I love a theater with history and 1920's architecture and I found both in the Polk Theatre in…read moredowntown Lakeland. This 1,400-seat theatre was designed by architect James E. Casale and built in 1928 when the town of Lakeland had only 15,000 residents. The Polk Theatre opened on December 22, 1928 with Pauline Frederick in "On Trial". This theatre has the distinction of having the first air conditioning system in the county which pumped artesian well water to cool the building. Other features of the theatre include a mezzanine, a high balcony, a Venetian piazza backdrop, an orchestra pit, a cloud ceiling against which images of twinkling stars are projected, and terrazzo flooring. In 1941 the Polk Theatre was operated by Paramount Pictures Inc. through their subsidiary E.J. Sparks. In December 1978 it was taken over by Plitt Theatres. On September 23, 1984 the theatre was closed for low attendance after a showing of Jim Henson's "The Muppets Take Manhattan". A group of concerned people got together to save the historic theatre from demolition. It was purchased for $300,000 with a grant from the state. On October 15, 1984 the Polk Theatre reopened as a performing arts venue. The Polk Theatre was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 1993. Today the theatre has a live performing arts series as well as independent films and special events. In December the event calendar is filled with classic films and a performance of the Nutcracker. Tickets can be purchased through the Polk Theatre website.

We went here for the first time, having bought tickets back in February for an August show. So our…read moreseats were great at the center front row balcony. These seats were pretty good and afford you a rail platform in front of you to securely place your drinks. The seats were not uncomfortable. If you are of a shorter stature you may need to lean forward during any live performance to see the entire stage, at least from near dead center seats. My/our only real complaint was the lack of some serious air conditioning up there. I can't tell you if my thinking on this is correct, as we never experienced the orchestra seating temps. I realize that heat rises and it was a sold out show, but still it made for a slightly uncomfortable time. The acoustics for a comedy show was pretty good and I wondered how a concert would be up there. The folks sitting next to us were veterans of this theater and recommended sitting in the orchestra area for concerts, thus since we did not hate this venue we purchased tickets to a couple of upcoming tribute bands, seats within the first 5 rows and seats in the very back row of the orchestra level. The staff were all very pleasant and made you feel welcomed. The architecture within was wonderful to look at. The restrooms were clean and of good size for an old theater. The concessions were extremely reasonable compared to other venues, with nothing over $4! That included beer and wine.

I have visited Lakeland Community Theatre a few times for plays in which my friend has acted…read more Always a wonderful time! I've seen Cinderella, Little Shop of Horrors and most recently Peter Pan. What a great experience! They spend quite a lot of money on the staging and costumes. Always a very impressive performance. The sound system is excellent and the seating is graduated so the back row is still a great place to sit. Never had a bad seat in the house. The serve 'complimentary' wine and beer before the play and during intermission (please tip to be respectful!). They sell $1 concessions beforehand and during intermission as well. This is a great place to take your family or even go on a date. Main stage tickets are $22 for adults. If you don't mind heading to Lakeland for a show, it is well worth it. On a side note, most restaurants and bars close at 11pm. Check out Texas Cattle Company next door for drinks and/or food!

Just watched Sister Act, marvelous performance by the entire cast. Bouquets to Lead Actress Who…read moreplayed Delores and also Mother Superior, many awesome performances within the cast. Easy to park (free) access to the wonderful theatre and not a bad seat in the house. If I lived in this area ( KY here) I wouyveva season ticket holder.

We found Ms. Tokyo Belle thru her services at Blissful Lotus and then perused thru her website and…read morefound that we could book her for a girls night in party at home. She was extremely professional...she assisted me in creating and organizing the event. She was flexible with time and place. She was prompt in her arrival to the location and immediately jumped into the conversation with the girls to put everyone at ease. After a few "courage" drinks for us chicas...she set up the area for our choreographed "striptease" dance. She was detailed and fun, high energy, informative, and organized. She had us all cracking up..... literally cause we were learned how to "crack the eggs" and "grind the coffee" and if you don't know what that means I suggest you head over to her page and IMMEDIATELY book her. I can't think of a better way to celebrate a bridal shower, girls night in, or a just because there was a sale on shoes than to sign up and take one of her classes.

From the owner: I teach burlesque in Central Florida and beyond ~in the comfort of your own home~…read more Burlesque lessons are a great way to gain confidence and have fun with your girlfriends in a comfortable and fun setting! It works like this: I come to you(your home, hotel space, etc)and teach you burlesque in a safe and comfortable environment. I can also provide dance studio space as well. I can travel throughout Florida and am available most nights. It doesn't matter your size, shape, or age- any lady from Tampa to Orlando, Miami to Jacksonville can learn burlesque and how to peel & reveal! Besides teaching I can provide burlesque or sideshow entertainment for your next event. Fire eating, human blockhead, and burlesque can help make your next party exciting and memorable. Whether it's a classy soiree or a crazy rave- my services will bring things to a whole new level at a reasonable rate. See my website for details on booking burlesque entertainment or burlesque classes.

