Fall is on its way which means an abundance of events on the calendar! We love helping you find things to do to celebrate the start of the fall season. September brings with it the return of the Lakeland Farmers Market, live music in Munn Park, an abundance of 5k races and kids fun runs, the beginning of fall fun, and the opening of local corn mazes.
Our calendar is packed with daily events, so we created a monthly Top 10 list to help you find the most popular family-friendly events and activities in Lakeland and across Polk County to add to your own calendar. If you enjoy one of these events, we’d be grateful if you let the venue know that you heard about it from Lakeland Mom.
Please check directly with event organizers for specific dates, discounts, current ticket prices, advance registration, and any last-minute changes. While we do our best to provide accurate information, we include an outside link so you can verify the details for all events and activities.
Girls in Aviation Day
Explore the Florida Air Museum, participate in hands-on STEM activities in the Skylab Innovation Center, and network with our local aviation business community at the Girls in Aviation Day annual event. All are welcome: families, industry members, girls, boys, anyone with an interest in aviation and aerospace. This is a FREE event held at the Aerospace Center for Excellence.
Saturday, September 20, 2025 from 10am – 2pm. More info on the ACE Website.
More upcoming events:
- Storytime – every Tuesday at 10am
- Lifting Literacy {Registration Required} – Saturday, October 4
- Wings ‘n Things – Saturday, November 1
Click the name of any event for times and additional details. View more upcoming events at the Aerospace Center for Excellence + SUN ‘n FUN Campus.
Explore a Farmers Market
The Downtown Lakeland Farmers Market returns on September 6. The market is open every Saturday morning from September – July in Downtown Lakeland. At the Downtown Farmers Curb Market you’ll find local produce, local plants & flowers, locally made bread & pastries, herbs, loose organic tea, foods, honey, hot sauce, local artisans, local vendors, and much more!
There is also a farmers market each week in Winter Haven, and markets throughout the month in Bartow, Lake Wales, and Plant City. We’ve got the dates and times in our full list of Farmers Markets in Polk County.
Go to an event in Downtown Lakeland
Head to Downtown Lakeland this month for family-friendly fun!
- First Friday: Septoberfest – Friday, September 6 {like Oktoberfest… but in September}
Looking ahead to October:
- First Friday – Friday, October 3
- Plant Pop-Up during the Farmers Market – Saturday, October 11
- Fall Night Market – Saturday, October 25
Click the name of any event for times and additional details. View more upcoming events in Downtown Lakeland.
Kick off Fall at the Bartow Fall Festival
Main Street Bartow’s Annual Fall Festival is September 27, 2025! Head downtown to celebrate the season with a day filled with fall fun and festivities. Pumpkin patch, fall-themed kids’ activities, streets full of craft vendors offering handmade goods, live music, and more.
More upcoming events in Bartow:
- Friday Fest – Boot Scootin’ Good Time – Friday, September 19
- Friday Fest – Bartoberfest – Friday, October 17
- Bartow Halloween Parade + Carnival – Thursday, October 30
Click the name of any event for times and additional details. View a full list of upcoming events in Downtown Bartow.
Find Fall Family Fun at Harvest Holler Corn Maze + Farm
Harvest Holler Corn Maze opens for the season on Friday, September 19, 2025! They’ll be open through mid-November again this year. If you’ve never been to Harvest Holler, it is a fall “must do” for families. Check out the activities at Harvest Holler Corn Maze and see photos from our past visits.
(HINT – we’ve got a HUGE Fall & Halloween Guide that will be updated in early September!)
Fall Family Fun – Harvest Holler Corn Maze, Hayride and Farm in Polk County
Enjoy fall fun on the farm at Harvest Holler Corn Maze in Polk City, just outside of Lakeland. Farm animals, corn maze, hayride, Frank-N-Slide, cow train & more. Fall family fun from September through mid-November!
Get your Halloween scares in early
Many of the scary attractions and haunted houses in Central Florida open in early September AND have lower prices if you go early in the season vs. close to Halloween. Check out our list of scary attractions…. if you dare…
Scary Attractions and Halloween Haunted Houses in Polk County + Central Florida
If you like to SCREAM when it is time for Halloween, we’ve got a list of places to find all things scary in Central Florida including Haunted Houses, Zombies, and gory attractions designed for teens & adults.
