when you’re around someone you like? Skydiving is kind of like that but with an element of danger and a weight limit. Jump Florida Skydiving in Lake Wales offers jumps for newbies and experienced skydivers. Adrenaline junkies can make their first tandem jump from 11,000 feet up to 18,000 feet. Jump Florida Skydiving can even capture your dive on video and photos as you fall head over heels at 120 miles per hour.

ORANGE YOU GLAD Ridge Island Groves, a family-owned and operated business, offers grove tours at their Haines City location. Breathe in the sweet citrus perfume of a blooming grove and pick an orange right from the tree. Take the experience home with some of Ridge Island Groves’ marmalades, honey, jelly, and freshly squeezed orange, tangerine, and grapefruit juices.

GIVE ME BUTTERFLIES The Auburndale Rotary Butterfly Garden features over 30 different types of Florida-Friendly plants (native and non-native). According to their website, “The plant selection has been designed to attract a wide range of Central Florida butterfly species to feed on the nectar of our flowering plants. There are also several species of flora that serve as host plants to particular butterflies. For example, Milkweed is the exclusive breeding ground for the popular Monarch Butterfly. Similarly, the Florida State Butterfly, the Zebra Longwing, uses Passion Flower to lay its eggs.”

WEEKEND GETAWAY Though we love all things local, it’s fun to get away from time to time. Polk County is central to some of the best vacation spots in the world. Rent a beach house for the weekend and work on your tan. Take a ghost or history tour in St. Augustine. Kayak through a natural spring in North Florida or pitch a tent for some primitive camping in the Everglades. Refer back to our “Florida’s Wacky, Strange, and Curious” list from August 2021 for some weirder trip ideas or “The Great One Tank Trip” from July 2020 for destinations you can get to on a tank of gas. Both of these articles can be found by searching them by name on our website, havenmagazines.com.

OLD FASHIONED Clink your glasses and connect over cocktails at a local craft cocktail bar. Revival is a personal favorite with a private study/ speakeasy vibe and excellent cocktails to match. One of Revival’s tiki drinks, spritzes, classics, seasonal offerings, or old fashioned selection are sure to leave you in good ‘spirits.’ The Social Cocktail Lounge in Winter Haven shares a similar speakeasy, piano bar vibe, boasting classic and craft cocktails. Cheers dears!

A NEW CHAPTER

FOODIE VENTURE

For a page-turning date, go book shopping! Many local thrift and vintage stores have a section for used books. You’ll also want to book it over to Friends of the Winter Haven Public Library, Inklings Book Shoppe, The Unbound Bookery, Bookends, The Book Shelter, and Pressed Books & Coffee. Be sure to follow Little Bus Books (@littlebusbooks) on Facebook to see where this mobile book shop will be parked next. If you’re a pair of comic book nerds, have no fear! You won’t have any ‘issues’ finding what you’re looking for at Coliseum of Comics Lakeland, Main Street Comics & Memorabilia in Bartow, Intergalactic Plastic, Doombrowski Games & Comics, or Johnny B’s Cards, Comics & Sports.

Try out the options at Lakeland’s modern food hall, The Joinery. Bite into a sushi burrito from Ato, a Neapolitan wood-fired pizza from Ava, or a Mediterranean-inspired bowl from Plenty. We know you’ll be raving about the ramen and Japanese street snacks from Sabu and the killer burgers from Super Duper Spot. Cheers with a craft beer or cocktail from The Bar. Collect your goodies and have a seat on the front patio overlooking Lake Mirror. Don’t forget to pick up a ‘funky, fresh bloom’ from Bloom Shakalaka on the way out!

VOLUNTEER TOGETHER See what volunteer opportunities are available at a local nonprofit or charity. Have a good time while helping out someone in need. Whether you’re passionate about helping animals, homeless folks, the food insecure, those struggling with mental or physical health, or the elderly – there is an organization in Polk County dedicated to that. The Humane Society, SPCA Florida, VISTE, American Cancer Society, kidsPACK, Heart for Winter Haven, Gospel Inc., Talbot House Ministries, and Women’s Resource Center are only a few of the fantastic organizations you and a loved one could dedicate time to.

MURAL WALK

BOGEY DOWN

Stunning murals, sculptures, fountains, and gardens abound in our community. Create a map with all the public pieces you’d like to see and set off for a day of art appreciation. A few ideas to start your list are Hollis Gardens, downtown Winter Haven, public art in Munn Park, the Lemon Street Promenade, S Florida Ave businesses in Dixieland, and the Gillian Fazio mural in Lake Wales (or her many other murals around the county).

If you’re looking for a fun, lowpressure date, putt around one of Polk County’s beautiful golf courses. Enjoy a bit of luxury at Streamsong Golf Resort, practice your drive at Dundee Road Golf Range, play a few holes (or fore) at Cypresswood Golf and Country Club or the Cleveland Heights Golf Course. Loser buys dinner!

WONDER HOUSE If you share a passion for oddities, plan a trip to the Wonder House in Bartow. Though it is a private residence, the Wonder House is open for historical tours on a limited basis. The house’s magic comes from its builder, eccentric inventor Conrad Schuck, who built it without blueprints and sprinkled in many of his inventions (like air conditioning in the 1920s). The four-story house has two stories underground with other notable features like a moat with two bridges and a vast concrete pergola on the third floor. Inquire about historical tours to learn more about the Wonder House’s intriguing history and features.

FOOD IS LOVE Attend a hands-on cooking class or Wine & Dine Demonstration at Publix Aprons Cooking School. They offer an entire series of classes dedicated to Couples Cooking. This month you and your sweetheart could learn French cuisine or get tips for a ‘Romantic Night In.’ Check out their website for a calendar of classes!

GET YOUR FEET WET Rent a pontoon boat, jetski, or CraigCat at Winter Haven WaterSports and get access to the entire Chain of Lakes as your personal waterpark! Elite Cable Park in Auburndale also offers a wet and wild experience with its fullsized cable system. Elite is equipped for all skill levels to have a splashy time wakeboarding, waterskiing, wakeskating, or kneeboarding.

PINKIES UP This is the perfect excuse to dress up and try on a British accent. Have a spot of tea and a tray of dainty treats at Amazing Grace Tea House, Lavender n' Lace Tearoom and Restaurant, or Sweet Magnolias Tea Bistro.

A BRUNCH BUZZ

HAVE A LAKE DAY

LAUGH A LITTLE

Take your date (or yourself) for brunch and mimosas. How about a chorizo tostada and lemon ricotta pancakes from Nutwood? Cob & Pen has killer brunch options as well with dishes like shrimp and grits, jumbo french toast, and a BYO (build your own) Bloody Mary. Get to know one another while getting a little day drunk.

Boat, swim, fish, take a seaplane ride, enjoy a water ski show – take advantage of the hundreds of freshwater lakes dotting the county. Take a leisurely walk around the 3-mile Lake Hollingsworth Trail or visit the swans at Lake Mirror. The Lake Howard Boat Dock is an ideal location to watch the sunset – or you could watch it set over Lake Shipp from your table at Harborside sharing a few beachy cocktails with dinner.

Catch a case of the giggles at Swan City Improv or Laugh Out Lounge. But be careful – it’s contagious! Laugh Out Lounge in Winter Haven hosts open mic nights, improv and specialty acts, and nationally touring comedians. You can get extra silly with a show or a class with Lakeland’s Swan City Improv. They perform all over Polk County.

TAKE A HIKE, BABE

SILLY SHOPPING

BE A TOURIST

Get some exercise while taking in the Florida sun and fresh air at Circle B Bar Reserve. A popular place for nature and wildlife photographers, Circle B has an array of plant and animal life to admire on your trek through this 1,267-acre reserve. Watch out for gators!

Set a gift budget along with a creative or funny rule. For example, it must be yellow, spin, or fit in the palm of your hand. Separate and take to the streets downtown (because shopping local is the only way to go, of course), and meet up to see what silly or thoughtful gift your partner came up with.

Visit LEGOLAND, Walt Disney World, Universal Studios, or one of Central Florida’s water parks. The theme park capital of the world is right in our backyard, after all. Ride some roller coasters, eat some turkey legs, drive slow in the fast lane, wear a fanny pack, and apply a visible sheen of sunscreen – it’ll be a good time!

TAKE A PIC Give your date a peck, put on your best duck lips, or smile for the camera to remember all the fun you had. Post it on Facebook or Instagram with the hashtag #kindachill or #lkldhaven and tell us which one of these dates you tried out. You might end up in the next issue of Haven or LKLD Magazine. Happy Valentine’s Day!

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WORDS Tara Crutchfield

PHOTOGRAPH Amy Sexson

Eddie‘Smoke’Jackson Fourth-grade teacher and Fire Light Reggae frontman Eddie ‘Smoke’ Jackson uses music to make a positive change in his classroom and community. The drummer and vocalist grew up in New Haven, Connecticut. In 2003 he and his wife Jaime decided they needed a change. He told his boss at the Guitar Center that he and his wife would travel down the east coast, and he’d transfer jobs wherever they landed. They stayed with family in Winter Haven towards the end of their trip. “We liked the area. We realized that it was a place we could affect some change. We saw some bits of progress popping up and thought, ‘We can be a part of this and help push it forward,’” said Jackson.

journalism. “But it wasn’t what I wanted to do. I wanted to be involved in music,” he said. Hartup connected him with a personal friend of hers, a drum instructor who waived lesson fees for the promising young musician. Hartup’s husband was a professional musician, giving Jackson marimba lessons so he could ace his melodic instrument auditions. Though he didn’t end up going to school for percussion, Jackson said, “She was right there supporting me, no matter what I wanted to do.” Jackson and his high school drama club teacher remain friends. Mrs. Hartup even attended his wedding. Her influence reached beyond his time as a student and into his work as a teacher himself. “She let me know teachers have to connect, and they shouldn’t be afraid to do it. So, I try to make those kinds of connections with my kids as often as possible.”

He and Jaime have lived here for 18 years and have two daughters, Juliana, 16, and Jalah, 15. Jackson is a fourth-grade math and science teacher at Sikes Elementary School. Jaime, a jewelry and fiber artist, owns a local business called Jaime Jay Handmade.

FIRE LIGHT FRONTMAN

TAKING CENTER STAGE

Following high school, Jackson attended the Recording Workshop in Chillicothe, Ohio, where he studied studio engineering. After his studies, Jackson’s love of reggae transferred into a ska band. “We had a nine-piece group, full horn section, enthusiastic kids jumping around stage in these crazy shows at the local punk rock clubs,” he said. Using his studio engineering background, at just 19-years-old Jackson recorded, engineered, and produced his band’s album.

Music has been central to Jackson’s life. The soundtrack to his childhood was plentiful with Jamaican reggae music from the likes of Bob Marley and Barrington Levy. As a teen in the mid- to late90s he jammed out to Super Cat, Buju Banton, Garnett Silk, and Morgan Heritage who he said “were creating some of the best reggae and dancehall music at the time.” “They started to influence the way that I played and the way that I wrote. Those were some of my big influences on the reggae side, but I also grew up listening to Gospel, to punk rock music,” said Jackson. “One of my favorite artists of all time is Prince. His work ethic and ability to play every instrument and touch on every type of genre of music and make it his own influenced the way I approach and appreciate music. He’s my biggest influence.”

After the younger kids in the band graduated and went off to college, he was recruited for a reggae band in the area called Holy Smoke. The band eventually went their separate ways, and Jackson began DJing with Thomas Dubee (who later started record label, Upsetta Records, for whom Jackson has recorded) for the few years leading up to his move from Connecticut to Florida. “I packed up my drums, packed up the house, packed up my records. Jaime packed up all her jewelry supplies, and we hit the road.”

He played drums and sang in the church choir as a kid, eventually singing and performing in high school. Jackson penned his first original song during his senior year.

When the couple arrived and settled in Polk County, Jackson was one of the few people DJing reggae music in local bars and clubs. Tanner’s then-owner Debbie Tennick gave Jackson his first gig. When he formed The Burn Dem Band, she invited them to play there as well. The Burn Dem Band, led by frontmen Eddie ‘Smoke’ Jackson and Everton ‘Aqua’ Hill, would play throughout Lakeland and Ybor City. “We were super high-energy. On any given night, you probably see one of us jumping up on a table or running across a bar and getting people hyped up,” said Jackson.

His high school drama teacher, Hope Hartup, had perhaps the most profound impact on his early musical life. Jackson remembers playing Conrad Birdie in his senior production of “Bye Bye Birdie.” “That was probably the first time I was front and center entertaining in that way,” he said. “She saw something in me that other people didn’t and encouraged it.” One of the most significant opportunities Hartup gave Jackson was a spot on a drama club trip to London when another student had to back out. “She said, ‘Eddie, there’s a ticket, there’s room for you. [...] You’re going to come on this trip with us.’”

Fire Light Reggae, Jackson’s current band, ‘ignited’ from The Burn Dem Band. Able to sing and play drums, he and keyboard player Pablo Mastodon would book smaller venues and private parties as a duo. The name Fire Light alludes to the scaled-down version of the original band. Eventually, they started doing all their gigs as a duo, adding members here and there for larger sets. Fire Light’s current iteration consists of Eddie ‘Smoke’ Jackson, Pablo Mastodon, and female vocalist Syreeda Battle. The vocalist and drummer acknowledged his appreciation for his Fire Light bandmates for the chemistry they share both on stage and off.

Jackson described the transformative trip abroad as “absolutely amazing.” He remembers, “We went to theater productions in London, got to take a train trip out to Stratford-upon-Avon. [...] I got to explore the city and ride the Underground. My last day there was a completely free day.” Hartup told her students to walk around, have some fun, and explore on their last day in London. “And I did. It was one of the best experiences of my life.” Jackson lit up as he talked, his energy filling up the room.

