Hello Friday.
April 19 2024
37. That’s what Lakeland scored out of 100 on Walk Score’s walkability meter, making it a “car-dependent” city.
A walk score is a numeric ranking that represents the walkability of an address based on pedestrian-friendliness and access to businesses.
Walk Score’s scale of walkability | Screenshot via Walk Score
Points are given based on the distance between the home and businesses, including restaurants, retail, and entertainment. Businesses within 5 minutes (or about a quarter-mile) are given maximum points, with fewer points given to amenities located further away. Anything a 30 minute walk or further is given 0 points.
Pedestrian-friendliness is calculated by analyzing features of an area’s roads, including the population density, intersection density, and the length of blocks in the area.
A city’s walkability score is found by calculating the average walkability of many residential addresses in a city.
If you’re more likely to put the rubber to the road than make like Nancy Sinatra + strap on your walking boots, you’re in luck. Lakeland ranks slightly higher for bicyclists with an overall score of 52.
Walk Score’s scale of bikeability | Screenshot via Walk Score
Use the buttons below to share this story with your walking buddy, fellow bikers, or friend looking for walker + biker friendly neighborhoods to buy in.
How walkable would you like Lakeland to be?
Stomp on down to that blue button to let us know.
- Walker’s paradise — I rely on my own 2 feet
- Very walkable — I’d like to walk, skip, or jump around town
- Somewhat walkable — I don’t mind driving most places
- Car-dependent — I like to ride in style every time
Today
- After Hours at the Museum | Thurs., Oct. 7 | 6 p.m. | Polk Museum of Art | Free | See the art after hours + join the curator tour beginning at 6 p.m.
Friday
- Cool Season Edibles Lunch and Learn | Fri., Oct. 8 | 12 p.m. | Virtual | Free | Learn about planting cool seasonal vegetables in your yard from The City of Lakeland. 🍠
- Live 2 Lead | Fri., Oct. 8 | 8 a.m.-4 p.m. | Catapult Lakeland | $99+ | Hear from a distinguished panel of entrepreneurs and professionals at this leadership conference hosted by John Maxwell and other business owners.
Saturday
- Brandon Miller | Sat., Oct. 9 | 8 p.m.-12 a.m. | Union Hall | $15 | Spend your Friday night listening to Brandon Miller at Union Hall.
- GardenFest | Sat., Oct. 9 | 8 a.m.-1 p.m. | Lakeland City Nursery, 4632 US Hwy 98 S. | Free | Plant parents will love this event featuring a plant sale, workshops, projects + tours. 🌱
Sunday
- Sir Henry’s Haunted Trail | Sun., Oct. 10 | 7:30-9:30 p.m. | 2837 S. Frontage Rd. | $25 | Choose between a haunted trail, escape game, or laser tag for spooky fun — tickets must be purchased in advance.
Monday
- Tom Trupiano Annual Charity Golf Tournament | Mon., Oct. 11 | 10 a.m.-6 p.m. | Country Club of Winter Haven | $20+ | Proceeds fund a scholarship awarded to 4 high school seniors in East Polk County — registration begins at 10 a.m., tournament starts at 12 p.m. ⛳
Tuesday
- Live Trivia | Tues., Oct. 12 | 6:30 p.m. | The Brass Tap | Free | Show off your trivia knowledge to try and win the $70 prize + enjoy any of the beers on tap.
Wednesday
- Cowork Like a Boss | Wed., Oct. 13 | 9 a.m.-12 p.m. | The Meet Suite 220 West Brandon Blvd. | Free | Come to this group coworking event where you can work on your business to music, eat snacks + network — must register to attend.
Thursday
- The Pink Piano Live Music | Thurs., Oct. 14 | 7 p.m. | The Pink Piano | Free | Drink, eat + listen to live musicians Adeem The Artist, Noan Partly, and Sweat Out the Devil. 🎹
We have a monthly guide filled with events + activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.
Photo provided by Our Place
You’ve definitely heard of the cult-favorite, aesthetically-pleasing, best-selling Always Pan — an 8-in-1, ultra slippery non-stick pan with super easy cleanup — and now through October 18, you can get an Always Pan for $115. Read: A big steal.
