Find a complete listing of December and January events taking place in Polk County at VisitCentralFlorida.org.
Guided Bird Hike
Date: Wednesday, December 4
Venue: Circle B Bar Reserve, Lakeland
-Join a volunteer guide on a hike through the Marsh while learning about the birds of Circle B Bar Reserve.
Lakeland Christmas Parade
Date: Thursday, December 5
Venue: Lakeland
- The annual Christmas parade, sponsored by The Junior League of Greater Lakeland, will kick off Thursday evening with a fantastic fireworks display over Lake Mirror.
- Over 120 organizations will participate in this year’s event.
The Miracle Worker
Date: Thursday, December 5 – Sunday, December 22
Venue: Theatre Winter Haven
- This inspiring true story of Helen Keller comes to Theatre Winter Haven, Thursdays-Sundays weekly.
Classic Albums Live Presents Led Zeppelin
Date: Friday, December 6
Venue: The Lakeland Center
- Classic Albums Live returns to Lakeland for Led Zeppelin’s Houses of the Holy presented by Max 98.3FM and will feature the album in its entirety, note-for-note and cut-for-cut.
First Friday
Date: Friday, December 6
Venue: Downtown Lakeland
- Every month, on the first Friday of the month, people from all over converge in Downtown Lakeland for an evening of free family-friendly entertainment, activities, live music, art receptions, a car show, and the opportunity to check out a locally-owned establishment.
Havendale Christmas Parade
Date: Friday, December 6
Venue: Havendale, Winter Haven/Auburndale
- The Cities of Auburndale and Winter Haven come together to bring one of the area’s largest and best loved Christmas Parades with professional floats, bands, and of course Santa and Mrs. Claus at the Havendale Christmas Parade.
Holiday Tree Lighting Party
Date: Friday, December 6
Venue: Eloise Resource Center
- Polk County Parks & Recreation present this free community Christmas party with arts & crafts, a visit from Santa and other activities for the whole family.
Jingle Bell Rock Party
Date: Friday, December 6
Venue: Wabash Community Center
- Polk County Parks & Recreation present this free community Christmas party with arts & crafts, a visit with Santa and other activities for the whole family.
Journey Stories Exhibit Opening Reception
Date: Friday, December 6
Venue: Polk County History Center, Bartow
- Journey Stories, from the Smithsonian’s traveling exhibit program “Museums on Main Street” explores how our ancestors came to America – a central element of the personal heritage.
Make It Magical
Date: Friday, December 6
Venue: Lake Wales
- Make It Magical will return to downtown Lake Wales with carriage rides, Santa Claus, shopping and fun for the whole family.
- Santa will make a guest appearance, and there will be vendors throughout the marketplace.
Bed & Breakfast Week Celebration
Date: Friday, December 6 – Sunday, December 8
Venue: Chalet Suzanne, Lake Wales
- Chalet Suzanne will be decked out for the holidays for the National Bed and Breakfast Week Celebration.
- Guests will enjoy fun, food and fashion at the Inn with a special breakfast menu, live fashion show and unique selection of merchandise from art, jewelry and various other vendors.
Homes Sweet Home Gingerbread Tour & Events
Date: Friday, December 6 – Sunday, December 8
Venue: Women’s Resource Club, Winter Haven
- The Women’s Resource Center of Central Florida, Inc. presents its signature event, Home Sweet Home Gingerbread House Contest.
- While gingerbread houses created by contest participants will be on display for two weekends in December, there will also be other holiday-themed events taking place including Breakfast with Santa, a Teddy Bear Tea and more.
Junie B Jones. Jingle Bells, Batman Smells
Date: Friday, December 6 – Sunday, December 8
Venue: Lakeland Community Theatre
- A Theatre for Youth Production based on the book series by Barbara Parks at Lakeland Community Theatre.
Lights of Lakeland
Date: Friday, December 6 – Sunday, December 8
Venue: Lakeland
- Experience an evening of excitement and wonder filled with your favorite holiday sights, smells and sounds with over 500,000 lights on display, The Grinch, Santa’s Workshop, a reindeer barn, pictures with Santa and Mrs. Claus, and a Bethlehem experience.
BeFly Bike Tours Christmas Lights Tour
Date: Friday, December 6 – Saturday, December 28
Venue: Begins at Polk Museum of Art, Lakeland
- Light lovers can enjoy a magical experience too “ooh and ahh” over gorgeous holiday displays on this Christmas bike tour every Friday and Saturday throughout December.
- The tour begins at Polk Museum of Art and will make a stop at Got Candy for a cup of hot chocolate.
Gary Gessford Exhibit
Date: Friday, December 6 – Tuesday, December 31
Venue: The Loft Art Gallery, Lakeland
- Gary Gessford brings a world of architectural, landscape, figurative, floral and non-representational color expressions to The Loft Art Gallery where his art will be featured through December 31.
- The show debuts with a free reception featuring live music, wine and hors d’oeuvres.
Astronomy Night
Date: Saturday, December 7
Venue: Circle B Bar Reserve, Lakeland
- Bring your new telescopes or gaze through one of the powerful telescopes that will be on site to provide you with a view of the night sky.
- Meet in the Workshop at Circle B Bar Reserve for an indoor presentation or introduction to the night sky and a discussion on what types of telescopes are best for star gazing.
Christmas at the Ramon
Date: Saturday, December 7
Venue: Ramon Theater, Frostproof
- Enjoy the spirit of Christmas with excerpts from the “The Nutcracker”, as well as a variety of classical and contemporary dance works reflecting the joy of the season.