Fire Light Reggae is a “roots reggae band with influences from soul, hip hop, and dancehall all mixed together,” according to Jackson. “Some of the songs I write don’t always fit right into that reggae vein because my influences are so varied.” Like the

As his high school career came to a close, teachers and guidance counselors nudged Jackson to go to school for writing or

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alternative rock-influenced song “Wannabe a Star” with ten tracks of arranged guitar playing throughout. Making music is a collaborative effort for the band. Jackson will start with lyrics and melody at his home studio. “In my free time, I’m able to work out the skeleton of a song, and I’ll send it to Pablo and see what ideas he has for it. He’ll record a bit at his place, send me the files back, and it’ll bounce back and forth until we can see each other again and really flesh out the songs.”

use recording software. Jackson’s penchant for teaching shone through as the class grew from five or six to 25-30 students at a time. One of his music students, a veteran teacher in Hillsborough County, took note of Jackson’s abilities in the classroom and asked why he wasn’t teaching in the school system. Jackson asked himself the same question, and it stuck with him. “Both of my daughters are autistic and having to navigate the public school system, trying to make sure that they got the services they needed, making sure that they got everything possible out of the education they could in Polk County – it opened my eyes to some of the struggles other parents were going through. Knowing that I had the aptitude to teach, knowing I had the patience for young kids, and that a lot of other people needed help – that pushed me over the edge to try and get into teaching,” said Jackson, now in his fourth year in the classroom. He taught second grade before moving into his current position as a fourth-grade math and science teacher at Sikes Elementary School.

After scaling back on where and how often they perform in response to the pandemic, Fire Light looks forward to more shows. The reggae band has a steady set at the Poor Porker on the second Saturday of each month. “We’ve tried to make it not just a reggae night, but more of a reggae and Jamaican cultural night,” said Jackson. Part of that experience is modern Jamaican fare prepared by Our Noire Kitchen. Jackson, who raved about their jerk chicken and mango slaw, met these pop-up culinary artists at a Buena Block Party and hooked them up at his Poor Porker gigs.

“I love seeing the kids learn. When they can make that connection between what I’m teaching and something in the real world, and that light clicks on in their head like, ‘Oh, I’m not wasting my time, I’m not here being babysat. This person is not just speaking at me. They’re trying to connect and help me learn,’ It lets me know that I’m in the right spot and I’m doing the right thing,” said Jackson. “When I get messages from kids I taught a few years ago and from their parents saying, ‘He’s doing so well. He hated school before you were his teacher, and now, he’s getting As and Bs, and he’s engaged in class.’ Hearing stories like that definitely lets me know I’m in the right place.”

“That’s one of the things we were looking forward to doing here in Lakeland – finding other people who were doing different things and seeing how we can help them along. It sounds kind of cliché these days, but we really are stronger together. […] When you see potential in an area, you can’t just sit back and say, ‘It looks cool, and it’s probably going to grow.’ You can’t let things try and grow organically. If you want to see change happen in an area, you’ve got to put yourself out there, you’ve got to take some risks, and try and make that change happen. […] Because if you want some kind of change, the odds are that there is somebody else who just needs a little bit more push who wants that same thing.”

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MUSIC IN MATH CLASS

One way Jackson engages his students is through music. He writes and performs songs for the kids and uploads them to YouTube so they can go home and share them with their parents.

His career trek into teaching was spurred by a class he taught while working at the Guitar Center in Tampa. They started a ‘Recording Made Easy’ course where Jackson would teach beginners how to

“When the kids come in, in the morning, there’s music playing to set the mood,” he said. His choice of music depends on the demands of the day or the face of the first student to walk in. “If

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we need to get the energy up, then I might play some more lively jazz. Sometimes I’ll play the instrumentals from the “Hamilton” soundtrack.” His classroom reverberates with the classical versions of pop songs from the show “Bridgerton” and songs from his reggae roots like a little Bob Marley or Jamaican jazz pianist Monty Alexander.

offering entertainment. You’ve got to dig in and see what work we still have to do.” He related “#realityvibes” to his work in the classroom and as a parent navigating the school system. “I can have successes with some kids, but I know when I have to dig in and help those kids who might get overlooked. On paper, you can see that you’ve got an 80-90% success rate on this test or this skill. I’m not worried about that 90% right now. It’s that other 10% who are still falling behind that I’ve got to grab and pull up. [...] It’s kids and parents dealing with disabilities at school who don’t know how to navigate the system to get services for their children. That’s where “#realityvibes” comes from. You’ve got to put out a vibe, but it’s not good vibes only.”

“I always try to expose them to something different,” Jackson said. “During the different cultural celebration months we have – like Hispanic Heritage Month – I made sure I canvassed the different kids in the class and pulled music from their backgrounds. This year I’ve got kids from Colombia, kids from Mexico, Puerto Rico, Nicaragua. I pulled music from their cultures and had that playing when the kids came in.” Not only do those children recognize it and respond to it, he said, “It gets the other kids asking where’s this from, where’s that from, do you have any more of this?” Jackson even encourages parents to engage with their children about what they are learning or listening to in the classroom to “open up those cultural windows just a little bit more.”

Follow Fire Light on social media for information on a GoFundMe to support the artwork and finalization of the audio and vinyl printing for “#realityvibes.” Fans who donate a certain amount will get a vinyl record once it is printed along with a bonus album mixtape called “Reignited,” which will take some of the band’s favorite songs and reimagine them in reggae. Upon release, the album will be available for download and streaming, and on custom USB drives with music and artwork.

#REALITYVIBES Jackson is currently deep in the trenches of producing a new Fire Light Reggae album titled “#realityvibes.” Inspired in a roundabout way by the hollow ‘Good Vibes Only’ message on shirts, bumper stickers, and social media posts, Jackson’s album title urges the listener to pay attention to the reality of a situation, good and bad.

Jackson, unfortunately, lost his mother in December. “I couldn’t sing without breaking down crying for a couple of weeks. It was really rough,” he said. After taking some time to grieve, he is diligently back to work on the album’s production and expects to release it in April. Fire Light Reggae FB @FireLightReggae IG @firelightreggae YouTube www.youtube.com/user/smokeddie Soundcloud: SoundCloud.com/Edward-d-Jackson (Searchable as Fire Light Reggae) Bandcamp firelightreggae.bandcamp.com/releases

“I’m not here to tell you it’s sunny when it’s raining on your head, but I will tell you what that rain is going to bring you. Enjoy the reality of the moment that you’re in. Respect the reality of the moment that you’re in,” Jackson said. “For instance, it’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day. There are celebrations going on to celebrate his life. At the same time, we can’t get voting rights reform passed in congress. You can’t gloss over what the man stood for by 29

WORDS Tara Crutchfield

PHOTOGRAPH Amy Sexson

Bay Street Bistro When James Rawlins worked at the Antiquarian Restaurant some twenty years ago, he had no idea he’d one day run his own downtown Lakeland eatery in the same Studebaker Building space. His food industry origins go back to a restaurant his family owned in Utah when he was a kid. From there, he moved around Hawaii for several years, where he got to experience an abundance of fusion cuisine.

passion and […] a lot of talent,” said Rawlins of his executive chef. “When we started out, it was more Italian than French, to be honest,” he said. Over the years, the Bistro’s French-Italian fusion offerings have shifted to about 80 percent French cuisine, according to the owner. Their menu is filled with French fare like Escargot in a garlic and white wine butter sauce and Seafood Vol-au-vent made with shrimp, scallops, and blue crab in a garlic cream sauce served in a puff pastry. Dishes including their Bruschetta and Pasta Primavera add an Italian flair to the menu.

After “a lifetime of working in restaurants” and his time at The Antiquarian, Rawlins left the restaurant industry temporarily. “The Antiquarian ended up going bankrupt. I put in a bid and got it out of bankruptcy court and opened my own place,” he said.

“It’s been a lot of fun,” Rawlins said. “The end product now isn’t exactly how I envisioned it when I opened it.”

BONJOUR! BAY STREET BISTRO

The restaurant was doing well and setting monthly records pre-pandemic. When COVID-19 hit, Bay Street Bistro, like many other establishments, closed temporarily and created a paireddown takeout menu. Though they continue to feel the strain of supply chain disruptions, the Bistro’s solid staff, consistency, and PPP loans helped them carry on.

When he first opened Bay Street Bistro in 2010, Rawlins aspired for a similar Antiquarian vibe, “a nice little simple place.” He brought on a chef he had previously worked with at Mario’s Italian Restaurant, Kevin Smith, who remains part-owner and executive chef of Bay Street Bistro today. “He’s got a great

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“As we go into this season, we’re right back to having great numbers and feeling like we’re where we were before COVID hit,” said Rawlins, who described the restaurant business as “tough in the best of times” and certainly more so when navigating a global health crisis.

is noteworthy. We tried the pan-seared salmon with a Mediterranean topping of toasted pine nuts, capers, garlic, bruschetta, and spinach, served with a creamy parmesan risotto and sauteed broccoli. The flavors were fresh and bright, with a crispy sear on the fish that made a second (and third… and fourth) bite compulsory. Chef Smith did not disappoint.

LA CUISINE

Another menu-mover is the Beef Wellington – a prime cut of filet mignon with Dijon, mushroom duxelles, and prosciutto, wrapped in puff pastry, served with a red wine reduction.

Bay Street Bistro is open for dinner service five nights a week. Ambient lighting, rich red table linens, and art-adorned walls lean into the restaurant’s cozy, night-on-the-town feel. Rawlins works to keep the Bistro’s atmosphere relaxed. “I want people to take as much time as they want, to enjoy their time. I don’t want people to feel rushed.”

You’ll want a glass of pinot noir or Malbec to pair with your Wellington, of course. Bay Street Bistro has quite a wine selection. The wine menu is a curated contrast of delicious niche wines and a hearty stock of recognizable brands like Caymus, Nickel & Nickel, and Stags’ Leap.

The Bistro’s main appeal is from-scratch, thoughtfully plated dishes composed of high-quality ingredients. “We put a lot of money into the quality of the food product we use, and it shows on the plate,” said Rawlins. “We do everything from scratch. We hand-make our own bread and pesto. Our salad dressings are all made from scratch. We reduce our own balsamic vinegar into a glaze. We hand-make all our desserts. […] It’s better quality, and I think people appreciate that.” Most menu items are gluten-free, and with everything made-to-order, dishes can be adjusted to dietary restrictions or preferences.

And for dessert? Guests love to gnash on Bistro’s Lemon Blueberry Cake, Crème Brule, Chocolate Peanut Butter Ganache, and Almond Cheesecake – all made in-house by Rawlins. Dinner reservations are encouraged at this bijou bistro. The small space tends to fill up quickly, so call ahead or make reservations on the OpenTable app. Bay Street Bistro 211 E Bay St, Lakeland (863) 683-4229 www.baystreetbistro.net FB @baystreetbistrofl IG @baystbistro

Frequently ordered at the Bistro, Rawlins says, are their seafood dishes. “We get excellent scallops, excellent seabass, and salmon.” Bay Street’s Wild Salmon, which can be prepared with one of their six ‘Fresh Catch Preparations’ including Piccata, Asian, Blackened, Braised Spinach, Bronzed, or Mediterranean,

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My Spicy Valentine 2 ounces vodka 2 muddled strawberries 2 basil leaves 1 slice jalapeno .5 ounce fresh lemon juice .5 ounce honey In a cocktail shaker, combine all ingredients and shake with ice. Strain into a pretty glass, garnish with a slice of strawberry & enjoy! 21+ Please drink responsibly.

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Compiled by the staff of the Lakeland Public Library 100 Lake Morton Dr, Lakeland

Larry R. Jackson Branch 1700 N Florida Ave, Lakeland lakelandgov.net

Check Me Out ;) BOYFRIEND MATERIAL By Alexis Hall

THE LOVE HYPOTHESIS By Ali Hazelwood

SEVEN DAYS IN JUNE By Tia Williams

To convince her best friend that she is on her way to a happily ever after, third-year Ph.D. candidate Olive Smith, who doesn’t believe in long-lasting romance, forms a fake relationship with Stanford’s reigning lab tyrant and soon finds their experiment putting her own heart under the microscope. A delightfully nerdy romance.

Twenty years ago, now-writers Eva and Shane spent a week falling madly in love and never saw each other again. When they meet once again at a literary event, the two reconnect over shared memories, past pain, and a still undeniable connection. This is a richly layered and satisfying look at second chances.

THE MEET-CUTE PROJECT By Rhiannon Richardson

A PHO LOVE STORY By Loan Le

High school junior Mia, who hates romantic comedies, must endure the “meet-cute” encounters her best friends set up to help her find a date for her sister’s wedding. Fun and frothy romance for fans of “All the Boys I’ve Loved Before” and “Save the Date.”

In this cute and quirky romcom, Bao and Linh work in their respective parents’ competing, neighboring pho restaurants. When a friendly competition brings them closer together, the sparks fly despite fears of their relationship surviving between feuding families.

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To clean up his image, Luc has to find a nice, normal relationship… and Oliver Blackwood is as nice and normal as they come. Unfortunately, apart from being gay, single, and really, really in need of a date for a big event, Luc and Oliver have nothing in common. So they strike a deal to be publicityfriendly (fake) boyfriends until the dust has settled. But the thing about fake dating is that it can feel a lot like real dating. And that’s when you get used to someone and start falling for them.