Run {or walk} a 5k Race as a family
With year-round sunshine here in Central Florida, you can find an abundance of 5k races, 10k races, and Fun Runs throughout the year! Check our list of upcoming family-friendly races and kids fun runs in Lakeland, Winter Haven & across Polk County – virtual races are available as well.
Family Friendly 5K Races and Kids Fun Runs in Lakeland + Polk County
With year-round sunshine here in Central Florida, you can find an abundance of 5k races, 10k races, and Fun Runs throughout the year! Check our list of upcoming family-friendly races and kids fun runs in Lakeland, Winter Haven & across Polk County.
Spend time outdoors at Bonnet Springs Park
There is always something fun happening at Bonnet Springs Park!
Bienvenido a BSP – Hispanic Heritage Celebration is 2 days this year – Friday, Sept 26 from 7-9pm with live music and salsa dancing, and Saturday, Sept 27 from 2-9pm with food trucks, live music, artisan market, and more. Be sure to visit the website to learn about new parking options before you go.
View more upcoming events at Bonnet Springs Park.
Make a new friend
September is a great month to start something new and look for places to meet other moms! We’ve got a list of 10 Great Ways to Meet Mom Friends in the Lakeland area including mom groups, kids activities, storytimes, Church groups, fitness classes, service clubs, and more.
Have little ones at home? Find a storytime near you where they can listen to a story, get the wiggles out, and you can meet other moms.
Enjoy a Pumpkin Spice Latte {or not!}
Fall is in the air coming soon… we hope? Either way, we’re starting to see pumpkins, scarecrows, and fall leaves around town… and with them comes the return of all things pumpkin spice. If you’re a fan, use our Lakeland Coffee Shop Guide find a local coffee shop where you can enjoy pumpkin and fall flavored goodness. (Caramel is more my thing… which you can find at these coffee shops too!)
Play Indoors
While we wait for cooler weather to arrive, we still love our air-conditioned spaces! We’ve got lots of indoor things to do in Lakeland + Polk County including laser tag, arcade games, roller skating, ice skating, bowling, indoor trampoline parks, museums, indoor play spaces for toddlers, and more. Perfect for a rainy day, a hot day, or just any day you’re looking for something to do as a family.
**Keep an eye on our newsletter and social media channels for announcements about new exhibits coming to the Florida Children’s Museum in September and October**
Go on an Outdoor Adventure
Hiking, water sports, biking, mini-golf, animal adventures, playgrounds – we’ve got it all right here close to home. If you want to spend more time outside in September, we can help you find things to do outdoors in Lakeland and Polk County.
Start planning your October Fall Festivities
What do you love about fall?
◈ Visiting the pumpkin patch and carving pumpkins?
◈ Planning Halloween costumes?
◈ Hayrides and special fall events?
◈ Getting lost in a corn maze?
◈ Filling your candy bowls up with candy corn?
◈ Visiting Haunted Houses and getting SCARED?
◈ Eating apples and caramel dip or drinking a pumpkin latte?
◈ Watching Halloween movies or scary TV shows?
◈ Trunk or Treat events and Fall Festivals?
◈ Going Trick or Treating?
We can help you make plans for any and all of those things with our Fall + Halloween Guide! While the events and activities really ramp up in October, you can definitely find fall activities beginning in mid-September. We’ll keep adding events and activities as we find them so check back often.
Lakeland Mom’s 2025 Fall + Halloween Guide
Discover the best Fall Activities and Halloween Events in Lakeland + Polk County. From pumpkin patches to haunted houses, we’ve got you covered. Get ready for a spooktacular season filled with fun-filled festivities. Don’t miss out on the excitement – plan your Fall adventures now!
You can find a full list of upcoming events on our Calendar.
Happy September!
100+ Things to Do with Kids
Check out our Ultimate List of Things to Do with Kids in Lakeland + Polk County to find indoor fun, outdoor fun, free things to do, seasonal activities, and more.
