Recognized as a Top 20 Event in the Southeast, Best Local Event, and listed among the Top 40 North American Fairs, the annual Florida Strawberry Festival in Plant City is a must-see event! The festival begins on Thursday, February 28 and runs through Sunday, March 10. Festival gates open daily at 10a.m. Read on for some of the e
vent highlights.
A Little Bit of Strawberry Festival History
The Sunshine State welcomes its guests from near and far each year during this annual festival that celebrates both the agricultural and historical legacy of the Florida strawberry. The Strawberry Festival represents a time in history when fairs and festivals brought communities together through harvest celebrations. The festival is steeped in the tradition of the volunteer spirit and is a community-centered event. You can read more about the history of the Strawberry Festival here.
Visitors enjoy exhibits featuring agriculture, commerce, industry, livestock, fine arts, horticulture and crafts. Add to that a host of top-name entertainment, games, carnival rides, delicious food, parades and so much more to see why it remains a popular event in Southeast Florida.
The Florida Strawberry
Who doesn’t enjoy a red, ripe, sweet and luscious strawberry dripping with juices at the peak of ripeness? Local farmers have worked hard to cultivate them to perfection and bring them to market. More than 10,000 acres strawberries are planted annually in the local area.
In addition to yo
ur favorite fair food, you’ll find plenty of strawberry-centered delights here. Popular favorites include the strawberry cheesecake, strawberry shortcake, strawberry pie, chocolate covered strawberries… and why not try the strawberry pizza? You won’t go home hungry, that’s for sure.
Like any fair, you’ll also find some fun contests to either participate in or just enjoy for your viewing pleasure. In honor of the strawberry, you’ll find entertainment such as the Strawberry Stemming Contest, the Strawberry Shortcake Eating Contest, and the Strawberry Mashed Potato Pie Eating Contest, just to name a few.
Live Music & Entertainment at the Florida Strawberry Festival
Included in the paid gate admission, festival-goers are offered a jam-packed schedule of free entertainment for all ages. There’s too much to mention in this blog, but you can find the full schedule of free entertainment offered at the Strawberry Festival here.
Big-name headline entertainers draw big crowds to the festival. This year’s lineup includes award-winning favorites such as Chubby Checker, Casting Crowns, Foreigner, Alan Jackson, Martina McBride, Trace Atkins, Scotty McCreery, Bret Michaels, Blake Shelton and and many more. You can find the full schedule of headline entertainment offered at the Strawberry Festival here. (Concert ticket information, pricing and purchasing are found on that same page also.)
And More…
Advance admission prices offer a discount and can be purchased through February 27 (hurry!). Adult admission is $8, children ages 6-12 are $4, children age 5 and under are free. Regular gate admission is $10 for adults, $5 for children ages 6-12, and children age 5 and under are admitted free. Further Strawberry Festival admission price information can be found here. It’s also worth checking out the Special Days & Discounts page on the Florida Strawberry Festival website.
Remember that when you book your Gulf Coast vacation in Indian Rocks Beach and Indian Shores, you enjoy the quiet pristine beaches of the barrier island while also being close to all of the Gulf Coast attractions and events like the Strawberry Festival! When it comes to vacationing, it’s the best of both worlds.
We hope to see you soon! If you’re attending the Florida Strawberry Festival this week, drop us a line in our comment section. We always love hearing from our readers.
