Haven Magazine

FINDING NEMO JR. Aug. 1 – 9 at the Gem Theater in Mulberry. The Missing Piece Theatre presents this 60-minute musical adaptation of the beloved 2003 Pixar movie “Finding Nemo.” Marlin, an anxious and overprotective clownfish, lives in the Great Barrier Reef with his son Nemo, who longs to explore the world beyond their anemone home. centralfloridatix.com CYPRESS GARDENS WATER SKI SHOW Aug. 15 at MLK Park at Lake Silver in Winter Haven.

Gene Leedy's Bold Mid-Century vision turned a citrus town into a quiet capital of modern design. On a crest of land between an old grapefruit grove and the gentle shoreline of Lake Elbert, eleven low-slung homes sit beneath flat roofs and sliding glass walls, looking very much as they did the day Gene Leedy drew them. Locals call them the Craney Spec Homes. The rest of the world, increasingly, calls them a treasure.

As we all know, Florida occupies that peculiar borderland where the unusual settles down, raises a family, and retires. It seems fitting that America’s strangest fictional newspaper was born and raised here. Weekly World News began in Lantana, Palm Beach County, Florida, in 1979 for an entirely ordinary reason. When the National Enquirer switched to color printing, its black-andwhite presses suddenly became available.

It’s hard to think about a fall vegetable garden when temperatures are soaring into the 90s, but now is the perfect time to begin planning your fall vegetable garden. In Central Florida, July and August are ideal months to prepare your garden and start seeds for cool-season vegetables. Taking time to plan before planting will help you grow a productive garden and avoid many common gardening challenges.

August is the heart of Florida’s rainy season. On a typical summer afternoon, towering puffy clouds build on the horizon before producing the thunder, lightning, and rain that many of us associate with summer. For lifelong Floridians, these daily storms are familiar and almost comforting. For newcomers and visitors, they can be surprising. Either way, lightning is one of nature’s most fascinating (and dangerous) phenomena. WHY DOES FLORIDA GET SO MUCH LIGHTNING?

FREE DAY! Aug. 3, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. at Leu Gardens. Did you know that you can visit Leu Gardens for free on the first Monday of every month? Take a few hours and explore the 50 acres and 15,500 botanical specimens in the Florida Native Plant Garden, the Edible Plant Garden, Rose Garden, the Camellia Collection, and so much more. leugardens.org HIREPALOOZA Aug. 20, 10 a.m. at the Kia Center.

MAN OF MY DREAMS By Olivia Worley A romance author is shocked when one of her characters-in-progress seemingly comes to life … but is he too good to be true? This dramatic and twisty thriller is perfect for fans of Ashley Winstead and Kate Alice Marshall, where the truth really is stranger than fiction. THE INVISIBLE BRIDGE By Julie Orringer Paris, 1937.

“I don’t believe in ghosts. I don’t believe in ghosts.” Evers laughs at himself. In part because of how absurd it is to say that out loud. To feel compelled to remind himself he’s a rational person. Mostly though, he laughs because it calls to mind the Cowardly Lion’s timorous refrain: I do believe in spooks. I do believe in spooks. I do, I do, I do, I do, I do believe in spooks. “I don’t believe in spooks,” he says, trying on the impression.

BIER FEST BREWS & BBQ Saturdays and Sundays from 2 p.m. to park closing at Busch Gardens. Featuring over 70 craft brews and cocktails, including 40 local Florida favorites, and an all-new menu with over 20 beer-inspired BBQ dishes. This summer celebration includes live entertainment, Oktoberfest-style games, and more. Included with park admission. buschgardens.com DEVO: MUTATE DON’T STAGNATE Aug. 27, 7 p.m. at The Baycare Sound in Clearwater.

LAKELAND FLYING TIGERS Head over to Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium in Lakeland to watch the Lakeland Flying Tigers play! The Single-A Affiliate of the Detroit Tigers will play 18 times in August. Visit milb.com/lakeland to see the full schedule of games, purchase tickets, and check for promotions like the “$2 hot dog,” “All-You-Can-Eat” nights, Baseball BINGO, and more. THE POLK YOUNG PROFESSIONALS AWARDS Aug. 19, 5:30 p.m. at Idlewood in Bartow.