Find a complete listing of February and March events taking place in Polk County at VisitCentralFlorida.org.
Masters of Illusions Live!
Date: Monday, February 17
Venue: The Lakeland Center
- Masters of Illusion Live!, a touring magic show based on the award-winning television series Masters of Illusion Live!, is coming to The Lakeland Center.
Special Magical Monday
Date: Monday, February 17
Venue: Explorations V Children’s Museum, Lakeland
- Explorations V Children’s Museum will offer free admission from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. for a special Magical Monday session featuring Ken Lawson, Secretary of the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, reading a children’s e-book.
Cirque D’Or
Date: Tuesday, February 18
Venue: The Lakeland Center
- Cirque D’Or’s action-packed presentation delivers incredible talent beyond your wildest imagination with beautiful costumes, dynamic lighting and the world’s greatest talents assembled on one stage.
Lunch & Learn Lecture Series
Date: Tuesday, February 18
Venue: Polk County History Center, Bartow
- The History Center invites guests to bring lunch and listen to a guest speaker on the third Tuesday monthly.
- The February speaker and topic is: Dr. Kevin McCarthy on Baseball in Florida, and a representative from the Detroit Tigers will join the discussion.
Gibson Brothers Concert
Date: Wednesday, February 19
Venue: Lake Ashton Community Center, Lake Wales
- The Gibson Brothers, 2013 Entertainer of the Year Award, 2013 Vocal Group, and 2013 Song of the Year winners, will perform a bluegrass concert at Lake Ashton Community Center in Lake Wales.
22nd Annual Antique Engine & Tractor Show
Date: Wednesday, February 19 – Saturday, February 22
Venue: Fort Meade
- The 22nd Annual Antique Engine and Tractor Show will feature antique tractors and cars, hit and miss engines, food, a flea market, parades, and the antique village.
Tiger BBQ
Date: Thursday, February 20
Venue: Joker Marchant Stadium, Lakeland
- Join the Lakeland Chamber of Commerce in welcoming back the Detroit Tigers at Joker Marchant Stadium with a night of food, players and fun.
Les Misérables
Date: Thursday, February 20 – March 16
Venue: Theatre Winter Haven
- Les Misérables – now the world’s longest-running musical seen by over 60 million people in 42 countries – comes to the stage in Winter Haven.
Light Up the Night 5K
Date: Friday, February 21
Venue: Central Park, Winter Haven
- Run, jog or walk a 5k through Downtown Winter Haven with the Junior League of Greater Winter Haven, and stay for the live music and food truck rally to follow.
St. Sophia Greek Festival
Date: Friday, February 21 – Sunday, February 23
Venue: Sophia Greek Orthodox Church of Polk County, Winter Haven
- Enjoy a taste of Greek culture in Winter Haven at the St. Sophia Greek Festival, a weekend-long festival offers Greek music and dance, cuisine, youth activities, and dance lessons and much more.
RussMatt Central Florida Baseball Invitational
Date: Friday, February 21 – Sunday, April 20
Venue: Lake Myrtle Sports Park, Auburndale; Chain of Lakes Complex, Winter Haven
- The RussMatt Central Florida Baseball Invitational will be held at Lake Myrtle Sports Park, the Chain of Lakes Baseball Complex and various other baseball fields around the county and will feature more than 200 colleges in all divisions (NCAA D I, II, III, NAIA and JUCO).
Bone Valley Gem, Mineral and Fossil Show
Date: Saturday, February 22
Venue: First Presbyterian Church of Lakeland
- This rock, mineral and fossil show and sale will take place at First Presbyterian Church of Lakeland on February 22.
Cash & Friends – A Tribute to Johnny Cash & Friends
Date: Saturday, February 22
Venue: Ramon Theater, Frostproof
- Keith Coleman, the best Johnny Cash Tribute Artist in Florida, will sing hit Cash songs and will be joined by Ruby Tuesday performing June Carter Cash, Loretta Lynn, Dolly Parton and others at this performance, part of the Ramon Theater 2014 Music Series.
Central Florida Ridge Friends of the NRA 19th Annual Dinner & Auction
Date: Saturday, February 22
Venue: Lake Eva Banquet Hall, Haines City
- Enjoy an all-you-can-eat seafood and chicken buffet catered by the renowned Gay’s Foods of Moultrie, Georgia and play games to win sporting goods and other prizes while bidding on rare collectibles and art during a night of live and silent auctions.