Be quick to grab this deal — the pan has sold out 20 times + racked up a 30,000 person waitlist. 👀 Ⓟ
Weather
- 92º | Scattered thunderstorms | 40% chance of rain
Civic
- City commissioners are exploring ways to address noise pollution resulting from loud engines + car radios in Lakeland. From policy workshops to communication campaigns that teach the public about current noise ordinances, solutions are in the works. Do you have an idea for addressing traffic-related noise pollution? Let us know. (The Ledger)
- A portion of Massachusetts Ave. between Main Street + Cedar Street will be closed on Mon., Oct. 11. Construction crews will be working to make final sewer connections to the new Summit Consulting building going up at 117 N. Massachusetts Ave. Construction will wrap up in March of 2022.
Development
- ImperiaLakes Golf Course was approved for rezoning in a 3-1 vote. The approval makes way for at least 188 new homes, and as many as 876 homes if developed to the maximum capacity. (The Ledger)
Drink
- Calling all coffee lovers. AX-Caliber will soon offer coffee flights. Try up to 4 different drinks with a flight + find out which is your favorite. Follow AX-caliber to be the first to know when flights become available. ☕
Award
- The RP Funding Center has been presented with a 2021 Reader’s Choice Award by Convention South Magazine. The awards were presented to 415 meeting sites + convention centers in the south after over 8,000 readers voted.
Arts
- In case you missed it, the Polk Museum of Art’s new exhibition series pairs music, performed by the Lakeland Symphony Orchestra, with artwork. The Oct. 14 showing, titled “Pictures at an Exhibition,” is sold out, but you can still purchase tickets to the Dec. 16 event, “Holiday in Brass,” here. (Bay News 9)
Edu
- Florida Southern’s Barney Barnett School of Business and Free Enterprise ranks no. 2 for “Best Online MBA Programs in Florida” according to Fortune Magazine. The program also ranks 26 among “Best Online MBA Programs in the South.” 🐍
Cause
- Gospel Inc., the Lakeland non-profit behind Gospel Village, was 1 of 3 Central Florida organizations to receive a $5,000 grant for its efforts. The organization is also in the running to win another $40,000. 🏠 (The Ledger)
Giveaway
- Lakeside Village Live is hosting a date night giveaway. The winner will receive a spa day at DayDreams Day spa and a $60 gift card to Grillsmith. Fill out this form to enter. (The Ledger)
Eat
- Come by The Juice Box on Sat., Oct. 16 from 12-4 p.m. for a plant-based food pop-up. Vendors include Benito’s Vegan, Knocker Tots, and Gaia Donut.
Today Is
- Ditch the at home coffee today, because it’s National Frappe Day. To celebrate, Black and Brew has 7 different frappe flavors including White Chocolate Mocha + Java Chip. Tag us in your frappe photos for a chance to be featured.
Feel Good
- A Caring Cradle, invented by Wendy Kowalski (a recipient of a $10,000 Catapult Launch grant in November 2020) was recently donated to Lakeland Regional Health by late Lakeland pediatrician Dr. Miguel Angel Diaz. Ⓟ
Correction
- We’re only human. The date for the Miss Lakeland Scholarship Competition has changed and will now be taking place on Sun., Jan. 30, 2022, rather than Sun., Oct. 10 as previously stated. Women aged 13-24 can register to compete here. 👑
This Halloween display at Pura Vie Holistic Studio is to die for. Pura Vie is hosting their second-ever Halloween event, Blissed Out Brujas, on Fri., Oct. 15. Come decked out in a wicked costume for vendors, tarot card readings, henna, and food + drinks.
This event will be eerie-sistible.
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Yesterday, we asked which food type you’d like to see Lakeland open up next, given the most popular answers from readers just like you. Here’s what roughly 250 of you said:
- 39% said one of the chains mentioned
- 26% said one of the foreign options mentioned
- 19% said fine dining
- 16% said dietary restriction-friendly options
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