- The performance will feature the professional company of the Florida Dance Theatre and its trainees, along with members of its Youth Ensemble.
Community Days
Date: Saturday, December 7
Venue: Circle B Bar Reserve, Lakeland
- Circle B Bar Reserve hosts monthly free themed events known as Community Days.
- December’s theme is Amazing Alligators & Stupendous Snakes.
Color Vibe 5K
Date: Saturday, December 7
Venue: SUN ‘n FUN, Lakeland
- Get your friends and family stretched out for this amazing color blast event where you’ll get blasted with color while you run the Color Vibe 5K.
Gaither Christmas Homecoming Tour
Date: Saturday, December 7
Venue: The Lakeland Center
- A full evening of entertainment and meaningful music is a rare treat anytime, but when the occasion includes the best-loved voices in gospel music… it’s a must-see celebration.
- This concert will leave you encouraged, grateful and most certainly smiling.
Get Outdoors with Extension
Date: Saturday, December 7
Venue: Babson Park
- Get outdoors with UF/IFAS Extension Polk County’s natural resources program that combines education with recreation for a fun-filled hiking event outside.
Lake Alfred Christmas Parade
Date: Saturday, December 7
Venue: Lake Alfred
- The parade will start at Mackay Blvd. and proceed North on Highway 17/92 to Gardner Park.
- Following the parade, Santa Claus will greet the children in the park with cookies and hot chocolate.
Mother/Son Camp Out
Date: Saturday, December 7
Venue: Homeland Heritage Park
- This event is an overnight camping activity for mothers and sons and includes all games, crafts, food, s’mores and more.
Snowfest
Date: Saturday, December 7
Venue: Lakeland
- Each year, the City’s “Santa elves” transform 76,000 pounds of block ice into the popular attraction in addition, to arts & crafts booths, children’s activities, entertainment, Santa Claus and much more.
Sunset & Symphony Holiday Concert
Date: Saturday, December 7
Venue: Bok Tower Gardens, Lake Wales
- Enjoy the sounds of the season with the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra and the Singing Tower carillon as they perform together during one of Central Florida’s favorite outdoor concerts.
- Families and friends are encouraged to prepare themed picnics and experience a magical evening as the sun sets atop Iron Mountain.
Carols in the Park
Date: Saturday, December 7 – Sunday, December 8
Venue: Winter Haven
- Get a start on your holiday shopping by attending Carols in the Park, which features crafters from around the nation selling items such as stained glass, photographs, jewelry, quilts, soaps, plants and much more.
Christmas Bricktacular
Date: Saturday, December 7 – Sunday, December 8
Venue: LEGOLAND Florida, Winter Haven
- Christmas Bricktacular at LEGOLAND® Florida brings in the holiday season with a 30-foot tall LEGO Christmas tree made of 270,000 LEGO bricks, festive decorations, LEGO build activity stations, a LEGO Santa Scavenger Hunt and holiday entertainment on Saturdays and Sundays in December.
nightFlight
Date: Saturday, December 7 – Sunday, December 8
Venue: Fantasy of Flight, Polk City
- Join Fantasy of Flight along with the experts of Apollo Paranormal Investigations on this unique journey through the Fantasy of Flight hangars after dark.
50 Shades! The Musical
Date: Sunday, December 8
Venue: The Lakeland Center
- The sexy, hilarious parody of the “Fifty Shades of Grey” phenomenon returns to Lakeland for a special one-night-only performance.
- Join The Lakeland Center as the Baby Wants Candy comedy troupe brings these novels to life on stage, keeping you guessing and laughing the whole way through.
Masterworks Series
Date: Tuesday, December 10
Venue: The Lakeland Center
- The Imperial Symphony Orchestra, a community orchestra is comprised of 80 volunteer musicians, who have made it their mission to entertain, educate and inspire audiences through enlightening performances of symphonic music.
- The Masterworks 2 theme is Winter Wonderland.
RECURRING EVENTS:
Paintings of the Space Age – Through December 7 (Polk Museum of Art, Lakeland)
reGeneration2: Tomorrow’s Photographers Today – Through December 7 (Polk Museum of Art, Lakeland)
Elves Shelves Gift Shop – Through December 8 (Polk Museum of Art, Lakeland)
Festival of Wreaths – Through December 13 (Polk County History Center, Bartow)
A Country Christmas Hayride – Fridays & Saturdays through December 28 (The Smith Family Ranch, Lakeland)
Holiday Home Tour – Through January 5 (Bok Tower Gardens, Lake Wales)
Poinsettia Display – Through January 5 (Bok Tower Gardens, Lake Wales)
Haines City Farmers Market – Wednesdays weekly
Winter Haven Farmers Market – Thursdays weekly
Bartow Farmers Market – Saturdays weekly
Downtown Lakeland Farmers Curb Market – Saturdays weekly
Good Health Fresh Goods & Crafts Market – First, second, third Saturdays monthly
Lake Wales Farmers Market – Second and fourth Saturdays monthly
Highland City Community Market – Third Saturday monthly
Mulberry Farmers Market – Third Saturday monthly
Saturday Night Rodeo – Saturdays weekly (Westgate River Ranch Resort, River Ranch)
Children’s Programming: – Monday through Friday weekly (Explorations V Children’s Museum, Lakeland)
For this week’s sporting events, check out “What’s Happening in Central Florida Sports” on CatchCentralFlorida.com.