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, free museum day, 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, be sure to let the venue know that you heard about it from Lakeland Mom.
Please check directly with event organizers for specific dates, 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.
Explore a Farmers Market
The Downtown Lakeland Farmers Market returns on September 3. 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 every weekend this month for family-friendly fun!
- Friday, September 2 is Dog Days First Friday and a Swan City Improv show
- Thursday, September 8 is the monthly Food Truck Rally
Click the name of any event for times and additional details.
Did you know you can also see all upcoming events in Downtown by using the Venue filter on our main calendar? Simply select Downtown Lakeland to see a list of upcoming events. We are thankful to have such a vibrant downtown! {This works for any venue OR organizer on our calendar}
Visit a Museum or Garden for Free
On Saturday, September 17, 2022 you can visit over 50 museums in Florida for FREE as part of Museum Day hosted by Smithsonian magazine. Options in Central Florida include the Polk Museum of Art (free every day), Tampa Bay History Center, Cracker Country, Ringling Museum and Circus Museum, and more. Registration is required – learn how to get a free Museum Day ticket.
If you don’t find anywhere on the list you’d like to visit, we also have a list of Museums in Polk County + Central Florida that are free to visit year-round or offer free days during the year.
Bok Tower Gardens is hosting their last Wawa Summer Fun Days with Free Admission on September 1 and 2 – just be sure to register for your free ticket.
(If theme parks are more your thing, Sea World and Busch Gardens are both offering 4 months free right now – buy a 2023 Fun Card and get the rest of 2022 free!)
Kick off fall at Harvest Holler Corn Maze + Farm
Harvest Holler Corn Maze opens for the season on Friday, September 16, 2022! 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 later this month!)
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.
Our friends at the Breast Cancer Foundation of Central Florida are hosting POWer in Pink this month – an in-person 5k on September 17, 2022 and the second annual virtual 26.2 month-long marathon challenge during the month of September.
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. You can also join the Lakeland Moms Group on Facebook as another way to connect with local moms.
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.
Meet a Princess
Check out the full calendar of events at Dreams Come True Entertainment – Lakeland’s premiere princess and character party company! They host a variety of events at Enchanted Fairytale Hollow in Downtown Lakeland including tea parties, makeover parties, and even a “Rotten to the Core-a Delightfully Wicked Descendants Spooky Soiree” this month.
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 and more. Perfect for a rainy day, a hot day, or just any day you’re looking for something to do as a family.
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.
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.