Entertainment
Lakeland Florida – Mercedes-Benz Lake Mirror Classic Extravaganza 2009
October 14, 2009 by Petra Norris · Leave a Comment
Celebrating its 10th anniversary, the annual Mercedes-Benz Lake Mirror Classic takes place around Lake Mirror and in the downtown Lakeland area on October 16/17, 2009. Lakeland expects an estimated 35,000 people wandering around Lake Mirror for the two day event which is considered as one of the best shows in the Southeast. Visiting the extraordinary event will mesmerize car enthusiasts around Lakeland and the country.
This two-day charity event raises money for Lakeland’s non-profit groups, such as the Junior Achievement, Pied Piper Players, Boy Scouts, the First Tee, Historic Lakeland, and Lakeland Regional Cancer. More than $200,000.00 has been raised or donated helping them raise needed funds through the sale of food and beverage at the event.
The honorary chairman for this year’s Festival is Hall of Famer and endurance racer Hurley Hawood, known as a one-of-a-kind driver winning the 24 Hours of Daytona five times – a pioneer and a legend indeed.
What can you expect at Lakeland’s Lake Mirror Classic?
Friday, October 16th from 6:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. there will be a free Budweiser Hot Rod Rendezvous at the Lake Mirror Amphitheater with a free outdoor concert featuring live music by Jr. and the MDs, 100 hot rod and custom cars.. The Hot Rod Rendezvous will benefit the Junior Achievement of Polk County
Saturday, October 17th from 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. at the Lake Mirror Park and downtown Lakeland, Judged Concours d’ Elegance – “contest of elegance” for 100 selected cars in the following categories:
- Brass Era Vehicles
- Pre-War Classics 1925-1942
- Pre-War Production Cars 1900 – 1942
- Post-War Production Cars 1945-1962
- Commercial Vehicles thru 1959
- Muscle Cars 1964-1972
- Domestic Sports Cars Thru 1972
- Foreign Sports Cars Thru 1972
- Cars of Particular Interest
Art Deco Automobiles featuring 1930 Mercedes-Benz 130H (German), 1938 Panhard Dynamic (France), 1937 Tatra T87 (Czechoslovakia), and the Peugeot Darl’ mat (France). Classic Wooden Boat show at Lake Mirror, Classic Motorcycles
Noon: Lunch Parade to the Lake Mirror Promenade led by Scottish bag-piper as tuxedo-clad Terrace Hotel waiters delivers lunch to Concours d’ Elegance participants.
2:00 p.m.: Parade of Classic Wooden Boats at Lake Mirror
3:00 p.m.: Awards Ceremony of Concours d’Elegance trophy presentation
Check out the photos I took at last year’s event of the Lake Mirror Classic – you don’t want to miss it – Truly Amazing!
Entertainment
Lakeland Entertainment – First Friday, 4th July Local Events
July 1, 2009 by Petra Norris · Leave a Comment
Lakeland Local Events are always a worthy effort, especially this weekend’s special celebration of First Friday, Red White and Kaboom and Independence Day
Folks, if you have nothing better to do this weekend than just sitting around the house watching the tube. Then you are missing out on one of Lakeland’s best entertainment this year.
Lakeland Florida is the place to be for this weekend’s 4th of July holiday celebration and local events are the best Family Entertainment. Don’t you agree! And here is the reason why?
First Friday is celebrated on the first Friday of every month and this free (most of it) event is themed “Sundown Celebration”. It’s happening downtown Lakeland around Munn Park (Kentucky and Tennessee Avenue) July 3rd, 2009 starting at 4 p.m. – an hour early this time just because it is a holiday and you should have an early start to share this wonderful celebration with your family Downtown Lakeland.
Kentucky Avenue will be closed for bounce houses, kiddie train, and cake eating contests, face painting, hula hoops, sidewalk chalk and many more activities planned by our local merchants. Shops stay open late and downtown restaurants will have outdoor seating on Kentucky Avenue for you and your family to enjoy an evening dinner before heading down to Lake Mirror for the Red, White & Kaboom celebration!
Airbrush tattoos and balloon artists will add to the fun. Some of these activities will require the purchase of tickets, I’m sure you can spare a couple of bucks for your kids.
A classic car show will also take place, just like every month with some great looking cars.
This month’s art reception takes place at Mitchells Coffee House on N. Kentucky Ave. featuring local photographer Jon Boring from 6-9pm. Not to forget, if you are an arts enthusiast there is an art reception at Arts on the Park on N. Kentucky Ave. every month during First Friday from 6-9pm.
Speaking of Red, White & Kaboom celebration, this celebration almost did not happen with the economy being blamed. Local Sponsors came through giving its citizens and folks visiting Lakeland, something to look forward to in the celebration of Independence Day.
This event takes place almost simultaneously with First Friday starting at 6:00 p.m. with live music – pop/rock sounds by the popular local band MillHopper. Plenty of drink and food vendors will be displayed around Lake Mirror. So, just bring your blanket or lawn chairs and enjoy this wonderful family celebration at the Lake Mirror Promenade.
The City of Lakeland recommends that you park in the parking garage Downtown Lakeland – there are ample parking spaces available. Also, please bring a canned food item to help stock up our local food bank for the needy – they surely will appreciate it.
Around 9:00 p.m. a spectacular firework display will round out the first day of the 4th of July celebration – Trust me, you don’t want to miss this event!
