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Gate Arty - Lakeland Florida Real Estate

First Friday - May 2009

Friday, May 1st mark's the First Friday celebration in Downtown Lakeland. This month's theme is Public Works. This week is National Public Works Week. Munn Park will be filled with displays from the various public works divisions:

· Fleet Management

· Engineering

· Solid Waste

· Parking

· Traffic

· Construction & Maintenance

· Facilities Management

· Lake & Storm Water

There will be displays throughout Munn Park from the various divisions of the Public Works Department.

Now to the fun part . . . on Kentucky Avenue you might feel like you stepped back in a time machine because it will be Retro Night! There will be music courtesy of J. Derb & the 4 Barrel Holleys (6:00-7:00) and The Wedding Party (7:30-8:30). There will be a retro-style fashion show beginning at 7:30.

Look for collection sites throughout the streets of Downtown Lakeland for "Operation Drop Zone." Think about our troops when you're shopping and buy a few extra things to make their deployment a little less stressful. Items collected will be donated to our troops deployed overseas.

As usual, the streets will be lined with artists, musicians, vendors, & entertainers of all sorts. During First Friday, shops and restaurants stay open late. A classic car show is featured along Tennessee Avenue.

Don't forget to visit Central Florida's premier real estate website at www.GateArty.com for all your real estate needs!

Hollywood in Lakeland Florida

If you have tried to drop by the Polk Museum of Art, Mister Fish restaurant, Lakeland Public Library, or anywhere near that spot around Lake Morton lately, you would have noticed a lot of hustle & bustle. Well it seems like Hollywood has got its eyes firmly fixated on Lakeland & its many picturesque backdrops. The movie, tentatively titled, "Endure," is scheduled to be shooting in Lakeland through May 8th. The movie is based on a fictitious town named "Lakeridge, Florida." Stars of the movie include Judd Nelson & Devon Sawa. Many of you will remember Nelson from the many movies he acted in during the mid 1980's. Such 80's classics like St. Elmo's Fire, The Breakfast Club, & Making the Grade. The director, Joe O'Brien is a Lakeland native.

Don't forget to visit Central Florida's premier real estate website at www.GateArty.com for all your real estate needs!

Building Permits Down Locally & Nationally

It was a case of good news . . . bad news for local builders in Polk County when we review their March 2009 numbers. The good news? Well, the month of March marked their peak for the entire year. The total permits were 102 which was up from 89 in February and 80 in January. The 102 permits represent a 35% decrease from the previous year and marked the lowest March total since 1995. When you compare these numbers on a nationwide scale, they look quite healthy, though. Nationally, housing starts fell almost 50% in March year-on-year. They slid approximately 11% from February 2009. Builders across the nation are fighting to compete with the falling prices of distressed properties & foreclosures & tightening of available credit from the banking industry.

Don't forget to visit Central Florida's premier real estate website at www.GateArty.com for all your real estate needs!

Sun n' Fun Fly-In - 2009

Lakeland's 35th annual Sun ‘n Fun Fly-In wraps up this weekend on Sunday the 26th at Lakeland Linder Regional Airport. Sun 'n Fun brings people together from all over the world for a unique interactive aviation experience. Last year, it was reported that Sun 'n Fun hosted more than 1,300 international visitors from 73 countries!

There are more than 450 educational forums, seminars and "hands-on" workshops that cover "all things aviation" . . . . from construction to maintenance. Additional topics are offered through the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) FastTeam Production Center that is headquartered on the Sun 'n Fun campus at Linder Airport in South Lakeland. In 2008, over 8,000 visitors attended the Sun 'n Fun and FAA sponsored forums. Over 9,000 people participated in Sun 'n Fun's hands-on workshops, and a record-setting 520 commercial exhibitors showcased the latest in aviation products and technology. Sun 'n Fun's annual attendance during the six-day event averages approximately 160,000. The University of South Florida has estimated the economic impact to Lakeland and Polk County is estimated at more than $27 million annually.

There will be daily airshows beginning at 2 p.m. thru the conclusion of the event. Sun 'n Fun's airshow is one of the event's major highlights and features the world's top aerobatic performers. The Golden Knights, the U.S. Army Parachute Team will also perform Friday thru Sunday. The Golden Knights will celebrate their 50th anniversary in 2009. Over the past 50 years, the Golden Knights have competed in parachute competitions around the globe, winning an unrivaled 425 national championships, 21 national championships and 8 world team titles. Each performance will include one or more maneuvers performed from an altitude of 12,500 feet above the ground and are designed to demonstrate the amount of control a jumper has while falling at speeds in excess of 120 miles per hour.

Another popular Sun 'n Fun mainstay is the Friday night air show. This event begins at dusk on Friday, April 24th. The Fly-In also includes a hot air balloon launch on Saturday April 25.

See you there!

Don't forget to visit Central Florida's premier real estate website at www.GateArty.com for all your real estate needs!

Mayfaire by-the-Lake 2009

Mayfaire by-the-Lake, Polk County's largest cultural event, kicks off Friday May 8th, 2009. Mayfaire is an event where artists exhibit their original works of art along the shores of Lake Morton and on the streets opposite the lake which creates an open-air "art market." This year's event will feature over 180 artists. From painters, to jewelers, to clay artists, . . . . there is something for all artistic tastes. There will also be live entertainment by local musicians, dance troops, & VSA arts of Florida will perform on the stage on the shady front lawn in front of the Lakeland Public Library. As usual, there will be something especially for the kids. Several "hands-on" art activities will be available for the children. Parking will be FREE at Florida Southern College & a FREE shuttle will transport attendees to & from the event. If you get there early enough, some of the locals may be neighborly & allow you to park along the side streets. The Lake Morton Historic district is quite beautiful. Enjoy the great homes along the tree-lined streets set against the backdrop of the beautiful lake. "MayFerrys" will shuttle you around Lake Morton & up to the library. Food vendors will be on site with refreshments including smoothies & lemonade, shaved ice, ice cream, & my personal favorite . . . funnel cakes! MMMMMM

The art festival actually takes place on the 9th & 10th and the hours are from 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. with FREE admission. However, the Mayfaire Kick-Off Party takes place the Friday evening prior. The festivities will begin at 5:30 on The Lakeland Public Library front lawn (which is right on Lake Morton, by the way - it's a great view!) Tickets to this Friday event start at $25 & you will have an all-evening access to the open bar & delectable hors d'oeuvres. You'll also get a sneak peak at many artists' works. On Saturday evening, you can enjoy the Mayfaire Festival of Arts & Athletes from 5 p.m. to 11p.m. This event includes festivities, fireworks, and the Mayfaire 5K Race. Pack a lawn chair and maybe a blanket and have a picnic! There will also be food vendors on site.

See you there!

Don't forget to visit Central Florida's premier real estate website at www.GateArty.com for all your real estate needs!