WHAT: Lakeland’s “Red, White & Kaboom” celebration is a free community festival with fireworks. It has been held yearly since 2004. T. Mims Corp. has been the title sponsor since 2009.
WHERE: Frances Langford Promenade at Lake Mirror.
WHEN: Wednesday from 6 to 9:15 p.m. Fireworks will be at 9 p.m.
MUSIC: Gary Love and the Moonlighters will entertain the crowd at the Lake Mirror Amphitheatre, performing sets at 6, 7:15 and 8:15 p.m., plus a closing song at 9:15 p.m. after the fireworks. A city news release describes them as “one of Central Florida’s premier cover bands playing fan favorites ranging from the 1970s to the 2020s.”
ADMISSION: Free — although everyone is encouraged to bring at least one item of canned or nonperishable food for Volunteers in Service to the Elderly. VISTE is a local nonprofit that feeds 1,500 elderly area residents each month. The group’s most-requested items include: canned soup, canned tomatoes, peanut butter, canned tuna, pasta and ground coffee.
FOOD, DRINK: You may bring your own food, but grills are not permitted. Ten food trucks are scheduled to be in place near the amphitheater by 5 p.m.:
- Big Hot Box
- Breezy Eazy Bistro
- Burger 21
- Donut NV
- Fat Maggie’s
- The Mango is Mad
- Pelican Snoballs
- Pipo’s Latin Food
- SB&B Seafood
- Thunder Hollow Kettle Korn
A short walk away, the Lakeland Food Truck Rally will be at Munn Park downtown. There will be 20 trucks there from 5 to 9 p.m. as well as a DJ.
ALCOHOL is permitted, but attendees are asked not to bring glass bottles or containers.
WEATHER: Organizers say the event will go on, rain or shine. Personal rain umbrellas are permitted for inclement weather. Don’t bring tents, popups or beach umbrellas that are staked into the ground.
PARKING: Free parking at the Main Street Garage starts at 3 p.m. The Iowa Street Garage, Heritage Plaza Garage and all city-owned lots are free after 5 p.m. On-street parking is free and unlimited after 5 p.m.
PATRIOTIC CLOTHING CONTEST: Visitors are encouraged to “Share Your Flair!” During the event, judges will roam the crowd and award prizes to “attendees who have the most patriotic attire.”
PERSONAL FIREWORKS and sparklers are not allowed.
PETS on leashes are welcome. But remember that some pets are sensitive to loud noises.
DOWNTOWN SHUTTLE: The Citrus Connection’s free Squeeze golf cart shuttle service will operate Wednesday from 4 to 11 p.m. to bring people to and from parking garages, downtown and the Lake Morton neighborhood.
FIREWORKS ON THE FOURTH: On Thursday, the Lakeland Flying Tigers will host a fireworks extravaganza at Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium following their 5 p.m. game against the Tampa Tarpons. Tickets start at $9.
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