Summer 2027 in Lakeland: city camps and how 2026 registration worked, Gandy and Simpson pools, the Barnett Park splash pad and free programs.

Last checked Oct. 9, 2026. This page is updated each year at the same address. The city had not posted summer 2027 camp dates; the details below are from summer 2026 and say so. Sources: the City of Lakeland’s camps, pools, Barnett Family Park and esports and STEM camp pages, Bonnet Springs Park, the Lakeland Downtown Development Authority and the Polk County Public Schools calendar.

Polk County students finish the 2026-27 year on Thursday, May 27, 2027, and Lakeland’s summer starts that weekend: Simpson Park Pool opens on Memorial Day weekend, and the city’s day camps begin in early June. City camps filled fast in 2026, so the key date for parents is the spring registration day.

Who to call

  • City camps office (Kelly Recreation Complex): 863-834-3284, option 2, Camps@lakelandgov.net
  • Gandy Pool: 863-834-3157
  • Simpson Park Pool: 863-834-2286
  • Barnett Family Park and Lake Mirror office: 863-834-2280

City day camps: how summer 2026 worked

Camp Who 2026 dates and hours
Camp BLAST Completed kindergarten, not yet in sixth grade June 8 to July 24, 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. weekdays; no camp June 19 or July 3
T.A.S.C. teen camp (service and adventure) Completed sixth grade, not yet in ninth June 8 to July 24; application, references and interview required
Camp S.T.E.M. Grades 3 to 7 Weekly themes starting June 8
Esports camps Kindergarten to eighth grade Summer sessions; see the esports page
Camp Extra Completed kindergarten, not yet in sixth grade July 27 to 31, the week after Camp BLAST; in-person registration from July 1

Camp BLAST ran at four sites in 2026, including the Lake Mirror auditorium, the Simpson Park Community Center and two middle schools, and every site was full; the city keeps a waiting list. Registration opened online at 9 a.m. Monday, March 23, 2026, through the city’s WebTrac system, and parents had to show a recent report card to verify grade. The city suggests setting up your WebTrac household before registration day. Fees are on the camps page.

T.A.S.C. had a waiting list for applications; call the Kelly Recreation Complex to get on it.

Pools

Pool Address Season
Gandy Pool, Kelly Recreation Complex 404 Imperial Blvd. Year-round; heated 10-lane, 25-yard pool with a 1-meter diving board and a 3- to 4-foot recreation pool, zero-depth ramp and lift chair
Simpson Park Pool 1725 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave. Summer only, unheated; opens Memorial Day weekend

Both charge a per-visit fee or take city activity passes, and both host summer swim lessons: parent-and-child, preschool and learn-to-swim levels, with summer weekday classes starting in June in 2026. Lifeguards clear the deck for at least 30 minutes when lightning is detected, the city says.

Splash pad

Barnett Family Park, 730 E. Orange St., sits above the Lake Mirror amphitheater with a splash pad, a playground and preschool playground, a labyrinth and covered picnic tables. The splash pad runs 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and is closed Wednesdays for maintenance. No food, drink or pets on the pad; water shoes are requested. If the water is off during open hours, call Gandy Pool, the city says.

Free summer programs

  • Bonnet Springs Park ran free Summer Naturalist mornings on Saturdays and Summer at the Spring water-play sessions at its spring in June and July 2026, all ages with an adult, plus Movie on the Lawn nights. The 2027 schedule will be on the park calendar.
  • Kids Market downtown: in 2026 young makers sold their work in Munn Park from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on June 27, July 11 and July 18, the downtown authority listed.
  • Library story times run year-round at all three Lakeland libraries; see our kids’ activities guide.

What this means for you

  • Put the spring camp registration day on your calendar as soon as the city posts it; 2026 sites filled.
  • Set up a WebTrac household account now.
  • For a swim on a weekday in May, Gandy Pool is open; Simpson waits for Memorial Day weekend.

Related: kids’ activities, Memorial Day and parks and trails.

Frequently asked questions

When does registration open for Lakeland’s summer camps?

For summer 2026, Camp BLAST registration opened online through the city’s WebTrac system at 9 a.m. Monday, March 23, and every site filled. The 2027 date had not been posted as of Oct. 9, 2026; setting up a WebTrac household account early saves time.

When do Lakeland’s public pools open for summer?

Gandy Pool at the Kelly Recreation Complex is heated and open year-round. Simpson Park Pool is unheated and opens for the season on Memorial Day weekend.

Where is the splash pad in Lakeland?

Barnett Family Park, 730 E. Orange St., above the Lake Mirror amphitheater. The splash pad runs 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and is closed Wednesdays for maintenance.

When does school let out in Polk County in 2027?

The last day for students is Thursday, May 27, 2027, an early-dismissal day, on Polk County Public Schools’ tentative calendar.