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Get Away
Ripe for recreation
 The Florida Strawberry Festival has a lot on its menu, including rides, animals, headline entertainment and, of course, its namesake.
By Times staff
© St. Petersburg Times
published February 27, 2003
Festival facts
Martina McBride
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The 68th annual Florida Strawberry Festival begins today and continues through March 9 in Plant City. The festival includes a midway, two petting zoos, cooking contests, animal exhibits and the famous strawberry shortcake.
HOURS: Gates open 10 a.m. daily. The midway opens at noon today and Friday, and Tuesday through March 7; at 10 a.m. Saturday through Monday and March 8 and 9. The Strawberry Patch Kiddy Corral, with rides for younger children, is open from 10 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. daily. Festival closing times vary from 11 p.m. to 3 a.m.
ADMISSION: $8 at gate for ages 11 and older. Ages 10 and younger are admitted free with a paying adult.
SPECIAL DEALS: Unlimited midway rides for $17 from 3 to 11 p.m. today and Tuesday through March 6; also 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday. Pepsi Day, $1 off admission with coupon Friday. Moonlight Magic, ride most midway rides for $20 from 11 p.m. to 3 a.m. Friday and March 7. Senior citizen days, those 60 and older get $1 off admission today and March 6. Kids' Day, free admission for those in 12th grade and younger Saturday. Ride prices reduced until 4 p.m.
GETTING THERE: Plant City is about 20 miles east of Tampa. Take Interstate 4 east to the Thonotosassa Road exit (Exit 19). Follow signs.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: (813) 752-9194 or www.flstrawberryfestival.com.
DAILY HIGHLIGHTS
Ronnie Milsap
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Terri Clark |
Vince Gill |
Tanya Tucker |
Brad Paisley |
Randy Travis |
Bobby Vinton |
Neal McCoy |
Billy Ray Cyrus |
(All free with admission)
TODAY: Jimmy and Sturr Orchestra, 10:30 a.m. and noon; poultry and rabbit shows, all day; youth swine show, 7 p.m.
FRIDAY: Poultry and rabbit shows, all day; dairy contestant judging, 1 p.m.; youth swine sale, 7 p.m.
SATURDAY: Youth Parade, 11 a.m.; dairy shows, noon and 2 p.m.; the Florida Opry, 7:30 and 10 p.m.; poultry and rabbit shows, all day.
SUNDAY: Poultry and rabbit shows, all day; pee wee showmanship judging (dairy), 12:30 p.m.; Dairy Costume Ball, 1 p.m.; baby contests, 2 p.m.; youth ornamental horticulture plant sale, 2 p.m.
MONDAY: Parade, 1 p.m. (in downtown Plant City); poultry and rabbit shows, all day; lamb jumping contest, 6 p.m.; lamb show, 7 p.m.
TUESDAY: Poultry and rabbit shows, all day; strawberry stemming contest, 3 p.m.; lamb costume contest, 7 p.m.
WEDNESDAY: Poultry and rabbit shows, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.; youth steer show, 6 p.m.
MARCH 6: Myron Floren and Orchestra, 10:30 a.m. and noon.; strawberry shortcake eating contest, 3 p.m.
MARCH 7: Livestock contestant judging contest, 3 p.m.; Grupo Vida (Latin music), 7:30 and 9 p.m.
MARCH 8: Baby parade, 10:15 a.m.; 4-H dog show, 10:30 a.m.; youth steer sale, 7 p.m.; the Rev. Arthur T. Jones and the Florida Mass Choir, Carlton Burgess and Praise, 7:30 and 10 p.m.
MARCH 9: Youth beef breed show, noon.
FREE DAILY ENTERTAINMENT
CHINESE ACROBATS: 11:30 a.m. and 2:30, 5:30 and 8:30 p.m. (8:30 show March 7 and March 8)
DENNIS LEE: 1, 4:30 and 8:30 p.m.
THE TERRY FATOR SHOW (ventriloquist): 11 a.m., 1:30 and 3 p.m.
JOHN PEARSON & THE TRAVELING BELL WAGON: 11:30 a.m., 2:30 and 5:30 p.m.
ROBINSON'S RACING PIGS: Noon, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 p.m.
RUNA PACHA "INDIAN WORLD": 10:30 a.m., noon, 2, 4, 6 and 8 p.m.
SOUTHERN STAR BLUEGRASS BAND: 5:30 and 8:30 p.m.
HEADLINERS
Each act performs at 4:30 and 7:30 p.m. Limited free seats are available for each show. Reserved seats range from $5 to $15. The box office is (813) 754-2190. Tickets are no longer available online or by mail.
TODAY: Ronnie Milsap. One of the biggest country artists of the '70s, Milsap had a Top 10 country hit for 15 straight years, including It Was Almost Like a Song, Smoky Mountain Rain and No Gettin' Over Me.
FRIDAY: Terri Clark. This Canadian is the granddaughter of country singers who used to open for acts such as George Jones and Little Jimmy Dickens. Her Top 10 hits include Better Things to Do, When Boy Meets Girl and If I Were You.
SATURDAY: Ricky Skaggs and the Del McCoury Band. McCoury, a longtime traditional bluegrass musician, got his big break 40 years ago as a banjo player and singer in Bill Monroe's Blue Grass Boys.
SUNDAY: Vince Gill. This is Gill's fifth appearance at the festival. He's promoting his new CD, Next Big Thing, released this month.
MONDAY: Tanya Tucker. She has been belting out country hits since she hit it big with Delta Dawn in 1972 at age 13. She released her 31st album last year.
TUESDAY: Brad Paisley. At last year's Strawberry Festival, Paisley was still considered a country newcomer. Now he's one of country's biggest hitmakers. He was nominated for a Grammy for best male country vocal performance for his I'm Gonna Miss Her.
WEDNESDAY: Randy Travis. The country star of the mid '80s to early '90s, Travis opened the door for country crossover acts. His compilation CD The Essential is scheduled for release in late March.
MARCH 6: Bobby Vinton. The crooner of Roses Are Red (My Love) and Blue Velvet now owns a theater in Branson, Mo., and performs mainly in casinos and resorts around the country.
MARCH 7: Neal McCoy. The honky-tonk singer, who scored his first big hit in 1994 with No Doubt About It, just released Luckiest Man in the World.
MARCH 8: Billy Ray Cyrus. The man forever known for Achy Breaky Heart takes a break from his career as the star of Doc on the Pax network.
MARCH 9: Martina McBride. She recently took home the Country Music Association's female vocalist of the year award and was nominated for a Grammy for best female country vocal performance for Blessed.
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