It's adjacent to a hotel. The parking is not the best because they are remodeling…read more The inside is nice and cool. I went to for the FHSAA State Championship. They have two jumbo screens to watch and they were clear. They didn't have many food options and it was expensive.

This is the only venue I have ever been to where craft beer is actually cheaper than domestic…read moreoptions. Ordering either a $5 Craft Beer or $7 Budweiser is a pretty easy choice for me. That being said, you will still probably have to wait 25 minutes to get your $5 local brew. Lakeland center is dated, dark, and a long way from being a state of the art facility. However, it really isn't trying to be one either. You get the feeling that if Lakeland center could talk it would say; "I'm not the best venue in Florida and I'm OK with that." All kidding aside, the venue is comfortable, intimate and was a fine place to enjoy some Ring of Honor Wrestling. However, it doesn't appear to have been renovated in several decades and the concession lines were very slow. Lakeland center is a bit like a good dollar store knife, it isn't going to impress anyone but it gets the job done.

Every class I have taken has been so much fun! As a beginner I never felt intimidated by the…read moreinstruction and everyone was so friendly. You don't need to have experience or a dance partner. Everyone including the other students helped me feel encouraged and immediately welcome.

I can't believe we waiting so long to start lessons. We are taking private lesson but now are…read moreconfident enough to try a group class. Kevin is amazin and we are so thankful for Lori. She'll jump in when needed. This is our weekly date nigh. We both have jobs that travel from time to time. Kevin is accommodating and works with us.

I am consistently impressed by Theater Winter Haven. They put on some amazing shows and it's such a…read moregreat community theater. I really enjoyed Frozen and Little Shop of Horrors. Can't wait to go again. We became season ticket holders this year because of how impressive their theater is.

Great time. First time for 11 & 8 year olds grandgirls attending live theater. Annie was great…read more Cast and crew wonderful. All volunteers very friendly. Seats comfortable and easy to acess. Candy, water, soda and adult beverages for sale. But ladies do calculations in their heads and added $2 to price. Oh well. Donation. I hope to bring the girls again for another show. Easy free parking. Handicapped accessible.

This company provided the most memorable birthday event for my seven-year-old daughter. We had…read moreMerida and Moana come celebrate with us, and they kept several girls enngaged and enthralled for an hour and a half! Moana taught them island dances, Merida taught them archery, both princesses gave the girls makeovers, and Merida played a hide and seek game at the end. Everyone was thrilled, especially the birthday girl! A memorable and special birthday party option. Highly recommend.

This company goes above and beyond to ensure that little princesses feel special and loved. Whether…read morefor a birthday, or a tea party the Princess characters go out of their way to make the time special. I have attended 2 tea parties, and had them at a birthday party. My daughters and their friends love them. They are much better than what you even get at Disney. The upside its not as expensive, more one on one time, and not fighting a huge crowd. We just had Anna & Elsa at our 8 year old's Frozen party. My 2 year old wants Ariel at her 3rd party. We can't wait!

We went to the Pink Piano for the first time for Opera night. It's a small, intimate venue and we…read moreenjoy the friendly staff who were attentive and helpful. The two of us went for a night at the opera and had a great time with the people who shared our table. I can't comment on the food and I'm not sure if they have food available because our ticket included an Italian meal that was ok but not memorable. I wished they had better wine choices but was happy with their recommendations which I had never tried before. Over, a great place to visit with friends and listen to great music. We will go again.

Fun place, economical drinks and great music. Both solo acts and bands perform a variety of music…read more The service is always "top shelf". The Pink Piano is a hidden gem right here in Lakeland.

We were greeted by a very friendly welcoming group of volunteers as we entered the theatre…read more Restrooms are available immediately upon entering. Concessions are available on a "no charge" donation basis. The production of The Addams Family was perfectly cast and costumed with a wonderful set and lighting effects. Lots of laughs and great voices. Still a few performances left in this intimate, comfortable space.

Dinner with friends then attending CATS group for the opening "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever"…read moresuch a cute story. Thanks for the invitation. A must see production & don't forget a non-perishable can good to be donated. This production had lots of cast members & it all worked. Going to try to catch a couple more times. Extra Bonus: group of the cast children played bells such an extra surprise!!

I can't fully express how grateful and happy I am that we got to meet Chris Torres today. We came…read morein with family and friends just to enjoy some drinks, and he took care of us in a way no one ever has before. His hospitality, kindness, and attention to every detail made our experience truly unforgettable. We're so thankful for the amazing service, and honestly, we would come back again because of him. Thank you, Chris, for giving us some of the best hospitality in the world -- you truly made our day special.

Great service. Sound good. All around great time. We have attended a few nights with bands. We…read morealways buy a table because standing all night wouldn't work for us. There are food trucks to cover late night munchies!