Strawberry shortcakes piled high with whipped cream, live music echoing across the fairgrounds and families lining up for carnival rides– it’s that time of year again in Plant City. The Florida Strawberry Festival has returned, celebrating the fruit that helped put the small Florida city on the map as the “Winter Strawberry Capital of the World.” It’s not too late to attend, the last day is March 8.
As soon as visitors enter the festival, the smell of food fills the air while rows of craft stands and carnival rides spread through the fair grounds.
The Strawberry Festival is more than just a good time for the community. It's a celebration held annually, to celebrate the agricultural success and the strawberry industry. With more than 2,000 volunteers, the community comes together each year to honor the farmers who help feed thousands of families across Florida.
There are more than 10,000 acres of strawberries planted each year in Plant City. The city produces over $360 million from their fruit and vegetable crops, according to the Strawberry Festival website.
Throughout the festival, there are little sections that highlight the strawberry crops by sharing a fact or other educational aspect of farming these juicy red strawberries. Plant City produces more than 75% of the winter strawberries in the United States, which the Durant FAA booth highlighted.
Strawberries were of course the staple of this event, but there is more to enjoy. There was a variety of fried foods, turkey legs, steaks, blooming onions, pastries, honey and more.
Tammy Sadler is the owner of Bee-Haven Honey Farm and her company has been attending the fair for 12 years.
“Attending this festival is a big deal for us. We love it. It's a real boost to our business locally,” Sadler said.
Bee-Haven Honey Farm is located in the Baycare Center and has a variety of Florida honey.
“We move the bees to a very concentrated area of the bloom we want to make honey for. Right now, all the bees are sitting in orange groves, because all those trees are busting out and blooming,” Sadler said. “They’ll sit there for the duration of that bloom and as soon as the tree stops blooming, we will take the honey off them.”
Sadler said this festival is a real boost for the local economy and is filled with family fun.
“If you want to know you got good honey, know your beekeeper. Buy locally,” she said.
There are more than just local companies who attend the fair. Jardy Kern is the owner of Finns Maple Stand and it was his first time attending the Strawberry Festival.
Kern specializes in organic maple sugar from Vermont. At his stand, guests can find cotton candy or popcorn that has no dyes, is gluten and dairy free.
“There is a lot of entertainment and a lot of food options. There is something for everyone here,” Kern said.
Just outside the BayCare Center, the festival midway is full of energy as visitors line up for funnel cakes, turkey legs and nearly 80 carnival rides stretching across the fairgrounds.
Once you're stuffed with food and tickets run out, there is still plenty to do at this festival. There are rows and rows of crafts, clothes, plants and more that guests can buy. While shopping there are still free strawberry samples.
Wish Farms has been attending the Strawberry Festival for about seven years and they were offering free strawberry samples that are picked fresh every morning.
As soon as visitors bite into the berries, juice spills out like a waterfall with a burst of sweetness.
“The cold weather made the strawberries taste sweeter,” said Orianna Di-Miele, an intern at Wish Farms.
After facing one of the coldest seasons in decades, she said the farm lost some strawberries but was resilient.
The farm is family owned, but local Plant City residents help out and this was Di-Miele's first time at the Strawberry Festival.
She said her favorite part about coming to the festival is seeing locals helping locals.
“Definitely bring your friends and family. It’s really nice to spend the whole day here, especially for the concerts. It’s not often you can do so many things at one time,” Di-Miele said.
It is easy to lose track of time while in the festival. With just a few days left, the festival is jam packed with a lot of events coming up.
Thursday, March 5 is “Florida Blue Senior Day” and the “Lazydays RV Ride-A-Thon Day.” The festival opens at 10 a.m. with performances by The Bellamy Brothers at 3:30 p.m., Jess Kellie Adams at 6 p.m. and Dierks Bentley at 7:30 p.m.
Friday, March 6 is “Tampa Bay Times Day on the Midway” and the “Moonlight Magic.” Gates open at 10 a.m. with performances by The Marshall Tucker Band at 3:30 p.m. and Forrest Frank at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, March 7 is “Farm Worker Appreciation Day” and “Circle K Super Saturday Wristband Day.” Registration for livestock judging opens at 9:00 a.m. and the festival gates open at 10 a.m. with performances by the Pitbull toddler at 3:30 p.m. and The Offspring at 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, March 8th is “Coca-Cola Family Day.” Gates open at 10 a.m. with performances by Joan Jett & The Blackhearts.
To attend the big performances on the Wish Farm stage, tickets can be purchased online. General admission is $16 and some local Publix are selling $10 tickets.
With just a few days left before the gates close, visitors will continue filling the fairgrounds leaving with sticky fingers, full stomachs and some strawberry shortcake to-go. While the local community continues celebrating the berry that built this city.
