October is in full swing – and to help you acclimate to the fall season, we’re rounding up some of the top local events (both virtual and in-person) to help you stay connected. 🍂

Monday, September 28-Sunday, October 4

Monday | September 28

Tuesday | September 29

Wednesday | September 30

Thursday | October 1

Friday | October 2

Saturday | October 3

Sunday | October 4

Power in Pink Virtual Marathon Challenge | Sun., Oct. 4 | Locations Vary | Virtual | $30 | Choose how and where you want to complete your miles for this virtual marathon until Oct. 31 in support of The Breast Cancer Foundation of Central-Florida + participants will receive free merch and the opportunity to win prize packages. 🏃‍♀️

Monday, October 5-Sunday, October 11

Monday | October 5

Tuesday | October 6

Florida Master Naturalist Program | Tue., Oct. 6 | 8 a.m.-5 p.m. | Circle B Bar Reserve | 4399 Winter Lake Rd., Lakeland | $150-$185 | This adult education course co-developed by the University of Florida and Polk’s Nature Discovery Center will inform participants about Florida’s natural environment + conservation efforts which can be translated into multiple professional fields. 🌿

Wednesday | October 7

Mr. Central Florida | Wed., Oct. 7 | 6-9 p.m. | Craft + Kitchen | 3234 S. Florida Ave., Lakeland | Prices Vary | Chow down on pulled pork plates and enjoy poured drafts as Polk County Sheriff Lt. Jim Ostojic competes for the title of Mr. Central Florida + proceeds support the Central Florida Speech & Hearing Center. 👑

Virtual Game Night | Wed., Oct. 7 | 7-10 p.m. | Let’s Roam Scavenger Hunt Adventures | Virtual, RSVP | Participate in this virtual game night via video call software for five-rounds of different games including trivia, charades, Let’s Draw, and more. 🕹️

Sticky Steve Art Celebration | Wed., Oct. 7 | 10 a.m.-3 p.m. | Lake Wales Arts Center | 1099 Florida 60 #E, Lake Wales | Free, RSVP | Explore the exhibit curated to showcase over 50 local artists in celebration of “Sticky” Steve Morrison. The exhibit features themes of generosity, kindness, and understanding. 🖼️

Charleston Open Source Virtual Job Fair | Wed., Oct. 7 | 11-12:30 p.m. | Virtual | Free | Charleston Open Source is holding its first Virtual Job Fair bringing technology and business professionals of all levels together. Join top tech companies in Charleston looking to fill a wide variety of roles. Ⓟ

Thursday | October 8

Friday | October 9

Beautiful Halloween Hair Hijinks with Snow White | Fri., Oct. 9 | 6-7:30 p.m. | Blown Beautiful Dry Bar | 1021 East County Road 540A, Lakeland | $30 | Get a princess hair makeover and enjoy a fun evening with Snow White on a trick or treat adventure, sing and dance along, meet and greet + portraits. 👸🏾

Saturday | October 10

Lakeland Downtown Farmers Curb Market | Sat., Oct. 10 | Downtown Lakeland | Prices Vary | Support local businesses and come out to this market where you can try food, pick up produce, and purchase art from a wide array of vendors. 🌻

Sunday | October 11

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Second Sunday Artisan Market at Lakeside Village | Sun., Oct. 11 | 12-5 p.m. | 1479 Town Center Drive | Free | Second Sunday Artisan Markets are back. Shop and stroll hand-made decorations, jewelry, and one-of-a-kind goods from Central Florida’s best artisans. Ⓟ

Monday, October 12-Sunday, October 18

Monday | October 12

Reading with Rescues | Mon., Oct. 12 | 6:30-7:30 p.m. | Hope Equine Rescue, 3805 High St. NE | $5 | K-8th grade students can participate in a supervised reading to rescue donkeys, horses, or mules + after the reading, the “pony experience” will allow them to ask handlers questions and pet an equine. 🐴

Tuesday | October 13

Mendelssohn’s Concert | Tue., Oct. 13 | 7:30-8:30 p.m. | Sun ‘n Fun Outdoor Pavilion, 4175 Medulla Rd. | $29-$46 | The Imperial Symphony Orchestra will perform Mendelssohn's Octet for Strings and Mozart's Eine kliene Nachtmusik with nine string instruments + there will be no scheduled intermission. 🎻

Creepy Crawly Fall Festival | Tue., Oct. 13 | 6-8 p.m. | Camp Fire Sunshine, 2600 Buckingham Ave. | $5 | Add some fall festivities to your weekly routine by attending this fall festival with the kids, featuring a costume contest, carnival-style games, craft projects + grilled food. 🕷️

Wednesday | October 14

RCMA Mobile Food Pantry | Wed., Oct. 14 | 5:30-6:30 p.m. | RCMA Mulberry, 4441 Academy Dr. | Free | If you or someone you know is in need of food, The United Way of Central Florida and Feeding Tampa Bay will be providing pick up for pre-packaged groceries. 🥫

Haines City Mobile Food Pantry | Wed., Oct. 14 | 2-3:30 p.m. | Haines City Trinity Worship Center, 2795 N. 10th St. | Free | If you or someone you know is in need of groceries, The United Way of Central Florida and Feeding Tampa Bay will be providing pick up for pre-packaged food items at this Haines City location. 🥫

Thursday | October 15

Lakeland Run/Walk at Lake Hollingsworth | Thur., Oct. 15 | 7-10 p.m. | Lake Hollingsworth, 175 Lake Hollingsworth Dr. | Free, RSVP | Get outdoors and get active by joining a Phoenix volunteer and embarking on an evening run or walk fit for all skill levels. 🏃‍♀️

