Doesn't have to be anything fancy and besides restaurants I'm looking for something fun for us to do as well. Appreciate any tips!

Planning a corporate Christmas party for 50 people. We are a small business planning for 25 employees plus SOs. I want to do something fun without it getting too expensive (max budget $3k).

Any recommendations for venues and activities? I looked into AxCaliber and am considering that as an option, but people don’t seem too excited for ax throwing. It seems like our group size is a bit too big for most restaurant private rooms without renting out an entire venue (which really starts to add up). Plus I’d like to do more than just eat dinner. Today I had the idea renting a space for a cocktail-type party with a murder mystery but not sure if that’s doable.

This is my first time planning something like this. I’ve been to corporate Christmas parties in the past and they’ve either been really lame, like a dinner at the office or something, or they’ve been really fancy high budget things (fancy venues with high end catering, free alcohol, dance floor, etc) for big corporations. I’m trying to find a middle ground within our budget. Really looking for any ideas and specific venue recommendations in Lakeland or nearby.

Big updates could be on the horizon for Lakeland’s Mass Market area. As first reported by The Ledger, the Lakeland Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) recently shared plans with its advisory board for updates to this portion of the Midtown district, including proposals from architecture firm Straughn Trout.

Mass Market covers nine blocks, stretching north to south from East Memorial Boulevard to Bartow Road + east to west from North Massachusetts Avenue to North Florida Avenue. It includes spots like Haus 820, the Polk Tax Collector’s office, The Well, Talbot House Ministries, and the vacant Yard on Mass building.

Lakeland CRA proposes new developments for the Mass Market are

https://preview.redd.it/2zag3db9dgod1.png?width=1500&format=png&auto=webp&s=fbd4927039cf19ffd014371c82c5cbd9bff8161e

It appears that the city is trying to create a walkable area that stretched from Lakeland Regional Health south to Dixieland and this may be the last piece. However, some questions immediately come to mind.

How does Talbot House Ministries fit in this equation?

Will the latest proposal be the start of the Memorial Blvd revitalization?

Who is going to pay for this?

Would you patronize this area if/when it's completed?

I have a tattoo that was done by an artist who was a real asshole (in Jax, shop is unsurprisingly closed now 🥴) and did an awful job. It healed terribly and looks terrible now 😞 I want to get it fixed but I don’t know where to start. I’m looking for recommendations for talented, kind, and respectful artists who can either help me touch it up or redo it. I’m open to traveling anywhere from Tampa to Orlando. Thanks!

I know Southside is good and Crunch is similar to Just Move, which other good ones are there?

I have a sectional in used-but-nice condition, but it’s coming from a house with cats/dogs, so I don’t think it would have tremendous resale value. 😅

I’m looking for a place to donate, but would prefer it not go to a Goodwill or Salvation Army. Any ideas?

edit for clarity: I’m okay with it being resold for a good/local cause!

I have a Tag that needs repairs and a tune up, who are some reputable watch repair or jewelry shops ?

I make a full day out of college football on Saturdays, and I'd prefer to buy freshly made tortilla chips and salsa from a local restaurant or mercado than getting something off the shelf at Publix. Basically anywhere between Lakeland and lake Wales is on the table.

I have a ring and a bracelet that need a prong repaired and links removed, respectively. Anyone have good experiences locally? Thank you!

Just moved to Lakeland to be closer to my wife’s family as we are expecting our first child. My job is going through a new location strategy and will not let me work from our new home.

Looking for a job in town that I can provide a good life for my family and help out our new community. Anyone have any ideas of where to look?

I’m a lifelong enterprise tech salesperson but open to looking into anything local!

My brother is 19, never had a job before. He's currently in college and can work week nights and weekends. He's had an interview at McDonald's but they never called him back. He has applied to many fast food places here in Lakeland. He is very smart and can learn any entry level job quickly. He has his own car for reliable transportation.

Anyone with an "in" and can get eyes on his application at a fast food place or other entry level job please let me know and I'll tell him to apply there.

Thanks for reading my post

Does anybody have recommendations on where to source good topsoil from? Pierce materials has poor reviews as far as quality of the dirt and not giving the proper amount you pay for and Shane's Tractor Supply doesn't ever pick up the phone. I'm looking to ideally get a full dump truck of dirt delivered for garden use

Hello all, Last month a super friendly cat cane to my house. He jumped into the windowsill. The next day he came back so I decided to feed him. He definitely is not feral. He had to have as a home at some point because he is super friendly and affectionate he is trusting towards humans and was even looking to go inside. He was starving, he ate 3 cans of fancy feast. (I have 6 cats). Over the past month he has come and gone but Friday night after almost a week of rain he came back and was starving, he clearly was in a fight. So my wife and I scooped him up and took him to an emergency Vet. They did an exam and some blood work. Turns out he is FIV+. They gave us meds for fleas and ear mites as well as worms. When we got home I bathed him and put him in a room away from my other cats.

