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”

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.

July 1 First Friday

In the streets of Downtown Lakeland from 6-9pm, enjoy carnival style family games, bounce houses, live music/entertainment, sidewalk sales and plenty of outdoor seating at the local restaurants.  Check out dance performances on N. Kentucky Ave beginning at 6:30pm.  Classic Car Show on Tennessee Ave!

So come out early, enjoy the activities in Downtown then walk over to grab your spot for the fireworks!

WHILE YOU’RE DOWNTOWN….. Check out these merchants:

Brooke Pottery has flameless home fragrances.

The General Store has a new local artist.

Gallery 231 is featuring a graffiti artist.

Evolution Records has free live music.

Arts on the Park - People’s Choice Award

Bosphorus Turkish Kitchen – NOW OPEN!

T.Mims Corp.

Red, White & Kaboom

Independence Celebration  watch the  promo video

LAKELAND, FL (June 8, 2011) – The City of Lakeland is pleased to announce that the T.Mims Corp. Red, White & Kaboom Independence Celebration will take place at Lake Mirror on Friday, July 1, 2011 from 6:00 p.m. – 9:15 p.m. with music and a breathtaking fireworks display dazzling the crowd at 9 p.m.

Tom Mims, President of T. Mims Corporation said, “We are pleased to sponsor Red, White & Kaboom again this year.  It is an excellent opportunity for our community to come together in celebration of our great country and it is free to the public.” Mims added, “We will be continuing our Chow for Now canned food drive to benefit Volunteers In Service to the Elderly so we want each spectator to bring at least one can of food for Viste.”

The evening’s main entertainment will include live music from Channel Z Band.  The Channel Z Band has been in existence since 1997 and is a five piece band with a current member compliment that has been in force for nearly eight years.   A culmination of many diverse and augmenting talents allows Channel Z to be a notch or two above your average Pop Rock Cover Band.  The Channel Z Band continues to perform numerous events in Central Florida.  They are sure to be a crowd pleaser with their diverse song list that spans from the 60’s to current pop favorites and includes hits from the Beatles to the latest from Katy Perry.

There will be a guest appearance from Derik Thomas.  Thomas is a talented student at Lakeland’s Harrison School for the Arts.  He first began playing shows in early 2009 and in 2010 he won the Earthday Networks “Song for Earth” competition.  He got to perform at the 2010 Earthday Climate Rally on the National Mall in Washington DC alongside Sting, John Legend and The Roots.

The evening will also include a showcase performance from the award winning 2011-2012 Taken By Surprise Step Team.  This talented group of young ladies have performed at many Central Florida venues and continue to dazzle the crowds at step competitions.

There will be a variety of food and drink vendors around Lake Mirror so bring a blanket and enjoy the live music and a dramatic display of fireworks over the lake.  The evening is free to the public and everyone attending is encouraged to bring at least one food item to benefit Chow for Now. All City parking garages will be open for T.Mims Corp. Red, White & Kaboom.

Ride your bikes, one, two, three or four wheeled, to Downtown Lakeland and enjoy a beautiful summer evening in Downtown Lakeland.  Learn about BikeLakeland and its plans for bike racks in Downtown.  Get up to speed on bike safety.   Red Trail Racing will perform bike tricks throughout Downtown. Watch out for the roaming stunt riders. These guys will amaze you with what they can do on a bike!

•  Come learn about Lakeland’s bike community.
•  Trick bike demonstrations BY RED TRAIL RACING. They may look like regular guys on bikes…until they stand n the handle bars while in motion!
•  Bicycle basket decorating contest.  Visit The General Store on South Kentucky to show off your basket and enter the contest.
•  Promenade in Plaid around the Frances Langford Promenade, 7pm.  Meet us at Kryger Park (where Main Street and Massachusetts meet on Lake Mirror) We’ll ride             around the lake together, promoting biking in Downtown Lakeland!
•  Get the low-down on cycle chic, Lake-to-Lake urban trails,  bicycle repair, trail  biking, geocaching, bike safety,biking health benefits, and more as Lakeland works on becoming a bike friendly city.
•  Learn about the latest in bike technology, commuter and road bikes with Lakeland’s bike shops.
• Explore summer camps  S. Kentucky Ave is hosting DLP members who have summer camps they’d like to tell you about.  Vivst the booths and find out about all the fun!