MY WEIRD SCHOOL SPECIAL: OH VALENTINE, WE’VE LOST OUR MINDS! By Dan Gutman It’s the week of Valentine’s Day, and A.J.’s class is getting a foreign exchange student! His name is Pierre, and he’s from France. But what happens when Pierre challenges A.J. to a duel (or at least a thumb war) over Andrea? One thing’s for sure: when L-O-V-E comes to Ella Mentry, it spells the weirdest Valentine’s Day story in the history of the world! 36

YOU HAD ME AT HOLA By Alexis Daria ONE TO WATCH By Kate Stayman-London

Jasmine moves home to New York for an unbelievable chance: the lead role in a bilingual rom-com. The timing couldn’t be better— after being painfully and publicly dumped, and the tabloids have painted her as a loser in love. Ashton has two goals: achieving mainstream Hollywood success and keeping the paparazzi from discovering his 8-year-old son. He studiously avoids his attraction to Jasmine—she’s a paparazzi magnet. However, as work on the show continues, they give in to their undeniable attraction.

“One to Watch” follows plus-sized blogger Bea Schumacher through her journey of self-acceptance and love. After a devastating heartbreak, Bea takes to her infamous blog, OMBea, to express her frustration with dating reality show Main Squeeze’s lack of diverse representation. Her post goes viral, and Bea lands as the next season’s first plus-sized star. A delightful rom-com about whose love stories get told.

LOVE MONSTER By Rachel Bright

I NEED A HUG By Aaron Blabey

A googly-eyed misfit struggles to find a place among the adorable and fluffy residents of Cutesville, an effort that compels him to search high, low, and middle-ish to find a friend who will accept him just the way he is. A wonderfully warm look at how sometimes, when you least expect it, love finds you.

A little porcupine needs a hug, but her prickly spikes get rebuffed by the other animals. The despondent porcupine sees these animals running back towards her, only to find they are escaping from a snake. “I Need a Hug” is a sweet story about friendship and learning not to judge a book by its cover. Perfect for Valentine’s Day or any day that requires a hug.

LKLD-HavenAd9.25x6.pdf 1 1/24/2022 9:10:19 AM

CMY

FEBRUARY CALENDAR 2022 *Due to the uncertainty of COVID, please double check that the event you’re interested in has not been canceled or rescheduled prior to leaving your house.

TRANSCENDENCE When: Feb. 01 - 13, 2022 Where: Polk Museum of Art 800 E Palmetto St., Lakeland polkmuseumofart.org This exhibition features artwork by students grades 9-12 from Polk County School District high schools.The museum hosts several exhibitions per year in the George Jenkins Gallery that feature artwork by students. From each of these exhibitions, one piece is purchased by the Museum to be added to the Student Collection. This exhibition may be viewed online. FINDING MEANING WITHIN: THE PHOTOGRAPHY OF JOHN PINDERHUGHES When: Feb. 01 - 24, 2022 Where: Polk Museum of Art 800 E Palmetto St., Lakeland polkmuseumofart.org A star of the New York art world, John Pinderhughes (b. 1946) has established himself over the past half-century as the ultimate observer and narrator of the communities all around him. The Polk Museum of Art at Florida Southern College presents an original retrospective exhibition, years in the making, showcasing Pinderhughes’ broad reportorial eye and his ability to find meaning and value in everything — and every person — he photographs. Through Pinderhughes’ powerful camera lens, he makes clear that every human subject and every still life object has a story worth telling. 863-688-7743 POLK STATE COLLEGE GALLERY EXHIBIT When: Feb. 01, 2022 | 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Where: Polk State/Winter Haven 999 Avenue H N.E., Winter Haven Polk State College Gallery Exhibit, “Beyond Common” by Paul O’Neill will be on display February 24, 2022. Hours: Monday — Thursday 10:00 am — 2:00 pm at the Polk State Winter Haven Fine Arts Gallery. For information contact 863-297-1050. ADVANCED PAINTING WITH BLAIR UPDIKE When: Feb. 01, 2022 | 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Where: Lake Wales Arts Center 1099 SR 60 E, Lake Wales lakewalesartscouncil.org Tuesdays, February 1, 8, 15, 22, 2022. This class is designed with the experienced painter in mind. Participants will bring in source imagery and Blair will demonstrate techniques that will help participants to best accomplish their goals. Outside of class work time is recommended and available. It is important

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to note that this class is not designed for beginners and basic painting techniques will not be demonstrated. Register in advance. 863-676-8426

Flea and Farmers Market. Enjoy a variety of vendors offering fresh local produce, arts and crafts, jewelry, home goods and more.CFVIC is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., seven days a week (excluding major holidays).

MUSIC BINGO, FUN RUN, & MARY JANE’S BURGERS When: Feb. 01, 2022 | 6:30 p.m. Where: Swan Brewing 115 W Pine St., Lakeland Run with Lakeland’s Fleet Feet at 5:30, Music Bingo free at 6:30, and Mary Jane’s great new menu all afternoon and evening.

INTRO TO YOGA When: Feb. 03, 2022 | 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Where: Inside Out Yoga (new location), 219 5th St. SW, Winter Haven ioyogastudio.com Jody Reece, 500ERYT, offers Intro to Yoga, Feb. 3 - Mar. 10, every Thursday. Sign up in advance.This 6 week series will provide a deeper understanding of the following:mBasic yoga philosophy, Gentle physical yoga practice, 4 part breathing technique, Guided relaxation. Each session will include a recap, Q & A and a follow up email. Upon completion you should feel confident attending regular group classes and/or continuing your own home practice.

BEGINNING POTTERY WHEEL CLASS When: Feb. 02, 2022 | 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Where: Lake Wales Arts Center 1099 SR 60 E, Lake Wales lakewalesartscouncil.org Wednesdays, February 2, 9, 16, 23, 2022. Open to all levels; this is a multi-session class. This class is designed with the brand new potter in mind. Participants will learn the basics of making pottery on the wheel. Start with centering and after a good amount of practice, finish the class with the pottery in hand! Outside of class work time is recommended and available. 863-676-8426

AFTER HOURS AT THE MUSEUM When: Feb. 03, 2022 | 4-8 p.m. Where: Polk Museum of Art 800 E Palmetto St., Lakeland polkmuseumofart.org During the evening, Dr. H. Alexander Rich, Executive Director and Chief Curator, will host a Curator Tour at 6 pm, providing indepth art-historical and curatorial insight into one of the current exhibitions. Registration is appreciated, not required. 863-688-7743

NOW SERVING: SLOW COOKER MEALS When: Feb. 02, 2022 | 3 p.m. Learn all the tips, tricks and possibilities of how you can safely use your slow cooker to make you delicious and healthy meals. To register for this online class visit: ufl.zoom.us/ meeting/register/tJ0kc-qgrj0tG9IcYxV3yO72DvCBMKfnr9gb. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

ACOUSTIC DOSE When: Feb. 03, 2022 | 6-9 p.m. Where: Swan Brewing 115 W Pine St., Lakeland Welcome back Adrienne and Travis as Acoustic Dose, along with Cuban B’s bringing delicious food all day!

TRIVIA NIGHT AT SWAN BREWING When: Feb. 02, 2022 | 6:30 p.m. Where: Swan Brewing 115 W Pine St., Lakeland Bring a friend or two and play trivia games for free - win prizes!

ALWAYS..PATSY CLINE When: Feb. 03 - 13, 2022 Where: Theatre Winter Haven 210 Cypress Gardens Blvd. Winter Haven theatrewinterhaven.com This heartfelt revue tells the true story of the country music legend’s unlikely friendship with a fan, Louise Seger, cemented by years of letter-writing. Featuring a wealth of Cline’s beloved hits such as “Walkin’ After Midnight,” “I Fall To Pieces,” and “Crazy,” Always‚ Patsy Cline returns by popular demand. 863-688-7743

EAGLE LAKE CARNIVAL When: Feb. 03, 2022 Where: Eagle Lake Carnival Grounds, 600 E. 5th Avenue / US-17, Eagle Lake. https://dreamlandamusements.com/upcoming-events-amusement-carnival/#eaglelake There’s something for everyone at this family-fun event, from thrilling rides and games for all ages to fair food for every appetite. Event parking and admission are free. Ride tickets are available at the carnival. (Rides take 2 or more tickets each.) Visit the website for coupon savings on rides and food. Midway hours: 5-10 pm Thursday, 5-11 pm Friday, noon-11 pm Saturday, noon-10 pm Sunday. The carnival is closed Feb. 7-9 (Monday Wednesday). No unaccompanied minors. Please check the website for event updates before attending. More information: 866666-3247 Free admission. Ride cost varies.

SWAN CITY IMPROV When: Feb. 03, 2022 | 8 p.m. Where: Laugh Out Lounge Comedy Club 19 3rd St. NW, Winter Haven winterhavenlol.com A hilarious night of improvisational comedy in the style of “Whose Line is it Anyway?” Every moment is original based on audience suggestions. Purchase tickets online. FROSTED FRIDAYS When: Feb. 04, 2022 | 12 a.m. Where: Salvation Army Family Thrift Store 927 6th Street NW, Winter Haven salvationarmyflorida.org/winterhaven Every Friday come on over for the Frosted Fridays at The Salvation Army Familly Store, 25% off all Jewelry.

FLEA & FARMERS MARKET When: Feb. 03, 2022 | 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Where: Central Florida’s Visitor Information Center, 101 Adventure Ct., Davenport Central Florida’s Visitor Information Center (CFVIC) in Davenport will host a weekly

SPIRIT OF THE BUFFALO POW WOW AND NATIVE AMERICAN FESTIVAL When: Feb. 04 - 06, 2022 Where: International Market World 1052 US Highway 92 W Auburndale spiritofthebuffalopowwow.com The event features crafts, intertribal dance competitions, historic village displays, workshops and over 60 exhibitors. The event is held in the Big Top circus tent rain or shine. Festival Hours: 10 am to 6 pm DANIEL PEPIN LIVE AT THE 19TH HOLE When: Feb. 04, 2022 | 5-8 p.m. Where: The 19th Hole 102 Polo Park Boulevard East Davenport danielpepinmusic.com Join Havens Best Musician winner Daniel Pepin at The 19th Hole for a night of great food, drinks, and music from all genres! SMOKE ON THE WATER When: Feb. 04, 2022 | 5-10 p.m. Where: 2400 Havendale Blvd. NW Winter Haven bgcpolk.org/SOTW2022 Smoke on the Water is a FBA sanctioned annual competition raising funds for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Polk County. A day of fun, food and entertainment for all. This Florida BBQ Association sanctioned event will have over 80 teams from across the Country competing for over $11,000 in cash and prizes. Please come hungry, as many of these Pro Teams will be selling their BBQ! The day’s entertainment includes acoustic performances representing Gospel, Bossa Nova, Blues, Jazz, Americana, Country, Folk, Blue Grass, Rock & Roll and Southern Soul music. FEBRUARY FIRST FRIDAY: MARDI GRAS When: Feb. 04, 2022 | 6-9 p.m. Where: Downtown Lakeland DowntownLKLD.com. Enjoy food, drinks, beads & more! Downtown Lakeland shops and restaurants will be open late. Don’t miss the Makers Market, featuring local artists and creators, on North Kentucky Avenue and the Classy Car Show on Main St. and Tennessee Ave. Streets are closed to vehicles, so come prepared to walk about!First Friday is a family-friendly event held in the streets of Downtown Lakeland between Lemon Street and Oak Street along Kentucky and Tennessee Avenues. DATE NIGHT CLASS: POTTERY When: Feb. 04, 2022 | 6-8 p.m. Where: Lake Wales Arts Center 1099 SR 60 E, Lake Wales lakewalesartscouncil.org Open to all skill levels, this is a single-session class. Whether you bring your sweetheart, a fun friend or family member, learn to throw on the potter’s wheel. Decorate the best pots you make during this two hour class and we will glaze and fire them for pickup a month later. Each class is $50 per couple and includes everything you’ll need to have a great experience- instruction, clay, glazes and firing. Space is limited so you must register at least 72 hours in advance. These classes are designed for 10 students. Several dates available, please register online. 863-676-8426

- CONTINUED ON PAGE 40 -

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SIRSY When: Feb. 04, 2022 | 7-10 p.m. Where: Swan Brewing 115 W Pine St., Lakeland Sirsy is back to bring you the tunes that start your weekend. Smokin’ Chanchos will be on hand all day serving food. CLASSICS AND COCKTAILS: CHOCOLAT When: Feb. 04, 2022 | 7 p.m. Where: Ritz Theatre 263 W Central Ave, Winter Haven centralfloridatix.com Featuring the 2000 film Chocolat. When mysterious Vianne and her child arrive in a tranquil French town in the winter of 1959, no one could have imagined the impact that she and her spirited daughter would have on the community stubbornly rooted in tradition. Within days, she opens an unusual chocolate shop, across the square from the church. Her ability to perceive her customers’ desires and satisfy them with just the right confection, coaxes the villagers to abandon themselves to temptation -- just as Lent begins. This makes for the perfect night out with friends or a fun date night! Doors will open at 6:30 pm, movie will begin at 7 pm. Themed cocktails available for purchase in addition to general concessions as well. THEM SWEENEY BOYS: HEARTS & COWBOYS COUNTRY FESTIVAL When: Feb. 04, 2022 | 8 p.m. Where: Balmoral Event Center 116 Kenny Blvd, Haines City centralfloridatix.com Part I of the Hearts & Cowboys Weekend Festival at Balmoral! Them Sweeney Boys will be taking the stage with a new act that will have you rolling on the floor laughing with their mix of comedy, music, and audience participation. Join Slim Sweeney and his two identical twin cuzzins for a downhome country comedy revue. You don’t have to be a huge fan of country music to like this show. Bring the whole family in to see these boys put on a show like you’ve never seen before! Dinner is served at 7pm, The show begins at 8pm. DOWNTOWN LAKELAND FARMERS CURB MARKET When: Feb. 05, 2022 | 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Where: Downtown Lakeland Shop fresh produce, plants and local handcrafted items. The 11-month Market (closed in August) is a showcase for the talents and the work of local artisans and local growers. The Downtown Farmers Curb Market is a project of the Lakeland Downtown Development Authority (LDDA). WINTER HAVEN FARMERS MARKET When: Feb. 05, 2022 | 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Where: NE corner of Third St. & Ave. C SW, Winter Haven winterhavenfarmersmarket.com The Market features a variety of farmers, unusual food trucks, artisan food vendors, plants, and a sprinkling of curated makers. Enjoy a strong selection of “ready-to-eat” foods and freshly picked produce. Located across from Grove Roots in the parking lot of the BB&T Bank building on the NE corner of Third St. and Ave C SW in Downtown Winter Haven every Saturday.

