Downtown is joining the ranks of many other cities across the county by hosting a photo scavenger hunt.  The scavenger hunt requires teams to follow clues and instructions to capture the required photo within the allotted time.  Teams travel throughout the city to capture photos at required locations, and get creative with other photo opportunities.  Teams return to the starting point in Downtown Lakeland with their memory cards in hand to see which team assembled the best combination of photos for the highest score.  “This is a great time for a family or a group of friends,” says Jack Strollo, chair of the event.  “Teams dress up and decorate their cars to match their themes.”  Though the event begins and ends in Downtown Lakeland, the hunt will take teams all over the city in pursuit of the required photos. Businesses can become a “required stop” through sponsorship which is a great way to get folks in your door.

Purchase your tickets!

Author and consultation Peter Katz used to help developers market suburban sprawl.  Now he’s one of its fiercest critics.  Katz is a leading proponent of New Urbanism, an urban design and planning movement that The New York Times called ” the most important phenomenon to emerge in American architecture in the post-Cold War era.”  New Urbanists combine traditional planning and modern technology to create compelling places that break the suburban mold of mega-malls, cookie-cutter subdivisions and endless highways.  Instead, they strive for environmental balance, social equity and a true sense of community.

Katz played a key role in shaping the movement as founding executive director of the Congress for the New Urbanism. He’s also author of a seminal book on the subject – The New Urbanism: Toward an Architecture of Community – published by McGraw-Hill in 1994.

Katz continues to address implementation barriers to building better places: He was the founding President of the Form-Based Codes Institute, a national alliance advancing an emerging alternative to use-based zoning and remains a board member of that group. Katz is a member of the board of advisors of the National Charrette Institute.

Katz is the Director, Smart Growth/Urban Planning for Sarasota County, Florida. He also provides consulting services in the areas of smart growth implementation, real-estate marketing and community development. Over the years, Katz has worked with a range of clients including municipal governments and agencies, real-estate developers, non-profit organizations, charitable foundations and civic associations. Included among these are the Community Builders (Louisville and Cincinnati), the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, the Brookings Institution and Contra Costa County (California). His reach extends internationally, too – with speeches and consulting stints in Australia, United Kingdom, Canada and Indonesia.

His recent work involves an analysis of the tax base of a community from the point of view of the taxation per acre of different land uses. His research points out to the need to re-examine land use development practices in light of a weak economy and limited resources. katzoid@earthlink.net

Speaker Links:

Back to the City

Best Bet for Tax Revenue: Mixed Use Downtown Development

Sarasota’s Smart Growth Dividend

The Downtown Lakeland Partnership is pleased to announce its partnership with Cleveland Heights Animal Hospital as title sponsor of the September First Friday – Dog Days of Summer with support from Northwest Animal Hospital.

REGISTER TO WIN!!

A basket of people treats and pet goodies valued at over $1000!! You must register at Cleveland Heights Animal Hospital at 3710 Cleveland Heights Blvd.  by September 1st at 10pm.

Here’s what’s happening:

• Rescue Groups – learn about dogs who need our help
• Music & Entertainment along the streets!
• Shops  Open Late – visit store for specials and activities
• Outdoor  Dining – many restaurants have outdoor seating to accommodate you and your pooch!
• Classic Cars on Tennessee Avenue

$1000 BASKET WINNER ANNOUNCED – 8:00pm

Register to win a basket of people treats and pet goodies valued at over $1000!! You must register at Cleveland Heights Animal Hospital at 3710 Cleveland Heights Blvd.  by September 1st at 10pm.

Participants for the Pooch Parade must pre-register by e-mailing the following information to annrye@DowntownLakelandFL.com.  Use the subject line “Pooch Parade Entrant”

AUGUST 19^TH FEATURING THREE LAKELAND BANDS

LAKELAND, FL (July 28, 2011) – The August 19, 2011 Music on the Promenade will feature three up and coming Lakeland bands as part of a local music showcase.  This FREE event is from 6 p.m. – 9 p.m. at the Lake Mirror Promenade.

