Strawberry Festival

Plant City’s Berry Best: The Florida Strawberry Festival Opens.

Thousands of people showed up for the first day of the Florida Strawberry Festival in Plant City yesterday. The 10-day festival, running from March 3-13, got off with a bang. The weather was beautiful and should remain the same through most of the weekend. Cool breezes and the smell of sweet treats wafted down the midway and through the event buildings. Racing pigs and lumberjack competitions, livestock competitions and a photography contest, and exhibits from the Future Farmers of America (FFA) all give the event a real hometown feel — plus, of course, lots and lots and lots of strawberries.

Quarts of strawberries being offered by Parksale Farms were hot sellers. Look at those beautiful red treats!

Hand-dipped white or dark chocolate fruit was one of the many variations available in the main exhibit building.

Brandon Farms brought strawberry preserves by the case. It's hometown goodness at its best.

Of course there's lots to do on the colorful midway. There are rides, games, people who will guess your age or weight, and much … MUCH more food.

Somehow this image just seems out of place for a hometown fair. I wonder what the originators of The Florida Strawberry Festival would say about a teeth whitening booth. Hey wait, $35? Sign me up!

The Strawberry Festival runs through March 13 in Plant City. Discount tickets are available at certain locations of Sweetbay Supermarkets

Some great music acts are coming to this year’s event. There are concerts every day from classic and contemporary country to rock and roll. Bands include the Doobie Brothers, Lady Antebellum, Clint Black, achybreaky Billy Ray Cyrus, George Jones and Rick Srpingfeild.

If you go, take an empty stomach and a sweet tooth. On the way out, don’t forget to pick up a flat or two of fresh Plant City berries!