Florida Strawberry Festival 2026 Recap and 2027 Dates From Ocala
The Florida Strawberry Festival is held in Plant City, about 100 miles south of Ocala, not in Marion County. The 2026 festival ran Feb. 26 through March 8, 2026, and the festival lists its 2027 dates as March 4 through March 14, 2027.
By Only In Ocala. Dates, prices and the address were checked against the festival's official website on Oct. 12, 2026.
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The Florida Strawberry Festival 2026 ran Thursday, Feb. 26 through Sunday, March 8, 2026, at 303 BerryFest Place in Plant City. The next festival is listed for March 4 through March 14, 2027. As of Oct. 12, 2026, the festival lists gate admission at $15 for ages 13 and up and $5 for ages 6 to 12 and parking at $10 cash, and the drive from Ocala is about 1 hour 45 minutes.
When is the Florida Strawberry Festival 2027?
The Florida Strawberry Festival lists its 2027 dates as Thursday, March 4 through Sunday, March 14, 2027, at its grounds in Plant City. That is 11 days. The 2027 headline concerts had not been announced as of Oct. 12, 2026; the festival says it will name them in mid-November.
The festival's schedule page says an updated schedule of events will be posted in spring 2027. It lists the attractions that make up a typical year: youth livestock shows, the Neighborhood Village, free stages including the BayCare Center, the Publix Showcase Tent and the Stingray Entertainment Pavilion, the headline concerts, the Deggeller Attractions midway, the SUN 'n FUN Kiddie Korral, the Florida Strawberry Festival Queen's Scholarship Pageant, a Junior Royalty Pageant and contests.
For Marion County readers, the timing matters because the Plant City festival overlaps with Ocala's own strawberry weekend. Habitat for Humanity of Marion County lists the 13th annual Habitat Ocala Strawberry Festival for Saturday, March 6, 2027, which falls inside the Plant City run.
Admission, Parking and Hours
The figures below are the ones the festival publishes on its admission and directions pages. Concert seats are a separate purchase: the festival states that a concert ticket does not include gate admission, so concertgoers pay both.
| Item | What the festival lists (as of Oct. 12, 2026) |
|---|---|
| Address | 303 BerryFest Place, Plant City, FL 33563 |
| 2027 dates | March 4 to March 14, 2027 |
| Gate admission | $15 ages 13 and up; $5 ages 6 to 12; free for 5 and under with a paid adult |
| Publix discount tickets | $10 adults, $4 ages 6 to 12, sold at participating Central Florida Publix stores Feb. 1 through March 14 |
| Gate hours | Amscot Main Ticket Gate (Gate 1): 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily |
| Midway hours | Noon to 11 p.m. Tuesday to Friday; 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. weekends and Monday |
| Parking | 11 festival lots, $10, cash only; Red lot vehicles over 20 feet $20 |
| Accessible parking | $10, Red lot across from Gate 14 or across from Gate 1 on West Oak Avenue |
| Rentals | Wheelchairs $30 a day; scooters $70 a day or $50 after 5 p.m.; wagons $20; strollers $15 |
The admission page lists these prices without a year, next to the March 4 to 14, 2027 dates, and the festival's pages still mix 2026 and 2027 labels while it updates for next season, so prices may change before March 2027. Confirm on the official admission page before buying.
Getting to Plant City From Ocala
Plant City sits in eastern Hillsborough County on I-4, between Tampa and Lakeland. From Ocala the trip is roughly 100 miles and about 1 hour 45 minutes each way without heavy traffic, which makes it a long day trip rather than an afternoon outing. Distances and times here are approximate.
- 1Take I-75 south from Ocala toward Tampa.
- 2Exit onto I-4 east toward Orlando.
- 3Leave I-4 at Alexander St./Buchman Hwy. (exit 21) or Park Rd. (exit 22), the exits the festival lists for eastbound drivers.
- 4Follow festival signs to one of the 11 lots around the grounds, and bring cash: the festival lots do not take cards.
- 5From the Red lot, a festival tram runs to Gates 10 and 14 and to the corner of BerryFest Place and Oak Avenue near Gates 1 and 5.