June First Friday sponsored in part by:

An inveterate adventure traveler, EJ Jensen made the hop from standard mountain biking to mountain bike trials in 2008 in Okinawa Japan.  Since then, he has been driven to hone the precision skills and balance necessary to excel in urban trials, and has enjoyed sharing his passion for the little-known sport with the many people he meets along his journey. Though primarily focused on urban trials, with cities in North America and Europe providing the obstacle courses (or “puzzles” as he sees them), EJ has recently branched out into natural trials as well, competing in the Southridge Fontana winter series on the rocky terrain of southern California.  He is currently touring the US promoting the culture of cycling through demonstrations at bicycle themed events.

Downtown has a smart phone APP! Keyword: DLPAPP

First Friday Business supporters:

LAKELAND, FL (APRIL 6, 2011) –Explorations V Children’s Museum, located at 109 North Kentucky Avenue in downtown Lakeland, will host the 30^th Annual Children’s Festival on Saturday, April 16, 2011 from 10am until 3pm. The festival will include art, science, music, big wheels, woodworking, water play, giant slide, balloon art and many other hands-on activities throughout nearby Munn Park. Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo Shows will be held at 11:00am and 12:45pm and the Mosaic Express Exhibit bus will be on hand.

The admission fee for the festival is $5 per person. Museum members are $4 per person. All activities are included with admission while supplies last. Low-cost, family friendly snack items will be available for purchase.

The festival is held annually in conjunction with the national “Week of the Young Child” and the statewide “Children’s Week” which focus public attention on the needs of young children and their families.

The festival is sponsored by Mentor Sponsor, Bank of America, as well as Lakeland Electric and Bright Smiles of Winter Haven.

Additional information may be obtained by calling the museum at 863 687 3869 or emailing info@explorationsv.com.

Fun activities:

“Fastest” Pie-Eater in the West! Fred’s Southern Kitchen will provide 20 of their scrumptious (huge) cream pies. Two groups of 10 contestants each with a chance to win tickets to the rodeo!! Sign up at First Friday.

Cowboy/Cowgirl Cutie Contest – Lay’s Western Wear is sponsoring. We are doing a photo contest through Facebook. Lays will provide hats and accessories and some small props. They will then take a digital photo and post it to The Lakeland Center Facebook page for voting throughout the next few days. The Cowgirl/Cowboy Cutie who has the most comments will win tickets to the show and a gift certificate to the store.

The parade will roll down the street starting at 7pm.

See attached parade route. **Parade route has been modified. Parade will turn RIGHT on Main from Tennessee, then left on Kentucky back to its original location.

Want to be in the parade? Download the application here!

Street Closure information: The following streets are closed during this First Friday event:

Kentucky Ave from Lemon St to Oak St.
Pine Street from Tennessee to Massachusetts
Plus see attached PARADE ROUTE above for temporary closures due to the parade.

PARKING INFORMATION

Brewz Crewz Craft Beer Festival

Saturday, February 19, 2011 • 6-9pm

Munn Park, Downtown Lakeland FL.

STAYING OVER NIGHT? See the bottom of this page for hotel deals.

