Have you ever said, "I didn't even know this was going on," after missing a big festival, parade, or celebration? Save this list of the top Lakeland events throughout the year and never miss out on the fun again.

Spring

Grab your peanuts + popcorn — we're taking you out to the ball game. | Photo by @jessicasreyna

Play ball. The Detroit Tigers have held Spring Training in Lakeland for decades, and 2026 will be no exception. You can catch them around Central Florida from Saturday, Feb. 21 through Tuesday, March 24, with home games happening at Joker Marchant Stadium.

Can't get enough baseball? The Lakeland Flying Tigers Minor League Baseball team starts its season on Friday, April 3.

This February, prepare to party, eat, and celebrate all month long. | Photo by @bonnetspringspark

Bonnet Springs Park hosts Caribbean Carnival in late February, and this year's event is Saturday, Feb. 21. It's free to join this parkwide party filled headlined by Grammy-winning artists Kabaka Pyramid & The Bebble Rockers.

Which headliner are you berry excited to see live? | Photo by @jkarr7

Celebrate all things sweet at the Florida Strawberry Festival in Plant City. The festival brings together entertainment, food, and fun each spring, right around peak strawberry season. This year's festival is Thursday, Feb. 26-Sunday, March 8.

Forget Shady Pines — you can spend a spring day like "The Golden Girls" right here in Lakeland. | Photo by LALtoday

If you love flowers as much as strawberries, mark your calendar for the free Bloom at BSP floral festival Saturday, April 11-Sunday, April 12. Bonnet Springs Park will come alive with colorful displays, a vendor market, and live performances.

SUN 'n FUN brings together aviation pros and fans alike. | Photo by @guelito_prspotter

Did you know that the SUN 'n FUN Aerospace Expo is the biggest annual convention in Florida, bringing in 200,000+ visitors? Catch aviation and aircraft fun Tuesday, April 14-Sunday, April 19 — there's something for everyone in the family.

Pro tip: Keep an eye out for the "LKLD Local" section at Pressed. | Photo by LALtoday

Bookworms are sure to find another addition to their bookshelves when the Lakeland Book Crawl comes to town. From Thursday, April 23 through Saturday, April 26, you can hop around to Lakeland's independent bookstores for deals and special events.

Summer

Mayfaire by-the-Lake is one of Lakeland's longest-standing Mother's Day traditions. | Photo by Gregory Mills

Consider your Mother's Day plans already made. Mayfaire by-the-Lake, a long-running fine art festival, takes place on the shores of Lake Morton every Mother's Day weekend. Mark your calendar for Saturday, May 9-Sunday, May 10.

Red, White & Kaboom is one of Lakeland's most beloved annual events. | Photo by @lifechanges_klw

Red, White & Kaboom is the City of Lakeland's Independence Day celebration, happening each year on July 3. Head to the Frances Langford Promenade for live entertainment leading up to a fireworks show over Lake Mirror.

Fall

Bonnet Springs Park is partnering with the Florida Children's Museum and The Carol Jenkins Barnett United Way Children's Resource Center to host this bash for Lakelanders. | Photo provided by Bonnet Springs Park

Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month at Bonnet Springs Park's Bienvenido a BSP event. The park comes alive with music and family festivities in September.

What will you discover at this year's festival? | Photo provided by Art Crawl, Inc.

Let out your inner artist at Art Crawl in early November. Shop for a new piece to bring home, watch performances + contests, or even take part in a hands-on demonstration. After several years in Munn Park, the crawl now takes place at Swan Brewing.

Winter

You'll catch Santa and Mrs. Claus at the end of every Christmas Parade. | Photo by LALtoday

You can already mark the first Thursday of December on your calendar — that's when the Lakeland Christmas Parade takes place downtown each year. This event brings tens of thousands of people, so make a plan for setting out those chairs.

Where do you think is the best place to take in the lights? | Photo by @cnc.photos

The details on this final event are still TBA, but we already know we won't be missing Light Up BSP. This holiday light extravaganza at Bonnet Springs Park was a huge success in its first two years, but the park took a pause in 2025 until more parking is added. Keep an eye out for dates to be announced later this year.