Florida Strawberry Festival guide: what to do, see and eat at the 2024 fair

Tucked into tiny Plant City in northeast Hillsborough County’s farm country, the Florida Strawberry Festival will once again turn on its Southern charm and likely keep its reign as the most-attended fair in the state.

Though the strawberry shortcakes are legendary and the midway is expansive, it’s the stellar music lineup that keeps this fair at the top of the heap in attendance. This year’s festival runs Feb. 29 to March 10, with a midway and a music lineup that includes gold-record country star Cody Johnson, Flo Rida and Foreigner.

The festival had a record year last year, according to industry news site Carnival Warehouse, jumping to No. 27 in the nation with 606,116 people attending in 2023, well ahead of the Florida State Fair (405,000) and more population-dense Miami-Dade’s County Fair or the South Florida Fair.

Last year’s leap broke its 2020 record, and the surge likely came because people were ready to shake off the pandemic blues, said festival President Kyle Robinson.

With a population of about 40,000 residents, Plant City can see as many as 50,000 people per day streaming in along Interstate 4 to fill up on shortcake and hear some music. More than 2,500 volunteers are on hand to keep it that way.

“Even though we’ve grown to be the state’s biggest festival, we still have that down-home country feel,” Robinson said, noting that the homey arts and crafts on display and this year’s new history exhibit remind people of yesteryear.

Also new this year are more free entertainment options, including a magician three times a day and a new woodworking show where artists will be carving wood creations daily in front of an audience. There’s also a new show of dog tricks, but old favorites like the Hollywood Racing Pigs will be sure to draw fans, he said.

The festival also has a slick new app that lets you mark your parking space, see where to find the Amish doughnuts, scan the day’s schedule or put your concert tickets in a digital wallet.

Another new feature is a permanent building, the Stingray Chevrolet Entertainment Pavilion, replacing a tent with a structure that has lots of ceiling fans to offer some relief as the afternoon warms up. Robinson said they plan to gradually replace the many tents on the festival grounds with air-conditioned buildings over the next few years.

But Robinson said he is most excited about a new permanent history exhibit that opens this year in the Milton E. Hull Historical Armory Building.

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The exhibit covers the festival’s origins and legacy, from the midway tradition to its impact on Florida agriculture. It will run every day during the festival and return annually. There are sections on musical entertainers who have graced the festival stage (including a young Taylor Swift) and the tradition of the Strawberry Festival queen and court. Guests can see the sashes and berry-red lipstick worn by these women, plus look at photos of the pageant throughout the years.

“You can tell what decade you’re in by the hairstyle,” said Mary Anna Murphy of MAM Exhibit Design, a former cotton pageant contestant who created the exhibit.

A fairly new tradition called Special Smiles Day returns on March 1. Guests with special needs are admitted free starting at 9 a.m. and get a map of sensory-friendly areas, rides and attractions where the sound and light are reduced. Robinson said more than 1,500 people took advantage of the program last year and, for its second year, 20 schools already have confirmed they are bringing students. See more information and a map at flstrawberryfestival.com/special-smiles-day.

Strawberries

The star attraction comes in dozens of forms. After you settle the cake versus biscuit debate, you have three shortcake choices, a make-your-own booth run by St. Clement Catholic Church or the goodies from Transforming Life Church or the East Historical Society.

The other strawberry concoction choices are many, from loaded milkshakes to strawberry pizza, tacos, jam, kettle corn, pies and fudge. There’s also strawberry decor, clothing and contests like who can remove the stems from 25 berries the fastest.

Before you leave, consider taking home a flat of strawberries. The local growers from Parkesdale Farms and Wish Farms will bring out their prize jewels for purchase.

Tips

Bring cash: Though they take credit cards at the main admission gates and for the midway rides, many of the vendors and crafters, as well as parking lots, still run on cash. ATMs are located throughout the festival grounds.

Check the website first: With so much going on each day, check flstrawberryfestival.com before you head out to see the day’s schedule, peruse the exhibits, look up tips for getting there and download the new free app to make the day easier.

Time your trip: The gates open at 10 a.m. and the crowds grow as the day wears on, especially before a big concert.

Save on tickets: You can skip the line at the gate and save $5 by buying your admission ticket at Publix for $10. (For ages 6-12 it’s $4.) And if you bring a Publix GreenWise nonperishable food item to donate on March 1 you’ll get a $5 discount on a $30 ride armband.

Music lineup

Hot country acts like “Rich Men North of Richmond” singer Oliver Anthony and hitmaker Cody Johnson are typical, but the festival has broadened its musical appeal in recent years by adding pop and R&B acts like the Black Eyed Peas and Flo Rida. Concert prices do not include gate admission.

Feb. 29

• 10:30 a.m. Jimmy Sturr & His Orchestra (free)
• 3:30 p.m. The Oak Ridge Boys ($35)
• 7:30 p.m. Oliver Anthony ($35)

March 1

• 3:30 p.m. The Beach Boys ($45)
• 7:30 p.m. Jordan Davis ($55)

March 2: 7:30 p.m. Black Eyed Peas ($65)

March 3: 7:30 p.m. Parker McCollum ($65)

March 4

• 3:30 p.m. The Bellamy Brothers ($25)
• 7:30 p.m. ZZ Top ($55)

March 5

• 3:30 p.m. Mark Lowry ($30)
• 7:30 p.m. Zach Williams ($40)

March 6

• 3:30 p.m. Craig Morgan ($35)
• 7:30 p.m. Riley Green ($50)

March 7

• 10:30 a.m. Bill Haley Jr. & The Comets (free)
• 3:30 p.m. Gene Watson ($25)
• 7:30 p.m. Kirk Franklin ($45)

March 8

• 3:30 p.m. The Commodores ($35)
• 7:30 p.m. Foreigner ($55)

March 9

• 3:30 p.m. Jo Dee Messina ($30)
• 7:30 p.m. Flo Rida ($50)

March 10: 7:30 p.m. Cody Johnson ($75)

If you go to the Florida Strawberry Festival

For its 89th year, the festival celebrates the strawberry harvest with a midway, animal shows and a lineup of top country, pop and rock artists. It runs from 10 a.m.-10 p.m. daily Feb. 29-March 10 at 303 BerryFest Place, Plant City. Concert tickets are in addition to gate admission, which is $15, $5 ages 6-12, 5 and younger free. flstrawberryfestival.com.