What exactly is the Ultimate Fishing Town? The World Fishing Network has opened a contest for voters to select their pick for the town they feel is most passionate about fishing and a great destination for outdoor enthusiasts, and Lakeland, Lake Wales and Winter Haven are among the nominees.

Aside from the “Ultimate Fishing Town” title and honors, the town receiving the most votes will earn $25,000 to be donated to a cause benefiting local anglers. In addition to the contribution, the World Fishing Network will produce a television feature about the region, which will be broadcast on-air and online throughout the year. Second and third place winners will also receive community donations with $5,000 being awarded to second place and $2,500 to third.

The voting has already begun, so don’t wait to participate and help your community win! Cast your votes at World Fishing Network or click: Lakeland, Lake Wales or Winter Haven. The contest opened on Tuesday, May 1 and will close Thursday, May 31. The three winning cities will be announced around June 6.
Vote up to a maximum of four times per day per email address, with one vote every six hours.

Voting is limited to one vote cast during each of the following blocks:

Voting Block One 12:01 a.m. to 6:00 a.m.
Voting Block Two 6:01 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. ET
Voting Block Three 12:01 p.m. ET to 6:00 p.m. ET
Voting Block Four 6:01 p.m.ET to 12:00 a.m. ET

You can also earn up to eight additional votes by referring friends, adding local business listings or sharing your vote on Facebook or Twitter.

Don’t wait to help your county win! Recognized as the Largemouth Bass Capital of the World, it seems only fitting for Polk County to be the home of the “Ultimate Fishing Town”.

This semi-annual flea market is one of the Top 10 in the country and was the biggest show to date. Vendors from all over set up shop at this event, and shoppers strolled the streets of Lakeland browsing through the vintage clothing, fabulous furniture, hand-made jewelry, original art, shabby chic decor, and antiques that were on display.

If you missed out on this shabby chic, vintage affair, check out some of our photos we took while perusing for ourselves:

Southeastern University Choral Concert
Date: Monday, April 23
Venue: First Presbyterian Church – Lakeland
-This Southeastern University Choral Concert will take place Monday, April 23 at First Presbyterian Church in Lakeland.

ISO “Tea and Symphony”
Date: Tuesday, April 24
Venue: The Lakeland Center
-The Tuesday before each Masterworks concert, enjoy wine, tea and refreshments while learning about the upcoming Imperial Symphony Orchestra concert.
-This will be at Lake Hunter Room in The Lakeland Center.

Driven to Abstraction, Tony Eitharong & Carol Frye
Dates: Thursday, April 26 – Thursday
Venue: Lake Wales Arts Center
-This is an exhibition held at the Lake Wales Arts Center.
-The opening reception is scheduled for April 26, from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m.

Rumors
Dates: Thursday, April 26 – Sunday, April 29
Venue: Theatre Winter Haven
-This is a Comedy by Neil Simon, America’s best known multi-award winning playwright, at Theatre Winter Haven.

String Ensemble Concert
Date: Thursday, April 26
Venue: Harrison Arts Center – Lakeland
-This string orchestra concert will take place at Harrison Arts Center.

Lakeland Derby
Date: Friday, April 27
Venue: Lake Mirror – Lakeland
-The Lakeland Derby is an annual “Derby Style” event staged on beautiful Lake Mirror in Downtown Lakeland.
-The Derby features ten beautifully hand-crafted swan paddleboats in a thrilling race to the finish line along with exciting new additions including corn hole, a bounce house, balloon artist and small fishing ponds for the little ones.
-Fred’s Southern Kitchen is offering a dinner for only $5, and you can also enjoy wine, beer and strawberry shortcake.
-The proceeds will support Lakeland Volunteers in Medicine, a vital local charity.

Lakeland Raiders vs. Rome Rampage
Date: Friday, April 27
Venue: The Lakeland Center
-The Raiders’ 2012 season consists of seven home games at The Lakeland Center.
-Kick-off for all home games will be 7:15pm.
-Single Game Ticket Prices:
Club Level: $25 Adult, $18 Child
Side Line: $18 Adult, $9 Child
Red Zone: $12 Adult, $7 Child

Motion Picture Art Film Festival
Dates: Friday, April 27 – Saturday, April 28
Venue: Harrison Arts Center – Lakeland
-Harrison School for the Arts presents a Motion Picture Arts Film Festival Friday through Saturday.
-The event takes place at 7:30pm on both evenings.

Polk Museum of Art: Curator Tour
Date: Friday, April 27
Venue: Polk Museum of Art – Lakeland
-Enjoy a special tour of the “Sketches & Steel” exhibition with Adam Justice, PMoA’s Curator of Art.