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SHUDONG BRAAMSE & CHARLES HULIN When: Feb. 05, 2022 | 2 p.m. Where: Polk Museum of Art 800 E Palmetto St., Lakeland Charles Hulin and Shudong Braamse will be giving a concert at Carnegie Hall in NYC on February 24, 2022. Before that concert, they will be giving a free recital to the local community. The program will include works ranging from Mozart, Schubert, and Debussy to a setting of Chinese folk songs. International performer and coloratura soprano Shudong Braamse received her M.M. and D.M.A. in Vocal Performance from Michigan State University. Currently she is an artist teaching at the InterHarmony International Music Festival in Acqui Terme, Italy and at Southeastern University. A prize-winner in the Hilton Head International Piano Competition and a recipient of special recognition for collaborative work in the Liszt-Garrison International Piano Competition, Charles Hulin studied first with his mother and then with Yoheved Kaplinsky at Juilliard and Ellen Mack at Peabody while participating in the masterclasses of Leon Fleisher. Currently, Dr. Hulin directs the study of piano and music theory at Southeastern University and coordinates the Lasker Summer Music Festival, a Christian retreat for classical musicians.

DANIEL PEPIN LIVE AT HAVEN COFFEE ROASTERS When: Feb. 05, 2022 | 9 a.m.-12 p.m. Where: Haven Coffee Roasters 140 3rd Street SW, Winter Haven danielpepinmusic.com Join Havens Best Musician winner Daniel Pepin at Haven Coffee Roasters for the best coffee in town and music from all genres! SPRING TIME ACCORDION PHOTO BOOK When: Feb. 05, 2022 | 10 a.m. & 1 p.m. Where: Bok Tower Gardens 1151 Tower Blvd., Lake Wales boktowergardens.org Create your own Spring Time Accordion Photo Book with Claire Formilan from Beyond the Fold Paperie. No stitching required on this book and step-by-step instructions make this class fun and relaxing. Create your own book from a beautiful collection of ribbons and floral design papers from around the world. All materials will be provided. Reservation required. Sessions offered at 10am and 1pm. 863-734-1222 SMOKE ON THE WATER When: Feb. 05, 2022 | 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Where: 2400 Havendale Blvd. NW Winter Haven bgcpolk.org/SOTW2022 Smoke on the Water is a FBA sanctioned annual competition raising funds for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Polk County. A day of fun, food and entertainment for all. This Florida BBQ Association sanctioned event will have over 80 teams from across the Country competing for over $11,000 in cash and prizes. Please come hungry, as many of these Pro Teams will be selling their BBQ! The day’s entertainment includes acoustic performances representing Gospel, Bossa Nova, Blues, Jazz, Americana, Country, Folk, Blue Grass, Rock & Roll and Southern Soul music.

BRETT FOSTER When: Feb. 05, 2022 | 2-5 p.m. Where: Swan Brewing 115 W Pine St., Lakeland Let Brett Foster warm you up for a delicious Saturday afternoon! Salt & Fire will bring the delicious foods! WALKING FOR WELLBEING: FIRST SESSION VIA ZOOM When: Feb. 05, 2022 | 3:30-4:30 p.m. Where: Bok Tower Gardens 1151 Tower Blvd., Lake Wales boktowergardens.org Being in nature is not merely nice, it is vital to our wellbeing. The restorative powers of nature are well documented and include making us happier, healthier and more creative. Walking for Wellbeing is a free program at Bok Tower Gardens for members that immerses participants in nature through a series of self-guided walks. The walks correspond to various locations around the Garden. After attending a mandatory Orientation Zoom meeting and receiving Walking for Wellbeing instructions, participants complete their walks during operating hours of the Garden, as their own schedules permit. They also request that you attend a midway check-in and a concluding meeting. Free & Exclusive with membership, registration required. 863-734-1222

TINKERGARTEN CLASS When: Feb. 05, 2022 | 10-11 a.m. Where: Christina Park 625 Co Rd 540A, Lakeland Tinkergarten.com Our Winter, Animal Superheroes season features different creatures using amazing powers for survival as a jumping off point for play and learning — all to help kids develop a skill that we all need to thrive — persistence and grit! Live sessions, weeks of Jan 10 - Mar 13. Weekly Leader-led classes + additional resources1.5 - 8 years. At Home and In Person formats available. $177.00 per season. DOCENT-LED TOURS When: Feb. 05, 2022 | 11 a.m.-12 p.m. Where: Polk Museum of Art 800 E Palmetto St., Lakeland polkmuseumofart.org Free for everyone. Get a fresh look into the Museum’s featured exhibition through an informative and engaging conversation with one of the passionate docents. Learn the stories behind the work and dive into the world of art. Registration is not required.

EVIL BILL AND THE STRUGGLE BUS (FEATURING DANIEL PEPIN) When: Feb. 05, 2022 | 3:45-4:45 p.m. Where: Boys and Girls Club 2400 Havendale Boulevard NW Winter Haven Danielpepinmusic.com Join Evil Bill and the Struggle Bus for a set of high energy Rock and Roll at Smoke On The Water.

ARTIST’S CHOICE SHOW When: Feb. 05, 2022 | 5-8 p.m. Where: Union Hall 1023 S Florida Ave, Lakeland vaktigallery.com Vakti Gallery is excited to announce that the next Pop-Up Show will be an Artist’s Choice Show! Each of the 27 artists working with Vakti Gallery will have the chance to select his/her own pieces to display. SIXX L SIXX When: Feb. 05, 2022 | 7-10 p.m. Where: Swan Brewing 115 W Pine St., Lakeland Sixx L Sixx will rock your Saturday night and Salt & Fire will feed you all day! ICONS STARRING TONY PACE When: Feb. 05, 2022 | 7:30 p.m. Where: Polk State/Winter Haven 999 Avenue H N.E., Winter Haven polk.edu/the-arts/ Special Performance Series 2022. $30 General Public. ICONS is a tribute to the music, the artists, the legends and the moments of the 60’s, 70’s & 80’s. ICONS is fast, fun and takes you through 30 years of the most breathtaking moments in entertainment. Tony Pace brings hilarious musical comedy, dead on impressions, crazy characters, and amazing endless supply of explosive raw energy to stages around the world. For information & tickets: 863-297-1050. CANDLELIGHT CONCERT AT THE RITZ When: Feb. 05, 2022 | 7:30 p.m. Where: Ritz Theatre 263 W Central Ave, Winter Haven centralfloridatix.com The Lakeland Symphony Orchestra String Quartet brings Symphonic Chocolates to the stage to celebrate Valentines Day. $30 ticket includes one complimentary beverage and a chocolate pairing. Doors will open at 7 pm, concert will begin at 7:30 pm. Please note that all tickets are general admission seats; seats will be chosen on a first come first serve basis.Seeing the stage lit by candles allows for the most intimate and unique concert experience. For more information contact: 863-937-1414 or director@ritzwinterhaven.com

YOGA BY DONATION When: Feb. 06, 2022 | 10-11 a.m. Where: Inside Out Yoga (new location) 219 5th St. SW, Winter Haven ioyogastudio.com Join Geri for a donation based ($5, $10, $15 options) yoga class. Exploring seated, standing, balancing poses along with some flowing movement. They recommend bringing your own mat and equipment. NATHAN ALLEN When: Feb. 06, 2022 | 2-5 p.m. Where: Swan Brewing 115 W Pine St., Lakeland Nathan Allen will entertain you from 2-5 pm and PJ’s will bring you some yummy food from 12-7.

AFTER SCHOOL ART When: Feb. 07, 2022 | 4:30-5:30 p.m. Where: Polk Museum of Art 800 E Palmetto St., Lakeland polkmuseumofart.org After School Art is designed for the parent and child to learn creative new skills together. Come join them for a new lesson each week using a different medium and learn about the elements of art. The activities are easily designed to be recreated at home to further enhance your young artists’ skills - and yours, too! Doors open at 4:20 pm. Space is limited; be sure to arrive early to secure your spot! 863-688-7743 MIXED MEDIA CLASS When: Feb. 07, 2022 | 6-8 p.m. Where: Polk Museum of Art 800 E Palmetto St., Lakeland polkmuseumofart.org/adultclasses Mondays, Skill Level: Beginning, Instructor: Casey Hall, B.F.A., Florida Southern College. Fee: $145 Members, $195 Non-Members. This course will introduce a variety of Mixed Media Techniques, including collage, xerox transfers, and acrylic mediums. Utilize everyday items to create in bold new ways allowing the artist to confidently explore and express their creativity and imagination. 863-688-7743 ART FUNDAMENTALS FOR TEENS When: Feb. 07, 2022 | 6-8 p.m. Where: Polk Museum of Art 800 E Palmetto St., Lakeland polkmuseumofart.org/adultclasses February 7 — March 14, Mondays: 6pm to

8pm. Skill Level: Beginning to Intermediate, Ages 15+. In this course, you will explore how to use and identify the fundamentals of art: color, composition, value, form, brushwork, and perspective. Each class session will reflect on a classic piece of artwork in order to unveil each of the fundamental building blocks. Students will engage in classroom discussions and use a variety of materials to explore and create artwork based off of each fundamental element of artmaking. 863-688-7743

classical atelier technique of painting from a live model using a limited palette of oil paint on canvas. Concepts taught will include anatomical correctness, rending form, color mixing with a limited palette, blending oils, and developing personal voice through experimentation and discovery. Whether you are a student seeking to diversify your portfolio or a seasoned artist looking for a fresh perspective this class will inspire, challenge, and delight your creative ambitions. 863-688-7743

COLLAGE & COMICS CLASS When: Feb. 08, 2022 | 6-9 p.m. Where: Polk Museum of Art 800 E Palmetto St., Lakeland polkmuseumofart.org/adultclasses February 8 — March 15, Tuesdays. This class will provide an opportunity for students regardless of their level of experience with either genre to work with a wide variety of mixed media materials as well as to experiment with a variety of paints and adhesives in order to achieve different desired effects. Students will be exploring the basics of both story-telling and story-boarding in order to develop several visual narratives in the form of comic strips, stop motion, and other hybrid genres which blend aspects of creative writing with the visual arts. 863-688-7743

BEGINNING ILLUSTRATION When: Feb. 08, 2022 | 6-9 p.m. Where: Polk Museum of Art 800 E Palmetto St., Lakeland polkmuseumofart.org/adultclasses February 8 — March 15, Tuesdays. Skill Level: Beginning. Discover how to draw and bring your illustrations to life with colored pencils. In this course, use exercises to help understand the processes involved to draw and work to create several illustrations inspired by Norman Rockwell and others. 863-688-7743 ART APPRECIATION: UNEXPECTED EUROPE When: Feb. 08, 2022 | 6-8 p.m. Where: Polk Museum of Art 800 E Palmetto St., Lakeland polkmuseumofart.org/adultclasses February 8 — March 15, Tuesdays. Join us as we explore (from the comfort and security of the Museum’s auditorium) some of Europe’s lesser known works of art. We’ll strike out to encounter oeuvres and their creators that don’t normally grab our attention or even their own chapter in art history texts. For each

FIGURE PAINTING IN OIL WITH A LIMITED PALETTE When: Feb. 08, 2022 | 6-9 p.m. Where: Polk Museum of Art 800 E Palmetto St., Lakeland polkmuseumofart.org/adultclasses February 8 — March 15, Tuesdays. Learn the

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week of the class, we’ll visit a different country or region of Europe including Spain, Ireland, Russia, the Netherlands (and Flanders), Greece, and Norway. Register in advance. 863-688-7743 MUSIC BINGO, FUN RUN, & LA PALAPA When: Feb. 08, 2022 | 6:30 p.m. Where: Swan Brewing 115 W Pine St., Lakeland Earn your beers with a fun run at 5:30, Play Music Bingo and win prizes at 6:30, and eat some great food from La Palapa Time starting at 3 pm. ENVIRONMENTAL ART & ECO-POETRY/PROSE When: Feb. 09, 2022 | 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Where: Polk Museum of Art 800 E Palmetto St., Lakeland polkmuseumofart.org/adultclasses February 9 — March 16, Wednesdays. This class will focus on the impact of the environmental movement on the arts, including historical approaches to and perspectives of nature, as well as more recent ecological and politically motivated work. Students will explore these themes while generating their own work, and will complete several polished pieces of writing, several rough sketches of local flora and fauna, and one environmental sculpture or one 3D mixed-media collage/ assemblage. Register in advance. 863-688-7743