Community Days
Date: Saturday, February 22
Venue: Circle B Bar Reserve, Lakeland
- “Trees Are Terrific!” is the theme of February’s free Community Day at Circle B Bar Reserve.
Get Outdoors with Extension
Date: Saturday, February 22
Venue: Colt Creek State Park, Lakeland
-Get outdoors with UF/IFAS Extension Polk County for a natural resource program that combines education with recreation for a fun-filled event outside.
Intermediate Watercolors
Date: Saturday, February 22
Venue: Bok Tower Gardens, Lake Wales
- Review basic watercolor techniques and paint en plein air in the garden.
- Breakfast, lunch and some supplies provided.
Lake Wales Car Show
Date: Saturday, February 22
Venue: Downtown Lake Wales
- Stroll and admire the cool antique, custom and classic cars of yesteryear while enjoying music, enchanting shops, and the unique restaurants of charming downtown Lake Wales.
Lake Wales Wine Walk & Shop
Date: Saturday, February 22
Venue: Downtown Lake Wales
- Visit delightful downtown Lake Wales area merchants for shopping, food, wine, antique car, show and karaoke.
Spring Training Day at Outpost 27
Date: Saturday, February 22
Venue: Outpost 27, Davenport
- Polk County’s official visitor information center will welcome spring training season with its 7th annual Spring Training Kick-Off Event which will include a bounce house, games for all ages, food vendors, baseball prizes and giveaways, a baseball movie playing in the theater, and a special appearance by “Ace” the Lakeland Flying Tigers mascot.
- There will also be baseball memorabilia on display February 17-23.
Polk Senior Games
Date: Saturday, February 22 – Monday, March 10
Venue: Bartow
- The Polk Senior Games return for two weeks of athletic and recreational Olympic-style competitive events for men and women 50 and years and over.
La Florida: 500 Years In the Place of Flowers
Date: Saturday, February 22 – Thursday, April 10
Venue: Bok Tower Gardens, Lake Wales
- This John Moran photography exhibit, sponsored by the Florida Wildflower Foundation & the Florida State Wildflower license plate, commemorates the natural history and culture of our state, which roughly translates to “land of flowers.”
Theresa Caputo LIVE
Date: Sunday, February 23
Venue: The Lakeland Center
- The Long Island Medium, Theresa Caputo, comes to The Lakeland Center for one night only on Sunday, February 23.
Major League Scramble
Date: Monday, February 24
Venue: Grasslands Golf and Country Club, Lakeland
- The 2013 American League Central Division Champion Detroit Tigers are ready to tee it up at this 19th annual golf scramble before the Spring Training season begins.
Celtic Woman
Date: Tuesday, February 25
Venue: The Lakeland Center
- Celtic Woman, an all-female Irish musical ensemble, will perform at The Lakeland Center on Tuesday, February 25 as part of the 2014 tour.
Detroit Tigers Spring Training
Date: Tuesday, February 25 – Friday, March 28
Venue: Joker Marchant Stadium, Lakeland
- The 2014 spring season marks the Tigers 78th season at TigerTown in Lakeland, extending the longest-standing relationship between a major league team and a current Spring Training host city.
- The 2014 spring season also marks the club’s 49th consecutive season of exhibition play at Joker Marchant Stadium.
RECURRING EVENTS:
One Billion Rising Art Exhibition – Through February 20 (Polk State College, Winter Haven)
Spring Training Memorabilia at Outpost 27 – Through February 23 (Outpost 27, Davenport)
Eluster Richardson at The Loft Art Gallery – Through February 28 (The Loft Art Gallery, Lakeland)
South Pacific – Through March 2 (Lakeland Community Theatre)
Stephen Knapp: New Light – Through March 8 (Polk Museum of Art, Lakeland)
Haines City Farmers Market – Wednesdays weekly
Winter Haven Farmers Market – Thursdays weekly
Downtown Lakeland Farmers Curb Market – Saturdays weekly
Lake Wales Farmers Market – Second and fourth Saturdays monthly
3rd Saturday Market Bartow – Third Saturday monthly
Highland City Community Market – Third Saturday monthly
Mulberry Farmers Market – Third Saturday monthly
4th Saturday Market Winter Haven – Fourth 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.