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@lkldnow Lakeland Christmas Parade highlights. The 43rd annual parade was held Dec. 5, 2024, in downtown Lakeland, Florida; it is sponsored by the Junior League of Greater Lakeland. #lkld #lakelandfl #christmas #christmasparade #parades #santa ♬ original sound – lkldnow Award winners Judge’s Choice Award: Chick Fil A Best Pro Float: Family Reptiles Most Outstanding Band: […]

Mega Mercado, which started in west Lakeland 22 years ago as a Latino market that added a Mexican restaurant, has expanded to a second location in south Lakeland. The south Lakeland location at 6645 S. Florida Ave. flips the formula; its larger Mexican restaurant is paired with a smaller Latino market next door. Deivy Peralta, […]

More than 100 Dutch Impressionist paintings are currently on exhibit at the Ashley Gibson Barnett Museum of Art at Florida Southern College in Lakeland in a one-of-a-kind display. “It isn’t going anywhere else and all the works, 100 pieces, in the show, are exclusive to our museum, and they’re in the United States for the […]

Thousands of people are expected to converge on downtown Lakeland on Thursday evening for the spectacle of the annual Christmas parade and fireworks. What: 43rd Lakeland Christmas Parade When: 7 p.m. Thursday, beginning with fireworks over Lake Mirror Where: The parade starts on Lemon Street west of Florida Avenue, winds through downtown via Munn Park and Lake Mirror and […]

2-minute read The city of Lakeland’s popular Gandy Pool at the Kelly Recreation Center will be closed for much of the winter and early spring for renovations. But the city’s parks director made two promises at Monday’s City Commission meeting: It won’t close until the city’s other pool at Simpson Park reopens. Gandy Pool will […]

Cafe Zuppina, the popular Mediterranean eatery, moved to downtown Lakeland with much fanfare in April, but quietly closed “until further notice” in late October. “We hope to see you all again soon,” said a Nov. 3 message on their Facebook page that is no longer visible. “Stay tuned for updates, and thank you for being […]

While joyous for many, the holiday season can be difficult for those grieving lost loved ones, experiencing financial stress, navigating family conflict or recovering from a disaster. More than a dozen area residents learned about “Mental Health First Aid” on Friday at the Peggy Brown Building in the Lake Mirror Complex. The day-long course, taught […]

A Lakeland mom started a toy drive to benefit children hospitalized during the holidays after she saw the joy in her daughter’s face when surprised with gifts after spending her first birthday in the hospital. Liz Haygood, the founder of Kate’s Story Foundation, held her first toy drive in 2016 to honor her daughter, Kate, […]

After Florida’s surgeon general came to Polk County Friday to urge cities and counties statewide to quit adding fluoride to drinking water, a majority of Lakeland’s city commissioners said they would need to learn more before they could vote on the issue. Only one said he is learning toward making the change. The newly revived […]

6-minute read Some kids dream about growing up to become a firefighter, a U.S. Marine, an FBI agent or a lawyer; David Charles Cox, the city of Lakeland’s new emergency management director, became all four. Cox, 53, took the emergency management helm at the beginning of November – three weeks after one of Lakeland’s worst […]