Central Florida’s Strawberry Festival is an absolute must-visit.
Where else can you find an abundance of freshly picked strawberries, a delicious and famous strawberry shortcake, amusement rides, live music, nostalgic sweets, one-of-a-kind burgers, and every fried or “on a stick” dish you can think of? Plant City, Florida, is home to the annual Florida Strawberry Festival. If you’ve been telling your loved ones, “We really should go to that event someday,” then it’s time to #MakeSomedayHappen and really do it!
The Florida Strawberry Festival is a must-see for the following 8 reasons:
1. The strawberries:
In your opinion, what is the most important reason? Obviously, the strawberries are the one. Among the top 40 fairs in North America, the Florida Strawberry Festival honors the crop and the 2,800+ farmers in Hillsborough County who have labored tirelessly all season long so that we might savor their juicy, delicious produce. In case you didn’t know, the region is home to more than 10,000 acres of strawberry fields.
What a bounty of strawberries! Perfect for making milkshakes, eating straight out of the container, dipping in chocolate, or just snacking on. Be careful to get a container or two of these freshly picked berries to bring home because they are all over the place. Plus, strawberries are an excellent source of antioxidants, so eating them can help you maintain a healthy weight despite indulging in all the wacky fair goodies.
2. Shortcake with Strawberries:
A visit to the Florida Strawberry Festival would be incomplete without sampling the renowned Strawberry Shortcake. Garnished with strawberries and a mountain of whipped cream, this one has a thick slice of pound cake. Please enquire as to if they have fresh strawberries available since I would prefer them to the sugared variety. If you’re not a fan of shortcakes (I don’t know why I’m not going to judge!), then you can try some thick milkshakes, nutritious smoothies, crepes, or rich chocolate-dipped strawberries.
3. The Insane Fair Delights:
First and foremost, “go hungry!” if you’re planning on attending the Florida Strawberry Festival. There is a wide variety of foods to choose from, so even if strawberries are very nutritious, today is not the day to restrict your caloric intake. Indulge in every wacky, deep-fried meal on a stick that you can locate today. Almost anything goes on a stick these days: chicken, steak, ribs, pickles, cheesecake, butter, and who knows what else?
The Doughnut hamburger—a delicacy consisting of a meat patty, cheese, lettuce, and tomato sandwiched between two Krispy Kreme Donuts—was one of my favorite dishes, along with the thin-cut potato chips, freshly squeezed lemonade, fried green tomatoes, and fried Oreos. Oh, please don’t tell me how many calories were in that. Indeed, it was excellent and well worth the price! Sharing with friends is the best way to cut back on calories, in my opinion. In this manner, you can sample a wide variety of foods without going overboard.
4. The Sweet Shop:
The opportunity to spend time with friends engaging in activities we don’t usually do was the day’s highlight. Kids of all ages can enjoy the Florida Strawberry Festival; the boys from my friend’s group had a fantastic time, particularly in the sweets store. This is the place to satisfy your sweet tooth with all the nostalgic candies you remember from your childhood, like gumballs, lollipops, laffy taffy, caramels, chocolates, and more.
Caramels were piling up in my basket! Letting kids pick everything they want from the basket or not giving me a time restriction to shop might make the candy here really pricey! Not to mention the fact that the sweets will put extra pounds on your waistline (no pun intended!) at $3.99 a half-pound. After spending fifty dollars on sweets, we were prepared to race through the fair on an enormous sugar high.
5. The Show:
On the Wish Farms Soundstage, you can catch the headline performances of yesterday’s and today’s popular country artists at 3:30 and 7:30 pm, respectively. The daily allocation of 3,000 tickets is on a first-come, first-seated basis and is completely free of charge. Affordable reserved seats start at $15 and go up to $25 for certain shows.
In addition to daily celebrity visits, there are a number of free performances by regional and local artists. It would be incomplete without an eating contest, where the most courageous individuals compete for honor (and sometimes a modest reward) by devouring corn dogs, strawberry shortcakes, or mashed potatoes. Take a look at the activities program.
6. Perceiving Life in a Rural Area:
Americana meets at the Florida Strawberry Festival. This is where the fact that Florida is home to farms hits me. When we limit ourselves to grocery shopping, it’s easy to lose sight of the source of our food. Attending the Strawberry Festival means stepping into a tiny town where the Strawberry Princesses and Queen rule supreme and the community gathers to rejoice in the harvest.
Films like Hope Floats, Doc Hollywood, and Small Town USA (without the crazed preacher and the no-dancing rule) paint a similar picture of life in the United States. It’s easy to lose sight of the fact that Central Florida is home to numerous charming small villages inhabited by wonderful people who still rely on traditional farming methods to support themselves and their families.
Will people think I’m talking about the past? Perhaps. Absolutely, but then again, isn’t that the whole point of going on an adventure? The key is to seek out communities with distinct cultural practices. The Neighbourhood Village during the Florida Strawberry Festival features wares created and sold by local artisans. You should definitely stop by the Neighbourhood Village if you like quilting, cake decorating, baking, food preservation, jewelry and beading, needlepoint scrapbooking, and a whole lot more.
Also Read: Sunflower Festival: A Blooming Spectacle of Joy and Color
7. Rides and Games at Midway:
There must be midway rides at the Florida Strawberry Festival because it is a fair. Would you call that a rule? It appears that way, but I can’t be sure. All those wild ones that spin you around, along with your more subdued ones like the Ferris wheel, are right here. Everybody can find what they’re looking for! You can also acquire a large green plush animal here if that’s what you’re after.
After what seems like an infinite number of attempts! Don’t ruin the fun by figuring out that you just spent more than $50 on a plush animal that you could have acquired for a third of the price at Walmart. On some days, guests can enjoy special entertainment values by purchasing a wristband that grants access to a variety of rides for a single, affordable charge. On weekdays, there are Ride-A-Thon Days.
On weekends, there’s Moonlight Magic from 10:00 pm to 2:00 am. On Sundays, there’s Pepsi Family Day, when guests may get $5 off the $25 wristband and ride all day with a specially marked Pepsi can. Quite an amazing bargain!
8. Fresh Vegetables:
As you approach the Festival grounds, you’ll notice a variety of vendors selling a wide array of fresh fruits and vegetables, including strawberries. Remember these and remember to grab some to go after you finish up for the day. Show your support for local farmers by eating locally.
Attending the Florida Strawberry Festival is a must, regardless of your motivation. Could you not put it off for tomorrow? Sharing strawberry shortcake and cheesecake on a stick at the Festival with my sister is an experience I will never forget. Also, the wild foods we ate and the hours we spent laughing over our $50 worth of candy are memories I will never forget. I will always treasure these memories. Enjoy life to the fullest and create lasting memories at the Florida Strawberry Festival. I assure you, it’s not just strawberries!