Building on last year’s success, the 2011 Brewz Crewz Craft Beer Festival in Downtown Lakeland promises to be even better.  This year’s event, scheduled for Saturday, February 19th, will feature a Platinum VIP ticket with an exclusive party room serving very rare beers – the type that there’s only eight cases sold in the state at one time.  VIP level tickets will have an exclusive preview hour to visit with the brew meisters and enjoy the beer, food from Bay Street Bistro and music at a more leisurely pace.  General admission will get fans unlimited beer tastings, food samples and live music.
The Downtown Lakeland Partnership and ElderPoint Ministries are already hard at work hammering out the details to make this beer festival run even more smoothly.  “There will be more sanitation facilities and a streamlined check in procedure”, says DLP Executive Director, Julie Townsend.   Jane Hammond, Elder Point’s Executive Director, is working with a company to develop a “smart phone app” to allow participants to locate their favorite beers at the festival and to find out more about the beers and where they are sold.  “We’re working to make this an interactive app that will enhance the festival experience,” adds Hammond.
Tickets are limited and will be available in advance on our website, “We’re selling only 100 Platinum VIP tickets at $100 each because this is truly an exclusive event,” says Eric “Bro” Belvin, event chair.  VIP tickets are $50 (400 tickets available) and regular tickets are $35 (1,500 available).

See registration site for beer list. SEE the above Click & Register button.

Restaurant partcipating:

Harry’s Seafood Bar & Grill • Grillsmith • Fresco’s Bakery & Bistro • Natalie’s Sports Bar • Mojo’s • Abuelo’s Mexican Food Embassy • Black & Brew Coffeehouse & Bistro • Chop Shop Burgers That Rock  • Hookah Palace (hookah not, food)  • The Alligator Pear

directions

Learn more at elderpoint.org Net profits of Brewz Crewz will go to support the programs of this organization.

Live music!   http://bullyforyouband.com/

Bully For You is central Florida’s premier rock band.  The dynamic 4 piece have played some of the biggest  shows, including the annual 4th of July fireworks event held in downtown Lakeland.
Bully For You is known for their high energy live performances and wide range of music from the last 4 decades.

Shmaltz Brewing Co. - Hebrew Genesis Ale , Hebrew Messiah Bold, Coney Island Lager

COMING IN FROM OUT OF TOWN?

We are very excited you decided to visit Lakeland.  We know you’ll find all kinds of cool things to see and do.  To make things easier for you, we’ve connected you to the preferred hotels in Lakeland for your stay.

PREFERRED HOTELS IN DOWNTOWN LAKELAND:

Terrace Hotel – any hotel guest at $99.00 for Brewz Crewz
Hyatt Place - $109 The rate includes breakfast, internet, and free parking.

OTHER PREFERRED HOTELS:
The Avenue Hotel Lakeland ( formerlyHoliday Inn South)  $65 per night plus tax Call Carl Stutzman (863) 646-5731 ext 7293 or avenuedos@aol.com or bcs2sales@aol.com

Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott -  $89 per night plus tax for our standard king or double and $99 for our king suite

We’re excited to work with Sites That Pop, a new cutting-edge web design company based in Lake Wales, to produce our logo and visual collateral for the Brewz Crewz event.  They provide high quality website design, digital branding, identity, and hosting.  The owner, Joe Bennett, is a craft beer fanatic and saw an opportunity to marry two of his passions in one project.  “How could I resist the hoppy, malt-laden call to design for such an awesome event,” said the veteran designer, “This is going to be fun for us on so many levels.”

http://sitesthatpop.com

PARKING INFO

Navy Dixieland Band – 6:15 Munn Park
Hot Air Balloon Glow – wind permitting, 7:15pm
Helicopter fireworks show – 8:30 over Lake Mirror

Music/Dancing/Entertainment/Car Show along the Kentucky & Tennessee Aves.

SUN ‘n FUN CAMPUS, LAKELAND, FL. – (JANUARY 7, 2011.) – SUN ‘n FUN and the DOWNTOWN LAKELAND PARTNERSHIP (DLP) will again invite Downtown Lakeland to look “Skyward” during DLP’s March First Friday featuring the 2nd Annual SUN ‘n FUN Skyward Festival on March 4^th.