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DIGITAL PAINTING CLASS When: Feb. 09, 2022 | 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Where: Polk Museum of Art 800 E Palmetto St., Lakeland polkmuseumofart.org February 9 — March 16, Wednesdays. This course will focus on the fundamentals of digital painting and illustration. Learn the proper use of the tools provided in the software and how to apply conventional techniques in your digital media. Working digitally provides the artist with an endless source of colors and brushes to produce amazingly real paintings to rival conventional media.iPads will be provided by the Museum for use during class, but participants are encouraged to bring their own to continue work at home if possible. Register in advance. 863-688-7743 BEGINNING POTTERY WHEEL CLASS When: Feb. 09, 2022 | 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Where: Lake Wales Arts Center 1099 SR 60 E, Lake Wales lakewalesartscouncil.org Wednesdays, February 2, 9, 16, 23, 2022. Open to all levels; this is a multi-session class. This class is designed with the brand new potter in mind. Participants will learn the basics of making pottery on the wheel. We start with centering and after a good amount of practice, finish the class with the pottery in hand! Outside of class work time is recommended and available. 863-676-8426 HOLD ON I KNOW THIS TRIVIA NIGHT When: Feb. 09, 2022 | 6:30 p.m. Where: Swan Brewing 115 W Pine St., Lakeland Free trivia games at 6:30 and Smokin’ Chanchos has got you covered for dinner, starting at 3. FLEA & FARMERS MARKET When: Feb. 10, 2022 | 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Where: Central Florida’s Visitor Information Center, 101 Adventure Ct., Davenport Central Florida’s Visitor Information Center (CFVIC) in Davenport will host a weekly Flea and Farmers Market. Enjoy a variety of vendors offering fresh local produce, arts and crafts, jewelry, home goods and more. CFVIC is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., seven days a week (excluding major holidays). GFWC LUNCHEON, FASHION SHOW & EXPO When: Feb. 10, 2022 | 10:30 a.m. Where: Lake Eva Event Center 799 Johns Avenue, Haines City GFWCFourCorners.org Tickets are $35. Please call Cheryl for ticket purchase at (863) 353-8774. There will be basket raffles, silent auction, vendor expo, fashions sponsored by Chico’s, and lunch catered by Carrabba’s. Nancy and Vito Lanzillo, Ridgewood Lakes Resales, are sponsors of the 2022 Fashion Show. The General Federation of Women’s Clubs (GFWC) is an international organization with more than 4,000 clubs and over 100,000 members across the country. The local chapter, GFWC Four Corners Junior Woman’s Club, a non-profit organization, reaches out to the Four Corners community of Polk, Osceola, Lake and Orange counties through volunteerism and charitable donations. For additional informa-

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INTRO TO FILM PHOTOGRAPHY When: Feb. 11, 2022 | 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Where: Polk Museum of Art 800 E Palmetto St., Lakeland polkmuseumofart.org February 11 — March 18, Fridays. This introductory-level film photography course will cover the following primary characteristics of creating successful negatives and prints with your own 35mm film camera: light, composition, aperture, shutter speed, communication, and concept. Each completed project will have a critique session where we can engage with, experience, understand, and enjoy one another’s work in a collaborative environment of learning. Register in advance. 863-688-7743

tion concerning the organization or meetings, please visit the website, www.GFWCFourCorners.org, email the club at gfwcfourcorners@ aol.com, or find us on Facebook. WINEDOWNTOWN When: Feb. 10, 2022 | 5-8 p.m. Where: Downtown Lake Wales, Stuart Ave lwmainstreet.com Grab your friends, co-workers and family members and head to downtown Lake Wales for a craft beer and wine walk. Stroll through your favorite shops, restaurants and businesses. Meet new merchants, say “hello” to signature businesses and enjoy, craft beer, wine and food sampling along the way. Each ticket includes a souvenir wine glass, swag bag and a map with participating locations.Over 12 locations to enjoy a beverages, food paired specifically with each wine and shopping. Participants must be 21 or older to participate. Event is rain or shine, no refunds.

POINT OF VIEW GALLERY TALK When: Feb. 11, 2022 | 12-1 p.m. Where: Polk Museum of Art 800 E Palmetto St., Lakeland polkmuseumofart.org Join the Polk Museum of Art every second Friday of the month for a Point of View Gallery Talk! Each month, they invite special guests to discuss a current exhibition at the Museum, incorporating their own unique expertise and perspectives. Registration is not required, but appreciated. 863-688-7743

GALLERY CONCERT SERIES: BAROQUE STRINGS When: Feb. 10, 2022 | 6-7 p.m. Where: Polk Museum of Art 800 E Palmetto St., Lakeland polkmuseumofart.org Experience the Baroque Strings. The Baroque era produced some of the earliest European music we consider familiar, like Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons or Pachelbel’s Canon. Purchase your ticket online. 863-688-7743

DULCIMER DAY CONCERT When: Feb. 11, 2022 | 1:30-3 p.m. Where: Winter Haven Public Library 325 Avenue A NW, Winter Haven Door opens at 1:15 for open seating. Entertainment will be provided by the Musical Hammers, which is a unique Hammered Dulcimer Band, with additional musicians playing the guitar, pennywhistle, flute, banjo and psaltery. The members are all from Polk County. Their repertoire includes Appalachian fiddle tunes & Reels, Old-time Waltzes, Hymns, Celtic Jigs & Hornpipes, Patriotic marches, Holiday tunes, and an occasional classical piece. There will also be a demonstration on the Mountain Dulcimer from Peggy Snow.

TOURIST BOB When: Feb. 10, 2022 | 6-9 p.m. Where: Swan Brewing 115 W Pine St., Lakeland Tourist Bob is back - and La Palapa Time will bring all the tacos and more! THE WEDDING GAME When: Feb. 10, 2022 | 7 p.m. Where: Balmoral Bar and Grill 124 Kenny Blvd., Haines City centralfloridatix.com This is Balmoral’s version of the popular Newlywed Game show from the late ‘60’s. This night is sure to be filled with lots of laughs and fun. Five (5) couples will compete to win a three (3) night stay at Balmoral Resort Florida! One couple will be selected from the audience - it could be YOU! Join us for the fun and receive a complimentary glass of wine upon arrival! For questions related to food allergies and other special dietary needs and requests, contact us at events@feltrimresorts.com.

OPEN STUDIO When: Feb. 11, 2022 | 2-4 p.m. Where: Polk Museum of Art 800 E Palmetto St., Lakeland February 11 — March 18, Fridays. Monitored open studio hours are being offered for those with a basic knowledge of their chosen medium who wish to work at their own pace with like-minded individuals without instruction, but with access to studio space and equipment. Equipment access includes: darkroom, printing press, ceramic kiln, wedging table, pottery wheels, slab roller, easels, drying racks, and basic studio setup with sinks. Lockers, supplies, and guided instruction are NOT provided. Register in advance. 863-688-7743

SWAN CITY IMPROV When: Feb. 10, 2022 | 8 p.m. Where: Laugh Out Lounge Comedy Club 19 3rd St. NW, Winter Haven winterhavenlol.com A hilarious night of improvisational comedy in the style of “Whose Line is it Anyway?” Every moment is original based on audience suggestions. Purchase tickets online.

FLORIDA CARILLON FESTIVAL PERFORMANCE When: Feb. 11, 2022 | 3-3:45 p.m. Where: Bok Tower Gardens 1151 Tower Blvd., Lake Wales boktowergardens.org Enjoy a special recital on Facebook Live or in the Gardens from one of the nation’s finest carillonneurs. This festival unites Florida’s four

FROSTED FRIDAYS When: Feb. 11, 2022 | 12 a.m. Where: Salvation Army Family Thrift Store 927 6th Street NW, Winter Haven salvationarmyflorida.org/winterhaven Every Friday come on over for our Frosted Fridays at The Salvation Army Familly Store, 25% off all Jewelry.

unique carillons, Bok Tower Gardens Singing Tower (Lake Wales), Andrew W. Crawford (Venice), Dimmitt Memorial Carillon (Clearwater) and Century Tower at University of Florida (Gainesville), for a series of performances.Included with general admission or membership or join virtually on Facebook! DATE NIGHT CLASS: POTTERY When: Feb. 11, 2022 | 6-8 p.m. Where: Lake Wales Arts Center 1099 SR 60 E, Lake Wales lakewalesartscouncil.org Open to All Skill Levels, this is a single-session class. Whether you bring your sweetheart, a fun friend or family member, learn to throw on the potter’s wheel. Decorate the best pots you make during this two hour class and we will glaze and fire them for pickup a month later. Each class is $50 per couple and includes everything you’ll need to have a great experience- instruction, clay, glazes and firing. Space is limited so you must register at least 72 hours in advance.These classes are designed for 10 students, so you’ll gets lots of attention from the instructor. Several dates available, please register online. 863-676-8426 DANIEL PEPIN LIVE When: Feb. 11, 2022 | 7-10 p.m. Where: The Union Taproom 245 W Central Ave #102 Winter Haven danielpepinmusic.com Join Havens Best Musician winner Daniel Pepin at The Union Hall for a night of great food, drinks, and music from all genres! THE SUBHARMONICS When: Feb. 11, 2022 | 7 p.m. Where: Swan Brewing 115 W Pine St., Lakeland Daniel Smith brings the Subharmonic sound back to Swan and Cuban B’s will bring all the yummy food! LIGHT UP THE NIGHT 5K When: Feb. 11, 2022 | 7 p.m. Where: 250 Magnolia Ave. SW Winter Haven jlgwh.org Run, walk and glow through Downtown Winter Haven to support the community. Awards and after-party at The Packing House at Grove Roots.Bring glow-in-the-dark gear, flashlights and any other lighted accessories. Please register in advance. Presented by the Junior League of Greater Winter Haven. DIA DEL AMOR Y LA AMISTAD When: Feb. 11, 2022 | 7-10 p.m. Where: Balmoral Event Center 116 Kenny Blvd, Haines City centralfloridatix.com A Day of Love & Friendship celebration. This dinner show will feature a delicious 3-course meal, silent auction, live Latin entertainment, music and of course - dancing all night long! The dress code for this event is Formal attire. This event is powered by Viva Polk! Price: $50 per person.

DOOBIE BROTHERS EXPERIENCE When: Feb. 11, 2022 | 7 p.m. Where: Ritz Theatre 263 W Central Ave, Winter Haven centralfloridatix.com There’s no one in the industry today that can recreate the sound and style of the world-famous Doobie Brothers like “What A Fool Believes” can. Six of the Northeast’s top professional musicians have pooled their talents, years of performance experience, and their love of the Doobies to become the very best Doobies tribute show in the country today. Doors open at 6:30pm.

FLIPPING FOR CHARITIES - ANNUAL KIWANIS PANCAKE BREAKFAST When: Feb. 12, 2022 | 7:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Where: Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium, 2301 Lakeland Hills Blvd., Lakeland kiwanispancakefestival.com Annual pancake breakfast - Ticket allows entry for an all you can eat pancake, sausage, orange juice and coffee breakfast. In addition, there will be entertainment and other activities for the enjoyment of our patrons. citruscenterkiwanis.org or kiwanispancakefestival.com

DUELING PIANOS When: Feb. 11, 2022 | 8 p.m. Where: Balmoral Bar and Grill 124 Kenny Blvd., Haines City centralfloridatix.com Dueling Pianos is back by popular demand and provides an evening of music and laughter! This Dueling Pianos experience is an all-request format, appropriate for all ages, with a bit of music, comedy, and personality. Music genres range across the entire music spectrum - from oldies to classic rock, country, dance, pop, rap, show tunes, and even Disney. The $15 admission gets into the event area that offers the best seats in the house, be a part of the show with special music requests, and a private bar to order your favorite drinks from. Outdoor seating only. The Bar and Grill will be open and operating as normal.

DOWNTOWN LAKELAND FARMERS CURB MARKET When: Feb. 12, 2022 | 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Where: Downtown Lakeland Shop fresh produce, plants and local handcrafted items. The 11-month Market (closed in August) is a showcase for the talents and the work of local artisans and local growers. The Downtown Farmers Curb Market is a project of the Lakeland Downtown Development Authority (LDDA).

across from Grove Roots in the parking lot of the BB&T Bank building on the NE corner of Third St. and Ave C SW in downtown Winter Haven every Saturday. ARTLAB When: Feb. 12, 2022 | 10 a.m. Where: Polk Museum of Art 800 E Palmetto St., Lakeland polkmuseumofart.org Each month, participants will be introduced to one of the Museum’s exhibitions in a fun and interactive way. ArtLabs are led by professional artists and art educators who will engage participants of all ages and skills in their own unique experience relating to an exhibition on display in the Museum. Registration and more information will be available two weeks prior to the event. 863-688-7743 THE ART OF THE HIGHWAYMEN: FROM THE WOODSBY FAMILY COLLECTION When: Feb. 12, 2022 | 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Where: Polk Museum of Art 800 E Palmetto St., Lakeland polkmuseumofart.org Starting in the 1950s, a period when America was still in the throes of segregation, the Highwaymen defied all odds. A prodigious group of twenty-six African-American painters who plied their trade painting Florida’s landscapes, the Highwaymen discovered success in simplicity, finding a niche to call their own, producing more than 200,000 works, and achieving incredible widespread popularity in the process. This large-scale academic exhibition drawn entirely from the

WINTER HAVEN FARMERS MARKET When: Feb. 12, 2022 | 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Where: NE corner of Third St. & Ave. C SW Winter Haven winterhavenfarmersmarket.com The Market features a variety of farmers, unusual food trucks, artisan food vendors, plants, and a sprinkling of curated makers. Enjoy a strong selection of “ready-to-eat” foods and freshly picked produce. Live music + tables and chairs to sit and relax at. Located

Woodsby family’s private collection revisits the Highwaymen, examining their legacy and key place in art history, studying the complete story of their rise and seeking answers for their unexpected mass appeal. Finally, Florida art that was once deemed lowbrow and rejected from museums and galleries but celebrated widely by eager consumers receives its moment in the sun, right here in Lakeland. 863-688-7743 TINKERGARTEN CLASS When: Feb. 12, 2022 | 10-11 a.m. Where: Christina Park 625 Co Rd 540A, Lakeland Tinkergarten.com Our Winter, Animal Superheroes season features different creatures using amazing powers for survival as a jumping off point for play and learning — all to help kids develop a skill that we all need to thrive — persistence and grit! Live sessions, weeks of Jan 10 - Mar 13. Weekly Leader-led classes + additional resources 1.5 - 8 years,At Home and In Person formats available. $ 177.00 per season. CRYSTAL BOWL SOUND BATH When: Feb. 12, 2022 | 12-1 p.m. Where: Inside Out Yoga (new location) 219 5th St. SW, Winter Haven ioyogastudio.com Space is limited, bring your own equipment. $25 Investment. Join Cosmic Sound Healer, Buffy La Roux as she facilitates a high vibratory journey of Sound through time and space. During this deeply meditative and transfor- CONTINUED ON PAGE 44 -

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Wales community initiatives and membership development programs. The gate opens for General Admission at 5:15 p.m. with the evening’s activities starting at 6 p.m. Tickets must be purchased in advance. Please note: No outside food or beverage will be allowed on site for the event. Seating will be provided.