Lakeside Village Live | Thur., Oct. 15 | 6-9 p.m. | 1479 Town Center Dr. | Free | Enjoy a free weekly concert with family-friendly entertainment at the fountain every Thursday. October 15th features Cameron Moreau Music with variety guitar vocals from the 70’s through today. Ⓟ

Hocus Pocus Under the Stars | Fri., Oct. 16 | 5-9 p.m. | Haines City Florida FFA Leadership Training Center, 5000 Firetower Rd. | Get into the Halloween spirit and bring your friends and family to the screening of Hocus Pocus outdoors at this fall festival. 🔮

Friday | October 16

Hocus Pocus Under the Stars | Fri., Oct. 16 | 5-9 p.m. | Haines City Florida FFA Leadership Training Center, 5000 Firetower Rd. | Get into the Halloween spirit and bring your friends and family to the screening of Hocus Pocus outdoors at this fall festival. 🔮

Fall Fashions & Fairy Hair Sip-N-Shop | Fri., Oct. 16 | 5-8 p.m. | Amelia Page Boutique, 223 N. Kentucky Ave. | Prices Vary, RSVP | Sip on sangria and munch on treats while browning through the fall selection of items + book your fairy hair appointment in advance. 🍹

Saturday | October 17

Jack-o-Lantern Jamboree | Sat., Oct. 17 | 12-4 p.m. | Simmers-Young Park, 339 American Spirit Rd. | $3 |This fun Halloween event features a pumpkin patch, games, trick or treat village, obstacle course, photo stops, and much more + make sure to buy your tickets soon because there are only 600 available. 🎃

Sunday | October 18

Frightfully Delightful Princess Masquerade Party | Sun., Oct. 18 | 1-3 p.m. | Enchanted Fairytale Hollow, 214 Trader's Alley | $10-$50 | The Frog Princess and Cinderella will lead kids in a trick or treat table, storytime, costume parade, masquerade mask decorating, and a meet and greet opportunity. 👸🏽

Trunk or Treat | Sun., Oct. 17 | 4-6 p.m. | Epic Church Lakeland, 1115 E. Memorial Blvd. | Free | If you’re looking for a way to get into the Halloween spirit, this event features games and food for all to enjoy + prizes will be awarded to the best-decorated car. 🍬

Monday, October 19-Sunday, October 25

Monday | October 19

Tuesday | October 20

Tasty Tuesdays | Tue., Oct. 20 | The Pink Piano, 1015 S. Florida Ave. | $8 | Gather with friends at this piano bar in the Dixieland Historic District and sip on some wine while enjoying live music. 🎹

Wednesday | October 21

Thursday | October 22

Lakeside Village Live | Thur., Oct. 22 | 6-9 p.m. | 1479 Town Center Dr. | Free | Enjoy a free weekly concert with family-friendly entertainment at the fountain every Thursday. October 22nd features Catahoula Blue Trio whose music style is New Orleans zydeco meets down home blues. Ⓟ

Friday | October 23

Saturday | October 24

Om Nom Nom Cookie Carnival | Fri., Oct. 23 | 8 a.m.-2 p.m. | Downtown Lakeland, N. Kentucky Ave. | Prices Vary | Munch on some locally crafted cookies at the Downtown Farmers Curb Market and register to become a cookie judge to sample up to 10 different cookie variations. 🍪

Sunday | October 25

First United Methodist Church Trunk or Treat | Sun., Oct. 25 | 5-7 p.m. | First United Methodist Church, 72 Lake Morton Dr. | Free | Gather up the kiddos and join in on the fun in the drive-thru Halloween house + be sure to pick up candy bags at the end. 👻

Monday, October 26-Sunday, November 1

Monday | October 26

It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown! | Mon., Oct. 26 | 7-9 p.m. | The Industry, 119 South Collins St., Plant City | Featuring themed food, drinks + BYOB. 🎃

Tuesday | October 27

Fall Cookie Workshop with J’aime Cakes LLC | Tue., Oct. 27 | 6:30-8:30 p.m. | Haus 820, 820 N. Massachusetts Ave. | $60 | This two-hour course teaches you how to decorate cookies and includes instruction, recipes, decoration tools, cookies, and a take home box. 🍪

Live Trivia at The Brass Tap | Tue., Oct. 27 | The Brass Tap, 1515 Town Center Dr. | Free | Compete for a $70 prize pool at this trivia night + don’t forget to order from a selection of beers on tap. 🍺

Wednesday | October 28

Food Trucks at Brew Hub | Wed., Oct. 28 | 3-7 p.m. | Brew Hub, 3900 Frontage Rd. S. | Enjoy small snacks in the taste room or venture outside to order from a wide variety of food trucks. 🍔

Mini Annual Fall Festival | Wed., Oct. 28 | Revive Church Lakeland, 5410 Yarborough Ln. | Free | Venture out with the family and participate in trunk or treat and take a spooky stroll along the Heaven or Hell walk. 🍁

Thursday | October 29

Friday | October 30

Buena Nights | Fri., Oct. 30 | 11 a.m.-11 p.m. | Cob & Pen, 1221 S. Florida Ave. | Prices Vary | Take your friends and family to this Halloween + Dia De Los Muertos party featuring a wide variety of activities including scary movies, a costume contest, and art. 💀

Saturday | October 31

Sunday | November 1

Halloween Hangover SQUAD Brunch | Sun., Nov. 1 | 10 a.m.-5 p.m. | Federal Bar Lakeland, 124 S. Tennessee Ave. | Ring in the new month and fill up on brunch with a shareable menu while jamming to live music from DJ Trinidad. 🍳

Moving Beyond Fake News | Sun., Nov. 1 | 4-5 p.m. | Virtual | Join Trinity Laurino as she discusses misinformation in the media to help promote media literacy. 📰