Roundhousen’s Roast
Date: Friday, April 27
Venue: Polk Theatre – Lakeland
-This film was produced and directed by Southeastern students and faculty and includes many students in its cast.
-Roundhousen’s Roast follows in the line of murder mystery comedies such as Clue and Murder by Death.

STARPOWER National Talent Competition
Dates: Friday, April 27 – Sunday, April 29
Venue: The Lakeland Center
-STARPOWER is a National Talent Competition held at The Lakeland Center’s Youkey Theatre.

The Odd Couple
Dates: Friday, April 27 – Sunday, April 29
Venue: Lakeland Community Theatre
-Lakeland Community Theatre presents The Odd Couple, a 1965 Broadway comedy by Neil Simon, followed by a successful film and television series as well as other derivative works and spinoffs.

Eagle Lake BBQ Festival
Date: Saturday, April 28
Venue: Gazebo Park (off Hwy 17) – Eagle Lake
-Enjoy the best local barbeque at this pro-team /backyard BBQ competition along with all-day live music, children’s activities and free parking and admission.
-The Festival proceeds will benefit Lake Region High School Athletics.

Fancy Flea Vintage Vintage Home and Garden Market
Date: Saturday, April 28
Venue: Downtown Lakeland
-Rated as one of the Top 10 Flea Markets in America, Fancy Flea is a semi-annual event located in Downtown Lakeland featuring furniture, vintage clothing, hand-made jewelry, original art and more.

Florida Southern College Graduation
Date: Saturday, April 28
Venue: The Lakeland Center
-Florida Southern College’s graduation ceremony will be in the George Jenkins Arena at The Lakeland Center.
-The ceremony is free and open to the public.

Healthy Kids Day
Date: Saturday, April 28
Venue: YMCA Winter Haven
-Join YMCA Winter Haven for fun activities relating to health and education as they encourage kids and parents to commit to keeping the body and mind active this summer.

Historic Walking Tour
Date: Saturday, April 28
Venue: Downtown Lakeland
-Realtor Jim Malless and architect John White will lead you on entertaining and informative treks into Downtown Lakeland’s distant and recent past.
-Reservations are required, and tours are limited to 30 people.

Lakeland Love Comedy
Date: Saturday, April 28
Venue: Polk Theatre – Lakeland
-A romantic comedy described as The Office meets Raising Arizona meets Paul Blart (Mall Cop).
-This feature-length film was shot in many locations around Lakeland with film dialogue that was entirely improvised.

Over 55 Show Band
Dates: Saturday, April 28 – Sunday, April 29
Venue: Fine Arts Theatre, Polk State College – Winter Haven
-The Over 55 Show Band performs at Polk State College in the Winter Haven Fine Arts Theatre on Saturday and Sunday.

Platform Art Party #19
Date: Saturday, April 28
Venue: Downtown Lakeland
-A progressive art party of visual art, short film, fashion, sound and performance with a focus on our agricultural heritage.
-A public art piece funded by Platform Art will be unveiled during the event, which is a celebration of Earth Month and Polk County’s rich agricultural heritage.
-The primary venue is under the St. Joseph’s Catholic Church Pavilion.

Webster University Graduation
Date: Saturday, April 28
Venue: The Lakeland Center
-This college graduation will take place in Sikes West at The Lakeland Center
-It’s free and open to Public. 

Upcoming Events:

Legends & Legacies- D-Day Invasion of Normandy – May 11-12 (Fantasy of Flight-Polk City)

Ironman 70.3 Florida – May 19-May 20 (Lake Eva Park-Haines City)

Carillon Classic 5k Run/Walk – May 26 (Bok Tower Gardens-Lake Wales)

Legends & Legacies- Reflections of Vietnam – June 8-9 (Fantasy of Flight-Polk City)

Florida’s Sunshine State Games: Polk County Festival – June 15-17 & 23-24

Red, Brick & Boom – July 4 (LEGOLAND® Florida – Winter Haven)

Polk NatureFest – October 4-7 (locations across Polk County)

Brick-or-Treat – October- Saturdays & Sundays (LEGOLAND® Florida – Winter Haven)

Legends & Legacies- Letters Home: Love, Courage & Survival – October 12-13 (Fantasy of Flight-Polk City)

Go LEGOLAND – It’s Your Birthday – October 15 (LEGOLAND® Florida – Winter Haven)

Polk County’s 19th Platform Art party will be held on April 28, 2012 from 7:00 – 11:00 p.m. in downtown Lakeland. Next weekend’s progressive art party will feature visual art, short film, fashion, sound and performance with a focus on agricultural heritage. Tickets will be $15.00 in advance, $20.00 the day of the event, and $10.00 for students with a valid id at the door.