SG WOOD SOLO When: Feb. 12, 2022 | 2-5 p.m. Where: Swan Brewing 115 W Pine St., Lakeland SG Wood brings the music and Salt & Fire Food Lab will be on hand all day.

GONE COUNTRY FOR KIDSPACK When: Feb. 12, 2022 | 6-10 p.m. Where: White Horse Ranch 5718 Yates Rd., Lakeland kidspack.org/gone-country Annual fundraiser for kidsPACK including raffles, auction items, music and more. KidsPACK is a non-profit organization supported by community leaders, corporate sponsors and volunteers dedicated to feeding disadvantaged children; giving them a backpack of nutritious food each Friday to sustain them on weekends when they don’t have access to subsidized school meals.

VALENTINE’S BLOCK PARTY When: Feb. 12, 2022 | 5-9 p.m. Where: Downtown Lakeland linktr.ee/buenamarket Bring your valentine, galentine, and art lover to Kentucky Ave on February 12th! Buena Market and the LDDA are back with a Valentine’s Block Party and art walk, benefiting Lakeland Art Guild. Expanded night market with 50 makers and creatives from all over Central Florida, Live DJ set by T. Couture, Lakeland’s favorite sweet & savory mobile eateries and the freedom to roam the block with a beverage from Kentucky Ave establishments. Free to attend and open to all. REGGAE NIGHT When: Feb. 12, 2022 | 6 p.m. Where: The Poor Porker 801 E Main St., Lakeland Live entertainment by Fire Light Reggae and flavorful Caribbean jerk and BBQ by Our Noire Kitchen. Dinner will be starting at 6 pm and the band will begin performing at 7 pm. Contact: Shannon@PoorPorker.com or Hello@ournoirekitchen.com for more details. AARON TIPPIN CONCERT TO BENEFIT THE JUNIOR LEAGUE OF LAKE WALES When: Feb. 12, 2022 | 6 p.m. Where: flyJivefly Private Airport 2600 Cedarwood Dr., Lake Wales centralfloridatix.com Aaron Tippin will be rocking the runway as the headliner for a benefit evening for the Junior League of Lake Wales. He will be joined on stage by not only his acoustic band known as the Aaron Tippin Trio, but he will also take the stage as part of the Tippin Family Trio with his wife Thea and son Tom, who is a rising star in the music industry. Aaron is a well-known country artist with a remarkable musical career spanning twenty-five years! The evening at the airport will include a performance by the Lake Wales Airport-based Paradigm Aerobatic Team, a four-course catered meal, a cash bar, both a live and silent auction, and a display of multiple aircraft on the runway, including an AERO Vodochody L-39 Albatros Reno Air Racing jet, a T-28 Trojan from 1954, and a RV-8A known on the North American air show circuit as “Wild Blue.” The event marks the first major fundraiser for the Junior League of Lake Wales as a new women’s organization in the community committed to promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women, and improving the Lake Wales community through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. Proceeds from the event will go towards the Junior League of Lake

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small ensembles of musicians performing in smaller venues throughout Polk County. This intimate, on-hour concert offers the chance to hear LSO musicians up close while still finding space to get lost in the music. PATTY & CRAIG When: Feb. 13, 2022 | 2-5 p.m. Where: Swan Brewing 115 W Pine St., Lakeland Wisconsin’s touring singer/songwriter duo, Patty & Craig, are bringing piano & fingerstyle guitar, with originals, standards, and good ole songs. Mary Jane’s will bring the good eats! R&B ZEN DATE NIGHT YOGA When: Feb. 13, 2022 | 4 p.m. Where: 310 E Lemon St., Lakeland pieceofzen.as.me Redefine your Date Night experience by reintroducing fun into your relationship.Partner yoga targets movements to strengthen communication, while building trust in your relationship. A slower moving yoga class perfect for all levels. Class Vibes include: R&B sounds while exploring movement in your body and Live massage demonstration.Investment: $50 per couple, register before Feb. 9.

DANIEL PEPIN LIVE AT FRONT PAGE BREWING When: Feb. 12, 2022 | 7-10 p.m. Where: Front Page Brewing Company 190 S Florida Ave, Bartow Join Havens Best Musician winner Daniel Pepin at Front Page Brewing Company for a night of great food, drinks, and music from all genres!

PARTNER YOGA WITH KATHRYN & CRAIG When: Feb. 13, 2022 | 5-6:15 p.m. Where: Inside Out Yoga (new location) 219 5th St. SW, Winter Haven ioyogastudio.com This is a perfect Valentines date for your beloved (partner, friend, child). Kathryn and Craig will guide you through a series of inclusive partner yoga poses for Valentines Day. This class will be playful and fun with a SWEET playlist! This experience encourages communication, mindfulness kindness, intimacy and LOVE through touch, talk and expression.Space is limited. Reserve yours online. $35/couple

MOVIE NIGHT: THE PROPOSAL When: Feb. 12, 2022 | 7 p.m. Where: Ritz Theatre 263 W Central Ave, Winter Haven centralfloridatix.com Join us for another $5 movie night!! This will make for the perfect Valentine’s date night or Girl’s Night out!! The Proposal: Faced with deportation to her native Canada, high-powered book editor Margaret Tate (Sandra Bullock) says she’s engaged to marry Andrew Paxton (Ryan Reynolds), her hapless assistant. Andrew agrees to the charade, but imposes a few conditions of his own, including flying to Alaska to meet his eccentric family. With a suspicious immigration official always lurking nearby, Margaret and Andrew must stick to their wedding plan despite numerous mishaps. Grab takeout from your favorite restaurant and enjoy dinner while you watch the movie! There will be concessions and drinks for purchase at the theatre. Doors will open at 6:30pm - Movie will begin at 7:00pm.

VALENTINE’S DAY When: Feb. 14, 2022 MULBERRY’S VALENTINE’S DAY CONCERT When: Feb. 14, 2022 | 1:30-3 p.m. Where: Mulberry Public Library 905 5th St. NE, Mulberry Entertainment will be provided by the Musical Hammers, which is a unique Hammered Dulcimer Band, with additional musicians playing the guitar, pennywhistle, flute, banjo and psaltery. The members are all from Polk County. Their repertoire includes Appalachian fiddle tunes & Reels, Old-time Waltzes, Hymns, Celtic Jigs & Hornpipes, Patriotic marches, Holiday tunes, and an occasional classical piece.You are encouraged to bring a chair, enjoying this concert in the Library park. In case of rain, the concert will be in the Civic Center.

SPITFIRE When: Feb. 12, 2022 | 7 p.m. Where: Swan Brewing 115 W Pine St., Lakeland Bringing all the FIRE with SpitFIRE band at 7 and Salt & FIRE all day! LWAC CLASSICAL SERIES: BAROQUE STRINGS When: Feb. 12, 2022 | 7 p.m. Where: Lake Wales Arts Center 1099 SR 60 E, Lake Wales centralfloridatix.com Featuring the Lakeland Symphony Orchestra String Ensemble (strings + harpsichord) at the Lake Wales Arts Council. You’re invited to the LSO’s new ensemble series, featuring

AFTER SCHOOL ART When: Feb. 14, 2022 | 4:30-5:30 p.m. Where: Polk Museum of Art 800 E Palmetto St., Lakeland polkmuseumofart.org After School Art is designed for the parent

and child to learn creative new skills together. Come join them for a new lesson each week using a different medium and learn about the elements of art. The activities are easily designed to be recreated at home to further enhance your young artists’ skills - and yours, too! Doors open at 4:20 pm. Space is limited; be sure to arrive early to secure your spot! 863-688-7743 DATE NIGHT FOR VALENTINE’S DAY When: Feb. 14, 2022 | 6:30 p.m. Where: Uliana, 1216 Florida Ave S, Lakeland Our Noire Kitchen x Uliana presents Date Night for Valentine’s Day. The three-course dinner is $120 per person with a 6:30 pm start time. Contact: Our Noire Kitchen at hello@ ournoirekitchen.com to make a reservation. TASTY TUESDAY When: Feb. 15, 2022 | 4:30-9 p.m. Where: Downtown Lakeland downtownlkld.com/news/tasty-tuesdays Tasty Tuesdays are a super fun way to experience multiple Downtown restaurants all in one night! You get hearty sample sizes with each ticket, and move from place to place at your own pace! Tastings begin at 4:30pm and end at 9pm. Purchase your ticket package from LDDA either online or in person at our office at 117 N. Kentucky Ave (M-F, 10am5pm - til 7pm night of the event). Tickets come in packets of 10 for $25. (additional packs may be purchased in increments of $5 which is 2 tickets). This is a self guided, tasting event. Go in your own order and at your own pace. You can use more than one ticket at any location if you choose. MUSIC BINGO, FUN RUN, & LA PALAPA When: Feb. 15, 2022 | 5:30 p.m. Where: Swan Brewing 115 W Pine St., Lakeland Earn your beers with a fun run at 5:30, Play Music Bingo and win prizes at 6:30, and eat some great food from La Palapa Time starting at 3 pm. HOLD ON I KNOW THIS TRIVIA NIGHT When: Feb. 16, 2022 | 6:30 p.m. Where: Swan Brewing 115 W Pine St., Lakeland Join us for free trivia games with Nick and delicious food from PJ’s BBQ. FLEA & FARMERS MARKET When: Feb. 17, 2022 | 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Where: Central Florida’s Visitor Information Center, 101 Adventure Ct., Davenport Central Florida’s Visitor Information Center (CFVIC) in Davenport will host a weekly Flea and Farmers Market. Enjoy a variety of vendors offering fresh local produce, arts and crafts, jewelry, home goods and more. CFVIC is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., seven days a week (excluding major holidays). TASTE OF WINTER HAVEN When: Feb. 17, 2022 | 6-9 p.m. Where: Venue 650 650 6th St. SW, Winter Haven centralfloridatix.com Taste of Winter Haven is an evening event focused on giving the community an opportunity to taste local cuisine, beer, and wine while

enjoying live music. Taste of Winter Haven will take place at Venue 650. You must be 21 or older to attend. Hosted by the Greater Winter Haven Chamber of Commerce. BRETT FOSTER When: Feb. 17, 2022 | 6-9 p.m. Where: Swan Brewing 115 W Pine St., Lakeland Brett Foster brings a friend to join him in your entertainment tonight that we know you will love! Cuban B’s will bring the wonderful eats! MOVIE NIGHT: TO SIR WITH LOVE When: Feb. 17, 2022 | 7 p.m. Where: Ritz Theatre 263 W Central Ave, Winter Haven centralfloridatix.com To Sir, with Love is a 1967 British drama film that deals with social and racial issues in an inner city school. It stars Sidney Poitier and features Christian Roberts, Judy Geeson, Suzy Kendall, Patricia Routledge and singer Lulu making her film debut. Doors will open at 6:30pm, movie will begin at 7:00pm. Bring takeout from your favorite local restaurant to enjoy during the film. Concessions and drinks will be for purchase. POLK STATE THEATRE PRODUCTION: A DOLL’S HOUSE PART 2 When: Feb. 17, 2022 Where: Polk State/Winter Haven 999 Avenue H N.E., Winter Haven February 17 — 20, 2022. Thursday — Saturday 7:30 pm and Sunday 2:30 pm. $8 General Public. Polk State Winter Haven Fine Arts Theatre. For information contact: 863-297-1050.

SWAN CITY IMPROV When: Feb. 17, 2022 | 8 p.m. Where: Laugh Out Lounge Comedy Club 19 3rd St. NW, Winter Haven winterhavenlol.com A hilarious night of improvisational comedy in the style of “Whose Line is it Anyway?” Every moment is original based on audience suggestions.

come to take advantage of this drop in center. Please bring all pertinent paperwork in order to resolve any problems. Please pass this info along to any UAW retired members you know who may not get this publication. LUNCH & LEARN: STEPHEN KALOGRIDIS, SILVER PROPERTIES When: Feb. 18, 2022 | 11:40 a.m. Where: Winter Haven Chamber 401 Ave B NW, Winter Haven endeavorwinterhaven.wildapricot.org Enjoy a delicious lunch and learn presented by Endeavor Winter Haven. Topics of discussion: What are you trying to accomplish? What’s the end goal? The answers to these questions are about more than a simple sentence. The answers to these questions govern the process by which we plan, process, and execute everything from where we eat dinner to how we conduct business to how we achieve purpose in our lives. We will explore how Silver Properties of Winter Haven was founded to answer these questions in regard to multi-family housing in our local community. Growing a business is a learning process. We will highlight the process we used and the lessons we learned along the way as we set out to make downtown Winter Haven the ideal place to call home. Everyone welcome, purchase tickets in advance.

FROSTED FRIDAYS When: Feb. 18, 2022 | 12 a.m. Where: Salvation Army Family Thrift Store 927 6th Street NW, Winter Haven salvationarmyflorida.org/winterhaven Every Friday come on over for our Frosted Fridays at The Salvation Army Familly Store, 25% off all Jewelry. UAW MID FLORIDA RETIREE COUNCIL When: Feb. 18, 2022 | 10 a.m. Where: Knights of Columbus Hall 3308 Ave W NW, Winter Haven The UAW Mid Florida Retiree Council has resumed their monthly meetings. The meeting will start at 10:00 a.m. but they encourage members to come early for some coffee and donuts and to socialize with fellow members. They request that everyone wear a mask for safety reasons.The UAW Mid Florida Retiree Council’s drop in center in Winter Haven is open every Tuesday and Thursday from 9:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. The office is located in the Hope Plaza strip mall (off Hwy 17 by the WAWA and across the street from Big Lots). Please contact them at (863) 293-5556 or drop by with any problems you have with your benefits. All UAW retired members are wel-

SILVERBACK When: Feb. 18, 2022 | 7-10 p.m. Where: Swan Brewing 115 W Pine St., Lakeland Silverback is back and Smokin’ Chanchos is bringing you the delicious food!

