Plant City, Fla. (WFLA) – The gates for the 2025 Strawberry Festival took place Thursday at 10am.
This year marks the 90th annual Strawberry Festival. The festival lasts for 11 days and will run from February 27th to March 9th.
$1 million scratch-off ticket purchased from Florida Circle k
This year we have new rides, attractions and strawberry snacks.
“This is a strawberry soaked in a vanilla glaze covered in strawberry crunch. This is a strawberry pecan salad that can have it as a croissant or scoop.”
Many family-owned businesses make up the festival.
“My two sons, my fiancé and myself run the business,” said David Johnson, owner of KD’s concession.
“There are a lot of people who help us, prepare us and prepare us all in the cafe. Our whole family is involved. So it’s so much fun to work together and serve together. All of our revenues go back to the community,” Rogers said.
There are new attractions for all ages and new stages of live concerts, including headliners like REBA.
“The old venues were a bit restrictive, so we have this incredible stage we are in now, and we will be holding many concerts over the next 11 days.
There are also performances that happen multiple times a day, like Veranica and her incredible friends.
“I’m so much fun training them, it takes a lot of patience, but working with them is so much fun. I love spending time with them,” Veranica said.
The dog trainer said he practices with his dog three times a day and trains. Their shows take place daily at the festival at 11am, 1pm and 3pm.
Veranica has trained dogs for almost four years and has a total of 23 show dogs.
The Queen and the Court of the famous Strawberry Festival have made several appearances. They all said it was an honor to wear a crown and sash to represent the community.
“It’s an incredible honor to represent a community. Our community is stuck by all of us when we need it. I think that’s how we’ve become in these shoes and representing this community,” said 2025 Queen Gabriella Hagman.
Everyone has worked so hard to stop another very tasty, fun festival.
“Everything is now available to order fresh and we just want everyone to enjoy the Strawberry Festival this year,” Johnson said.
This is a festival that grows every year, and organizers have a goal for 2025. It will attract approximately 700,000 participants.
For more information about the Strawberry Festival, click here.
