Strawberry festival opens today
By GEORGE H. NEWMAN The Tampa Tribune Published: March 3, 2011
PLANT CITY - Let the celebration — and the gluttony — begin.
The Florida Strawberry Festival opens at 10 a.m. today for an 11-day run. The celebration of King Strawberry includes carnival rides, livestock shows and mountains of shortcake.
Volunteers at the three shortcake booths, operated by two churches and the East Hillsborough Historical Society, often work hard to keep up with demand for the $3.50 per bowl treat.
"If the weather's good, we could sell upwards of 30,000 shortcakes," historical society President Shelby Bender said.
Some visitors have voracious appetites for the sweet fruit topped with whipped cream, she said. "We've had some big fellows come back through the line three or four times."
Festival General Manager Paul Davis said he's anticipating 40,000 visitors on opening day and 500,000 or more over all.
"We brought in new rides, to make it fresh, new vendors, new food products and with good weather we are expecting a lot of people to come through the gates," he said.
This is the 76th annual festival, which celebrates the harvest of Plant City's biggest crop. Nearly all the nation's strawberries are grown on about 8,000 acres in the area during a harvest that lasts from about Thanksgiving to Easter.
At Spivey's Southern Grill, workers were busy Wednesday getting ready to sell Italian and Polish sausage and cheese steak sandwiches.
"We are gearing up for a big opening day crowd," said grill master Craig Stansel, as Italian sausage sizzled on the grill.
Maintenance man T. L. Porter, who has been working for the ride owner Bobby Myers for 10 years, said he's looking forward to the festival.
"We're hoping for good weather and a lot of people to come out. That will keep me working."
The Florida Strawberry Festival opens at 10 a.m. today for an 11-day run. The celebration of King Strawberry includes carnival rides, livestock shows and mountains of shortcake.
Volunteers at the three shortcake booths, operated by two churches and the East Hillsborough Historical Society, often work hard to keep up with demand for the $3.50 per bowl treat.
"If the weather's good, we could sell upwards of 30,000 shortcakes," historical society President Shelby Bender said.
Some visitors have voracious appetites for the sweet fruit topped with whipped cream, she said. "We've had some big fellows come back through the line three or four times."
Festival General Manager Paul Davis said he's anticipating 40,000 visitors on opening day and 500,000 or more over all.
"We brought in new rides, to make it fresh, new vendors, new food products and with good weather we are expecting a lot of people to come through the gates," he said.
This is the 76th annual festival, which celebrates the harvest of Plant City's biggest crop. Nearly all the nation's strawberries are grown on about 8,000 acres in the area during a harvest that lasts from about Thanksgiving to Easter.
At Spivey's Southern Grill, workers were busy Wednesday getting ready to sell Italian and Polish sausage and cheese steak sandwiches.
"We are gearing up for a big opening day crowd," said grill master Craig Stansel, as Italian sausage sizzled on the grill.
Maintenance man T. L. Porter, who has been working for the ride owner Bobby Myers for 10 years, said he's looking forward to the festival.
"We're hoping for good weather and a lot of people to come out. That will keep me working."
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