For an even more exciting twist there will be a public art piece funded by Platform Art that will be unveiled during the event, which is a celebration of Earth Month and Polk County’s agricultural heritage. Art Party #19: Art in AgriCulture will be an event no one will want to miss!

PicassoZ Art Café and sister company, Tea Largo, are proud to participate in the Earth Hour 2012 movement. So much so, in fact, they are not only powering down their non-essential lighting for 60 minutes, but they are celebrating with an hour of festivities.  PicassoZ’s theme of the evening will be “art in a whole new light” and will include mosaic demonstrations using recycled pool tiles and kids’ workshops where children ages 6-12 can recycle their old t-shirts into no-sew pillows. Not to mention, there will be goodies and discounts, along with a free studio fee when you bring a week’s worth of newspapers with you.

Tea Largo is also celebrating throughout the hour with an eco-friendly “Lug-A-Mug” promo, encouraging you to “lug” your reusable tumbler along to receive your favorite tea or hand-crafted beverage for half-off.  This tea bar will be lit by candles and will also offer organic tea samples along with discounts on reusable items during the special hour.

Earth Hour began in 2007 in Sydney, Australia, and quickly spread world-wide. Always the last Saturday in March, this exciting event has grown to 135 countries in every time zone between 8:30-9:30 p.m . It’s a message of hope and action to protect the one thing that unites us all – the planet. Together, simple actions can add up.

PicassoZ and Tea Largo encourage you to take part in this movement too. The big, bright yellow awnings of this art cafe will be dark, so be sure to look for the glow-in-the-dark balloons Saturday night!

This exhibit will be nothing short of exciting and event-filled, featuring over 250 open forums, hands-on workshops, seminars, industry dinners and so much more! If that’s not your style, acres upon acres of over 4,700 aircraft of all types and classes, from vintage to warbirds, will be on display as well as a signature daily airshow featuring the world premiere aerobatic stars along with military precision jet teams.

On Thursday, March 29, beginning at 8 p.m., Aaron Tippin will be performing his Red, White & Loud concert as part of the evening program line-up. A first come, first serve seating availability will be given to all weekly or Thursday ticket (wristband) wearers, and a special $10.00 after 5:00 p.m. admission rate to the concert will be available for those interested in attending the concert itself.

There truly is something for every aviation fanatic at SUN ‘n FUN. Get your tickets early to guarantee your week of aviation fun. Ticket prices are as follows:

Weekly
Adult: $150.00
Youth (11-17): $50.00
10 and Under: FREE

Daily
Adult: $35.00
Youth (11-17): $15.00
10 and Under: FREE

Races will begin on Saturday at 11:00 a.m. and Sunday at 12:00 p.m. Drivers from all across the country will be arriving on Friday for boat testing in hopes of competing for world record speeds and times along with bragging rights and those coveted points.

Races will be run in several classes and divisions with the three major divisions consisting of Inboard, Outboard and Outboard Performance Craft. In all, 11 classes of boats will race throughout the weekend

Orange Cup Regatta is free to all and spectators can enjoy race commentary via a speaker system set up to reach around all shores of the lake. Drivers will be available for autographs and photo opportunities throughout the weekend as well.

Bring family and friends and enjoy a beautiful weekend outdoors enjoying powerboat racing at its finest.

Platform Art is grateful for:

volunteers || GFWC Junior Women’s Club of Lakeland, serving the community since 1928.
sponsors || George W. Jenkins Fund within the Community Foundation of Greater Lakeland, Florida Refuse/Republic Services, City of Lakeland, CSX, Lunz Prebor Fowler.
platform.5 coordinator || Karen Grisham

I was fortunate to sit next to a really nice young woman named Lori, who drove an hour-and-a-half from Orlando to see Ms. LuPone. She said “it’s so easy to just hop on I-4 and come over.”  I also found out that Lori is in the cast of Theatre Winter Haven’s production of “Buddy – The Buddy Holly Story” which is in rehearsals right now for the show’s run from February 23 through March 18 (Thursdays-Sundays).  Learn more about the production on the Theatre Winter Haven website.

I recognized many in the audience, including several students  from the Harrison School from the Arts theatre program.  Definitely make the effort to take in one of their performances.  The talent is amazing.

Upcoming performances at The Lois Cowles Harrison School for the Visual and Performing Arts include–

Winter Dance Concert Friday, February 17 – Saturday, February 18 at 7:30 PM.

Little Women Friday, March 2 and Saturday, March 3 at 7:30 PM, and on Sunday, March 4 at 2:00 PM.

Check out Harrison’s new website for more information.

Don’t miss out on these performances and many more.  Learn more at PolkArts.org and VisitCentralflorida.org.