The Brian Sutherland Trio will open the show with their eclectic blend of musical styling.  Sutherland is a singer, songwriter who will easily switch from cello to guitar as he plays his own version of folk, pop, acoustic rock.  He is joined by band mates Zach Rogers and singer Adrienne Kneebone.  This group of Florida Southern students makes up a sound that audiences have struggled to categorize.  Their blend of styles and freedom to improvise places them in more than one genre.  Covering the great artists like Nat King Cole and George Gershwin, all the way to modern day crooners Jason Mraz and Michael Buble.  They are crowd pleasers wherever they play.

Walking Catfish, another local Lakeland band, will take the stage with music that blends the attitude of early classic 70’s punk, the spirit of early 60’s surf music, the mathematical tendencies of krautrock and some curious electronic noises that intertwine melody and harmony into a unique homespun sound. Walking Catfish are a band that makes music on their own terms. The culmination of the eclectic crew and years of experience inspire a blue collar approach to indie rock.

What started in a garage as three to four friends collaboratively writing and rehearsing simple acoustic folk songs has evolved into a band known as the California Baseball Band.  While the songs written by the band are not necessarily themed around California or even baseball for that matter, they have built upon the quaint acoustic folk set with more volume and more instruments.  The California Baseball Band has managed to keep the banjo and mandolin in the forefront of many of their songs; maintaining the simple folk vibe that a wide demographic can enjoy.  The band is literally 6-7 friends having fun doing what they love. Their set will contain most of the songs of their newly completed EP ‘Deep Creek’ which can be heard by logging onto www.californiabaseballband.bandcamp.com.

The music series takes place at the Lake Mirror amphitheater which is between Hollis Garden and the Lake Mirror Center. The event is FREE to the public and families are encouraged to attend. There will be food and drink vendors on site so bring a blanket and enjoy the lake setting with music under the stars.

Music on the Promenade is proudly sponsored by the City of Lakeland.  Parking is available at the Lake Mirror Center’s parking lot and in the Iowa Avenue parking garage.  No glass bottles within the park please.  For more information regarding the series, contact Kevin Cook at 863/834-6264.

-END-

THE BAND DEMOCRACY BRINGS REGGAE

TO THE GREATER LAKELAND MULTI-CULTURAL FESTIVAL

LAKELAND, FL (August 12, 2011) — The City of Lakeland will play host to the Greater Lakeland Multi-Cultural Festival, September 16, 2011 when the reggae band Democracy takes the stage from 6 p.m. – 9 p.m. during the FREE music and cultural event.
The Multi-Cultural Festival will take place at the Lake Mirror amphitheater which is in-between Hollis Garden and the Lake Mirror Center. The event is free to the public and families are encouraged to attend. The Multi-Cultural Festival will include ethnic food vendors and displays.  There will be additional cultural entertainment that will take place during music breaks.

Democracy will bring their energetic form of island music to the stage as band leader Oswald Caines leads the group into crowd pleasing favorites. The band really knows how to work an audience and for more than a decade, Democracy has been one of the finest, most innovative reggae bands to hit the greater Tampa Bay area. They have supported reggae superstars such as Pato Banton, Yellowman, Inner Circle, Steel Pulse, Third World and Shabba Ranks.

Democracy has won numerous awards including the Best Reggae/Caribbean band in the Tampa Bay area and they have performed in Jamaica as part of the Air Jamaica Festival.  Democracy always leaves the audience wanting for more and this Friday night will be no different.

The Greater Lakeland Multi-Cultural Festival is proudly sponsored by the City of Lakeland, Lakeland Parks & Recreation Department, Center Door Productions and the University of South Florida. Parking is available at the Lake Mirror Center’s parking lot and in the Iowa Street parking garage. No glass bottles within the park please. For more information regarding the series, contact Kevin Cook at 863/834-6264.