Because of the distance, Marion County visitors who want to be there when the gates open at 10 a.m. should plan on leaving Ocala by about 8 a.m. Anyone pairing the festival with a farm stop can use the strawberry picking near Ocala guide, and the day trips from Ocala guide covers other Tampa Bay stops along I-75.
Florida Strawberry Festival 2026 Recap: The Headline Lineup
The 2026 festival booked 22 headline shows over its 11-day run, from Feb. 26 through March 8, 2026. Three of them, Jimmy Sturr & His Orchestra, Bill Haley Jr. & The Comets and Pitbull Toddler, were free with gate admission; the rest were ticketed by section (pit, floor and grandstand). The lineup below is as the festival published it.
| Date (2026) | Time | Headliner |
|---|---|---|
| Thu., Feb. 26 | 10:30 a.m. | Jimmy Sturr & His Orchestra(Free with gate admission) |
| Thu., Feb. 26 | 3:30 p.m. | The Oak Ridge Boys |
| Thu., Feb. 26 | 7:30 p.m. | Alabama |
| Fri., Feb. 27 | 3:30 p.m. | Jo Dee Messina |
| Fri., Feb. 27 | 7:30 p.m. | Jamey Johnson |
| Sat., Feb. 28 | 3:30 p.m. | Lonestar |
| Sat., Feb. 28 | 7:30 p.m. | Ty Myers |
| Sun., March 1 | 6:30 p.m. | Riley Green, featuring Hannah McFarland |
| Mon., March 2 | 3:30 p.m. | Gene Watson |
| Mon., March 2 | 7:30 p.m. | Legends of Love: Brian McKnight, Ginuwine and Ruben Studdard |
| Tue., March 3 | 3:30 p.m. | Sandi Patty |
| Tue., March 3 | 7:30 p.m. | Lauren Daigle |
| Wed., March 4 | 3:30 p.m. | John Foster |
| Wed., March 4 | 7:30 p.m. | Brantley Gilbert |
| Thu., March 5 | 10:30 a.m. | Bill Haley Jr. & The Comets(Free with gate admission) |
| Thu., March 5 | 3:30 p.m. | The Bellamy Brothers |
| Thu., March 5 | 7:30 p.m. | Dierks Bentley |
| Fri., March 6 | 3:30 p.m. | The Marshall Tucker Band |
| Fri., March 6 | 7:30 p.m. | Forrest Frank |
| Sat., March 7 | 3:30 p.m. | Pitbull Toddler(Free with gate admission) |
| Sat., March 7 | 7:30 p.m. | The Offspring |
| Sun., March 8 | 7:30 p.m. | Joan Jett & The Blackhearts |
Plant City or Closer to Home? Three Strawberry Festivals Compared
Many Ocala searches for the Florida Strawberry Festival are really looking for a strawberry festival nearby. Two are much closer than Plant City. The Habitat Ocala Strawberry Festival is in town, and the Brownwood Strawberry Festival is at Brownwood Paddock Square in The Villages.
| Festival | Where | From Ocala (approx.) | Length | Admission |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Florida Strawberry Festival | 303 BerryFest Place, Plant City | About 100 miles, 1 hr 45 min | 11 days (March 4 to 14, 2027) | $15 adults, $5 ages 6 to 12; $10 parking (as listed Oct. 2026) |
| Habitat Ocala Strawberry Festival | McPherson Complex, 601 SE 25th Ave., Ocala | In Ocala | One day (Saturday, March 6, 2027, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.) | Free; $5 parking |
| Brownwood Strawberry Festival | Brownwood Paddock Square, The Villages | About 35 minutes | See the Brownwood guide | See the Brownwood guide |
A Short History of the Plant City Festival
According to the festival's own history page, the Florida Strawberry Festival began in 1930, when members of the newly organized Plant City Lions Club came up with the idea. It paused for six years during and after World War II, and American Legion Post 26 helped restart it in 1948.
The festival says it now ranks among the Top 40 Fairs in North America and has never been subsidized by taxpayers. Plant City berries also reach Marion County: Habitat for Humanity of Marion County says the fresh strawberries sold at its Ocala event come from Plant City farmers.