Long story longer, we can’t keep him. Not because of the FIV because we had a cat with FIV but because my two younger cats are loosing their minds because he is in their house.

Can someone please take him and give him a good life indoors ? He may need to be an only kitty only because I’m not sure if he gets along with other cats. But if you are looking for a lap cat that just wa TD head scratches this is your guy.

Is the Florida Polytechnic campus open to the public? I’ll be driving through the area this week and want to stop to walk around campus and also take a few work calls from a quiet corner of campus. Looks like parking is $5, but can I get anywhere on campus and on free wifi without a student ID?

Hello! I’ll be moving to Lakeland before the end of the year, and am wondering if anyone has recommendations for a really great vet for my cat. I’m not looking to take her to any chain vet offices, petsmart, or anything like that. I just want someone local or nearby who cares a lot about cats.

Hello all!

I am looking for suggestions for daycare options for my infant. She’s enrolled at the YMCA by Disney already because my wife works there but it’s both pretty expensive and quite a long drive added to her commute to take the baby there. This is our first child so we’re not really sure how to find good daycare options. Anybody able to help?

I'm recently Homeless here in Auburndale and it sucks and Now lost my job Due to it, Does anybody know how I can get assistance On a Greyhound Ticket back to California I'm literally broke got $17 to my name, I have friends and family there, I have none in Florida and each shelter turns me down and I don't have a car to drive to other locations, I seen that Greyhound has a free ticket for homeless youth up until age 21, but they don't for adults, I've had my duffle bag looted already I had to stash it because it's hard to carry around, I'm literally Physically, Mentally and spiritually Drained, I just wanna go back and be around Family and my daughter. Thank you in advance and God Bless.

Just the title. I’ve been to goodwill and salvation army, but I want to find actual thrift stores that aren’t jacking up prices for no reason. I’ve been to a small one in mulberry that was OK. Any good ones in lakeland??

I'm a 26 yo guy looking for PCM recomendations in the UHC network around the lakeland area. Somebody really knowlegable with spinal injuries preferred. Thanks for any response!

Looking for a decent hotel/motel recommendation for tonight and tomorrow night. Decently clean, not Roach interested, no bed bugs preferred. Under $200.

25M looking for friends and small friend groups to hangout with and chill with here in Lakeland. PLEASE Dm me.

i'd like to get a tattoo on my upper arm of a tarot card, but slightly more minimalist/fine line oriented. the portfolios i've seen are larger pieces that focus more on realism. does anyone have recommendations for a tattoo artist with a portfolio i can look at? willing to travel anywhere in polk county or tampa/orlando :) would prefer someone you have personally been to and can recommend!

Just had someone come to my door advertising for Verizon, they weren't wearing Verizon attire or anything that resembled Verizon. She was wearing a white shirt and pink pants. She was asking if I'm having issues with Spectrum, how much I'm charged a month, etc. Basically trying to sway me into switching to Verizon. It was all really weird and she kept calling me 'boss mama'. Was this a scam or is Verizon actually hiring people to walk around and solicit?

Does anyone know how to find out when/ where you can buy a booth ticket for the Lakeland punk rock flea market? I’ve gone many times and I’d like to get a booth. The website says they give a time and place to buy the booths but how do they release that information?

I’m going to be moving to Lakeland around fall of 2025 for college. I was wondering if the residents here could tell me more of the pros and cons of this area. I’ll be on campus so keep that in mind :)

I’ve tried Mayflower a few times over the past few years, but it hasn’t been my favorite, unfortunately. Mayflower is good but I grew up/spent a lot of in a different city when I was little. It that had a lot of Chinese influence, and I miss the authentic, comfort, homey food I had when I was younger.

I’m open to options in Tampa and Winter Haven too! I prefer Lakeland since that’s obviously where we live, but I’m open to a bit of a drive if it’s worth it!

If anyone knows of anyplace hiring in lakeland please let me know. Indeed only shows me to be a brain surgeon, dental hygienist, etc. I’m 20 yr old who needs to move out the house part time or full time anything will work