The holidays are here and the City of Lakeland proud to sponsor many fun activities for you and your family throughout the month of December.
Annual Holiday Walkabout
Tuesday, December 3, 2013 / 6PM – 9PM / Downtown Lakeland
This annual event in Downtown Lakeland celebrates the holidays with shopping, dining, music, horse-drawn wagon rides and more! Holiday music from many area schools and churches create a festive atmosphere. And don’t forget shopping! If you want a gift that doesn’t say I was mass produced in a department store, then shopping in Downtown Lakeland is for you. Stores and restaurants will be open from 6:00 pm until 9:00 pm.
Free parking will be available at the main street garage. The public parking entrance is located on Cedar St. The Bay Street entrance is also open and can be accessed from Tennessee Ave.
33rd Annual Christmas Parade
Thursday, December 5, 2013 / 7PM / Downtown Lakeland
On Thursday, December 5th the 33rd Annual Christmas Parade will kick off at 7:00 pm with a fantastic fireworks display over Lake Mirror. The theme of this year’s parade - I'm Dreaming Of... Over 110 organizations will be participating in this year’s event. The parade will leave the Lakeland center and make its way down Lemon Street twisting and turning through Downtown Lakeland.
Streets along the parade route will begin closing at 5:30 pm. Additional parking will be available after 5:00 pm in the Downtown parking garages and parking lots. So get your seat early and keep and keep an eye out for the Big guy at the end.
Snowfest
Saturday, December 7, 2013 / 10AM - 2PM / Lake Mirror
Snow will fall in Lakeland as the 33rd Annual Snowfest kicks off at Lake Mirror from 10am – 2 pm. This year’s event will feature the traditional snow mountain along with an exciting snow slide, a visit from Santa Claus, children’s entertainment, inflatables and food vendors will complete the day. Price for admission to snow mountain or the snow slide will be a canned food item or a $1.00 donation. Admission to the inflatables will be $1.00 All canned food items will be donated to the Polk county Senior Orphans Charity.
Santa's Calling
Tuesday, December 10, 2013 / 5:30PM - 8:30PM / Forms must be submitted by Monday, December 9, 2013
Special arrangements have been made this year for Santa to phone local children from his workshop. Santa and his long distance operators will be calling elementary school children on Tuesday, December 10th from 5:30 pm – 8:30 pm. To ensure your child doesn’t miss out on this exciting opportunity you must complete a Santa’s Calling form. Forms can be obtained online or picked up at any of the following facilities:
- Kelly Recreation Complex - 404 Imperial Blvd
- Simpson Park - 1725 MLK Jr. Ave
- City Hall located - 228 S Massachusetts Ave