PRACTICALLY PERFECT: THE MUSIC OF JULIE ANDREWS When: Feb. 18 - 20, 2022 Where: Theatre Winter Haven 210 Cypress Gardens Blvd. Winter Haven theatrewinterhaven.com Practically Perfect: The Music of Julie Andrews & Her Leading Men Robert Goulet and Dick Van Dyke. For over 50 years, the musical soundtrack of Julie Andrews has been indelibly imprinted on the hearts of generations. Dame Julie Andrews is indicative of an era where musicals were magical. This is a live performance and multimedia theatrical event that relives the life and music of the incomparable star and recreates your favorite moments from stage and screen. 863-294-7469 SISTER ACT When: Feb. 18 - Mar. 06, 2022 Where: Lakeland Community Theatre 121 S Lake Avenue, Lakeland lakelandcommunitytheatre.com Sister Act is the feel-good musical comedy smash based on the hit 1992 film that has audiences jumping to their feet! Featuring original music by Tony- and eight-time Oscar winner, Alan Menken, this uplifting musical was nominated for five Tony Awards, including Best Musical. When disco diva, Deloris Van Cartier, witnesses a murder, she is put in protective custody in the one place the cops are sure she won’t be a found: a convent! Disguised as a nun, she finds herself at odds with both the rigid lifestyle and uptight - CONTINUED ON PAGE 46 -

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Mother Superior. Using her unique disco moves and singing talent to inspire the choir, Deloris breathes new life into the church and community but, in doing so, blows her cover. Soon, the gang is giving chase, only to find them up against Deloris and the power of her newly found sisterhood. 863-603-7529 DANIEL PEPIN LIVE AT THE PINK PIANO When: Feb. 18, 2022 | 8:30 p.m.-12 a.m. Where: The Pink Piano 1015 Florida Ave, Lakeland danielpepinmusic.com Join Havens Best Musician winner Daniel Pepin at The Pink Piano for a night of great drinks, and music from all genres! DOWNTOWN LAKELAND FARMERS CURB MARKET When: Feb. 19, 2022 | 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Where: Downtown Lakeland Shop fresh produce, plants and local handcrafted items. The 11-month Market (closed in August) is a showcase for the talents and the work of local artisans and local growers. The Downtown Farmers Curb Market is a project of the Lakeland Downtown Development Authority (LDDA). WINTER HAVEN FARMERS MARKET When: Feb. 19, 2022 | 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Where: Winter Haven Farmers Market NE corner of Third St. & Ave. C SW Winter Haven winterhavenfarmersmarket.com The Market features a variety of farmers, unusual food trucks, artisan food vendors, plants, and a sprinkling of curated makers. Enjoy a strong selection of “ready-to-eat” foods and freshly picked produce. Live music + tables and chairs to sit and relax at. Located across from Grove Roots in the parking lot of the BB&T Bank building on the NE corner of Third St. and Ave C SW in downtown Winter Haven every Saturday. OUTDOOR YOGA When: Feb. 19, 2022 | 9-10 a.m. Where: Bok Tower Gardens 1151 Tower Blvd., Lake Wales boktowergardens.org This inclusive class includes gentle yoga movements that move your spine in all directions, breathing techniques and extended relaxation infused with a sprinkling of yoga philosophy. All levels are welcome. Beginners are encouraged to attend. $10 members/ $15 non-members, registration required. 863-734-1222 DANIEL PEPIN LIVE AT HAVEN COFFEE ROASTERS When: Feb. 19, 2022 | 9 a.m.-12 p.m. Where: Haven Coffee Roasters 140 3rd St SW, Winter Haven Danielpepinmusic.com Join Havens Best Musician winner Daniel Pepin at Haven Coffee Roasters for the best coffee in town and music from all genres!

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RIBS ON THE RIDGE BREWS & BBQ When: Feb. 19, 2022 | 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Where: Lake Eva Event Center 799 Johns Avenue, Haines City hainescity.com/191/Ribs-on-the-Ridge Sanctioned through the Florida BBQ Association, this event will bring professional and backyard BBQ competition teams from across Florida and the southeast to compete for cash prizes, trophies, and bragging rights for the best BBQ in town.

meeting up at The Bike Shop of Winter Haven, we “slow roll” through Downtown Winter Haven and stop mid-roll to take in the Cypress Gardens Ski Team show. At 5:00 prior to show’s end, we slooowly roll back through town and end the roll at Grove Roots for drinks and their featured food truck. You should seriously join us- it’s FREE! (Except food & drink- you’re kinda on your own there..) More info on FB @slowrollskishow CYPRESS GARDENS WATER SKI SHOW When: Feb. 19, 2022 | 4-5:30 p.m. Where: American Legion Post 8 300 Ave M NW, Winter Haven cypressgardensskiteam.com On the 3rd Saturday of each month, bring a chair or blanket and watch the world famous ski team perform on Lake Silver. Watch from American Legion Post 8, 300 Ave M NW in Downtown Winter Haven while MLK Park is under construction.

BLACK HISTORY FESTIVAL 2022 When: Feb. 19, 2022 | 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Where: Jackson Park 1130 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave, Lakeland lakelandgov.net The City of Lakeland will join in celebrating Black History Month at Jackson Park on February 19th from 10 am - to 2 pm for the Annual Black History Festival. Join the community for a fun-filled family-friendly day full of performances, food, and craft vendors!

ARLEYN LEVEE: DESIGNING FOR COMMUNITY: OLMSTED RESIDENTIAL PLANNING AND ITS GREATER CONTEXT When: Feb. 19, 2022 | 6 p.m. Where: Bok Tower Gardens 1151 Tower Blvd., Lake Wales boktowergardens.org Whether for park, institution, residential complex or individual property, the Olmsted firm considered its design and planning commissions as interrelated components within a greater context. Arleyn Levee, landscape designer, historian and preservationist, will explore these themes, drawing from examples throughout the Olmsted firm’s canon of work. Included with general admission or membership, registration required. 863-734-1222

CHAIN OF LAKES EGGFEST When: Feb. 19, 2022 | 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Where: 2400 Havendale Blvd. NW Winter Haven chainoflakeseggfest.com EGGHeads from all over the country are coming to show off their talents on the Big Green Egg. Come on out for live music, delicious food, live demonstrations, and more, all for a GREAT cause! Purchase tickets online. All Proceeds go toGirls Incorporated of Winter Haven, FL & Boys & Girls Clubs of Polk County. HARRISON SCHOOL FOR THE ARTS SENIOR EXHIBITION When: Feb. 19 - Mar. 20, 2022 Where: Polk Museum of Art 800 E Palmetto St., Lakeland polkmuseumofart.org Harrison School for the Arts Senior ExhibitionHarrison School for the Arts annual showcase at the Polk Museum of Art presents the work of graduating seniors from the visual arts department. This exhibition may be viewed online. 863-688-7743

MURDER AT THE MOULIN ROUGE When: Feb. 19, 2022 | 6 p.m. Where: The Poor Porker 801 E Main St., Lakeland poorporker.com/store/event/murder Swan City Improv and Our Noire Kitchen provide dinner and a show at The Poor Porker. Tickets are $50 and can be purchased online. Contact: Shannon@PoorPorker.com or Hello@ournoirekitchen.com for more details.

SOWING SEEDS OF KINDNESS When: Feb. 19, 2022 | 11 a.m.-12 p.m. Where: Bok Tower Gardens 1151 Tower Blvd., Lake Wales boktowergardens.org There are many lessons that can be taught through gardening and connecting with nature. Join us in Hammock Hollow with your children as we sow seeds of kindness, caring, thoughtfulness and gratitude. Activities are designed to promote mindfulness and positive social interactions for children aged 6 and up. Free for members/ $15 non-members, registration required. 863-734-1222.

A TASTE OF BRUNCH WITH OUR NOIRE KITCHEN AT THE POOR PORKER When: Feb. 20, 2022 | 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Where: The Poor Porker 801 E Main St., Lakeland Join us as we’ll have savory chicken and waffles as well as shrimp and gouda grits on the menu, a live DJ, mimosa specials, and beignets by The Poor Porker. Contact: Hello@OurNoireKitchen.com or connect on Instagram: @OurNoireKitchen_

SLOW ROLL & SKI SHOW When: Feb. 19, 2022 | 3:30 p.m. Where: The Bike Shop, 249 3rd Street SW, Winter Haven Slow Roll is a FREE community gathering of bicycling, urban art, craft beer, a little bit of exercise, and an amazing ski show! After

DANIEL PEPIN LIVE AT SWAN BREWING When: Feb. 20, 2022 | 2-5 p.m. Where: Swan Brewing 115 W Pine St, Lakeland danielpepinmusic.com Join Havens Best Musician winner Daniel

Pepin at Swan Brewing for a night of great food, drinks, and music from all genres! PRESIDENTS’ DAY When: Feb. 21, 2022 MUSICAL HAMMERS When: Feb. 21, 2022 | 12:45-1:30 p.m. Where: Florida State Fairgrounds 4800 US 301, Tampa floridastatefair.com Musical Hammers will bring Old-Time music with some Gospel singalongs to those visitors sitting in the original wooden pews, with wooden floors enhancing the beautiful sounds from the hammered dulcimers, guitar, banjo, flute and psaltery. Purchasing a ticket to the Fair allows your entrance into the Cracker Country, the Midway and many buildings having educational displays as well as home-made crafts and art. Directly to the right after you enter your will see the entrance to Cracker Country, which is a Reincarnation of a small, Florida community with buildings transported from their original sites from Central Florida communities. You will also see Demonstrations of old-time crafts and opportunities to tour the old general store and school early home. An Outdoor stage will have country or bluegrass small groups providing more music. February 21st is the Last Day of the State Fair. AFTER SCHOOL ART When: Feb. 21, 2022 | 4:30-5:30 p.m. Where: Polk Museum of Art 800 E Palmetto St., Lakeland polkmuseumofart.org After School Art is designed for the parent and child to learn creative new skills together. Come join them for a new lesson each week using a different medium and learn about the elements of art. The activities are easily designed to be recreated at home to further enhance your young artists’ skills - and yours, too!Doors open at 4:20 pm. Space is limited; be sure to arrive early to secure your spot! 863-688-7743 DEMOCRATIC WOMEN’S CLUB OF EAST POLK/RIDGE When: Feb. 22, 2022 | 5:30-7:30 p.m. Where: The R-Place Eatery Restaruant, 35523 Hwy 27, Haines City The Democratic Women’s Club of East Polk/ Ridge meets every 4th Tuesday. All Democratic women are welcome to join the club, where we discuss shared political views and volunteer for activities that help elect fellow Democrats. Contact: Anne Huffman, Club President (863-242-3230) and annehuffman01@gmail.com FLEA & FARMERS MARKET When: Feb. 24, 2022 | 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Where: Central Florida’s Visitor Information Center, 101 Adventure Ct., Davenport Central Florida’s Visitor Information Center (CFVIC) in Davenport will host a weekly Flea and Farmers Market. Enjoy a variety of vendors offering fresh local produce, arts and crafts, jewelry, home goods and more. CFVIC

is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., seven days a week (excluding major holidays). LUNCH & LEARN: DOWNTOWN CRA UPDATE When: Feb. 24, 2022 | 11:45 a.m. Where: Winter Haven Chamber 401 Ave B NW, Winter Haven winterhavenchamber.com Everyone is welcome to join the Central Florida Regional Planning Council as they provide an update to the Downtown CRA plan. Their team would like to brief the community on the CRA Plan update and inform them of the many ways in which they can provide input that will guide long-term investment for the Downtown District. Doors open at 11:45 a.m. Lunch is included, purchase ticket in advance. MOVIE NIGHT: LOVE & BASKETBALL When: Feb. 24, 2022 | 7 p.m. Where: Ritz Theatre, 263 W Central Ave, Winter Haven centralfloridatix.com Monica (Sanaa Lathan) and Quincy (Omar Epps) are two childhood friends who both aspire to be professional basketball players. Quincy, whose father, Zeke (Dennis Haysbert), plays for the Los Angeles Clippers, is a natural talent and a born leader. Monica is ferociously competitive but sometimes becomes overly emotional on the court. Over the years, the two begin to fall for each other, but their separate paths to basketball stardom threaten to pull them apart.Join us to watch on our big screen! Doors will open at 6:30pm and movie will begin at 7:00pm. Grab takeout

Festivities pick back up on Saturday at 11AM -11PM at Lake Wales Park with more live music, food, and activities for the entire family. The Mardi Gras parade starts at 3PM in the Historic Downtown District of Lake Wales and winds it’s way through the streets and down Central Ave. to it’s dramatic close at Lake Wailes Park. The parade boasts dozens of floats from the local Mardi Gras Krewes, media personalities, County Commissioners and the Polk County Sheriff Dept. including Sheriff Grady Judd.

from your favorite local restaurant to eat during the film. Drinks and concessions will be for purchase. SWAN CITY IMPROV When: Feb. 24, 2022 | 8 p.m. Where: Laugh Out Lounge Comedy Club 19 3rd St. NW, Winter Haven winterhavenlol.com A hilarious night of improvisational comedy in the style of “Whose Line is it Anyway?” Every moment is original based on audience suggestions.

