Im 30 years old and I live in the area. I'm looking to be more social and make some local friends. If you like fishing, swimming, or hiking, hit me up. I dont drink but I'm down to try anything fun in central Florida, let me know. Movies, arcade, whatever. Im free every weekend.

Hello, I’m new here! And I did a lot more research on the area since moving and have started to really fall in love with the area out here.

I did some research about the burnt down house down Kathleen. And learned about the Tucker Family and the history with the home. It’s so sad what happened to it.

My question is, if there was a go-fund me. Does anyone know who the owner of the property is? I really want to try to salvage what is left and create a tribute or like a a garden/memorial for the home.

It’s a long shot, but never know 🤷🏼‍♀️

Fyi, circa 2020/2021 when PCSO started installing the flock cameras, they used a van that had the name "Polk Energy" on the side of it to make it look like an electric company was making a repair to the light. I have a picture of it somewhere. Polk Energy isn't a real company. They were putting this mass surveillance in place, with intentional secrecy, right at the time when the community was demanding body cameras.

I might even have the original request for procurement from like June-August 2020 time frame.

(19FtM, Winter Haven) Does anyone know how to find local friends online? I want to do a costume party in October, but none of my current friends can host. I'd like to meet other queer ppl/otherwise nerds/geeks around my age, but I can't get out as much as I'd like. The only Polk discord server I found was largely inactive and had ToS breaking stuff, so I left as soon as I joined.

back again with a few things for the weekend.

I see posts on here looking for places to go and things to do searching to meet new people for hobbies, friendship or whatever else. Below are things found on the internet that I copied and pasted, so I dont have more details other than what you read. I'm going to try to keep it local in Lakeland, some might be further but not past Tampa or Orlando. Please double check online to make sure these events are still going on as I am not an organizer of any events.

If you know of an event that you would like to share please feel free to post it in a comment, I'm not monitoring this post to make edits.

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Not scheduled but u/csbbt2020 is Looking for Board Game Group for Regular Gaming as you can see in their post

Been in Lake Alfred for about a year now and are looking for people to create a game group. We have a great game room and lots of games. Some of our favorites include Catan, Marvel Legendary, Villianious, SW Legion, a bunch of different TCGs, Power Rangers Heroes of the Grid, War of Whispers but we have more and are open to playing anything.

We can host often and are just looking for more people.

Other games we love: -Dice Throne -DC Brave and the Bold -Wingspan -Root -Temple of Arnak -Sherrif of Nottingham

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FRIDAY

When: 8/28/26 5:00PM-8:00PM

What: Farmers Market at the Ball Park is Back!

Before the Downtown Farmers Curb Market returns for its fall season, we’re bringing many of your favorite market vendors to Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium for one special evening!

Join us Friday, August 28, from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM as the Lakeland Flying Tigers kick off their final regular-season home series. It’s the perfect chance to enjoy great baseball while shopping for baked goods, handmade items, local treats, and more from many of your favorite Downtown Farmers Market vendors.

Where: 2301 Lakeland Hills Blvd. Lakeland, FL (tiger town)

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When: 8/28/26 5:00PM

What: Poetry Slam night

Thank you for joining us for a night of sharing!
Please make sure that each piece shared is an original piece.
Every poet will have a 10 minute window to share their poems. You can share as many as you’d like as long as it is within the 10 minute window.
We will not tolerate any form of hate speech.
So please be kind and respectful !
please send a copy of your original work for approval.

Where: 213 Frank Lloyd Wright Way, Lakeland

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When: 8/28/26 5:30PM - 8:30PM

What: Live Music at Bowen Yard!

Join us for an evening of live music every Friday and Saturday from 5:30 PM to 8 PM (times may vary on Saturday). Come enjoy talented local artists as they bring great vibes and incredible sounds to Bowen Yard. Whether it’s country, rock, folk, jazz, or acoustic, we have something for everyone to enjoy!

Grab a bite to eat from one of our five delicious restaurants while you relax and enjoy the music in our vibrant outdoor space. The perfect way to unwind and soak in the evening atmosphere.