SUN ‘n FUN will bring hot air balloons, an after-dark aerial pyrotechnic light show, portable sport airplanes & flight simulators plus the US Navy’s Dixieland band, “TGIF” to downtown Lakeland for the 2^nd annual DLP/ SUN ‘n FUN Skyward Festival. The event will provide the Downtown Lakeland community with Aviation as a powerful merchandising theme throughout March in Downtown Lakeland. The evening activities arranged by SUN ‘n FUN will represent a sample of the 2011 annual SUN ‘n FUN International Fly-In & Expo scheduled for  March 29-April 3 on and over SUN’n FUN’s Lakeland Linder Regional Airport campus. This year SUN ‘n FUN 2011 will feature the US Navy’s famed Blue Angels jet demonstration team and a week long celebration of the Centennial of Naval Aviation.

Skyward Festival activities at First Friday begin at 6 p.m. with aerial pattern   over Munn Park and Lake Mirror by SUN ‘n Fun’s World War II-era Stearman biplane.

Concurrent with the flight of the Stearman will be the preparation and inflating (weather permitting) of two or three tethered hot air balloons on the northwest shore of Lake Mirror, just off the corner of Cedar and Massachusetts.

Assuming calm air, the hot air balloons will offer a colorful addition to the western view of Lake Mirror throughout the evening. The scene will be accentuated at dusk, when a “glow” is created within each balloon when the gas used to inflate the balloon is lit.

The evening’s festivities will be enhanced by the music of the U.S Navy’s TGIF Dixieland band performing on the Munn Park mobile stage.  After sunset, First Friday participants will again look “Skyward” for the evening’s aerial finale – a festive night light show by Roger Buis’ pyrotechnic helicopter. Following the inspiring light show, the US Navy’s TGIF band will retake the Munn Park stage to sustain the festival spirit though the remainder of the evening.

In keeping with the tradition of DPL First Fridays, the mid-town length of Kentucky Avenue will be converted into a pedestrian mall.  The “skyward festival” theme will be echoed throughout the area.  SUN ‘n FUN will add exhibits for its International Fly-In & Expo, offering advance ticket  & event t-shirt sales and free poster, plus an exhibit by the Florida Air Museum at Sun ‘n Fun will include a kid’s activity table and information pertaining to the Museum’s “Destination Aviation” summer camp program and rides in its mobile flight simulator.  Representatives from the Central Florida Aerospace Academy (CFAA), which is located on the SUN ‘n FUN campus, will also be available to answer questions about the Academy and its new state of the art high school building on the SUN ‘n FUN campus. .

The March 4 First Friday SUN ‘n FUN Skyward Festival is being organized through the dedicated energies of its Chairman Ford Heacock, president of Heacock Insurance; Anne Furr, Executive Director of the Lakeland Downtown Development Authority; and Julie Townsend, Executive Director of the Downtown Lakeland Partnership. Special thanks and recognition are extended to the sponsors of the Skyward Festival including  Heacock Insurance, Clark, Campbell, Mawhinney & Lancaster, PA MidFlorida Credit Union & Brooke Pottery.

For additional information on the March 4 First Friday activities, especially the status of the evening schedule should weather challenge the event, check the Downtown Lakeland Partnership website: www.downtownlakelandfl.com.

SUN ‘n FUN, a 501(c) (3) not–for–profit organization based in Lakeland, Florida, is best known for its annual fund raiser the International Fly–In & Expo held each March/April. The Fly–In is the primary source of funding for SUN ’n FUN’s expanding year–round aviation education programs.  These include operation of the Florida Air Museum, the state’s “Official Aviation Museum and Education Center.  In addition, SUN ’n FUN has initiated education programs for aviation enthusiasts of all ages – especially young people – featuring valuable “hands on” learning experiences.  A growing scholarship program provides financial support to ensure SUN ‘n FUN’s education programs are accessible to all.  For more information, access SUN ‘n FUN’s website (www.sun-n-fun.org) or call SUN ‘n FUN at (863–644–2431).

Read More about Sun ‘n Fun.

Thanks to this year’s sponsors of the Skyward Festival:

Heacock Insurance

Clark, Campbell, Mawhinney & Lancaster, PA

MidFlorida Credit Union

Brooke Pottery

The parade theme for 2010 is “Christmas Stories”.

The Lakeland Christmas Parade route map can be found here.

Please contact The Junior League of Greater Lakeland with questions.