By Andrea Martone
Still Growing Together: Florida Strawberry Festival Unites Community, Concerts, and Florida’s Favorite Fruit
Each spring, the Florida Strawberry Festival® proudly welcomes visitors from across the Sunshine State and around the world to celebrate one of Florida’s sweetest traditions. Guests flock to Plant City to experience the best of the region’s agriculture, commerce, industry, livestock, fine arts, horticulture, and crafts. With lively parades, youth programs, contests, live entertainment, and plenty of hometown hospitality, the festival continues to weave the rich fabric of American life into every event. The 2026 Florida Strawberry Festival where we’re “Still Growing” will take place Feb. 26 – March 8 in Plant City, and residents from counties nearby flock to this multi-decade tradition that is rooted in heritage and community spirit. The Florida Strawberry Festival stands as a classic piece of Americana – a reminder of a time when fairs brought neighbors together to celebrate their harvests. Since its first celebration in 1930, the festival has reserved and honored the legacy of the Florida strawberry and the hard-working farmers who cultivate it.
HISTORY OF STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL:
After a brief hiatus during and after World War II, the Strawberry event was revived in 1948 through the efforts of the American Legion Post #26 and the Plant City Lions Club, whose members helped establish the festival as a cherished local tradition.
That same volunteer spirit continues today, with civic organizations and community members donating countless hours each year to bring the event to life.
Now ranked among the Top 40 Fairs in North America, the Florida Strawberry Festival remains a community-governed, nonprofit organization – never subsidized by taxpayer dollars. Its board of local directors ensures the festival continues to grow while staying true to its founding mission: to celebrate agriculture, honor tradition, and bring people together.
Each year, more than 10,000 acres of strawberries are planted in the surrounding area, making Hillsborough County one of the top agricultural producers in the nation. With more than 2,800 farms generating over $360 million annually, the region grows everything from strawberries and citrus to vegetables, ornamental plants, dairy, and even tropical fish.
The Florida Strawberry Festival offers something for everyone – a chance to taste perfectly ripe strawberries, meet local growers, and experience the charm, pride, and unity that make Plant City truly special.
IF YOU GO:
The Florida Strawberry Festival is an 11-day community event celebrating the strawberry harvest of eastern Hillsborough County. Each year, over 600,000 visitors enjoy the festival’s headline entertainment, youth
livestock shows, exhibits of commerce and, of course, its strawberry shortcake. For more information, visit www.flstrawberryfestival.com, Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube, and TikTok (#berryfest26). Here is a list of entertainment and concerts at the Strawberry Festival: www.flstrawberryfestival.com/headline-entertainment-2026-photos
Feb. 26: 10:30am Jimmy Sturr & his orchestra, 3:30pm The Oak Ridge Boys, 7:30pm Alabama. Feb. 27: 3:30pm Jo Dee Messina; 7:30pm Jamey Johnson. Feb. 28: 3:30pm Lonestar, 7:30pm Ty Myers; Mar. 1: 6:30pm Riley Green featuring Hannah McFarland. Mar. 2: 3:30pm Gene Watson, 7:30pm To Be Announced. Mar. 3: 3:30pm Sandi Patty; 7:30pm Lauren Daigle. Mar. 4: 3:30pm John Foster, 7:30pm Brantley Gilbert. Mar. 5: 10:30am Bill Haley Jr. & The Comets, 3:30pm The Bellamy Brothers, 7:30pm Dierks Bentley. Mar. 6: 3:30pm The Marshall Tucker Band, 7:30pm Forrest Frank. Mar. 7: 3:30pm To Be Announced, 7:30pm The Offspring. Mar. 8: 7:30pm