PLANT CITY, Fla. — Since its start in the 1930s, the Florida Strawberry Festival has been a celebration of community, big-name musical talent, livestock — and, of course, the all-important Florida strawberry.
Every March, berry lovers flock to Plant City to get a taste of the different sweet varieties grown on the 10,000+ acres of strawberry fields. This year, the festival runs from March 2-12.
On top of the classics like the strawberry shortcake, fresh jams and chocolate-dipped berries, the Florida Strawberry Festival serves up the fruit in creative new ways each year.
Here's a list of new food items coming to the Florida Strawberry Festival in 2023.
Mrs. E’s Strawberry Freeze
A snow cone meets strawberries and cream with this refreshing treat.
It features a strawberry-flavored snowball topped with condensed milk, whipped cream and a chocolate-dipped strawberry. A&M Concessions is serving it up on Edwards Street.
Very Berry Sugar Waffle
It doesn't get sweeter than this.
This strawberry-flavored sugar waffle is topped with powdered sugar, a heaping pile of fresh strawberry filling, whipped cream and a fresh strawberry. Get one from Fain’s Concession on the south side of the festival grounds.
Very Berry Battered Corndog
This is a sweet and salty treat for the more adventurous berry lovers.
This berry-battered corndog is deep-fried until golden brown and then served with sweet strawberry syrup by the Dessert Factory near Edwards Street on the west side of the festival grounds.
Mac Stack
If you need a break from all the berry goodness, this savory dish won't disappoint.
It features sweet cornbread topped with slow-roasted pulled pork, mac-n-cheese, BBQ beans, tangy coleslaw and barbeque sauce. Piggy Palace is serving it up on the south side of the festival grounds.
Sandy Ann’s Old Fashion Fried Pies
Take everything you love about a classic pie and deep-fry it.
Pick from a variety of flavors including apple, blueberry, and strawberries and cream at Sandy Ann’s Old Fashion Fried Pies near East Independent.
Fried Oyster-Mushroom Po Boy
Everyone can get in on the fun with this vegan-friendly option.
This crispy fried oyster mushroom is smeared with remoulade sauce, topped with lettuce, tomato and pickle, and paired with a side of rice and smoked beans. Get one from Seasoned Greens near the West end of GT Grandstands.
Langos Ear
A fair favorite gets a Hungarian twist.
This langos, or Hungarian deep-fried flatbread, is made out of elephant ear batter to make a savory garlic-buttered flatbread, topped with a homemade cream cheese and sour cream blend and sprinkled with bacon crumbles. Find it at The Best Around on the North side of the Entenmann’s Strawberry Tent.
Pumpkin Patch with a Strawberry Twist
Who says we have to save pumpkin for the fall?
Polar Bear Concessions is serving up this pumpkin ice cream garnished with marshmallows, graham cracker crumbles, maple syrup and fresh Plant City strawberries on East Independent near Neighborhood Village.