People who know Andrea Dockery aren’t at all surprised by her success, but her journey to being named the RE/MAX 2023 Broker/Owner of the Year for a single office franchise nationwide has been filled with them. In fact, it’s still somewhat of a surprise to the 59-year-old Lakeland native...

How One Gregarious Developer’s Journey to Bring Lifestyle Living Options to Lakeland Illustrates the Complexities and Hopefulness of Growth. Trying to define “smart” growth locally or correctly guessing what the next three to five years is going to look like in the country’s fastest growing county is a lot like trying to predict what might happen if a couple of Lakeland icons invited an established developer of urban high-rises from Brooklyn, New York to a languishing industrial city to talk shop and build bridges—metaphorically, of course.

What to Do This Weekend: Summer Splash Bash, Movie on the Lawn, Indie Bash Three and More. Adventure Days “School’s Out” Celebration | Bonnet Springs Park | 1o a.m. to 2 p.m. Wedding Vendor Showcase | Haus 820 | 6 to 8 p.m. Movie on the Lawn:...

Developed in partnership with Bank of Central Florida. Rick Ricart is in a hotel room in Jerusalem, making slight changes to an upcoming Holy Land tour and checking on the status of a wire transfer. Thomas DiCesare is on the phone with a client discussing their financial goals, while glancing...

Polynesian Celebration | Bonnet Springs Park | 6 to 9 p.m. AMP Up the Love Live Music | Munn Park | 6 to 11 p.m. Fallen Heroes Memorial 5k | Lakeland Family YMCA | 7 a.m. Downtown Farmers Curb Market | Downtown Lakeland | 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday,...

It is a typical Wednesday morning for Florida Southern College (FSC) students Lauren Schreader and Daniel Jones, as they operate FSC’s new student-run coffee cart, Morning Grind. While Schreader makes her favorite beverage, the maple spice latte, for a fellow Moccasin, Daniel is greeting customers and handling transactions at the register. The cart, located on the corner of the Barney Barnett School of Business and Free Enterprise building, right off of Lake Hollingsworth, is about more than just providing students flavorful caffeine jolts each morning—it’s evidence of a culture that has shifted from students being taught the importance of entrepreneurship and capitalism, to being trained on how to become an entrepreneur and succeed in a capitalist economy.

It’s not everyday you find someone like that—someone who will drop everything to take care of you,” admits Nick Wood, former firefighter for the Lakeland Fire Department. After meeting at Harrison School of the Arts, falling in love and graduating in 2018, Nick and his bride-to-be, fourth generation Polk County native, Camryn Brooks, share a beautiful bond that has had to overcome the unexpected difficulties of life leading up to their special season of engagement.

St. Petersburg native and bridal shop owner Shantel Griffin says coming to Lakeland to open her second business was fate. After more than 10 years successfully operating Bearer of the Bling Bridal just outside of St. Petersburg, Elope Bride has become a bridge to serve her Lakeland fanbase and attract additional Lakelanders to her business with exclusive bridal designs.

First Friday: Tres de Mayo | Downtown Lakeland | 6 to 9 p.m. Spring Short-Film Festival | Harrison School for the Arts | 7 to 9 p.m. (event continues on Saturday evening) Swan City Improv Comedy Shows | Rec Room | 7:30 p.m. (family friendly) 9:30 p.m. (21+ show) Saturday,...

It was perfect that on January 27 The Lakeland Country Club hosted a grandiose centennial celebration, because just eight days later—February 4, 2024—a Lakeland couple whose goal was to throw a “Roaring Twenties” style party were married in the same building. “Everything was black and gold...

Josh and Jane-Anne phelan love the outdoors. So much so that during the pandemic the Polk County natives installed a platform bed in the back of their Subaru and hit the road for 72 days to visit national parks and quintessential landmarks across the country. “There were [times] where we...

You spend anywhere from days to weeks to years planning them. You determine which individuals “make the cut” based on your budget, how intimate you want it to be, etc. You try to personalize the day as much as possible but also learn to accept that sometimes the standard practice is standard for a reason.

Lakeland Book Crawl | Various Locations | 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Swan Derby | Lake Mirror Promenade | 5:30 to 9 p.m. Tribute to Jimmy Buffett, Jim Croce, James Taylor, and Toby Keith | Union Hall | 7 p.m. Saturday, 4/27. Spring into Health | Lakeland Regional Health Kathleen...

You ask Terrie Lobb what comes to mind when she thinks about weddings, she’ll likely laugh and then start replaying a series of real life movie clips that flood into her mind. Like the one time staff of TLC Catering rolled food carts with fine china through a pasture...

Friday Night Live | Munn Park | 6 to 8 p.m. Poetry and Prose Open Mic Night | CoHatch| 7 to 8:30 p.m. Tick, Tick, Boom! | Lakeland Community Theatre | 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. (additional shows on Saturday and Sunday) Saturday, 4/13. Aquafest | Gandy Pool | 10 a.m....

Mayfaire by-the-Lake is returning for the 52nd consecutive year, featuring artwork from local and nationally recognized artists and offering people the opportunity to immerse themselves in art with the beautiful backdrop of Lake Morton, as well enjoy activities at the Polk Museum of Art and Lakeland Public Library. This admission...

TrueMedSpa Provides Customized Beauty Beyond Skin Deep. For nearly two decades, Lisa Birket and her team, which she lovingly refers to as the “True Tribe,” have poured their time, energy and passion into building TrueMedSpa into a premier spot where locals can enjoy the latest procedures, technologies and trends. They have been awarded Central Florida’s Best Medical Spa five years in a row by The Official Community’s Choice Awards. Lisa says her team of more than 30 professionals is constantly learning new practices to better serve clients, and she stays on the cutting edge of new technologies that are proven to help people.

Hat could be more fun than cheating gravity?” asks Eric Crump, revealing an inexhaustible enthusiasm for aviation. Crump is VP/COO of the Aerospace Center for Excellence (ACE)–located at the Lakeland Linder International Airport–whose campus boasts an amalgam of all things aerospace: the Central Florida Aerospace Academy, flight simulators, aircraft restoration, and maintenance training facilities, as well as a museum, a hangar, a fully functional 727, and more. It all exists to spark that same enthusiasm in young people and provide the instruction and opportunities needed to bring about a lifetime of flying, whether personal or professional.

Timothy Knight and his team aim to “make aging more enjoyable,” and at The Monarch MedSpa in North Lakeland their expertise in skincare is peerless. Dr. Knight has more than 35 years of experience in dermatology, and since 2003 he and his wife, Judy, have operated North County Dermatology Clinic in Lakeland, devoting themselves to the diagnosis and treatment of skin, hair and nail conditions.

Dixieland Night Market | 1023 S Florida Ave. | 6 to 11 p.m. SUN ‘n FUN Aerospace Expo | 4075 James C. Ray Dr. Lakeland | 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. plus evening airshows (Expo goes through Sunday) Lakeland Flying Tigers vs Bradenton Marauders | Publix Field at Joker...