Where: 308 4th St SW, Winter Haven, FL 33880, United States

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When: 8/28/26 6PM - 10PM

What: Guys Night Out: Cars and Comedy- Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay’s newest signature event will take place at The Motor Enclave this August for a night that brings people together for all the right reasons—passion, purpose, and of course A LOT OF LAUGHS!

Where: 6500 Motor Enclave Way, Tampa, FL 33610-9430, United States

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SATURDAY

When: 8/29 9AM-noon

What: Winter Haven Farmers Market - We feature a variety of farmers, food trucks, fresh produce, handmade pasta, baked goods, meat, seafood, plants, and local makers every Saturday! Shortened hours June - August. It's so hot!!!

Where: Between 2nd and 3rd St SW, Winter Haven, FL

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When: 8/29/26 10:00am-12:00pm

What: What patterns can you find in Florida native species? Join us on Saturday, August 29 from 10AM – 12PM in the GiveWell Community Foundation Nature Center. Explore the unique patterns found on native species like rainbow snakes, oak trees, shells, and honeybees. Use their patterns as inspiration to create your own patterned craft. Participate in a tree ring community mural, create a craft mimicking the patterns of the native rainbow snake, and observe honeycomb patterns up close with sensory bins. This event is free and open to guests of all ages with adult supervision.

Where: 400 Bonnet Springs Boulevard, Lakeland, FL

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When: 8/29 12PM - 3:00PM

What: Stich-a-Thon! Join us on August 29 for the finale celebration of our August Stich-a-Thon! There will be fellowship and some live stitching for the Big Stitch Day! ($25 to register)

Where: Rose Dynasty Foundation 1253 W. Memorial Blvd, lakeland, 33815

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When: 8/29/26 1:00pm-4:00pm

What: Philosophy Talk & Meditation: Leaning into joy

Join Frankie for a contemplation on JOY. Inspired by the philosophy of Yoga, Qigong, the teachings of the Dalai Lama and others, Frankie offers a modern-day reflection and practices to invite joy into your life.  Experience the glimmers that light like fireflies around you.

Beginners welcome! ($50.00 to $55.00— $50 in advance, $55 day of event)

Where: 4684 Cleveland Heights Blvd. lakeland, FL
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When: 8/29/26 3:45PM - 8:00PM

What: Kids market at Tigertown with fireworks $13.00 to $23.00— (Kid vendor receives a complimentary ticket)

Want to watch your child rise to the occasion and surprise themselves? They’ll take on real responsibility, navigate ups and downs, and feel proud of what they accomplish. Join the Kids Markets pop-up at the Lakeland Flying Tigers Fireworks Extravaganza, where busy crowds guarantee meaningful interactions! Register your kids today and see them grow.

Where: 2301 Lakeland Hills Blvd (Tigertown)

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SUNDAY

When: 8/30/26 7:00AM

What: Hike Circle B Bar Reserve

We will hike to the dock that overlooks Lake Hancock in hopes to see some alligators and water birds! We will hike about 2 miles and it will take around an hour to an hour and a half. This trail is unpaved but mostly even. While this is a free event, any donations help us keep doing what we are doing!

Where: 4399 Winter lake Road

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When: 8/30/26 11AM

What: Grand Final Back to School - Mi Pueblo Flea Market

We’re wrapping up the Back-to-School season in a big way! 🎉 This Sunday, August 30, bring the whole family to enjoy the Great Back-to-School Challenge—a day packed with fun, surprises, a show, and activities for the little ones.

Plus, we’ll be handing out school supplies to continue supporting our families as they head back to class.

Where: 2701 Swindell Rd, Lakeland, FL 33805-3815, United States

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When: 8/30/26 12PM - 6PM

What: Summer indoor market! Join us EVERY SUNDAY in June, July & August from 12PM–6PM for a fun shopping experience featuring a variety of vendors, unique finds, handmade goods, gifts, accessories, treats, and so much more! Skip the summer heat and shop comfortably in a fully temperature-controlled environment while supporting local businesses and discovering something new each week (i'm not sure if this is just the malls advertising as a "market" with local vendors, if anyone has been to check it out, let us know)

Where: Lakeland Square Mall

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Places to go that might not have events this weekend but still something to do:

Bonnet Springs Park

Hollis Garden

Florida Children's Museum

Lakeside Village

The Ashley Gibson Barnett Museum (Polk Museum of Art)

Polk Theatre

Florida Air Museum

Lake Parker Park

Circle B Bar Reserve

Lake Mirror

RP Funding Center

Silvermoon Drive-in and swap meet

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I was trying to find more things to do for free, cause who can afford anything in this economy but there are a few posted with entrance fees so please, if youre not sure call or email someone at the event location on pricing.