DANIEL PEPIN LIVE AT THE FEDERAL BAR When: Feb. 25, 2022 | 7-10 p.m. Where: The Federal Bar 124 South Tennessee Ave Lakeland danielpepinmusic.com Join Havens Best Musician winner Daniel Pepin at The Federal Bar for a night of great food, drinks, and music from all genres!

FROSTED FRIDAYS When: Feb. 25, 2022 | 12 a.m. Where: Salvation Army Family Thrift Store, 927 6th Street NW, Winter Haven. salvationarmyflorida.org/winterhaven Every Friday come on over for our Frosted Fridays at The Salvation Army Familly Store, 25% off all Jewelry. LAKE WALES MARDI GRAS When: Feb. 25, 2022 | 6-11 p.m. Where: Downtown Lake Wales lwmardigras.com February 25th and 26th, 2022. Mardi Gras starts on Friday evening at 6PM for the annual 5k Glow Run around the beautiful Shores of Lake Wailes. The Mardi Gras festival also begins Friday evening at 6PM - 11PM with live music, children’s activities, local food vendors as well as beer and wine sales. The Festival takes place at the picturesque Lake Wailes Park, on the shores of Lake Wailes.The

HAVANA NIGHTS HOSTED BY FRANKIE NEGRON When: Feb. 25, 2022 | 7:30 p.m. Where: Balmoral Bar and Grill 124 Kenny Blvd., Haines City centralfloridatix.co, Join us for a night of Havana heaven at Balmoral hosted by Latin sensation, Frankie Negron! This Cuban-inspired party will feature a live performance from Renesito Avich, the launch of Frankie Negron’s NEW music video, and music from DJ Miguel to close out the night! Frankie Negron is most commonly

known for his Spanglish hit “Holding On to Love,” which appeared on an episode of ABC’s One Life To Live. Negron’s sound, which is a blend of traditional salsa with influences of pop, rock, gospel, hip-hop and reggaeton, helped him become a Grammy and Billboard award nominee for several of his hits. Bring your dancing shoes - Renesito Avich will take the stage playing Salsa music! A cigar-roller will be on-site all night, offering hand rolled cigars that can be enjoyed in the VIP lounge area. This event offers $15 General Admission tickets, and $20 VIP tickets which includes access to the VIP lounge area and one specialty drink! Food and drink specials will be available all night! ASSISTED LIVING THE MUSICAL When: Feb. 25 - 27, 2022 Where: Theatre Winter Haven 210 Cypress Gardens Blvd. Winter Haven theatrewinterhaven.com From early retirement right up to the pulling of the plug, 21st Century seniors are partying like it’s 1969. Imagine: no work, no pregnancy and a full array of Medicare-subsidized pharmaceuticals. It’s the Boomer dream! These Boomers are partying at Pelican Roost, the very active retirement community that is home to the 18-different characters played by the show’s two actors. Pelican Roost is where 70-something is the new 20-something‚only with looser skin. 863-294-7469 - CONTINUED ON PAGE 48 -

THE WORLD GOES ‘ROUND When: Feb. 25 - Mar. 06, 2022 Where: Haines City Theatre 303 Ledwith Ave., Haines City centralfloridatix.com Produced by TheatreWorks Florida. Synopsis: The World Goes ‘Round, is a stunning musical revue from the multi-Tony award-winning team of Kander & Ebb, with the original production winning three Drama Desk Awards. From shows like Cabaret to Chicago, this nonstop hit-parade features unforgettable gems, including “Mr. Cellophane,” “Maybe This Time,” “Cabaret” and “All That Jazz”, seamlessly interwoven into a passionate, harmonious, up-tempo evening of musical theatre! Rating: FF (Family Friendly). General Admission, limited seating. All sales are final — no refunds or exchanges. Disclaimer: Ticket prices, artists, performances, venue, date & time are all subject to change without notice. Please email boxoffice@theatreworksfl.org or call Abel Gonzales at 407-340-0473.

+ tables and chairs to sit and relax at.Located across from Grove Roots in the parking lot of the BB&T Bank building on the NE corner of Third St. and Ave C SW in downtown Winter Haven every Saturday.

POLK SENIOR GAMES When: Feb. 26, 2022 | 12 a.m. polkseniorgames.org Feb. 26 through Mar. 12. The Polk Senior Games are streamlining the games this year for everyone to have a safe experience. They will only offer the outside events in various locations around Polk County. See full schedule online. Polk Senior Games provides an annual event of competitive athletic and recreational events for men and women 50 years and over. The Games promote an active, healthy lifestyle, an interest in sports, and volunteerism.

PLANTOPIA GARDEN FESTIVAL When: Feb. 26, 2022 | 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Where: Hollis Garden, 702 E Orange St., Lakeland lakelandgov.net/hollisgarden The event is FREE and there will be a number of vendors selling Orchids, Bromeliads, Tillandsias, Aroids, Caudiciforms, Tropical Plants, Bamboo, Grasses, Exotic Fruit Trees, Native Plants, Succulents, Carnivorous Plants, Butterfly Attractants, Spices, Herbs and much more!Featured Vendors include the world-renowned R.F. Orchids, The Necatary, Tropiflora, Sow Exotic, Critter Companions, Mad Plants, George 4 Plants and Beautiful Bamboo.

A TASTE OF BRUNCH WITH OUR NOIRE KITCHEN AT HAVEN COFFEE ROASTERS When: Feb. 26, 2022 | 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Where: Haven Coffee Roasters 140 3rd. St. SW, Winter Haven Menu items like coffee-rubbed steak and eggs and shrimp and gouda grits will be featured. Connect with these local businesses on Instagram: @OurNoireKitchen_ and @TheHavenCoffeeRoasters for full menu details! DOWNTOWN LAKELAND FARMERS CURB MARKET When: Feb. 26, 2022 | 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Where: Downtown Lakeland Shop fresh produce, plants and local handcrafted items. The 11-month Market (closed in August) is a showcase for the talents and the work of local artisans and local growers. The Downtown Farmers Curb Market is a project of the Lakeland Downtown Development Authority (LDDA). WINTER HAVEN FARMERS MARKET When: Feb. 26, 2022 | 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Where: NE corner of Third St. & Ave. C SW, Winter Haven winterhavenfarmersmarket.com The Market features a variety of farmers, unusual food trucks, artisan food vendors, plants, and a sprinkling of curated makers. Enjoy a strong selection of “ready-to-eat” foods and freshly picked produce. Live music

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ifact Studios and Art Gallery. Purchase tickets at www.eventbrite.com/e/abstract-art-of-recovery-exhibition-and-fundraiser-tickets DANIEL PEPIN LIVE AT THE POOR PORKER When: Feb. 26, 2022 | 7-10 p.m. Where: The Poor Porker 801 E Main St, Lakeland danielpepinmusic.com Join Havens Best Musician winner Daniel Pepin at The Poor Porker for a night of great Beignet’s, drinks, and music from all genres!

SPRING GOURD DECORATION When: Feb. 26, 2022 | 9-11 a.m. Where: Bok Tower Gardens 1151 Tower Blvd., Lake Wales boktowergardens.org Join gourd artist Holly Grove for this gourd art workshop. You will create 2 Spring ornaments from small hard shell gourds(provided)to adorn a small twig stand (provided). The medium used is alcohol ink applied with sponge daubers, then sealer will be applied with a brush. Small bird will be created out of Quick Wood. Participants will take home a finished decoration. Because ink stain is permanent, please wear old clothes or bring an apron.”$25 members/ $35 non-members, registration required. 863-734-1222

HOLY ROCKA ROLLAZ When: Feb. 26, 2022 | 7:30 p.m. Where: Polk State/Winter Haven 999 Avenue H N.E., Winter Haven polk.edu/the-arts/ Special Performance Series 2022. $30 General Public. Take an authentic trip back to the 50’s with Minnesota’s own Holy Rocka Rollaz! If you love the rock ‘n’ roll music of Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly, Chuck Berry, Johnny Cash, Brenda Lee, Patsy Cline, Eddie Cochran, Bill Haley & The Comets then you have found your DREAM band! Using vintage instruments and having spent years studying the styles of all the early rock ‘n’ rollers, the band feels no need to update or modernize the classic sound of early American rock ‘n’ roll. For information & tickets: 863-297-1050 CROP HUNGER WALK When: Feb. 27, 2022 | 1-3 p.m. Where: First Presbyterian of Lakeland 175 Lake Hollingsworth, Lakeland The 38th Lakeland CROP Hunger Walk raises awareness of the needy in our community and the world. It also raises funds for hunger, disaster, and refugee services in the US and overseas. The CROP Walk held in February 2021 raised $14,383 and in the Lakeland Walks, since their beginning, have raised $733,251. This event brings together various congregations and organizations, and is historically one of the larger cross-faith events in Lakeland. CROP Walks are held in cities all over the US.

LAKE WALES MARDI GRAS When: Feb. 26, 2022 | 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Where: Downtown Lake Wales lwmardigras.com The Festival takes place at the picturesque Lake Wailes Park, on the shores of Lake Wailes. The Festivities include live music, food, and activities for the entire family.The Mardi Gras parade starts at 3PM in the Historic Downtown District of Lake Wales and winds it’s way through the streets and down Central Ave. to it’s dramatic close at Lake Wailes Park. The parade boasts dozens of floats from the local Mardi Gras Krewes, media personalities, County Commissioners and the Polk County Sheriff Dept. including Sheriff Grady Judd.

CHAIN O’ LAKES BIG BAND CONCERT: “THE GREAT AMERICAN SONGBOOK” When: Feb. 27, 2022 | 2 p.m. Where: Polk State/Winter Haven 999 Avenue H N.E., Winter Haven Chain O’ Lakes Big Band Concert: “The Great American Songbook.” $10 General Public. Polk State Winter Haven Fine Arts Theatre. For information contact: 863-297-1050

ABSTRACT - ART OF RECOVERY LIVE EXHIBITION AND FUNDRAISER When: Feb. 26, 2022 | 6:30-9 p.m. Where: ART/ifact, 820 N Mass Ave, Lakeland A performing and visual arts pop-up exhibition, a culmination of and fundraiser for Abstract - Art of Recovery, a documentary series, featuring artists and their stories, from ache to art. General Admission$15 online, in advance$20 at the door, day of. NOTE: This live event will be filmed, by Reel Moments Media, for use in a final episode of Abstract - Art of Recovery, a documentary series.The pop-up exhibition is a GRUBB Arts, LLC production, in partnership with Art Crawl, Inc. and ART/

DANIEL PEPIN LIVE AT GROVE ROOTS When: Feb. 27, 2022 | 2-5 p.m. Where: Grove Roots Brewing Co. 302 3rd St SW, Winter Haven danielpepinmusic.com Join Havens Best Musician winner Daniel Pepin at Grove Roots Brewing Co. for a night of great food, drinks, and music from all genres!

AFTER SCHOOL ART When: Feb. 28, 2022 | 4:30-5:30 p.m. Where: Polk Museum of Art 800 E Palmetto St., Lakeland polkmuseumofart.org After School Art is designed for the parent and child to learn creative new skills together. Come join them for a new lesson each week using a different medium and learn about the elements of art. The activities are easily designed to be recreated at home to further enhance your young artists’ skills - and yours, too!Doors open at 4:20 pm. Space is limited; be sure to arrive early to secure your spot! 863-688-7743 ACHIEVEMENT ACADEMY’S 8TH ANNUAL “TOP CHEF OF POLK COUNTY” When: Feb. 28, 2022 | 6-9 p.m. Where: Participating Chefs’ Restaurants achievementacademy.com/top-chef-ofpolk-county-2021-2/ Join us for a night of delicious food and fellowship while raising funds for children from birth through age five with special needs or who are at risk for developmental delays. Guests will enjoy a three-course meal that includes their chef’s signature dish accompanied by a wine or libation that complements the dish’s flavors. There will be an online silent auction during the event to add to the fun! Due to continued COVID concerns, the location will be held at participating chefs’ restaurants, like the previous year’s format. This format will allow for a safe environment with approximately 25 guests per restaurant. THE DEMOCRATIC WOMEN’S CLUB OF LAKELAND: ZOOM When: Feb. 28, 2022 | 6:30 p.m. The Democratic Women’s Club of Lakeland is a proud, fearless and determined group of Democratic women and men. Our meetings are informative with quality speakers focused on current local, state, and national issues. Our outreach includes having a presence at community events, such as, First Friday, the Martin Luther King Parade, Pride in the Park, and voter registration, to name a few. Members are also involved in Democratic campaigns, supporting or opposing legislative activities, and other opportunities to support the Democratic agenda.Meeting will be conducted via Zoom please email dwclakeland@gmail.com for meeting details. Our Club typically meets on the 4th Monday of the month, program begins at 6:30 p.m. and adjourns at 8:00 p.m.The meeting is open to the public. If you are interested in joining our club, you will be able to do so at any meeting. If you have questions, you can email the club at dwclakeland@gmail.com or visit our website at dwclakeland.org for additional information regarding our meeting protocol. *Due to the uncertainty of COVID, please double check that the event you’re interested in has not been canceled or rescheduled prior to leaving your house.

An annual rite of passage, Spring Bloom presented by AdventHealth is the most colorful time of the year as thousands of azaleas, camellias, and annuals signal a new season. The festival celebrates the majesty of Mother Nature, now through April 30.

CONCERT UNDER THE STARS SERIES A partnership of the Lake Wales Arts Council and Bok Tower Gardens, enjoy amazing music, starlit nights, and the beautiful setting for a truly unique concert experience. ASLEEP AT THE WHEEL

POKEY LAFARGE FRIDAY, APRIL 8

FRIDAY, MARCH 4

MOLLY TUTTLE

SIERRA HULL

FRIDAY, APRIL 22

FRIDAY, MARCH 25

LKLD February 2022

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