Sunday, January 20, 2008
By REBECCA SLOAN
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
PLANT CITY, Fla. — Strawberry shortcakes, strawberry milkshakes, strawberry cobblers, strawberry pies — nobody does strawberries like the folks in Plant City, Fla., where the ruby fruit is king.
Known as the “strawberry capital of the world,” Plant City’s tropical climate makes berry production a cinch even during the dead of winter.
And while almost any time of year is a good time to sample Plant City’s abundant berries, the best time to take a bite is during the town’s annual strawberry festival.
At this celebrated event tourists can enjoy tasty treats along with all the fun and flair of a county fair.
The 2008 Florida Strawberry Festival, set for Feb. 28 through March 9, will feature rides, agriculture shows and competitions, arts and crafts exhibits and parades.
The festival will also boast performances by country music superstars including Alan Jackson, Travis Tritt, Crystal Gayle, Miranda Lambert, Blake Shelton, Glen Campbell, Mickey Gilley, Charley Pride, Charlie Daniels, Billy Ray Cyrus, Neal McCoy, Sugarland and Trace Adkins.
The Florida Strawberry Festival began in 1930 when members of Plant City’s Lion’s Club decided to organize an event in honor of the local strawberry harvest.
Today about 800,000 people attend the 11-day extravaganza.
Plant City, which is about 30 minutes from Tampa and 60 minutes from Orlando, began in the 1800s as a railroad town.
Although many people assume the town earned its name from its agricultural prowess, Plant City was actually christened for railroad tycoon Henry Bradley Plant.
Plant City’s tropical gulf coast climate makes it ideal for growing not only strawberries but also citrus, vegetables, houseplants and other crops.
At Parkesdale Farms, just off Interstate 4 in Plant City, tourists can buy some of the bountiful local harvest.
Parkesdale Farms happens to be central Florida’s largest strawberry and citrus market, and folks flock here for everything from tomatoes to mangos to pineapples.
They also come for a taste of Parkesdale Farms famous “jumbo strawberry shortcake.”
Parkesdale Farms has been serving its delectable shortcake since 1980, and sometimes the line of customers waiting to be served stretches out the door and into the parking lot.
The Parkesdale Farms shortcake recipe is “a little like a biscuit, and a little like a cake; not so sweet that it overpowers the berry and moist enough to soak up the berry juice.”
The menu includes sweetened or unsweetened cake served alone or with ice cream or whipped cream.
Diners can eat their scrumptious shortcake in a sunny greenhouse known as the Parkesdale Farms “Garden of Eatin.’”
The greenhouse features tropical houseplants for sale and a whimsical “strawberry throne” where tourists can pretend they are a member of strawberry royalty and don a silly crown and be photographed.
Parkesdale Farms produce market is open seven days a week, year-round.
Other Plant City attractions include the town historic district, which boasts Southern mansions, specialty shops, brick-lined streets, manicured parks, museums and a renovated train depot.
Every third Saturday of the month, Plant City hosts the Strawberry Classic Car Show, which attracts thousands of visitors.
Thousands also come for the city’s Bike Fest, a motorcycle extravaganza featuring live music, vendors and crafters. Bike Fest occurs the first Saturday of every month.
Plant City is also home to the International Softball Federation, where softball teams from all over the world compete.
XFor more information on Plant City, visit www.plantcity.com or call the chamber of commerce at (800) 760-2315. For more information on the Florida Strawberry Festival call (813) 752-9194 or visit www.flstrawberryfestival.coms. Strawberry Festival entertainers will perform from 3:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. daily. Reserve tickets are on sale for $10 and up, but there are also about 4,000 free seats for all shows included with gate admission price. These seats are available on a first-come, first-served basis.