Well, the kids are out of school but we don’t all have the same days off as the kids! What to do? Call Explorations V Children’s Museum, located at 109 North Kentucky Avenue in downtown Lakeland, and sign them up for Holiday Out of School workshops running December 19-23 and Dec 27-30.

They can get holiday creative with decorations, ornaments and gifts, tasty cookies and candies, winter art and science and more! The daily themed camps include hands-on activities, museum exploration, afternoon snacks and outdoor play (weather permitting).

Full day sessions for K-6th grade run from 9am to 5pm and half day sessions run 9am-1pm. Early drop off and late pick up is available for an additional fee.

Museum member pricing is $40 for a full day and $25 for half days. Non-member pricing is available. Not a member…not a problem! Join today for $70 and get 15 months for the price of 12 through December 30, 2011.

For additional information, contact the museum at 863 687 3869 or email us at info@explorationsv.com.

Friday, December 2, 6:00 – 9:00pm

Downtown continues the holiday festivities with a “Cookies and Carols” theme at the December First Friday.  Come down and enjoy holiday music and entertainment, visits with Santa and so much more.

Plus, it’s a great time to work on that holiday shopping list as shops are open late.  Don’t forget to stop and get a little something – or a big something – to eat at one of Downtown’s fabulous restaurants.  Maybe you’ll pick up an idea or two  for your holiday party.

Merchant Specials:

• Lloyd’s of Lakeland - 20% off one item over $20
• Home Essentials - 20% off one regularly priced item
• Traditions Unlimited - $5 off total purchase of $25 or more
• Bay Street Bistro - Free dessert with each purchased entrée
• Mitchell’s Coffee House - Purchase gets your name in a drawing for a gift certificate. One drawing per hour, 6-9pm.
• Black Swan - Purchase gets your name in a drawing for a gift certificate
• Brooke Pottery - $5 off purchases of $25 or more
• Arts on the Park - Artists Showcase Holiday Market
• Explorations V Children’s Museum - Santa and Mrs. Claus in front of the Museum
• Fresco’s - Gingerbread cookies

Performances by:

• Berkley Charter Elementary
• Blake Academy
• George Jenkins High School
• Kingsford Elementary
• Lawton Chiles Middle Academy
• Longbow Family
• Sikes Elementary
• South McKeel Academy
• Suzuki Strings

Look for us EVERY  Wednesday 11-2 and EVERY Saturday 8-2 just north of Munn Park at the corner of N. Kentucky Av. & E. Pine St. www.downtownfarmerscurbmarket.org

Starring: Demián Bichir, José Julián and Eddie ‘Piolin’ Sotelo
Director: Chris Weitz
Genre: Drama, Special Interest
Running time: 1 hour and 38 minutes
MPAA rating: PG-13 for some violence, language, and brief drug use

A gardener in East L.A. struggles to keep his son away from gangs and immigration agents while trying to give his son the opportunities he never had.

Showtimes: Friday and Saturday, July 19&20 at 7:30 PM
Ticket Prices: $7 adults, $5 students/seniors

Polk Theatre, Inc.
863-682-7553
121 South Florida Ave
Lakeland, FL 33801

(click image for link)

Saturday, October 1, 2011        9:00 – 3:00

South Kentucky Avenue (between Main and Lemon Streets)   Downtown Lakeland

Help uncover Polk County’s undiscovered talent in this festival for lovers of all things “Book”!

Here’s your chance to meet and support local authors, illustrators and publishers (just in time for the holidays!)  in a Downtown showcase. Who knows? You might even be inspired to write that book that you’ve been “meaning to get to” for years.

It’s also a great way for local authors and illustrators to come out and promote/sell their works. Deadline for participation is Friday, Sept. 16th – but, the sooner you sign up, the more pre-event promotion you get! Space is limited.

https://www.facebook.com/#!/AuthorsnIllustratorsFestival for more information.

Organized for you by Terisa & Sparky Glover of  The General Store; Ellen Simms of FastFrame, and Teresa V. Martinez, author of  “Success in Exile”.

Sponsored in part by Lakeland Downtown Development Authority

On August 5 the First Friday theme in Downtown Lakeland is “Back To School” .  To show our teachers that we appreciate them, the shops listed below will conduct drawings for door prizes. All you have to do to qualify is be a Polk County teacher. In addition, all of the shops listed will offer an ongoing teacher’s discount of 5% on all purchases.

Black Swan Bazaar 229 N Kentucky Ave
Brooke Pottery 223 N Kentucky Ave
Traditions Unlimited 221 N Kentucky Ave
Rafa Natural 229 N Kentucky Ave
Reflections 230 N Kentucky Ave
Su Su’s Particulars 229 N Kentucky Ave
Mitchell’s Coffee 235 N Kentucky Ave
Bay Street Bistro 211 East Bay St
Pumpernaks Trader’s Alley

Visit the First Friday Artisan Market on N Kentucky on August 5 from 6-9pm.

For other reminders of your guests’ trip to Lakeland, we also have Swampy’s Florida “Lakeland” coloring book, by Rob Smith Jr. (only $3 – also featuring Sparky!) as well as “Swansation” ($20) and “Lakeland” Postcard History series ($22). Lakeland postcards, new and used, start at only $0.75 and Historical Lakelnd’s Lake Mirror Story DVD is only $15. Need saltwater taffy boxed featuring a Florida map or a chocolate alligator? We have those, and they’re actually made in Florida! Local author’s books? We’ve got quite a selection of authors and subjects from sinners to saints and everything in-between! Local honey, jewelry, even bath and body products – there’s something for everyone to help remember their visit.

And, if, like us, you can only afford a stay-cation this year, you can still take a trip down memory lane with our old time candies and glass bottled sodas (like Cheerwine, Nehi, Ale-8-1, Frostie, Big Red etc.) while challenging a friend to a game of checkers or chess on our front porch. We also have a great selection of day trip planners ($8-$10) to help you discover the great family-fun opportunities in our own area.