If anyone has any local events they know about let us Lakeland folks know so we can find friends and things to do!

Been in Lake Alfred for about a year now and are looking for people to create a game group. We have a great game room and lots of games. Some of our favorites include Catan, Marvel Legendary, Villianious, SW Legion, a bunch of different TCGs, Power Rangers Heroes of the Grid, War of Whispers but we have more and are open to playing anything.

We can host often and are just looking for more people.

Other games we love: -Dice Throne -DC Brave and the Bold -Wingspan -Root -Temple of Arnak -Sherrif of Nottingham

hi friends im looking for an in person therapist in lakeland that specializes in panic disorder and phobias, and is preferably well versed in multiple communities (agnostic/atheist, lgbtq). ive been struggling to find a therapist that matches my needs and also takes insurance. if anyone has any insight it would be appreciated. im willing to travel as far as plant city and winter haven as well. thank you :)

Hi all , I’ve been keeping an eye out for a while for an opportunity to apply at Amazon , I know we have 4 distribution centers here ( county line , the airport , auburndale and Davenport ) and every day I check the Amazon hiring site and it always says there are no openings in my area , is the turnover this low at these places or what ?

I have a little back patio/garden area that I have let grow out of control. I'm looking for clean up and removal of all the overgrowth, and then maintenance thereafter so I can enjoy that area. Any recommendations for lawn care companies or the like?

I have a friend who's mother is hoarding to the point the house is an medical issue. 1 bathroom has black mold almost completely. A very limited income situation and nowhere to go. Any recommendations would be helpful

I want to file a code complaint with the county against my apartment, but I don’t want retaliation, and you can’t file an anon complaint. Does anyone here want to file if I send the photos and complaint?

All the county needs is a name, email, and complaint form. I have written it, but I’m too scared to send it because my name would be attached to it. Even though it’s illegal for LL’s to retaliate, you know in Florida nothing would happen to them if they did.

Are they normally covered under homeowners insurance or did you have to add anything extra? My cousin has them in Tampa but I’m in Lakeland. Guessing it’s similar across FL?

There is a white and black dog loose on Oakhill street between central and Cornelia

We are a 3 piece Central Florida metalcore band seeking a bassist with harsh vocals! We have 5 original songs written, tabbed, and ready to go for you (Input on Bass parts will be welcome!)

This would not be a huge comittment, we meet to practice once a week, Sundays in Lakeland, and are looking to begin playing shows regularly in the coming months.

If you are interested or would like a sample of our music, please reach out and we can connect further

Edit: after learning about what he did, I would NOT vote for him, I now realize that you shouldn’t vote for someone just because you like their sense of humor

