Ocala Strawberry Festival 2027
Your complete guide to the Habitat Ocala Strawberry Festival — Marion County's one-day spring festival with over 235 vendors, live music, a car show, and fresh strawberries, benefiting Habitat for Humanity of Marion County.
Free Admission
$5 parking per vehicle
235+ Vendors
Crafts, food, artisan goods
Habitat for Humanity
All proceeds build homes
13th Annual in 2027
Saturday, March 6, 2027
What Is the Ocala Strawberry Festival?
The Ocala Strawberry Festival — officially called the Habitat Ocala Strawberry Festival — is an annual community celebration organized by Habitat for Humanity of Marion County. Held each March at the McPherson Complex in Ocala, it brings together fresh strawberries, live entertainment, over 235 vendors, and family-friendly attractions for one day each spring.
The Ocala Strawberry Festival is a charity event at its core. Habitat for Humanity of Marion County says proceeds will go toward building a new home, called the Strawberry House, for a low-income family with an affordable mortgage. Parking fees benefit both Habitat and the Marion Therapeutic Riding Association, whose volunteers handle traffic and parking on festival day.
The festival is also sometimes searched as the "Marion County Strawberry Festival" or "Habitat Strawberry Festival." No matter what you call it, it's the same beloved event — and it's one of the most anticipated spring traditions in Ocala.
Key Festival Details
Official Name: Habitat Ocala Strawberry Festival
Next Festival: Saturday, March 6, 2027
Time: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Organizer: Habitat for Humanity of Marion County, 352-351-4663
Venue: McPherson Complex
Address: 601 SE 25th Ave, Ocala, FL 34471
Admission: Free
Parking: $5 per vehicle
2026 Festival Recap
The 12th annual festival took place Saturday, March 7, 2026
The 2026 Habitat Ocala Strawberry Festival — the 12th annual edition — was held on Saturday, March 7, 2026, at the McPherson Complex. Habitat for Humanity of Marion County listed over 235 vendors, free admission, and a full day of live entertainment from 9 AM to 5 PM.
Habitat's 2026 festival page listed main-stage performances by Peaches & Karim and Emma Forgette & Band among the day's entertainment. The program also included a BMX show, a pie-eating contest, a car show with cars, trucks, and motorcycles, and a kids zone with a petting zoo.
Live Entertainment
Main-stage music through the day plus a BMX show
Auto Show
Cars, trucks, and motorcycles
Kids Zone
Petting zoo and a pie-eating contest
Looking for the big multi-day fair in Plant City instead? See the Florida Strawberry Festival 2026 recap and 2027 dates, which compares it with the Ocala and Brownwood festivals.
What to Expect at the Ocala Strawberry Festival
Whether it's your first year or your twelfth, here's what the festival typically offers.
Tickets & Admission
General Admission
FREE
No tickets needed. The Ocala Strawberry Festival is free to attend for all ages. Simply show up at the McPherson Complex between 9 AM and 5 PM.
Parking
$5
Per vehicle, on site. Parking proceeds benefit the Marion Therapeutic Riding Association and Habitat for Humanity of Marion County, and MTRA volunteers handle traffic control and parking.
Food and vendor purchases are priced individually by each vendor. Bringing some cash alongside a card is the simplest way to cover parking and small purchases.
Tips for Attending the Ocala Strawberry Festival
Practical planning tips for a one-day outdoor festival.
Arrive Early
The festival starts at 9 AM and ends at 5 PM. Arriving near the start gives the most time with the vendors, the stage, and the strawberry stands.
Bring Cash
Parking is $5 per vehicle, and payment options vary by vendor. Small bills make parking and quick food purchases easier.
Sunscreen & Shade
The festival is an outdoor event, and March in Ocala can be sunny and warm. Sunscreen, a hat, and sunglasses help, and a small umbrella can double as shade.
Wear Comfortable Shoes
Browsing over 235 vendors plus the entertainment areas means a lot of walking. Supportive shoes are a better choice than flip-flops.
Bring a Wagon for Kids
If you have young children, a collapsible wagon is a lifesaver. It gives tired legs a break and doubles as a carrier for your vendor purchases. Strollers work too.
Bring Folding Chairs
If you want to catch the live entertainment, portable folding chairs or a blanket let you sit comfortably near the main stage.
Bring a Cooler for Strawberries
If you plan to buy fresh strawberries (and you should), bring a small cooler with ice packs in your car. March weather can be warm enough to affect fresh berries, especially if you stay all day.
History of the Ocala Strawberry Festival
Habitat for Humanity of Marion County held the 12th annual Habitat Ocala Strawberry Festival on March 7, 2026, and calls the 2027 event the 13th annual festival. The festival takes its theme from Florida's winter strawberry season: the fresh berries sold in Ocala come from Plant City farmers, the same Hillsborough County town that hosts the multi-day Florida Strawberry Festival.
Today the festival is a fundraiser for a specific house. Habitat says proceeds from the annual Strawberry Festival will be used to build a new home, called the Strawberry House, for a low-income family with an affordable mortgage and a safe and secure place to raise children. Parking proceeds are shared with the Marion Therapeutic Riding Association, whose volunteers run traffic and parking on festival day.
Recent Festivals
2027 Ocala Strawberry Festival
Saturday, March 6, 2027
Habitat for Humanity of Marion County announces that the 13th annual Habitat Ocala Strawberry Festival returns to the McPherson Complex, 601 SE 25th Avenue, Ocala, on Saturday, March 6, 2027, from 9 AM to 5 PM with free admission and $5 parking. Details such as the entertainment lineup are posted on habitatocala.org closer to the festival.
Only In Ocala will add the 2027 entertainment lineup when Habitat publishes it. The same weekend, the Florida Strawberry Festival in Plant City runs its 2027 edition from March 4 to March 14; see the Florida Strawberry Festival 2026 recap and 2027 dates for admission, parking, and the drive from Ocala.
Frequently Asked Questions
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The Ocala Strawberry Festival is more than strawberries — it's a community coming together to help Habitat for Humanity build homes for families in need.
Festival de la Fresa de Ocala
El Habitat Ocala Strawberry Festival es un festival gratuito de un solo día que organiza Habitat for Humanity of Marion County en el McPherson Complex, 601 SE 25th Ave, Ocala, FL 34471. La edición número 13 está anunciada para el sábado 6 de marzo de 2027, de 9 a.m. a 5 p.m. La entrada es gratis y el estacionamiento cuesta $5 por vehículo. Habitat anuncia más de 235 vendedores, fresas frescas de agricultores de Plant City, música en vivo, una exhibición de autos, un show de BMX, un concurso de comer pastel y un área infantil con zoológico de contacto. Lo recaudado se destina a construir una nueva casa, la Strawberry House, para una familia de bajos ingresos.