Lakes Education/Action Drive (LE/AD), in partnership with Lakeland Clean & Beautiful, the City of Lakeland and Lakeland Vision present Lakeland’s Eighth Annual Cardboard Boat Challenge and Lakes Festival on Saturday, September 17, from 8:30 a.m. – noon at the Lake Hollingsworth boat ramp (race starts at 10 a.m.). This event is designed to help raise public awareness about our lakes and the precious resources we have in our area. Environmental exhibitors will provide fun activities for children and supply information on area lakes and water resources. Entertainment will be the Cardboard Boat Challenge!

The challenge will be to design, construct and race a boat made of cardboard around a marked course in Lake Hollingsworth. We know what you’re thinking, but a cardboard boat really can float if you construct it wisely! Teams must have a minimum of four and maximum of 10 people, but only two will set sail in the boat. Race teams will be in four divisions: community/corporate, elementary/middle school-age youth, high school-age youth and family. First, second and third-place awards will be given in each race division. The Cardboard Boat Challenge and Lake Festival is a great opportunity for youth groups, scouts, civic clubs, families and businesses to have fun together while enjoying our beautiful lake. For the second year now we will have the “Pre-Built” category. Teams construct their boats out of corrugated cardboard in advance and race around the designated course. Judging will be for “People’s Choice” and speed. Pre-Built will be limited to 8 teams.

Registration is $35 per team if received by September 2, 2011. After September 2, registration is $40 per team. Registration fee includes all tools and materials needed to construct boats (in on-site building only) and two commemorative t-shirts. Additional shirts will be available to purchase on the day of the event. To register or for more information, contact the City of Lakeland Lakes & Stormwater Division at (863) 834-8429 or LE/AD at (863) 221- 5323. Register now because the race is limited to 35 teams! If space is available, registration will be available on race day on a first come/first served basis.

Event supporters include the Alafia River, Hillsborough River and the Peace River basin boards of the Southwest Florida Water Management District, the Lakes Education/Action Drive, Lakeland Clean & Beautiful, the City of Lakeland, Lakeland Vision, MaxPak, Lakeland Family YMCA, Crowder Brothers – Ace Hardware and AMEC. Even if you don’t participate in the boat challenge, come watch the boat race and cheer on your favorite team!

The Polk County Wedding Association is pleased to announce the only outdoor Bridal Show in Polk County, The Downtown Bridal Expo. The Expo will offer Brides and Grooms the opportunity to meet some of Polk County’s finest wedding service providers. Maps will be available for self-guided tours of Downtown businesses and venues that may be of interest to the wedding party. One lucky couple will win an all inclusive wedding to take place on Lake Mirror in Downtown Lakeland at the close of the Expo. The expo will take place on South Kentucky Avenue from 1-5pm.

The Polk County Wedding Association will be announcing the winner of their Downtown Bridal Expo wedding package to be held on September 24, 2011.  The announcement will be made during the September 2nd First Friday in front of Fresco’s at 132 S. Kentucky Avenue.

visit http://downtownbridalexpo.com/ for more information.

GOOGLE MAPS

100 N. Kentucky Ave is the GPS address of Munn Park, Downtown Lakeland.  Just type it in to Google maps to get directions.

October 7, 2011 – Motorcycle Mania! - February’s Motorcycle Mania was so successful, we’re bringing it back!  We are inviting motorcycles, motorcycle related vendors, music and more will fill the streets.About 80 vendors will fill Kentucky and Main Streets.  Bay and Pine will be prime motorcycle parking.  Enjoy various music groups along the streets including SOUTHBOUND on Bay and Kentucky.

Restaurants will be open late and of course there’s plenty of shopping opportunity in the retail stores.  Classic cars are always on Tennessee Ave.

Whether you ride or not, this should be an excite First Friday. We’ve gotten response from vendors and visitors from far and wide!

There’s so much fun and activity, we extending the hours ’til 10pm!

Because of the many vendors, Downtown streets affected will be closed at 4pm.  Ample parking in the Main Street garage, Oak Street lot and on street parking on Tennessee south of Main, Kentucky south of Lemon and Orange Street.

You’ll want to park and walk through all of the cool vendors and motorcycle parking.