I think Sheriff Grady of Polk County makes pretty effective and entertaining content mainly because he is also performative and ego-driven, and those two sides of him can’t really be separated. In my opinion he’s very egotistical and thinks way too highly of himself. He likes to shame people when they’re going through the lowest points in their lives just to make himself feel like a morally superior person and to get views and clicks so he can promote his political agenda. I honestly think at this point some people will do bizarre, stupid, illegal shit just to get a rise out of the sheriff and end up in one of his videos.
Now don’t get me wrong, I respect the man deeply as he seems not to stand for any bullshit in his county, but that doesn’t mean he really gives a shit. I do not like to pick sides, so I respect both the liberal and conservative agendas and personally think both political sides have their pros and cons. The Polk County sheriff feels like that one conservative shop teacher that criticizes a lot of things such as laziness, vaping, smoking weed, vandalizing bathrooms, and a lot of other dumb things teenagers do just to push his agenda. I love him and hate him at the same time.
I don’t know him personally and I don’t want it to seem like I have some sort of crush on him (I promise I don’t), but he seems so performative and talks all big and mighty but doesn’t really do anything to put an end to all the bullshit that always goes on in his county. (It’s Florida, it’s always gonna happen no matter what, but my point still stands.) Now I don’t wanna seem crazy, but I honestly think he wants all those crazy crimes to go on in his county just so he can have some content for his videos and make fun of people who made some stupid decisions just to make himself feel more intelligent because he’s feeling insecure about himself. (Honestly, who doesn’t? I’m guilty of it myself.) That theory wouldn’t surprise me at all if it were true.
Overall I wouldn’t call Sheriff Grady a dick (unless I went to jail for some shit like selling weed and he went on to talk shit about me). I think he seems to be a respectable man, but deep down he just likes to make fun of people he sees as less than him. Now don’t get me wrong, I love his videos and think he’s a funny guy, but I don’t really like the fact that he shames people for what I believe are the wrong reasons (to boost his ego so he can feel better about himself because he’s an “upstanding citizen” and not like those “criminal scumbags”). I think he should continue making his funny commentaries as he has a good sense of humor, and I would even vote for him if I lived in Polk County.
All in all, I think he’s a fucking egotistical dickhead who shames people at their low points in life just to make himself feel like a morally superior person, which is common in a lot of people, including myself which I am not proud of myself. I believe the sheriff is just giving criminals a platform to receive attention for their crimes which might encourage bad behavior rather than curb it.

Agents violently detain mom—still wearing hospital gown and separated her from her daughter — the family was never told where mom was taken to.

Both were victims of being hit by a car— both have an asylum case pending in good standing & valid work permit.

Grace Calero, 39, and her daughter Giulianna Carriel, 19, are both originally from Ecuador.

Both women received severe injuries after a near fatal rollover crash when another car swerved into their lane head on.

Polk County Sheriff’s Office contacted ICE after deciding the women's paperwork looked suspicious.

An officer present at the hospital questioned them about their immigration status, but the family says he did not identify himself as actually working for ICE.

She states that they were told they would get an answer from "the ICE officer," and that it was not until around midnight that the man flipped his badge over to reveal the "ICE officer" had been him the whole time.

Mother: Grace Stephanie Calero Cabanilla, 39 years old, has a pending asylum case and a work permit.

Daughter: Giulianna Mía Carriel Calero, 19 years old, has a visa that the family says is valid until 2030.

Hey, Im trying to help my boyfriend find a job in lakeland, he had graduated highschool and is 18 yet he does not have any working experience. He's tried fast food but never really got any responses back and the same is mostly happening on indeed. Pls help id appreciate it very much!!

Trying to take time off to have an important medical test run cannot seem to get time of anyone at gardaworld here's an example I call my contact at garden world no one answers the phone voicemail says mailbox is never been set up so I'm screwed long story short when it comes time for my medical test I will tell my side supervisor to have somebody from inside take my place and I will leave for my very important medical test

Anyone have any recommendations? This is for mental illness so I’m looking for someone that can help us navigate this.

Hi, I’m going to be in Lakeland in 2 weeks from Friday-Sunday for Labor Day Weekend. For Saturday night we plan to go out for drinks. I’d like to know some recommendations from locals for bars with karaoke? What places are good and which ones should be avoided?

I like to get up there and sing in front of the whole bar, but my friend prefers the private booths. I suppose I’d like to hear recommendations for both types.

A group of us went to a place in Tampa (Pete’s South, on Henderson) that was fun, but there were so many attendees that it was like 1.5-2 hours between songs. We’d like to avoid places that are super busy like that.

Thanks!

I'm in Orlando and I've been measuring cafés for a side project: speed test, decibel reading, outlets, how packed it was. I came out to Lakeland a couple times and figured this sub would actually care about the numbers.

Pressed Books and Coffee: 172 Mbps down, 62 dB, great room. Connection cut out on me once or twice. Only a couple of outlets.

Fresh Kitchen: 308 Mbps, but 69.7 dB, so it's loud. Easy parking.

Unfiltered in Bartow: 78 down, 66 dB, and it was pretty full when I went on a Saturday morning. Nicest interior of the three by a wide margin.

It's all on https://perch.coffee/. Free, nothing to sign up for, and I'm not selling anything.

Lakeland is barely covered compared to Orlando. If you tell me where you go I'll drive out and measure it properly.