Hello Thursday.
May 02 2024 |
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Shopping during a sales tax holiday. Today marks the first day of “Freedom Week,” a seven-day sales tax holiday from Fri., July 1 to Thurs., July 7 on items in the following categories:
- Fishing and camping supplies (including tackle boxes, sleeping bags, tents, flashlights, etc.) for your next weekend trip to Colt Creek State Park
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Pool supplies (filters, chemicals, pool toys, floats, etc.)
- Boating and water activity equipment (like life jackets, coolers, kayaks, etc.) to keep you afloat as you paddle across Lake Crago
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Sporting equipment (items less than $40, excluding clothing and footwear)
- General outdoor supplies (like sunscreen, bug repellent, sunglasses, binoculars, etc.) to keep you comfortable next time you go hiking or bird watching at Circle B Bar Reserve
- Admission to fitness clubs, sporting events, festivals, state parks, and more
Just to make sure we’re covering all of our bases, the tax holiday does not apply to rentals and repairs, or sales made in: - Theme parks
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Entertainment complexes
- Public lodging establishments
- Airports
So, how much of a sales break should you expect? The deal varies from item to item (depending on its ticket price), but generally you can expect anywhere from the first $5 (in the case of fishing tackle, for example) to the first $250 (in the case of bicycles and outdoor grills) of the sales price to be tax-free.
In addition to “Freedom Week,” consumers can take advantage of three more coinciding tax holidays: -
Diapers, clothing + shoes — Fri., July 1, 2022-Fri., June 30, 2023
- ENERGY STAR appliances — Fri., July 1, 2022-Fri., June 30, 2023
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Hurricane preparedness — Fri., July 1, 2022-Sun., June 30, 2024
If you really love to save, mark your calendar for the final Florida tax holidays of 2022: - Back to School — Mon., July 25, 2022-Sun., Aug. 7, 2022
- Skilled trade tools — Sat., Sept. 3, 2022-Fri., Sept. 9, 2022
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Motor fuel — Sat., Oct. 1-Mon., Oct. 31
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Today - Friday Night Cruise-In At The Wooden Spoon | Fri., July 1 | 4-8 p.m. | The Wooden Spoon, 6960 S. Florida Ave. | Free | Bring out your show car or truck and enjoy music by DJ John Paul Gasca and a 20% discount on food + drinks. 🚙
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First Friday | Fri., July 1 | 6-9 p.m. | Downtown Lakeland | Free | Head downtown to enjoy vendors, music, and food while eyeing Harley Davidson bikes.
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Silverback Rock n Roll Band | Fri., July 1 | 7-10 p.m. | Swan Brewing | Free | Kick back at Swan Brewing and listen to this classic rock band play hits from the 1960s + 1970s. 🎸
Saturday -
Downtown Farmers Curb Market | Every Saturday | 8 a.m.-1 p.m. | Downtown Lakeland | Free | Take advantage of this local market before its month-long closure in August by shopping from 100+ vendors like Omusubee, The Red Swan Shop + Mk Boba.
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UnWINED Yoga in the Vines | Sat., July 2 | 9-10 a.m. | Keel and Curley Winery | $10 | Come for the relaxing yoga among the grapevines, stay for the wine. 🍇
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Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Park & Monument Rededication | Sat., July 2 | 5-6 p.m. | 199 E. Lake Silver Dr. NE, Winter Haven | Free | Reflect on Dr. King’s legacy in this public space.
Sunday - The Poor Porker Farewell Party | Sun., July 3 | 11 a.m.-9:15 p.m. | The Poor Porker, 801 E. Main St. | Free | Bid The Poor Porker farewell with brunch from Our Noire Kitchen, gourmet hot dogs, and music from Daniel Pepin before watching Red, White & Kaboom firework show.
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Independence Range Day | Sun., July 3 | 1-7 p.m. | Farewell Firearms Training, Lake Wales | Free | Get personalized training for all levels of experience while enjoying food + raffles. 🎯
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Red, White & Kaboom 2022 | Sun., July 3 | 6-9:30 p.m. | Frances Langford Promenade at Lake Mirror | Free | Bring one canned food item to benefit Volunteers in Service to the Elderly while you celebrate July 4 with live music + fireworks. 🎆
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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. |
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Weather -
90º | Scattered thunderstorms | 60% chance of rain
Development -
The Polk County Planning Commission is meeting on Wed., July 6 to consider the possible development of a new hospital at the corner of County Road 540-A and Harrell’s Nursery Road. The 29-acre property between George Jenkins High School and Valleyview Elementary School is currently zoned for residential use. 🏥 (The Ledger)
Tech -
Summit Broadband is planning on installing fiber optic cables throughout Lakeland. While the service was originally planned to be completed by June, Summit has not yet started the installation process. Lakeland city commissioners are advocating for a quicker rollout. (LkldNow)
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Everyone loves a new app. Lake Wales native George O’Neill III has launched a new mobile app, PROMO, which allows users to find local events, earn rewards, and more. You can download the app in the Android or Apple stores, free of charge. 📱 (The Ledger)
Edu -
Florida Southern College and the University of South Florida are working together to explore whether coral venom expression can predict propagule growth. The study is part of Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium’s “Protect Our Reefs” program, which awarded FSC’s Dr. Jason Macrander with a grant to fund the study. 🐠
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A trio of Polk State College students presented a plan to improve the safety of drinking water, particularly through filtering microplastics, at the Library of Congress last month. The students were one of 12 groups nationwide selected to present their idea to members of congress and the National Science Foundation. 🚰
Outdoors -
If you see any smoke rising from Green Swamp Wilderness Preserve, don’t worry — we’re here to answer all your burning questions. The district is conducting prescribed burns from July-September to reduce the risk of wildfires. In total, 5,450 acres will be burned. (The Ledger)
Talk -
Candidates in the race for Polk County School Board and County Judge seats will be speaking at a public forum on Tues., July 5 at 6 p.m. at New Bethel AME Church (2122 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave.). The forum is being hosted by the Lakeland branch of the NAACP. 🔥 (The Ledger)
Holiday -
The Joe G. Tedder Tax Collector’s office (930 E. Parker St.) will be closed on Mon., July 4 in observance of Independence Day. If you need to renew your vehicle registration, you can stop by the Oakbridge or Grove Park Publix locations and use the kiosk. Offices will reopen for normal business hours on Tues., July 5.
Plan Ahead -
It doesn’t matter if you’re a muggle, witch, or wizard — all are invited to Harry Potter’s Birthday Celebration at Lakeside Village. On Sat., July 30 from 2-4 p.m., dress in your best wizarding attire and celebrate with a Horcrux Scavenger Hunt, Honeydukes Photo Op, and Butterbeer, of course. 🪄
Asked -
New to Lakeland? Or know someone that is or will be? From parking guides to the 411 on local schools, we want to know what resources you’d be most interested in learning about. Let us know here.
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Looking forward to fireworks is fun, but looking back on them is pretty cool, too. The Lakeland Public Library shared this shot from this weekend, 20 years ago. We spy with our little eye… -
The Frances Langford Promenade
- Food stands
- A bandshell
- Lots of red, white, and blue
Some things never change. Enjoy your holiday weekend, Lakeland. 🇺🇸 |
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Missed yesterday’s newsletter? We answered a commonly asked question + told you all about 8 late-night restaurants where you can get your midnight fix, here.
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