2027 dates
March 4 to 14, 2027
Gate admission
$15 adults; $5 ages 6 to 12
Parking
$10 per vehicle, cash only
Gate hours
10 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily
Frequently Asked Questions
When was the Florida Strawberry Festival 2026?
The 2026 Florida Strawberry Festival ran from Thursday, Feb. 26 through Sunday, March 8, 2026, at the festival grounds in Plant City. Its headline concert schedule opened with Jimmy Sturr & His Orchestra on Feb. 26 and closed with Joan Jett & The Blackhearts on March 8.
When is the Florida Strawberry Festival 2027?
The festival lists its 2027 dates as March 4 through March 14, 2027, in Plant City. The official site says the 2027 headline entertainment will be announced in mid-November 2026, and an updated schedule of events will follow in spring 2027.
How much is admission to the Florida Strawberry Festival?
As of Oct. 12, 2026, the festival's admission page, which carries the March 4 to 14, 2027 dates, lists gate admission at $15 for ages 13 and up and $5 for ages 6 to 12; children 5 and under are free with a paid adult. The page gives no year next to the prices. Discount gate tickets sold at participating Central Florida Publix stores from Feb. 1 through March 14 cost $10 for adults and $4 for ages 6 to 12. Headline concert seats are sold separately and do not include gate admission.
How much is parking at the Florida Strawberry Festival?
The festival operates 11 parking lots around the grounds, and its directions page lists all festival lots at $10, cash only. In the Red lot, cars, pickups and vans under 20 feet are $10, and vehicles over 20 feet are $20. Accessible parking is $10 in the Red lot across from Gate 14 or across from Gate 1 on West Oak Avenue.
Where is the Florida Strawberry Festival?
The Florida Strawberry Festival grounds are at 303 BerryFest Place, Plant City, FL 33563, in eastern Hillsborough County between Tampa and Lakeland. The festival is not in Ocala or Marion County. From Ocala it is roughly 100 miles south, about a 1 hour 45 minute drive by way of I-75 and I-4, depending on traffic.
Is there a strawberry festival closer to Ocala?
Yes. The Habitat Ocala Strawberry Festival is a free, one-day festival at the McPherson Complex, 601 SE 25th Ave., Ocala, organized by Habitat for Humanity of Marion County; Habitat lists the 2027 edition for Saturday, March 6, 2027. The Brownwood Strawberry Festival at Brownwood Paddock Square in The Villages is about 35 minutes south of Ocala.
What time do the Florida Strawberry Festival gates open?
The festival's admission page lists the Amscot Main Ticket Gate (Gate 1) as open daily from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. The Midway opens at noon Tuesday through Friday and at 10 a.m. on weekends and Monday, and closes at 11 p.m.
Sources and How This Guide Was Made
This guide was researched and drafted with the help of AI tools. Every date, price, time and address on it was checked against the festival's official website and, for the Ocala event, Habitat for Humanity of Marion County's website on Oct. 12, 2026. Drive times are approximate.
Florida Strawberry Festival · Admission & Accessibility · Directions & Parking · 2026 Headline Entertainment · Festival History · Habitat Ocala Strawberry Festival
Festival de la Fresa de Florida 2026 y fechas de 2027
El Festival de la Fresa de Florida (Florida Strawberry Festival) se celebra en 303 BerryFest Place, Plant City, FL 33563, a unas 100 millas al sur de Ocala, aproximadamente 1 hora y 45 minutos en auto por la I-75 y la I-4. La edición de 2026 fue del 26 de febrero al 8 de marzo de 2026, y el festival anuncia las fechas de 2027 del 4 al 14 de marzo de 2027. Al 12 de octubre de 2026, la página oficial indica una entrada de $15 para personas de 13 años en adelante y $5 para niños de 6 a 12; los niños de 5 años o menos entran gratis con un adulto que pague. El estacionamiento cuesta $10, solo en efectivo, y la puerta principal abre de 10 a.m. a 11 p.m. todos los días. Más cerca de Ocala, el Habitat Ocala Strawberry Festival es gratis y se celebra un solo día en el McPherson Complex.