Florida Strawberry Festival 2027: Dates, Tickets and a Day Trip from Orlando

The Florida Strawberry Festival in Plant City runs March 4 to 14, 2027, with the theme "A Timeless Tradition." It's 11 days of strawberry shortcake, livestock shows, a midway and headline concerts, about 75 minutes west of Orlando on I-4. Here's how to do it as a day trip.

The 2027 festival at a glance

• Dates: March 4 to 14, 2027
• Where: Florida Strawberry Festival grounds, 303 BerryFest Place, Plant City (the main ticket gate, Gate 1, is at 2209 W. Oak Ave.)
• Drive from Orlando: about 75 minutes west on I-4, more on weekends
• Advance tickets: $10 adults (13+), $4 kids (6 to 12), 5 and under free with a paid adult, sold at participating Publix stores February 1 to March 14
• Gate prices, parking and hours: gate admission is listed at $15 for adults (13+) and $5 for kids (6 to 12) in November 2026, and festival lots are listed at $10 a car, cash only. The admission page gives daily hours of 10 AM to 11 PM, though the festival's FAQ says 10 PM, so confirm before a late visit.

Buy advance tickets at Publix. It's the easiest way to save on a family trip.

What to do there

• Strawberry shortcake. The famous one is a mountain of berries and whipped cream from the church and civic group booths. Expect a line and get one anyway.
• Fresh flats of berries. Plant City grows a big share of the country's winter strawberries, and March is peak season. Leave a cooler in the car for the drive home, since coolers aren't allowed inside the gates. For local produce closer to Orlando, see Orlando farmers markets.
• Livestock and agriculture. Cattle shows, 4-H and FFA exhibits and judging all week.
• The midway. Rides and games, with a separate kiddie area for younger kids. Wristband deals vary by day.
• Headline concerts. The festival brings in country, classic rock and gospel acts on the main stage. Concert seats are sold separately, on top of gate admission. The festival said it would announce the 2027 lineup in mid-November, and concert tickets go on sale December 10, 2026, so check the festival site.

Tips for the day trip

• Go on a weekday if you can. Weekends and the second Saturday are the busiest.
• Bring cash for parking and some food booths.
• Leave early. I-4 between Orlando and Tampa is slow on Friday afternoons and weekends.
• Check the calendar. The 2027 discount days are already on the festival site: kids through high school age get in free on Saturday, March 6, kids up to 17 are free with a paid adult on Tuesday, March 9, and guests 60 and older pay $10 at the gate on Thursdays, March 4 and 11.

Make it a weekend

Plant City is about 25 minutes from Tampa, and Clearwater Beach is under an hour farther. Our Clearwater Beach day trip guide covers the beach side. Closer to Orlando, a farm day at Mini Moo Land in Kissimmee is a good fit for strawberry festival families: you can pet and cuddle highland cows, and the baby calf bottle feeding is a favorite with kids. Our link takes 10% off.

The festival ends the day before spring break starts for Orange and Osceola county schools (March 15 to 19, 2027), though Orange County students also have Friday, March 12 off. See our Orlando in March 2027 guide for what else is on.

The I-4 exits and festival parking lots

Coming from Orlando you are arriving from the east. The festival's directions page gives two routes off I-4:

• Exit 22, Park Road: go south to Highway 92 (Baker Street), west to Alexander Street, south on Alexander, then west on Reynolds Street to the grounds.
• Exit 21, Alexander Street: go south on Alexander, then west on Reynolds Street.

The festival lists 11 official lots around the grounds. They are cash only and listed at $10 in November 2026. Vehicles over 20 feet are $20, in the Red lot only. A tram runs daily from the Red lot to Gates 10 and 14 and to the corner near Gates 1 and 5. Note your lot color and the gate you came in.

The festival's address is 303 BerryFest Place, Plant City. The main ticket gate (Gate 1) is at 2209 West Oak Avenue.

2027 gate prices, hours and discount days

The admission page now shows gate prices for the March 4 to 14, 2027 festival: listed at $15 for adults (13 and up) and $5 for kids 6 to 12 in November 2026, with 5 and under free with a paid adult. It lists daily hours of 10 am to 11 pm. The festival's FAQ says 10 am to 10 pm, so confirm the closing time before a late visit.

The special days page is also up for 2027:

• Saturday, March 6: kids through high school age get in free.
• Tuesday, March 9: kids up to 17 are free with a paid adult.
• Thursdays, March 4 and 11: guests 60 and older pay $10 at the gate.
• Monday, March 8: the Grand Parade starts downtown at 1 pm and reaches the grounds at about 2 pm.

Concerts need a concert ticket plus gate admission. The events calendar lists headline tickets on sale December 10, 2026, and the headliner page says to check back in mid-November for the lineup.

Coolers, bags and accessibility

The festival FAQ covers the rules:

• Not allowed inside: bottles, cans, coolers and picnic baskets. Leave the cooler for your berries in the car.
• Bags and backpacks: allowed, and searched at the gate.
• Alcohol: none is sold on the grounds.
• Cards: accepted at the gates, on the midway and by many vendors.

Accessible parking is in the Red lot across from Gate 14 and across from Gate 1 on West Oak Avenue, listed at $10. Rentals inside Gates 1, 14 and 16 are listed at $30 a day for wheelchairs, $70 for motorized scooters, $20 for wagons and $15 for strollers. For accessible concert seating, the festival says to call 813-719-6680 instead of ordering online.