Fireworks display two days in a row only is happening in Lakeland
The celebration continues on Saturday, July 4, at the Joker Marchant Stadium. There will be a dazzling display of fireworks around 9:00 p.m. following the Lakeland Flying Tigers vs. the Tampa Bay Yankees baseball game. Joker Marchant Stadium, the home of the Detroit Tigers during Spring Training, is located at 2301 Lakeland Hills Boulevard in Lakeland.
Happy Independence Day – Lakeland!!!
Entertainment
Annual Lakeland “Swan” Derby – Free Community Event
April 22, 2009 by Petra Norris · Leave a Comment
Lakeland “Swan” Derby in Lakeland Florida – A Free Community Event & Entertainment!
Dust off your hats….., bring your family and c’mon down to Lake Mirror in Lakeland Florida this Friday April 24, 2009 for the annual Lakeland Derby.
With this added excitement just one week prior to the Kentucky Derby, you are going to have a blast watching the “Maiden Handicap Race” at 5:00 p.m., followed by the… oh, you can’t miss the magnificent show of the “Derby Hat Contest” at 5:30 p.m., “Running of the Ducks” at 5:45 p.m., the “Parade to the Post” at 6:00 p.m., and last but not least “The Lakeland Derby”, a race of ten beautifully hand-crafted swan paddle boats racing for the prestigious winner’s trophy – What a memorable race to the finish line it was last year. All I can say – we had a blast!
Wait…that’s not all – Live Entertainment by the “Millhopper” at 7:30 p.m., children activities, barbeque, fish and dessert. A spectacular Fireworks show around 9:15 p.m. will conclude this free community event in Lakeland, Florida.
All proceeds will go to the Lakeland Volunteers in Medicine, a clinic that provides free medical care to the working uninsured of Polk County.
Entertainment
Lakeland Florida Harrison School for the Arts presents “Lear Inc.”
February 24, 2009 by Petra Norris · Leave a Comment
There are folks that call Shakespeare’s “King Lear:” his greatest work; some folks call it the darkest, most compelling tragedy ever written. D. A. Ward’s contemporary adaptation of Shakespeare’s classic saga of pride and greed has been cast at Harrison School for the Arts. This biting tale renamed “Lear Inc.” is set amid the sleek, high-tech world of a military defense contractor’s corrupt corporate family clan. ”Lear, Inc.” unveils a workplace of treachery, lust, fraud, avarice, and . . . murder!
Vice Principal for Harrison School for the Arts Daryl Ward and author of this contemporary adaptation said, “Shakespeare’s work is meant to be acted, so you need to see it played out in front of you,” ”In ‘Lear, Inc.’ I tried to consciously create scenes that work on a physical level, but also on a mental and emotional level – you have to experience the work as if you are a part of it.”
“President Obama said ‘…know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you can destroy.’ The members of Malcolm Lear’s corporation learn this too late or not at all,” states Ilene Fins, director. “Enlightenment through entertainment has been my guiding artistic principle for the last 25 years. I feel truly blessed with the creative talent that is bringing this piece to life.”
With this being said by the creator of this adaption and the Dean of Theater for Harrison, you certainly will be astonished and mesmerized by the performances of these fine theater students.
Meet the cast!
Brendan Troost as Lear, Britt Michael Gordon as Edmund, Lance Taylor as Edgar, Skyler Knopp as Kent, Misti Rucks as the Clerk, Sterling Chesney as Grayson, Laurel Finch as Cordelia, Joey Wells as
Al, Amanda Keen as Gabrielle, Amelia Marler as Regan, Ryan Shults as Duke, and Justin Nipper as Ozzie.
Olympia Lamar, Ruthie Ellison, Demonte Cheeks, Nicole Richard, Courtney Lang, Beth Rousseau, Brandie Perez, Baron Simmons, Anna Erdman, Chris Holseth, Aaron Acevedo, and Aaron Brannan portraying as Yes-Men.
Lear, Inc. plays Thursday, Feb. 26, Friday, Feb. 27 and Saturday, Feb. 28 at 7:30 p.m.; and Sunday, Mar. 1 at 2:00 p.m. at the Lois Cowles Harrison Center for the Visual and Performing Arts, 750 Hollingsworth Road, Lakeland, FL.
Tickets are $10 for adults, $8 for seniors and students. Tickets are available for purchase online at www.harrisonarts.com
The Harrison Box Office will be open at 6:00 p.m. the evening of the performances. (863) 499-2939.
Check out these great photographs by Andy Glogower Photography taken during rehearsals.
Photo credit – Andy Glogower
Mark your calendar for these upcoming performances of The Harrison Fine Arts Series for 2008/09:
- Connections & Combinations, Visual Arts Exhibit & Reception, Mitchell Gallery, Feb. 27 – Mar. 27.
- Evening of Opera, Mar. 19.
- Piano Concert, Mar. 24.
- Jazz Band and Chamber Orchestra Concert, Mar. 26.
- Chamber Music Concert @ Jenkins Recital Hall, Florida Southern College, Apr. 14.
- Reflections on the Ground, Visual Arts Exhibit & Reception, Mitchell Gallery, Apr. 17 – June 4.
- Side by Side by Sondheim, Apr. 17 – Apr. 19.
- Spring Dance Concert, May 1 & 2.
- Spring Orchestra Concert, May 14.
- Spring Music Concert, May 21.
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Lakeland Florida Harrison School for the Arts presents “Lear Inc.”
Licensed Florida Real Estate Broker
CDV TransAtlantic, Inc.
P.O. Box 92050 – Lakeland, FL 33804-2050
Telephone (863) 618-6919
